Humanistic education and the development of critical thinking among university students in Vietnam: An empirical study

Abstract

The research confirms the importance of humanities education in cultivating critical thinking abilities among university students, having conducted a survey of 2000 students and interviewed 100 lecturers from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City), the University of Culture (Hanoi), and Thu Dau Mot University (Binh Duong). Results indicate that 75% of students reported an improvement in critical thinking, and 68% claimed to analyze issues from ethical, historical, and cultural perspectives, with 60% showing improvement in their analysis skills. This was especially pronounced among fourth-year students (72%) and females (65%). A variety of teaching approaches were observed across the universities. In Ho Chi Minh City, group discussions were rated highly by 82% of participants, while literary analysis was responsible for 55% of effectiveness in Hanoi. In Binh Duong, technology application (63%) was noted to increase interactivity. This research is based on social constructivist theory (Vygotsky) and the 5D model and notes positive student growth in three dimensions: questioning, argumentation, and a flexible approach towards problem solving. The generalizability of the study is affected by a lack of technical students within the research sample, an 18-month timeframe, and these results. To overcome these gaps, the study suggests reforming programs in humanities by integrating real-world cases, such as ethics of AI, climate change, and using AI for analyzing essay structures and logic or virtual reality simulations.