Developing Students’ Critical Thinking Through Digital Storytelling-Based Learning

Abstract

In the context of 21st-century education, this study highlights the value of students’ critical thinking skills in English language learning within EFL learning context instruction. Nevertheless, students frequently demonstrate limited ability to apply critical thinking during classroom activities, and previous studies tend to focus more on learning outcomes than on the development developmental stages, particularly in secondary school EFL contexts. The objective of this study examines how project-based learning, supported by digital storytelling, helps improve students’ critical thinking skills. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, which served as the primary techniques for data collection in a qualitative case study design. Facione's framework served as a guide for the analysis of the data utilizing the interactive analytical model introduced by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The findings reveal that students’ critical thinking skills developed progressively, beginning with interpretation and moving on to analysis, examination, reasoning, explanation, and self-regulation. The study concludes that integrating Project-Based Learning with Digital Storytelling effectively promotes students’ critical thinking through active, collaborative, and reflective learning.