Exploring the use of ChatGPT to foster EFL learners’ critical thinking skills from a post-humanist perspective

Abstract

The use of ChatGPT for educational purposes is in its infancy, and its practical classroom application remains underexplored. While some studies have investigated the impact of ChatGPT on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ critical thinking skills, they have not focused on structured pedagogical designs, leading to limited pedagogical insights. This study aims to fill this gap by examining specific pedagogical designs that leverage ChatGPT to cultivate critical thinking skills among 58 university EFL learners in Macau. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests of critical thinking skills and student reflection journals. Drawing on a post-humanist perspective, this study uncovered innovative results. While the statistical analysis of critical thinking tests suggested that the student participants did not experience significant changes in their critical thinking skills after attending the programme, findings from their reflection journals indicated that the utilisation of ChatGPT assisted students in becoming spatially advised critical thinkers. They perceived ChatGPT as a valuable tool for enhancing cognition and stressed the significance of maintaining a balance between technology and human thought processes to develop critical thinking skills. The findings offered a useful guide on how to use ChatGPT to enhance critical thinking skills and illuminated the influence of ChatGPT on the advancement of students’ critical thinking skills. Implications for both research and practice were discussed.