Critical Thinking Research: A Scoping Review on Research Gaps

Abstract

This paper is a scoping review of critical thinking (CT) studies done in the Philippines by Filipino scholars from 1971 to 2017, aimed to examine the extent and nature of research that has been conducted to identify research gaps in the existing literature. In doing the scoping review, a five-stage methodological framework was utilized. Out of 142 documents gathered, 128 studies were reviewed and classified into six major research areas. Over the last 47 years, studies have focused largely on CT ability, but studies on CT disposition have been very limited. Immersion is the predominant approach used in teaching CT and in materials development. The majority of studies conducted were designed for students in tertiary and secondary education, but hardly for kindergarten and elementary school pupils. This scoping review suggests that research need to be conducted to cultivate CT disposition towards helping learners in kindergarten and elementary school acquire the skill.