Evaluating the impact of Competitive Debate on participants’ personal epistemologies: Addressing historical and pedagogical concerns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60923/issn.1970-2221/23269Keywords:
competitive debate, personal epistemology, critical thinking, relativism, superficialityAbstract
This study investigates the impact of competitive debate participation on personal epistemologies, contrasting long-standing critiques associating debate with relativism and superficiality. Employing a quantitative, experimental design and a validated epistemological questionnaire, the research analyzed responses from 180 secondary students, divided into experimental and control groups. The findings revealed no significant differences in relativism or superficiality between the groups, challenging historical critiques, suggesting that debate does not promote relativistic or oversimplified thinking. These results emphasize debate's pedagogical value, highlighting its potential for cultivating reflective and ethical citizenship while offering new avenues for research in epistemic development.
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