Impact of educational practice on the development of critical thinking in secondary school students in Latin American contexts
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This article analyzes how traditional educational practices based on the behaviorist paradigm affect the development of higher-order cognitive skills in secondary education students. Through a case study conducted at a public technical school in Ecuador, patterns of teaching that hinder reflective thinking are identified, and pedagogical alternatives grounded in constructivist and socio-critical models are explored. The findings reveal that the limited use of metacognitive strategies and graphic organizers negatively impacts students' critical, conceptual, and formal thinking. It is concluded that transforming teaching practices, supported by continuous professional development with an epistemological focus, is essential to enhancing intellectual competencies aligned with the demands of contemporary education.
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