Facilitating Critical Thinking in Blended Learning: Instructor Strategies in a Critical Reading Class
Keywords:
Blended Learning, Critical Thinking, Critical Reading, nstructor StrategiesAbstract
This case study examined the instructor's strategies for fostering critical thinking in a blended critical reading course at FKIP Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University. Data were collected via observations of face-to-face (4 sessions) and virtual (5 sessions) meetings, analysis of online discussions within the SPADA LMS (5 sessions), and the instructor's reflective journal. Thirty second-year English Department students participated. Thematic analysis revealed five key instructor strategies: designing thought-provoking prompts, facilitating engaging online discussions, providing targeted feedback, scaffolding learning, and creating a supportive environment. The study demonstrates how the instructor adapted these strategies across modalities, leveraging each's affordances, and offers practical insights for blended critical reading instruction. It underscores the instructor's crucial role in cultivating critical thinking through intentional design, active facilitation, and strategic technology use.
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