Abstract

Developing critical thinking and literary appreciation is essential in higher education. This study investigates the impact of integrating collaborative and reflective learning methods to enhance both skills. Sixty second-year literature students from Lijiang Normal University were divided into an experimental group that received a blended teaching approach and a control group that received traditional lecture-based instruction. Pre- and post-test assessments were utilized to evaluate critical thinking and literary appreciation, with statistical analyses conducted using t-tests and linear regression. Results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group, with a 20-point increase in critical thinking and a 17.4-point increase in literary appreciation. Linear regression analysis revealed that the teaching method accounted for 80% of the variance in critical thinking and 74% in literary appreciation, emphasizing its effectiveness. This study demonstrates that the integration of collaborative and reflective learning enhances students’ cognitive and aesthetic abilities, offering a model for future educational practices in literature and language courses. Further research should explore the long-term effects of this approach in diverse educational contexts.

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