CULTIVATING CRITICAL THINKING AND REFLECTIVE SKILLS IN JOURNALISM THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOP LEARNING

Author: Philippines

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of a workshop-seminar designed to forge and strengthen critical thinking skills among Grade 6 pupils through journalism activities. Critical thinking, defined as the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create reasoned judgments, is an essential competency for academic success and responsible citizenship. The seminar-workshop aimed to equip pupils with practical strategies to enhance their critical thinking abilities by engaging them in interactive, real-life journalism exercises. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 40 participants through reflective surveys and analyzed to identify the most impactful facilitation strategies and participants' areas for improvement. Findings reveal that student engagement, meaningful content, and facilitator delivery were key factors that contributed to improved critical thinking. Pupils reported increased confidence, creativity, and analytical skills, which they acknowledged as vital for applying journalism as a tool to positively influence their broader communities. The study concludes with a proposed Reflective Critical Thinking Cycle to guide future educational interventions. This research underscores the importance of interactive, context-based learning to foster critical thinking and advocates for the replication of such workshop-seminars to benefit larger pupil populations.