The Conceptualization of Critical Thinking: Toward a Culturally Inclusive Framework for Technology-Enhanced Instruction in Higher Education

The proliferation of fake news and pseudoscience requires a proactive educational approach to the cultivation of critical thinking (CT); yet, university lecturers and students alike appear to have insufficient guidance. Moreover, studies on CT overlook globalization trends such as student mobility, where international students are a significant portion of the student body. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the way CT is conceptualized and experienced by instructors, local students, and international students from China in a science and engineering university, and accordingly design a culturally inclusive theoretical framework for CT cultivation in the digital era. The study applied an integrated dual-analytic approach, where data was collected via a survey and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that many instructors and students lack a comprehensive understanding of CT skills. The findings also show that the international students were more familiar with CT in theory and practice than the local students, with “analysis” as one of the prominent skills experienced in academic courses. The study presents a technology-enhanced instructional framework that integrates individual learning with collaborative and culturally inclusive assignments.