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Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2023, 6(17); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2023.061702.

A Study on the Current Situation of Business English Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Hunan City University Based on the PBL Model

Author(s)

Zhong Zhen1, Zeng Canni2

Corresponding Author:
Zhong Zhen
Affiliation(s)

1School of Humanities, Hunan City University, Yiyang, China

2School of Humanities, Hunan City University, Yiyang, China

Abstract

In today's complex and rapidly evolving world, cultivating critical thinking skills is essential for students to thrive academically and succeed in their future careers. As educators strive to develop effective teaching methodologies, problem-based learning (PBL) has emerged as a promising pedagogical approach that fosters critical thinking abilities. This study adopts a combination of questionnaires and interview approaches by taking Business English majors at Hunan City University as samples for analyzing students' critical thinking. The study collects 129 valid questionnaires and conducts interviews with 12 people. The outcomes of the questionnaire data analysis show that the implemented PBL model application has a positive effect on improving students' critical thinking skills. The results of the interviews indicate that the courses designed by incorporating the PBL model promote students' ability to ask questions, analyze problems and solve them, hence improving their critical thinking skills. However, this innovation-driven application cannot be held hostage by formalism and needs further reform and innovation.

Keywords

Critical Thinking, PBL Model, Business English

Cite This Paper

Zhong Zhen, Zeng Canni. A Study on the Current Situation of Business English Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Hunan City University Based on the PBL Model. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2023) Vol. 6, Issue 17: 7-13. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2023.061702.

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