The development and validation of the Blended Socratic Method of Teaching (BSMT): An instructional model to enhance critical thinking skills of undergraduate business students

Abstract

     Enhancing critical thinking skills is one of the paramount goals of many educational institutions. This study presents the development and validation of the Blended Socratic Method of Teaching (BSMT), a teaching model intended to foster critical thinking skills of business students in the undergraduate level. The main objectives of the study were to 1) to survey the critical thinking skills of undergraduate business students, and 2) to develop and validate the BSMT model designed to enhance critical thinking skills. The research procedure comprised of two phases related to the two research objectives: 1) surveying the critical thinking skills of 371 undergraduate business students at Naresuan University International College focusing on the three critical thinking competencies of the RED model-recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, and draw conclusion, and the determination of the level of their critical thinking; and 2) developing the instructional model followed by validation of the model by five experts. The results of the study were: 1) the undergraduate business students have deficient critical thinking based on the RED Model competencies as they scored “below average” on the critical thinking appraisal, and 2) the developed model comprised six elements: focus, syntax, principles of reaction, the social system, the support system, and application. The experts were in complete agreement that the model is “highly appropriate” in improving the critical thinking skills of the business students. The main essence of the model is the syntax comprising of five steps: group assignment, analysis and writing of case studies; group presentation of the business case analysis in class; Socratic discussion/questioning in class; posting of the case study on the class Facebook account; and online Socratic discussion/questioning. The BSMT model is an authentic and comprehensive model combining the Socratic method of teaching, information and communication technology (ICT), and business case analysis.