Promoting Critical Reading, Critical Thinking, and Academic Writing in First Year College Composition Courses Using Blended Online Interactive Activities

Abstract

The development of critical thinking and critical reading and the ability to effectively communicate through writing are essential skills to ensure success in higher education. Despite the recognized importance of the development of critical thinking and critical reading skills to effectively communicate through writing, many EFL first-year college students enter higher education lacking the adequate critical reading and critical thinking skills required for them to cope with the learning demands of tertiary education in EMI contexts (Wilson, 2016). The present study investigated the effectiveness of integrating critical reading and critical thinking blended online learning modules in supporting the development of the academic writing skills of EFL first-year college students. This was a semester-long pedagogical action research study conducted at a leading federal university in the UAE in 4 first-year English composition classes. The study involved the design and implementation of online blended modules that were integrated within the content of a first-year composition course either as classroom activities or additional supplementary practice for the students. Data was collected from a variety of sources including instructor and student interviews, student written artifacts, and student reflections, in addition to an instructor reflective diary. Qualitative findings suggest that the integration of critical reading and critical thinking instruction in the form of online blended modules supported the development of students’ academic writing skills in L2 college composition courses in an EMI environment. Utilizing instructional technology and online blended learning augmented the students’ learning experience and promoted their critical reading and writing skills. Overall, the study has several pedagogical implications for L2 composition instruction in the context of EMI higher education for instructors, students, and tertiary institutions. The seamless incorporation of critical reading and critical thinking in EFL composition course instructional design is paramount. L2 composition instructors can maximize learning opportunities by exploiting the reading/writing connections, implementing activities fostering an inquisitive environment, providing students with ample opportunities to practice critical reading and thinking skills and reflect on their reading/writing process. The study calls for organized attempts to institute the direct instruction of these skills which could require the revamping of first-year composition curriculums based on having accurate learner profiles in terms of their language, critical thinking, and reading abilities which contribute to having a more nuanced understanding of the pedagogical route to be pursued in composition classes.