Improving college students’ critical thinking through the use of a story tool for self-regulated learning training

Abstract

This chapter describes the efficacy of story tools for promoting self-regulated learning (SRL) and critical thinking, through a narrative-based approach. A voluminous corpus of research shows that students who receive training in SRL strategies (e.g., goal setting, time management, help seeking) are likely to engage deeply in school tasks, display higher-order thinking skills, and show high academic achievement. We present Letters from Gervase as a story-tool to improve SRL for 1st year college students. The program that utilizes this story-tool is aimed at promoting competencies (e.g., SRL strategies, critical thinking skills) through narratives. We present research evidence that demonstrates its effectiveness.