The Case Study Method as the Means of Improving Engineering Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

The basic objective of the research presented argues for a case study approach to teaching critical thinking skills to engineering students. It has been proved that even in the settings of the distance-learning, the case study method fosters students’ critical thinking, improves their motivation and learning outcomes. These results are obtained only if a) the material responds to the current students’ interests and conditions them for pre-class inquisitive preparation and active emotional in-class participation, and b) the case study procedure is thoroughly thought out with each step clearly described. The target group of the research is fifty-two bachelor year students of S. Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics learning the same discipline. The study demonstrates that guided problematic classroom discussions facilitate a deeper understanding of complex engineering issues, encourage active engagement and participation, develop students’ ability to think independently and logically, as well as enhance their communication and teamwork skills. The research outcomes may be of significant value and can be applied by lecturers of other specialties and HEIs which dramatically lacked practical constituent in education earlier under conditions of quarantine and nowadays under martial law.