Exploration and Validation of a Curriculum Framework for Comparative Literature Based on Critical Thinking Skills for Undergraduate Students of Arabic Language and Literature

Document Type : Research Paper

Abstract

Nowadays, higher-order thinking skills, particularly critical thinking skills, hold significant importance in higher education. This is because one of the essential requirements for students to enter the job market and society is their ability to think critically, enabling them to solve problems and address challenges effectively. The course of Comparative Literature is among the crucial courses for undergraduate students of Arabic Language and Literature and gains even greater importance in graduate studies. Given the significance of critical thinking skills in courses such as Comparative Literature, which provides a suitable platform for dialogue and critique, designing an effective framework for the Comparative Literature curriculum is highly critical and necessary. This study employs a mixed-methods approach using a sequential exploratory design (qualitative-quantitative). It investigates various theories related to critical thinking skills as a key variable and, based on these theories and the final consensus of experts in Arabic curriculum development, educational sciences, and psychology, proposes a curriculum framework for Comparative Literature. This framework is based on the core curriculum components: objectives, content, teaching-learning strategies, and assessment methods. To ensure its validity, the designed framework was reviewed by experts, who recommended it as an effective framework. Consequently, the framework was validated, with specialists endorsing 10 features for objectives, 18 for content, 10 for teaching-learning strategies, and 9 for assessment methods.

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