Perceptions of Students' Learning Critical Thinking Through Debate in A Technology Classroom: A Case Study by Shopia Scott

Perceptions of Students’ Learning Critical
Thinking through Debate in a Technology

Classroom: A Case Study by Shopia Scott
By
KURNIA RAMADHANI
14018008
K-1 2014
Journal Review
Title :
Perceptions of Students’ Learning
Critical Thinking through Debate in a
Technology Classroom: A Case Study
Abstract
• Critical thinking is often a desired compe-tency for graduates of a

technology program. Organizational members have uttered concern
about students’ inability to think critically. Although traditional
pedagogical techniques, such as lectures and examinations, center
on knowledge acquisition, debates in the technolo-gy classroom
can effectively facilitate critical thinking. The purpose of this study
was to gath-er via questionnaires the perceptions of technol-ogy
students on the debate process used in the classroom to increase
critical thinking. Overall, the students believed that the debate
process was a useful learning activity. The results of the
questionnaire revealed that students believed that the debates
helped them understand the topic better, learn new knowledge,
and gain an understanding of the debate process. In addi-tion,
students thought that the debates increased their critical thinking
skills .
1. Abstract
 A good abstract contain purpose or rationale os study, methodology,
results and conclusion.
• About all of that kinds of information, this journal have a clear enough
purpose : The purpose of this study was to gath-er via questionnaires the
perceptions of technol-ogy students on the debate process used in the
classroom to increase critical thinking,
• but the author do not write about the methodology in this part.
• For the result, it is state clear enough : The results of the questionnaire
revealed that students believed that the debates helped them understand
the topic better, learn new knowledge, and gain an understanding of the
debate process.
• And also the abstact has a simple conclusion : students thought that the
debates increased their critical thinking skills. Even the statement do not
guide us enough about the clear conclusion.
Introduction
Employers value employees who can solve complex problems, communicate

effectively, and think critically (Gokhale, 1995). A function of higher education is to
teach students to think. University accreditation boards, for example, the National
Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT), the Accreditation Board of Engineering
and Technology (ABET) and the International Technology Education Association
(ITEA) rec-ognize competencies such as problem solving, communication, and
teamwork (including criti cal thinking).
Although traditional pedagog-ical techniques such as lectures and examina-tions

center on knowledge acquisition, debates in the classroom can effectively facilitate
critical thinking (Roy & Macchiette, 2005). Therefore, debate as a teaching tool,
has a place in peda-gogical methods because it allows students to enhance critical
thinking through investigating arguments, engaging in research, gathering
information, performing analysis, assessing arguments, questioning assumptions,
and demonstrating interpersonal skills.
2. Introduction
 A good introduction serve 2 purposes: creating
reader’s interest in the subject and providing them
with enough information to understand the article.
 The introduction of this journal is interesting enough,
even at the beginning of that part, the author do not
state directly about the debate,which can help
student to have a critical thinking. She tends to write
about the basic competence that they student need
is critical thinking. So, in the end, she relates it with
the debate activity and give some methods to apply
that in the classroom activity.
Methods
This study investigated students’ percep-tions of the debate process used in a technology classroom to
increase critical thinking.
Subjects
The study included 111 students enrolled in a Science, Technology, and Society course in the fall and
spring of 2005-2006. The course was taught by two professors. The students per-formed one
debate during the semester in which they participated in the course and they were asked to fill out
a questionnaire authored by the researcher.
Procedure
The procedure for the research included the following steps:
• Preparing students for the debates. Students were divided into teams of four and given a resolution
(see Table 2). The students were introduced to the debate process and were given an assignment
sheet that outlined the debate process and instructions on preparing the case brief. The Appendix
includes an example of a case brief. Students had time in and out of the classroom to prepare for
the debates.
• Performance of the debates.
The students performed the debates. The students were then assessed on the quality of the debates.
• Students filled out the questionnaire. Following all of the debates, the students were asked to sign a
consent form and asked to fill out the questionnaire.
Debate Resolutions
One Resolved: the United States should allow new embryonic stem cell research
Two Resolved: the United States should allow human cloning for research purposes
Three Resolved: the United States should allow monies to be exchanged for human
organs for transplant patients
Four Resolved: the United States should regulate content on the Internet for minors
Five Resolved: the United States should adopt a flat income tax
3. Methods
A good method tells about what experiments
were done to answer the question stated in
the introduction
The author write the very understandable
methods, by state them point per point. Also,
she add some addtional explanation to make
the method clear and easy to be understood
and apllied by the teacher and the students.
The method answer the questionthe the
introduction completely.
Discussion and
Result
Debate in the technology classroom can yield great learning for the
student. Debate as a teaching strategy allowed active learning on the
student’s part; it also allowed the students to demonstrate different
levels of critical thinking. Students learned through the process of
prepar-ing the debate, performing the debate, listening to debates,
and discussing the debate. Favorable outcomes of debates observed
by the researcher included collaborative learning and higher order
thinking. Because debate is being used in the classroom in a
pedagogical manner, a structured debate with assessment was used.
The experi-ence with debates in the technology classroom was
largely positive. Weaknesses were observed in the student’s writing.
Additionally, students lacked research and reasoning skills. In the
debate speeches, students also often lacked of confidence and
questioning skills.
4. Result and Discussion
 A good result contains statements about what they
found and reference to the data shown in visuals. And
the diccusion provide a clear answer to the question
posed in the Introduction and explain how the results
suppport that conclusion
 The author of this journal put a very clear discussion to
answer the question and the introduction, also support
the result about the debate are really helpful for the
students to have the critical thinking.
CONCLUSION
Debate in the technology classroom can yield great learning for the student.
Debate as a teaching strategy allowed active learning on the student’s
part; it also allowed the students to demonstrate different levels of critical
thinking. Students learned through the process of prepar-ing the debate,
performing the debate, listening to debates, and discussing the debate.
Favorable outcomes of debates observed by the researcher included
collaborative learning and higher order thinking. Because debate is being
used in the classroom in a pedagogical manner, a structured debate with
assessment was used. The experi-ence with debates in the technology
classroom was largely positive. Weaknesses were observed in the
student’s writing. Additionally, students lacked research and reasoning
skills.
In the debate speeches, students also often lacked personal skills.
The result of this study only reflect experiences in this course and are not
meants to provide evidence of student learning on critical thinking.
According to this research, there is merit in debate as a teaching strategy
5. Conclusion
• The author give the brief conclusion
about how debate make student have a
critical thinking by applied it in
classroom activity. It is showed by state
some results that are provided by the
methods.
• The author also really opened to
complete her writing with other
research, to make it better.

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Perceptions of Students’ Learning Critical

Thinking through Debate in a Technology

• Critical thinking is often a desired compe-tency for graduates of a

Employers value employees who can solve complex problems, communicate

Although traditional pedagog-ical techniques such as lectures and examina-tions

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