Critical thinking and Socratic questioning in asynchronous mathematics discussion forums

Abstract

The study was an attempt to measure critical thinking in two asynchronous discussion forums in an engineering mathematics unit. The Socratic questioning technique was the moderation strategy employed in the forums. The participants of the study were 60 undergraduates from Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, enrolled in a mathematics course. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The findings of the study showed that the Socractic questioning technique encouraged critical thinking among the participant students. Although the level of critical thinking exhibited was in the lower levels, the critical thinking scores improved from the first forum to the second forum. The perceptions of the participants indicated that the online discussion forums were helpful in promoting critical thinking and that the thinking skills progressed from the first to the second forum. Hong, K. S. & Jacob, S.M. (2012). Critical Thinking and Socratic Questioning in Asynchronous Mathematics Discussion Forums. Malaysian Journal of Educational Technology, 12(3), pp. 17-26.