The challenge of critical thinking education in the present time. The perspective of the integrated curriculum

Abstract

The complexity that characterizes the society of the 21st century calls for education to face such major challenges as to revive interest in the meaning and task of schools. On the one hand, the school cannot ignore current social demands; on the other hand, through individuals' intellectual and moral education, it can exert its influence on the process of social evolution. Within this framework, developing a critical thinking habit is interpreted as a formative need of the younger generations. In this perspective, the intention is to reflect on critical thinking education by identifying the curriculum as a device that allows to respond to the demands of the present time without betraying the pedagogical proprium that characterizes the school reality. The hypothesis of an integrated curriculum aimed at the development of critical thinking will therefore be discussed.