The impact of debate discussion via zoom platform on enhancing secondary students’ critical thinking and English argumentative writing skills

Abstract

Employing online instruction strategies, and turning virtual learning into a platform that effectively provides cooperative learning and social interaction to learn English and acquire thinking, social, and communication skills is worth investigating. This study aimed at examining the impact of debate via Zoom (DVZ) in secondary students' writing argument and critical thinking skills, also, social and communication skills (verbal and nonverbal). The population of this study is composed of 330 students in Arab sector schools in Israel. To achieve the study objectives, a purposive sample consisting of 60 male and female students was taken. They were equally divided into two groups: the tenth and eleventh-grade students of both schools (n =30) attended the experimental group, and the other two classes (n =30) served as a control group. The research method of this study followed the explanatory sequential mixed method, where quantitative and qualitative research methods were adopted and the results of both methods were displayed and compared. The quantitative research was represented by an experimental approach, a quasi-experiment. Pre- and post-tests were conducted, which were: a writing test that examined students' argument writing skills, Watson and Glaser appraisal, tested students' critical thinking abilities, and a questionnaire was distributed to investigate students' attitudes toward learning DVZ. The quantitative research was represented by designing four questions and gathering students' responses. Also, classroom observation was done with a concentration on rubrics that classified communication skills, writing skills, and critical thinking skills. The quantitative research data was gathered and analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). While the qualitative research data collection and analysis through thematic analysis for the students' responses were analyzed by MAXQDA 2022. The classroom observation was done by thematic analysis. The finding of this research study revealed that DVZ is an effective teaching method in enhancing students' critical thinking and argumentation writing skills, as students' scores showed a high increase in inference, recognition of assumptions, and an equal increase in interpretation, and evaluating the argument respectively. students' argumentative writing skills, students' scores for the post-test have sharply increased due to teaching methods compared to the pre-test. There was a significant improvement in writing introductions, conclusions, tone, word choice, convention, evidence and elaboration, organization, and transition, while rebuttal scores showed an increase albeit not significant. Findings revealed that there are statistically significant differences at (α≤ 0.05) in students' perspectives toward the impact of DVZ on students’ critical thinking skills, argumentative writing, and social skills, and 74% of the responses agreed that DVZ enhances students to be more courageous to answer questions, and 68 agreed that DVZ provides students with the chance to practice the language. Comparing all the findings showed that nonverbal communication skills scores were not significant, gender, type of electronic device, grade, and specialization don't show significant differences between the two groups. Quantitative research findings indicated that the majority of students have positive opinions about the impact of DVZ in improving argumentative writing skills such as writing introductions, drawing conclusions, and bringing more shreds of evidence for the reasons. Moreover, DVZ developed thinking and encouraged verbal and nonverbal communication among students. Few students argued that Zoom is an inefficient digital medium of instruction due to reasons like privacy, cyberbullying, and ridiculing and mocking by other classmates. The main suggestions provided by participants were access to a good internet connection; a rule obligating students to open the camera in meetings; also, having short sessions, and learning in small groups. Results of classroom observation acknowledged DVZ's impact on students. The change was clearly seen in the domain of respect for others, and the use of facts and statistics to support the claim of the argument, advanced students’ abilities to organize their arguments as well as develop critical thinking skills. Finally, there was some correspondence between both qualitative and quantitative findings. The researcher recommended conducting cross-cultural studies to explore how students from different cultural backgrounds and cultures engage in DVZ and whether the effectiveness of the approach varies across cultures. Moreover, performing a comparative analysis of the outcomes of DVZ with debates using other online platforms or even traditional faceto- face debates.