Diálogo Socrático y su relación del pensamiento crítico, 8vo grado, Unidad Educativa El Oro, Machala, 2024-2025

Abstract

The present graduation project entitled “Socratic Dialogue and its relationship in the development of critical thinking, 8th grade, Unidad Educativa El Oro, Machala, 2024-2025” aims to determine the relationship between the application of Socratic dialogue and the strengthening of critical thinking in eighth-grade students. The research arises from the identified issue in the institution, where 48% of students show a medium level of critical thinking, 31% a low level, and only 21% reach a high level, revealing limitations in their ability to analyze, evaluate, and reflect deeply. Moreover, 54% of teachers still rely on traditional, memorization-based methods, restricting active participation and critical skills development in the classroom. A mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) was used, with a descriptive, explanatory, and relational design, including surveys of 156 students, interviews with 28 teachers, and documentary review. The findings demonstrate that the application of Socratic dialogue significantly improves skills such as idea evaluation (61%), decision-making (54%), and critical analysis (47%). As a proposal, a teacher training seminar-workshop was designed, structured in phases of awareness, theoretical training, practical workshop, classroom application, and evaluation, aimed at transforming teaching practices toward active methodologies. Model lesson plans were included to help effectively implement Socratic dialogue in classes, fostering reflective and participatory learning. It is concluded that the application of Socratic dialogue is a viable and effective pedagogical strategy to strengthen critical thinking, as it encourages reflection, questioning, and autonomous learning, benefiting both teachers and students of Unidad Educativa El Oro.