Role of Co-Curricular Activities in Developing Critical Thinking: A Case Study of a University-Based Debating Club in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examines the influence of co-curricular activities on the development of critical thinking skills among students, which is critical for their academic and professional success. Despite the increasing emphasis on developing critical thinking in education, research has not fully explored how specific co-curricular activities, such as structured debate, contribute to this development. Focusing on the Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS), the research aims to examine the influence of co-curricular activities on the development of critical thinking skills among students, focusing on the Dhaka University Debating Society's (DUDS) policy provisions and practices. Employing a qualitative case study approach, triangulation methods were used to collect data, including content analysis of the DUDS constitution and semi-structured interviews with general members, executive members, representatives, and mentors. Participants were selected through purposive and quota sampling. Data analysis was conducted using Deductive Content Analysis for policy documents and Inductive Thematic Analysis for interview data, guided by a conceptual framework identifying six critical thinking indicators: accuracy of observation, use of evidence, reliability of sources, generalization, reasoning, and prediction. Findings reveal that DUDS significantly enhances critical thinking through structured policy provisions, argumentation practices, and a strong focus on diverse perspectives, rational thinking, decision-making, and communication skills. The study also highlights how DUDS fosters collaboration and the ability to challenge personal beliefs, contributing to a deeper understanding of multiple perspectives. These findings emphasize the crucial role of oratory-based co-curricular activities in cultivating critical thinking and suggest the importance of integrating such practices more widely into educational curricula. Future studies should explore how different debate formats and interdisciplinary integration can further enhance critical thinking in diverse educational contexts.

Received: 26 June 2024| Revised: 4 November 2024 | Accepted: 7 November 2024

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

All interview recordings have been retained for potential future use, if necessary. The analyzed documents have also been preserved for verification purposes.

Author Contribution Statement

A.S.M. Kamrul Islam: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Mohammad Mahboob Morshed: Methodology, Validation, Writing - review & editing, Supervision. Laila Noor: Validation, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.