The Effects of Synchronous Online Discussion on the Improvement of Critical Thinking Skills

The Effects of Synchronous Online Discussion on the Improvement of Critical Thinking Skills

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of synchronous online discussion on the improvement. of critical thinking skills. Previous studies have shown that face-to-face and asynchronous online discussions are an effective way of improving students' critical thinking skills. However, few studies have investigated the effects of synchronous discussion on improving critical thinking skills in online settings. Fifty-three college students participated in this study. The experimental group consisted of 25 students who participated in synchronous online discussion with MSN Messenger. The control group was 28 students who had face-to-face discussion. The research design of this study was posttest only nonequivalent control group design. Students in each group participated in a 50 minute-discussion session once a week for 8 weeks. Learners' critical thinking skills were measured with Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA). WGCTA was administered right after the last discussion session. The result of the study showed that students who participated in synchronous online discussion achieved higher mean scores in critical thinking skills appraisal than those who participated in face-to-face discussion. The finding suggests that synchronous discussion has a positive effect on promoting critical thinking skills in online environments.