Development of critical thinking in Natural Science whit secondary school students in an Educational Institution in Pereira - Risaralda

Résumé

This article shows the results of research work on the development of critical thought in Natural Science with secondary school students at the Boyacá Educational Institution, conducted within the Master’s Degree program on Education and Human Development at the University of Manizales.

The research was oriented toward developing critical thinking skills such as analyzing information, inferring implications, proposing alternative solutions, and arguing positions. It started with an initial assessment, followed by the design and application of activities related to the scientific method applied through a didactic intervention within the research group, and finishing with the application of the posttest focused on understanding how the development of these skills in the research group students took place.

The methodology used was a descriptive quantitative approach, through a quasi-experimental method called “Pre-post design with a single group” accompanied by four phases. The aim of the research was to bring students closer to the construction of analytical, critical-reflective and argumentative skills in immediate context situations, especially in the competences of the Natural Sciences, as well as to identify hich experiences of the teaching process contributed to the critical thinking education of these students.