International Journal of Pedagogics
7
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijp
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
PAGE NO.
7-11
10.37547/ijp/Volume05Issue07-02
Methods for Fostering Critical Thinking Among Students
Islamova Moxichexra Bekmurzayevna
Lecturer at Navoi State University, Uzbekistan
Received:
11 May 2025;
Accepted:
07 June 2025;
Published:
09 July 2025
Abstract:
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the relevance of developing critical thinking in
adolescent students, its methodological approaches, its application in the educational process, and its role in
personal development. The article explores psychological changes associated with the development of critical
thinking, the socio-
moral characteristics of adolescence, and their impact on students’ thinking, behavior,
morality, and emotional state through a philosophical-pedagogical perspective. Critical thinking is interpreted not
merely as an intellectual activity, but as a complex cognitive, social, and ethical process that transforms the
individual into an active, responsible, and conscious participant in society.
Keywords:
Critical thinking, student identity, problem-based learning, innovative methods, creative thinking,
analysis, synthesis, moral education, cognitive skills, personal development.
Introduction:
According to the Development Strategy
of Uzbekistan’s seven priority areas and the Law "On
Education," special emphasis is placed on fostering
harmony in the relationship between the individual and
society, as well as on developing independent and
critical thinking skills in youth. In this context, the field
of pedagogy is increasingly focused on exploring
diverse approaches to organizing the educational
process in ways that enable individuals to realize their
full potential. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his work “Critical Analysis, Strict
Discipline, and Personal Responsibility Should Become
the Daily Rule of Every Leader’s Activity,” also stresses
that every leader or individual must base their activities
on deep analysis and a critical approach, as this is a
demand of the current era.
Indeed, the role of individuals who think independently
and critically is invaluable in creating a diverse
intellectual environment within society. Shaping a well-
rounded person who views the world from a new
perspective
—
and, as a result, fostering individuals who
are independent thinkers, creatively driven, strong-
willed, ideologically committed, morally upright, and
conscientious
—
is one of the most vital and responsible
tasks facing educators in our republic. Therefore,
within the educational process, it is of great importance
to form and continuously develop students' critical
thinking abilities. By practically implementing a
“subject–subject” relationship model, their creative
activity,
inquisitiveness,
strength
of
will,
industriousness, and sense of conviction can be
effectively nurtured.
It is of great importance to further develop the
elements of critical thinking formed during early school
age as children progress through their school years.
Students should be taught not to fear expressing their
own opinions and to navigate complex situations with
confidence. Teachers must promptly address situations
where students are unable to overcome initial
obstacles, fear challenges, or fall into discouragement,
ensuring that such barriers do not hinder their
development.
One of the key elements of critical thinking is
developing students’ ability to distinguish between
positive and negative situations.
Indicators of well-developed critical thinking skills
include:
•
the ability to analyze expressed opinions;
•
generalization;
•
making accurate evaluations;
•
analogy, comparison, and contrast;
•
differentiation;
•
classification;
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
•
argumentation;
•
drawing conclusions.
In this regard, the weight of responsibility placed on
education and upbringing specialists is measured
precisely by these factors. As the saying goes, “A tree
planted a day late bears fruit a week late,” even a single
day’s delay in the sphere of upbringing can lead to
significant problems. That is why the head of our state
expresses great trust in the leaders of the spiritual-
educational field, especially in educators, and
repeatedly warns all of us about the potential risks
connected to our future.
Each developmental stage has its own unique
characteristics in the formation of a person. In
particular, the school years differ from other stages due
to students’ impulsiveness, variability of thoughts,
emotional instability, and frequent crisis conditions.
The main reason for this is that both physiological and
psychological changes occur during the school period.
If proper influence is not exerted on students’
education
and,
more
importantly,
on
their
psychological development during this stage, the
character traits they develop may shift from positive to
negative over time. This can hinder their integration
into society, their ability to find their place in life, and
their capacity to assess events and phenomena around
them objectively.
In particular, developing critical thinking at school age
is of great importance, as this is the period when
theoretical thinking begins to gain prominence.
Students begin to seek a deeper understanding of the
connections in the world around them. During this
stage, a noticeable increase in their interest in
knowledge occurs. Acquiring scientific and theoretical
knowledge leads to the development of thinking. As a
result, their ability to reason using evidence and
arguments improves. They begin to develop the
capacity for deductive reasoning.
For school-age students, it is especially important to
intensively develop all their personal qualities
—
including knowledge, aptitude, mental processing
methods, critical thinking, self-regulation mechanisms,
emotional and moral traits, and practical activity
—
through innovative methods and developmental
educational technologies.
Introducing strategies and technologies into the
educational process that encourage students to think
independently and critically, creating a creative
pedagogical environment that fosters critical thinking,
and establishing a cooperative and interactive
atmosphere between teachers and students are
essential for the development of critical thinking skills.
The development of critical thinking in students is most
effective when innovative methods are applied during
classroom activities. There is significant potential to
foster critical thinking in the teaching of social and
humanitarian subjects within the education system. In
particular, subjects that fall under the category of
National Independence Ideology, as well as history and
literature, offer extensive opportunities in this regard.
Below, we would like to present our views on the ways
to develop students' critical thinking using an example
from a literature lesson.
9th Grade Literature Class Topic: “Working on the
Novel O‘tkan Kunlar”
After giving a brief overview of the previous topic and
reinforcing it through a question-and-answer session
with the students, the teacher proceeds to develop
their critical thinking skills using the innovative “PMI”
method (Plus, Minus, Interesting
–
also known as FSMU
in Uzbek).
The teacher asks: “What kind of literary work is Abdulla
Qodiriy’s O‘tkan Kunlar?”
(Students might respond as follows…)
THINK –
State your
opinion clearly
The first realistic work that expresses the national
character
REASON
– provide a
reason for your opinion
Uzbek traditional values are broadly interpreted,
reflecting the relationships between parents and
children.
EXAMPLE
– Support
your
opinion
with
examples.
In the image of Yusufbek Khoja, the character is
portrayed as a farsighted and wise statesman, a truth-
seeker and devoted public servant, as well as a caring
and kind-hearted father devoted to his family.
GENERALIZATION
– Summarize your
opinion.
Abdulla Qodiriy’s novel
“O‘tkan kunlar”
portrays the
difficult life of the Uzbek people in the recent past, the
presence
of
inequality
in
husband-and-wife
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
relationships, and the tragic downfall of morally upright
and well-mannered young individuals.
One of the innovative methods that encourages
students to think critically is the “Double
-Entry
Journal”
strategy. This method, first, helps students deeply
understand the content of the topic, and second,
encourages them to objectively evaluate events and
situations. One of the essential elements of critical
thinking is the ability of students to assess events and
phenomena impartially.
Once the assignment based on the Double-Entry
Journal is given, students divide a notebook page into
two parts. On the left side labeled “Excerpt,” students
are required to write a passage from the text,
something that deeply affected them, or a symbol that
genuinely surprised them. The essence of the Double-
Entry Journal method can be seen in the following
example:
Passage
Commentary
Yusufbek Hoji:
“I have spent much of my
life striving for the peace of this land and
the well-being of its people, yet I have
gained nothing but suffering. My mind
cannot comprehend how we can become
true people while selfish, power-hungry,
materialistic
scoundrels—who
know
nothing of unity or what it means to be a
nation, and who devour one another for
personal gain—still remain on the soil of
Turkestan. If we continue in this manner,
sabotaging one another, then the day is
near when Russian tyranny will defile our
Turkestan with its filthy foot. And we,
with our own hands, will place the Russian
yoke upon the necks of our future
generations.”
Yusufbek Hoji, unjustly blamed by his
own son’s criticisms, harbors deep disgust
toward
the
power-hungry
and
materialistic people of his time. He
considered
the
struggle
for
the
independence and unity of the homeland
as the meaning of his life. He urged those
who were entangled in kinship favoritism,
regionalism, and nepotism—engaged in
petty disputes—to rise to greater causes.
As a visionary figure of his era, he foresaw
that if the situation continued as it was, the
nation would fall into ruin and the land
would be humiliated under the feet of
invaders.
A nation that raised such sincere and
noble-hearted individuals was indeed
worthy of living in freedom and
independence. Although we once lost our
liberty due to internal strife, conflicts, and
conspiracies, we have reclaimed it by
standing united. Praise be to the Creator, it
has now been more than a quarter of a
century since our country has been
recognized by the whole world. When our
national anthem echoes from the world’s
highest tribunes, even the most respected
figures place their hands over their hearts
in reverence. Today, we are living in the
bright days that Qodiriy once envisioned.
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
Another method that promotes the development of
students' critical thinking is the "Problem-Based
Learning" approach. This method is also based on
studying real-life situations, identifying problems,
analyzing and synthesizing them to make well-founded
decisions. In the novel O‘tkan kunlar, students can
identify the problems that led to the tragic end of the
main character Kumushbibi’s life and express their own
views on possible solutions in the following way:
Main problems
Solution
Result
1.
Uzbek
Oyim
arranging
a
second
marriage for Otabek
based on her own
desires,
without
considering his opinion.
2.
Kumushbibi not
living in Otabek’s house
in Tashkent after the
wedding.
3.
Otabek’s
indifference
toward
Zaynab.
4.
Zaynab’s lack of
willpower.
5.
Both families not
taking
the
in-law
relationship seriously.
...
1.
Uzbek
Oyim
should have considered
her
son
Otabek’s
feelings and taken his
opinions into account.
2.
Kumushbibi’s
parents should have sent
their
daughter
to
Tashkent
after
the
wedding
instead
of
keeping her at home in
Margilan.
3.
Otabek
should
have treated both of his
legally wedded wives
equally.
4.
Zaynab should not
have gone as far as
committing
murder
under
any
circumstances.
5.
Both
families
failed to act according to
Uzbek traditions and
customs, which led to
the problems.
Kumush’s life would not
have ended in tragedy.
The use of the above-mentioned innovative methods
by the teacher is most effective when applied within
group work settings. This is because critical thinking
fosters an environment of diverse perspectives and
creates the opportunity to select the most appropriate
idea from among various viewpoints.
Thus, since critical thinking is a thought process that
begins with the reception of information and ends with
decision-making, during this process, students learn
the culture of listening and engaging in dialogue while
solving controversial issues. They compare different
perspectives and arrive at optimal conclusions.
Critical thinking represents the highest level of
students’ intellectual activity, where ideas and
possibilities are creatively integrated, concentrated, re-
evaluated, and reconstructed. In critical thinking, ideas
and their significance are viewed from the perspective
of multiplicity of opinions and compared with other
concepts. It emphasizes analysis, comparison,
explanation, application, debate, innovation, problem-
solving, and evaluation of the thinking process itself.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, critical thinking is a highly relevant topic
in today’s educational landscape, and its development
necessitates the use of innovative methods. Because in
the teaching-learning process, students must
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
participate actively and understand their responsibility
in this process consciously. They should acquire the
skills to analyze presented information at different
levels. As a result, it becomes possible to nurture
critically thinking citizens who can consciously
contribute to solving the most important issues in
society and assist in addressing various problems at
local, regional, national, and international levels.
Ultimately, our youth will be equipped with the
competence to distinguish constructive ideas from
destructive ones.
REFERENCES
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Sh. Mirziyoyev No. PF-5847 dated October 8, 2019 "On
approval of the Concept for the Development of the
Higher Education System of the Republic of Uzbekistan
until 2030". //
https://lex.uz/ru/docs/-4545884
Critical analysis, strict discipline, and personal
responsibility must become the daily rule of conduct
for every leader. Tashkent: “Uzbekistan”, 2017.
Q. Yuldoshev, V. Qodirov, J. Yuldosbekov. Literature
Textbook for 9th Grade. Tashkent, 2014.
E. G’oziyev. Psychology of Thinking. Tashkent: National
University of Uzbekistan, 1998.
R. Eshmukhammedov. Methods for Increasing the
Effectiveness of Education through Innovative
Technologies. Tashkent: TSPU, 2005.
F. Khodjiyeva. Didactic Foundations of Developing
Critical Thinking in Students (Based on the Example of
Primary School Pupils). PhD Dissertation in Pedagogical
Sciences. Tashkent, 2008.
