Application of a Hermeneutic Module for the Development of Critical Thinking in Communication Science Students in Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.6096Keywords:
critical thinking, hermeneutics, university students, teaching methodsAbstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the Educational Module of Hermeneutics for Communication on the development of critical thinking in third- and fourth-semester students of Communication Sciences at a private university in Huancayo, Peru. The study was applied in nature, with a quantitative approach and a quasi-experimental design. The population, composed of 67 students, was organized into an experimental group (n = 36) and a control group (n = 31). The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal was used as the data collection instrument, applied during the pretest and posttest stages. The results showed that the experimental group significantly increased their average critical thinking scores, rising from a mean of 38.00 (SD = 5.388) to 44.89 (SD = 5.053), with a statistically significant difference (p < .05). Likewise, the percentage of students in medium and high levels rose from 19.5% to 77.7%. In contrast, the control group remained predominantly at the low level, without significant changes. The five evaluated dimensions (inference, recognition of assumptions, deduction, interpretation, and evaluation of arguments) also showed significant improvements in the experimental group (p < .05), unlike the control group (p > .05). It is concluded that the implementation of the module had a positive and significant impact on the development of critical thinking, confirming its usefulness as a pedagogical strategy to strengthen complex cognitive skills required in contemporary educational and professional contexts.
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