Self-Reflection Model of Facilitating Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Indeed, students are constantly exposed to various academic adversities during the course of their studies in a science classroom that often resulted to adverse effects such as low performance in science, negative attitudes towards science, and low motivation to learn science to name a few. However, this research study explained that exposure to academic adversities can have advantageous outcomes for the students. First, exposure to academic adversities can strengthen the academic resilience of the students in the science classroom by means of enhancing their adaptation through positive reappraisal. The positive self-reappraisal serves as a mechanism that enhances the usage of coping resources for better adaptation with the academic adversities thus strengthening the resilient outcome i.e. self-empowerment. Likewise, exposure to academic adversities can lead to the development of skills i.e. critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The development of skills through adversities can be achieved once the resilience of the students are strengthened. Strengthening the resilience of the students allowed them to employ self-reflection, a mechanism that reinforces the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The model implies that adversities can develop skills if framed in reflective practices.