Η τεχνική World Café ως παιδαγωγική τεχνική στην εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλία του μαθήματος της Γλώσσας στη Β/θμια Εκπαίδευση για την ανάπτυξη της κριτικής σκέψης

Abstract

This study explores the use of the World Café technique as a pedagogical method in distance teaching of the Modern Greek Language in secondary education, with the aim of cultivating students’ critical thinking skills. In today’s educational context, critical thinking is considered a vital competence, enabling learners to process information, question assumptions, and draw evidence-based conclusions. Rooted in social constructivist and participatory learning theories (Vygotsky, 1978), the World Café fosters dialogue, collaboration, and collective intelligence (Woolley et al., 2010). The research was carried out as an action research project in a first-grade Lyceum class (24 students) at the Greek-French Ursulines School. Students engaged in an online World Cafésession through Microsoft Teams, where they discussed six questions in rotating small groups, focusing on fashion as a social phenomenon. Data were gathered via observation, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews and analyzed qualitatively. Findings indicate that the technique enhanced participation, argumentation, reflection, and empathy, while encouraging students to approach the subject from diverse social, ethical, and environmental perspectives, the topic "fashion". Overall, the study underscores the value of the World Café as a flexible and democratic teaching method that can strengthen critical thinking and enrich distance language education in secondary schools.