The Role of Technology and Education in Improving Students' Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Our study examined the effects of educational reform on improving academic performance in primary and lower secondary schools in Kosovo. We focused on the Critical Thinking training program, which aims to implement educational reform and improve students' academic results. This program has significantly reformed our education system by improving various aspects of teaching, and we collected and analyzed the opinions of students and teachers to evaluate its effectiveness. We began by discussing the theoretical basis of educational reform and its implementation in schools through a progressive approach and active teaching methods. This contemporary teaching philosophy considers the student an active subject engaged in acquiring knowledge and positive school experiences. When the student is engaged in acquiring knowledge and learning experiences, he participates in learning discussions and debates, contributing directly to the treatment of learning topics. This mastery of learning is a high form of learning by engaging the thinking process in school learning. To conduct comprehensive research, we collected and analyzed the opinions of 255 students from schools that apply interactive teaching methods and 262 that still use traditional teaching practices. We also obtained the opinions of 121 trained teachers who work according to contemporary teaching methodology, and 113 teachers who have not yet been trained in teaching approaches and strategies according to this program.