Cultivating Cognitive and Critical Thinking Skills Through Innovative Pedagogies

Dear Colleagues,

Developing students’ cognitive and critical thinking skills has become a central objective within contemporary education. Rapid technological advancements, increasing societal complexity, and the ever-growing demand for adaptable and enhanced lifelong learning have placed higher-order cognitive skills at the center of educational discourse. Cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking, innovative thinking, flexible thinking, design and computational thinking, problem-solving, reasoning, and metacognition, are now widely recognized as essential competencies for academic success, employability, and informed citizenship in the Twenty-First Century.

Innovative pedagogies have emerged in response to these evolving educational needs. Approaches such as inquiry-based and project-based learning, artificial intelligence-supported instruction, and technology-enhanced pedagogies have demonstrated considerable potential in fostering deeper learning. These pedagogical frameworks prioritize learner-centeredness, active engagement, and authentic problem-solving, thereby aligning theoretically with the development of robust cognitive, meta-cognitive and critical thinking skills.

However, despite growing interest in these approaches, the effectiveness and theoretical grounding of innovative pedagogies in cultivating cognitive and critical thinking skills remain unevenly explored across educational contexts. Empirical research often lacks detailed explanations of the mechanisms through which innovative pedagogical approaches influence cognitive, metacognitive, and critical thinking processes, particularly in technology-rich, interdisciplinary, and diverse and ever-changing learning environments. In addition, limited attention has been paid to the combined role of innovative pedagogies, educators’ cognitive characteristics, and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in shaping and enhancing learning environments that intentionally promote transferable and sustainable cognitive skills.

This Special Issue is, therefore, directed towards the advancement of theoretical, empirical, and methodological understanding of how innovative pedagogies contribute to the cultivation of cognitive and critical thinking skills across diverse educational contexts. It will bring together interdisciplinary perspectives that examine pedagogical designs, instructional strategies, and learning environments that not only promote but also instigate and stimulate higher order thinking that effectively resonates in line with digital and transformative change. 

The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, research conducted in primary and secondary education, higher education, teacher education, STEM education, and digitally enhanced learning environments. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies are welcomed, alongside theoretical frameworks and systematic reviews. By integrating multiple perspectives, this Special Issue will provide educators, researchers, and policymakers with evidence-based insights into effective pedagogical practices that support the development of cognitive and critical thinking skills.

Suggested Themes

Potential themes for contributions to this Special Issue include the following:

• Pedagogical Frameworks and Cognitive Development:
  The impact of inquiry-based, problem-based, and project-based learning on higher-order cognitive skills.

• Technology-Enhanced Cognition:
  The role of digital, blended, and technology-enhanced pedagogies in fostering cognitive and critical thinking skills.

• The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pedagogy Interface:
  Investigating how the development of cognitive skills should evolve to critically engage with emerging transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence. This theme explores pedagogical approaches that move beyond mere copying-and-pasting practices and instead support learners in critically evaluating AI-generated outputs, using AI responsibly, and developing the capacity to lead learning with AI rather than being led by it.

• Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning:
  The role of metacognitive processes within innovative pedagogical frameworks.

• STEM Education and Computational Thinking:
  Innovative approaches in STEM education and their contribution to reasoning and computational skills.

• Educators’ Cognition and Professional Development:
  The influence of educators’ cognitive characteristics and implicit theories of intelligence on classroom practices and student outcomes.

• Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies:
  Cultivating cognitive and critical thinking skills in diverse learning environments.

• Assessment of Higher-Order Cognitive Skills:
  Innovative methods and tools for assessing and, therefore, enhancing cognitive and critical thinking skills in contemporary learning environments.

• Implicit Theories, Creativity, and Innovation:
  Exploring the relationships between implicit beliefs, creativity, and cognitive skill development.

Dr. Abeer Watted
Guest Editor

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