Analysis of a Thematic Unit intended to mobilize Critical Thinking Análisis de una Unidad Temática destinada a movilizar el Pensamiento Crítico

Abstract

This article investigates the potential of a Thematic Unit entitled “Following the Paths of the Countryside” for the development of Critical Thinking in science education, based on the Freirean Thematic Approach and the organization of the Three Pedagogical Moments. The proposal was constructed from real-life situations experienced by students at a rural school, addressing themes such as the appreciation of rural labor, local agricultural production, and the use of agrochemicals. The study is grounded in Ennis’s taxonomy of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. The analysis of the activities revealed that they are based on contextualized problematizations, fostering the mobilization of critical thinking through clarification, inference, basic support, and decision-making strategies. It was observed that the Initial Problematization focuses on aspects of clarification and inference, whereas the stages of Knowledge Organization and Knowledge Application encompass the five areas of critical thinking, according to Ennis’s taxonomy. The results demonstrate that the Freirean Thematic Approach constitutes a promising pedagogical strategy for promoting contextualized, reflective, and socially relevant learning by articulating scientific knowledge with students’ sociocultural contexts. As a limitation, it is noted that the study was restricted to an analysis of the proposal, without practical implementation in the classroom. In this regard, it becomes evident that contextualized science education can foster students’ critical formation and their active participation in the social issues that permeate their reality.