The Impact of Cognitive Strategies on Critical Thinking in Chinese Female Pre-Service Teachers' Smart Learning

This study examines the impact of Constructivist Smart Learning Environments (CSLE) and cognitive strategies on the development of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). While CSLEs are widely recognized for fostering advanced competencies in higher education, the specific structural mechanisms—particularly whether cognitive strategies act as direct predictors or mediating pathways linking multidimensional smart environments to HOTS—remain underexplored. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from ۶۸۶ female pre-service teachers across four universities in Shanxi Province, China. Structural Equation Modeling revealed significant positive relationships between smart learning environment dimensions and HOTS. Specifically, inquiry learning, reflective thinking, and perceived usefulness exerted substantial direct effects. Crucially, cognitive strategies fully mediated the impacts of inquiry learning and reflective thinking on HOTS, while partially mediating the effect of perceived usefulness. These findings clarify the underlying psychological mechanisms operating within CSLEs, demonstrating that technological and constructivist affordances enhance HOTS primarily by activating high-level cognitive strategies. This study provides critical theoretical and practical insights for designing smart pedagogical environments in pre-service teacher education.

کلیدواژه ها:

Higher-Order Thinking Skills ، cognitive strategies ، Constructivist Smart Learning Environments