THE BUDDHIST-INTEGRATED LEARNING PROCESS FOR PROMOTING CRITICAL THINKING IN SOCIAL STUDIES

Abstract

Promoting critical thinking is a key goal of 21st-century education, especially in social studies, which emphasizes analyzing information, social phenomena, and human ethics. This article presents concepts and learning processes from Buddhist perspectives that can be integrated to enhance critical thinking in the classroom. These include the application of the Threefold Training (Trisikā), the Four Noble Truths (Ariyasacca 4), and wise reflection (Yonisomanasikāra) as mechanisms to develop learners' abilities to analyze, distinguish, and make reasoned decisions grounded in moral and ethical principles.

Furthermore, the article proposes a learner-centered instructional model that incorporates rational dialogue, meditation, and mindfulness practices. The goal is to cultivate deep and sustainable critical thinking skills in students.