A Phenomenological Exploration of Students' Lived Experiences of Critical Thinking in EFL Tertiary Education in Algeria

Critical thinking has witnessed increased attention in educational discourse worldwide. Contemporary discussions have presented it as a core outcome expected of university education. Conceptions of critical thinking, mainly embedded within the disciplines of philosophy and cognitive psychology, have become increasingly ubiquitous in scholarship. Despite this, developing critical thinking skills in the context of EFL Algerian higher education continues to be a challenge. Framed within an interpretive phenomenological methodology, this chapter reports the results of a study which analyzed the lived experiences of twenty students of English at one university in Algeria. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews and reflective journal documentation. The results provided insights on the students' lived experiences while exercising critical thinking. This chapter highlights the importance of context as significantly shaping the meaning and development of critical thinking.