Critical thinking facilitated by digital technologies in school education
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article examines critical thinking mediated by digital technologies in school education within a context marked by the expansion of virtual platforms, multimodal resources, media literacy, and artificial intelligence. Its purpose was to critically analyze recent scientific production in order to identify the main conceptualizations, the factors that foster or constrain this process, and the gaps that still persist in the field. Methodologically, the study was developed as an exploratory scoping literature review, based on a systematic search of academic databases covering the period from 2015 to 2025, with inclusion and exclusion criteria focused on studies conducted in primary and secondary education. The findings show that digital technologies do not strengthen critical thinking by their mere presence, but rather when they are integrated into pedagogical experiences that promote information search, selection and comparison, critical media and digital literacy, argumentative interaction, and collaborative knowledge construction. Likewise, the review found that teacher mediation, explicit curricular integration, and rigorous activity design are decisive conditions for technology to contribute to the development of reflective judgment. In conclusion, the educational value of digital technologies depends on the critical quality of their pedagogical mediation and on their intentional articulation with higher-order educational aims.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Waddington, D. I., Wade, C. A., & Persson, T. (2015). Strategies for teaching students to think critically: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85(2), 275–314. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314551063 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314551063
Alvear-Diaz, O. L., Caicedo-Villamarin, S. D., Chuquimarca-Llulluna, M. M., Quishpe-Quishpe, M. D. C., & Pico-Cantos, V. O. (2025). Tecnologías digitales en la educación inicial: Percepciones docentes y su aplicación en el aprendizaje de lectoescritura. Revista Científica Ciencia Y Método, 3(3), 309-321. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/rcym/v3/n3/78 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/rcym/v3/n3/78
Ashley, S., Maksl, A., & Craft, S. (2013). Developing a news media literacy scale. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 68(1), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695812469802 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695812469802
Avilez-Figueroa, C. M., Apráez-Márquez, S. X., Herrera-Enríquez, V. N., Guiscasho-Chicaiza, D. R., & Gualoto-Díaz, M. C. (2024). Estrategias innovadoras para fomentar el pensamiento crítico en niños de educación preescolar a través de la ciencia. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 4(4), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v4/n4/132 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v4/n4/132
Breakstone, J., Smith, M., Wineburg, S., Rapaport, A., Carle, J., Garland, M., & Saavedra, A. (2021). Students’ civic online reasoning: A national portrait. Educational Researcher, 50(8), 505–515. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X211017495 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X211017495
Burbano-Buñay, E. S. (2025). Prácticas de innovación educativa para la enseñanza de la historia y ciencias sociales en educación superior. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 5(1), 188–200. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/169 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/169
Caicedo-Basurto, R. L., Camacho-Medina, B. M., Quinga-Villa, C. A., Fonseca-Lombeida, A. F., & López-Freire, S. A. (2024). Análisis y beneficios de la educación en la era de la inteligencia artificial. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 4(4), 291–302. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v4/n4/148 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v4/n4/148
Cervantes-García, V. A., Macías-Véliz, J. N., Fuentes-Rendón, M. K., & Patiño-Uyaguari, J. L. (2025). Incidencia de la práctica educativa en el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico en estudiantes de educación media en contextos latinoamericanos. Revista Científica Ciencia Y Método, 3(3), 73-82. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/rcym/v3/n3/61 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/rcym/v3/n3/61
Ennis, R. H. (2015). Critical thinking: A streamlined conception. En M. Davies & R. Barnett (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of critical thinking in higher education (pp. 31–47). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137378057_2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137378057_2
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction (The Delphi Report). American Philosophical Association. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED315423.pdf
Forsström, S., Njå, M., Munthe, E., Álvarez-Galván, J.-L., & Houldsworth, L. (2025). The impact of digital technologies on students’ learning: Results from a literature review (OECD Education Working Papers No. 335). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9997e7b3-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9997e7b3-en
Global Education Monitoring Report Team. (2023). Global education monitoring report 2023: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? UNESCO. 10.5 https://doi.org/4676/UZQV8501
Gottschalk, F., & Weise, C. (2023). Digital equity and inclusion in education: An overview of practice and policy in OECD countries (OECD Education Working Papers No. 299). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/7cb15030-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/7cb15030-en
Hernández-Sellés, N., González-Sanmamed, M., & Muñoz-Carril, P. C. (2014). La planificación del aprendizaje colaborativo en entornos virtuales. Comunicar, 21(42), 25–33. https://doi.org/10.3916/C42-2014-02 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3916/C42-2014-02
Ilomäki, L., Lakkala, M., Kallunki, V., Mundy, D., Romero, M., Romeu, T., & Gouseti, A. (2023). Critical digital literacies at school level: A systematic review. Review of Education, 11(3), e3425. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3425 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3425
Ilvis-Vacacela, J. M., Guaita-Lagua, Z. C., & Yuquilema-Cachipud, M. A. (2025). El impacto de herramientas digitales en el aprendizaje de la lengua Kichwa: experiencia innovadora de enseñanza virtual. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 5(1), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/156 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/156
Jegstad, K. M., Heggernes, S. L., Jøsok, E., Ryen, E., Svanes, I. K., & Tørnby, H. (2025). Approaches to critical thinking in primary education classrooms: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 48, 100711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100711
Kiili, C., Forzani, E., Wennås Brante, E., Räikkönen, E., & Marttunen, M. (2021). Sourcing on the internet: Examining the relations among different phases of online inquiry. Computers and Education Open, 2, 100037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2021.100037 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2021.100037
Kiili, C., Laurinen, L., & Marttunen, M. (2008). Students evaluating internet sources: From versatile evaluators to uncritical readers. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 39(1), 75–95. https://doi.org/10.2190/EC.39.1.e DOI: https://doi.org/10.2190/EC.39.1.e
Kiili, C., Laurinen, L., Marttunen, M., & Leu, D. J. (2012). Working on understanding during collaborative online reading. Journal of Literacy Research, 44(4), 448–483. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086296X12457166 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1086296X12457166
Ku, K. Y. L., Kong, Q., Song, Y., Deng, L., Kang, Y., & Hu, A. (2019). What predicts adolescents’ critical thinking about real-life news? The roles of social media news consumption and news media literacy. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 33, 100570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.05.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.05.004
Lombardi, L., Mednick, F. J., De Backer, F., & Lombaerts, K. (2021). Fostering critical thinking across the primary school’s curriculum in the European Schools System. Education Sciences, 11(9), 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090505 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090505
López-González, H., Sosa, L., Sánchez, L., & Faure-Carvallo, A. (2023). Educación mediática e informacional y pensamiento crítico: Una revisión sistemática. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 81, 399–422. https://doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2023-1939 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2023-1939
Mendoza-Figueroa, J. L., Zambrano-Loor, L. M., Gómez-Cabrera, R. E., & Narváez-Salinas, L. Y. (2025). Comparación del pensamiento crítico en estudiantes de básica media y bachillerato en instituciones urbanas y rurales. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 5(2), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n2/191 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n2/191
Moreira-Alcivar, E. F. (2025). Aprendizaje basado en retos (ABR) para el fomento del pensamiento creativo y divergente en adolescentes: diseño, implementación y evaluación en contextos escolares del nivel secundario. Revista Científica Zambos, 4(2), 171-184. https://doi.org/10.69484/rcz/v4/n2/119 DOI: https://doi.org/10.69484/rcz/v4/n2/119
Pagán-Castaño, J., Sánchez-Garcia, J., Callarisa-Filiol, L., & Pagán-Castaño, E. (2024). The influence of new media literacy to develop critical thinking in high school students. Culture and Education, 36(4), 1044–1069. https://doi.org/10.1177/11356405241290420 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/11356405241290420
Piedra-Castro, W. I. (2025). Enseñanza de las ciencias sociales con metodologías pedagógicas de inteligencia artificial. Journal of Economic and Social Science Research, 5(1), 119–130. https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/164 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55813/gaea/jessr/v5/n1/164
Sönmez, E. (2021). Technology-enhanced CT: A systematic review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 41, 100913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100913 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100913
Torres Roberto, M. A. (2025). Estrategias de aprendizaje y factores emocionales en Cálculo Diferencial: Experiencias del estudiantado de ingeniería en Colombia. Revista Actualidades Investigativas en Educación, 25(2), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.15517/aie.v25i2.62607 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15517/aie.v25i2.62607
UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report 2023: Technology in education: A tool on whose terms? UNESCO. https://doi.org/10.54676/UZQV8501 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54676/UZQV8501
Valle, N., Zhao, P., Freed, D., Gorton, K., Chapman, A. B., Shea, A. L., & Bazarova, N. N. (2025). Towards a critical framework of social media literacy: A systematic literature review. Review of Educational Research, 95(4), 701–746.
https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241247224 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241247224
Yeung, K. L., Carpenter, S. K., & Corral, D. (2021). A comprehensive review of educational technology on objective learning outcomes in academic contexts. Educational Psychology Review, 33(4), 1583–1630. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09592-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09592-4