Exploring the Impact of Visible Thinking Tools in University EFL Classrooms: An Action Research Study

This study adopts an action research framework to explore the effects of integrating visible thinking tools into an English course at a university in Taiwan. Involving approximately 40 university students, the study aims to gain in-depth insights into the timing and application of thinking tools developed by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Additionally, it investigates the advantages, challenges, and impact on student learning when infusing a culture of thinking into the English curriculum. Improving EFL students’ thinking skills is crucial for enhancing their overall cognitive abilities, which in turn fosters more effective language acquisition and application. To achieve the research objectives, the study poses the following research questions: 1. What is the impact of integrating visible thinking tools on students’ motivation for learning English? 2. What is the influence of integrating visible thinking tools on students’ language learning? To thoroughly examine the impact of these tools in the freshman English course, the research will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods for analysis. Despite the need to further examine visible thinking tools to cater to EFL students’ learning needs and the limitations in implementing these tools, the research findings suggest that integrating visible thinking tools significantly boosts students’ motivation and engagement in learning English. Students reported higher levels of interest and confidence in using these tools to explore English. The results of the study will be utilized to establish a more systematic approach to thinking tools, facilitating future enhancements in the teaching and learning environment.