Pa ge 1 Pa ge 1 American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation (AJMRI) The Moderating Influence of School Type on Teaching Strategies and Critical Thinking Skills in Senior High School Students Marian Kaye Gallego1*, Rheia Udarve1, Shem Bagares1, Criscelle Joy Cañada1 Volume 4 Issue 6, Year 2025 ISSN: 2158-8155 (Online), 2832-4854 (Print) DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v4i6.5914 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Article Information ABSTRACT Received: August 18, 2025 Accepted: September 20, 2025 Published: October 22, 2025 This study examined the moderating influence of school type on teaching strategies and critical thinking skills among senior high school students. Employing a descriptive- correlational research approach, the study utilized advanced statistical analyses, such as Pearson’s r and regression analyses, to examine the correlation of the teaching strategies and critical thinking skills, and to ascertain any moderating effects. Data were collected from 300 grade 12 STEM students using validated questionnaires measuring teaching strategies and critical thinking skills among students. The results revealed that teaching strategies are highly utilized, with affective and behavioral strategies being the most implemented, while cognitive strategies, although slightly less employed, still showed substantial usage. Students demonstrated high levels of critical thinking, particularly excelling in Thinking Outside the Box, underscoring the importance of fostering creativity to enhance critical thinking skills. The application of instructional strategies and improvement of critical thinking abilities among senior high school students were also found to be positively correlated, with the type of school showing a significant positive moderated effect. Notably, students' critical thinking abilities can be significantly improved by using diverse teaching strategies that encourage students to create, innovate, and solve problems, which enable them to thrive in various educational environments. Keywords Critical Thinking Skills, Education, Private School, Public School, Teaching Strategies 1 University of Mindanao, Davao City 8000, Davao del Sur, Philippines * Corresponding author’s e-mail: mgallego@umindanao.edu.ph INTRODUCTION Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for navigating complex information landscapes. It empowers an individual to analyze ideas, make reasoned decisions, and reach informed conclusions. Students need critical thinking skills in understanding content materials, in analyzing and solving problems, and navigating the modern world, leading to their success in both school and in life. However, results from both local and international assessments show that a substantial proportion of students from various contexts still struggle with higher- order levels of assessment. Recent international assessment results, such as Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), show that Filipino students have difficulty in dealing with tasks requiring them to critically analyze information and solve complex problems. In fact, results from the said assessment showed the underperformance of the Philippines in comparison to the other OECD countries, with the Philippines ranking 77th out of 79 in the assessment related to Mathematics (OECD, 2019; DepEd, 2019). Such international assessments test students’ ability to apply and solve real-world problems, revealing gaps in these abilities among Filipino students. Similarly, fourth-grade Filipino students took the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessment, where students averaged 297 in Mathematics, putting the Philippines in the last rank among the 58 countries that participated in the assessment. These findings highlight the persistent problem in the development of the students’ critical thinking necessary to compete globally. Such a gap between the current abilities of Filipino students and the international standards demands attention from educators and policymakers. Teaching strategies play an important role in any classroom instruction (Vale & Barbosa, 2023; Dicdiquin et al., 2023). Behavioral strategies, such as structured questioning, scaffolding, and guided practice, promote active engagement and observable participation in tasks that demand analysis and evaluation (Magpantay & Pasia, 2022). Teacher-initiated questioning and collaborative problem-solving create opportunities for learners to demonstrate systematic reasoning and logical consistency in approaching mathematical and real-world problems (Ridwan et al., 2022). Cognitive strategies directly cultivate the mental processes required for higher-order thinking, with approaches like problem-based learning, inquiry- based learning, and metacognitive reflection shown to enhance analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Putri et al., 2023; Elketani, 2023). The core purpose of such strategies is not only to enhance memory but also to improve information processing among students, allowing them to solve problems, ask questions, and apply information in new situations. Affective strategies are strategies that assist in the development of the affective aspects of learning, such as emotions, values, and even dispositions towards mathematics. Strategies that help nurture their curiosity, such as the Socratic method and reflection activities that encourage them to reflect on their learning Pa ge 2 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 4(6) 1-6, 2025 process, are crucial in the cultivation of critical thinking (Berg, 2024). All of these strategies highlight the role of critical thinking in holistically shaping how students act, think, and feel within the learning environment. This study is anchored in Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory (Piaget, 1976), which posited that an individual actively constructs knowledge and processes information through stages. Each stage highlights how an individual processes information through assimilation and accommodation until it reaches more advanced cognitive thinking. In this theory, students are considered active participants in the construction of their knowledge through engagement with their environment. A plethora of research supports the effectiveness of problem and inquiry-based activities in the construction of knowledge among students, more so if integrated in an interactive learning environment (MacQueeney et al., 2022; Jamarillo Gomez et al., 2025). Anchoring the variables under study to the theory implies the creation of learning environments that scaffold the development of all the cognitive skills among students, more specifically, their critical thinking skills. While research has identified a list of successful teaching strategies, the extent to which they influence the development of students’ critical thinking skills may still vary depending on different educational environments. Factors like resources, teacher autonomy, and institutional support may strengthen or weaken the effectiveness of these approaches (Talebi & IranNejad, 2020; Sherafat & Murthy, 2016). Given the variability in educational resources and contexts across different school types, the researchers recognize the importance of investigating whether and how teaching strategies translate into critical thinking skills under diverse learning conditions. Exploring the moderating influence of school type can shed light on how contextual factors shape student outcomes and inform targeted pedagogical improvements. This study addresses a notable gap in the literature and has direct implications for policy, curriculum design, and teacher professional development, particularly in the local setting where issues of access, equity, and resource allocation significantly differ. Ultimately, this study investigated the relationship between teaching strategies and students’ critical thinking skills, with particular attention to the moderating role of school type. It further examined the extent to which teaching strategies and critical thinking skills are utilized and evaluated the stated hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS Research Respondents This study involved 300 grade 12 STEM senior high school students from both local public and private high schools within the city. The respondents were identified using a quota sampling, which involves selecting a sample from a population divided into subgroups (Iliyasu & Etikan, 2021). Unlike stratified sampling, which relies on the random selection of each subgroup, quota sampling uses a convenience method within each subgroup. This sampling technique was deemed appropriate given the diversity of the population, as it allowed the researchers to capture variation across key characteristics while maintaining representativeness in the sample. Research Instruments Two adapted instruments were employed in this study. The first adapted survey questionnaire developed by AbdelWahab and Hamzeh (2014) was used to measure the variable teaching strategies. The instrument consists of 51 items distributed on three subscales, namely Behavioral Strategies with 15 items, Cognitive Strategies with 21 items, and Affective Strategies with 15 items. The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.966. The second adapted survey questionnaire developed by Hwang et al (2010) was used to measure critical thinking skills. The instrument consists of 18 items with three subscales, namely Systematic Analysis (5 items), Thinking Within the Box (8 items), and Thinking Outside the Box (5 items). The two adapted questionnaires were validated and demonstrated excellent and acceptable internal consistencies, with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients of 0.966 and 0.738, respectively. Both questionnaires followed a five-point Likert Scale. This scale comprises five distinct levels, each corresponding to a different level of utilization of teaching strategies and critical thinking skills. A mean score of 4.21 - 5.00 is described as very high, signifying that the statement is constantly being performed. A mean score of 3.41 - 4.20 is described as high, suggesting that the statement was performed 7 to 9 times out of 10 situations. A mean score of 2.61 - 3.40 is described as moderate, indicating that the statement is neither practiced in all situations. A mean score of 1.81 - 2.60 is described as low, signifying that the statement was not performed 7 to 9 times out of 10 situations. Lastly, a mean score of 1.00 - 1.80 is described as very low, which represents that the statement is not performed at all times. These rating levels served as valuable tools for interpreting and categorizing the diverse degrees of utilization of teaching strategies and critical thinking skills displayed by the respondents, spanning the spectrum from very low to very high. Design and Procedure This study employed a descriptive-correlational research approach to examine the correlation of the teaching strategies and critical thinking skills, and to ascertain any moderating effects. By utilizing this approach, the study does not merely describe existing relationships but also explores whether variations in school type influence the strength or direction of the association between the variables. Prior to data collection, permission was sought from school administrators, and informed consent was obtained from the participants. The adapted instruments Pa ge 3 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 4(6) 1-6, 2025 measuring teaching strategies and critical thinking skills were administered to senior high school students from both public and private schools. To ensure reliability and validity of the instruments, expert validation was conducted, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were computed, yielding satisfactory values. The questionnaires were distributed and collected on-site, and participants were assured of confidentiality and voluntary participation. The gathered data were encoded, organized, and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. Descriptive statistics, specifically weighted mean and standard deviation, were employed to determine the extent of teaching strategies utilized and the level of students’ critical thinking skills. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between teaching strategies and critical thinking skills. To test the moderating influence of school type, regression-based moderation analysis was conducted. All hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Utilization of Teaching Strategies It is revealed in Table 1 that the overall mean of the levels of utilization of teaching strategies of the respondents is 4.26 (SD = .41), which can be interpreted as very high, and the responses were relatively close to the mean. The very high level of utilization of teaching strategies implies that educators are highly engaged in using diverse and potentially innovative teaching methods, which may contribute to improved learning outcomes for students. Table 1: Utilization of Teaching Strategies Indicators Mean Standard Deviation Behavioral Strategies 4.27 .42 Cognitive Strategies 4.24 .44 Affective Strategies 4.27 .46 Overall 4.26 .41 Table 2: Critical Thinking Skills Indicators Mean Standard Deviation Systematic Analysis 4.09 .58 Thinking within the box 4.25 .47 Thinking outside the box 4.28 .49 Overall 4.21 .43 This equilibrium aligns with recent findings of Papatungan E., & Papatungan, F. (2024), who highlighted how diverse strategy deployment enhances student engagement, both directly and through emotional connection, while Joshi et al. (2022) show similarly high engagement across cognitive and emotional dimensions in mathematics learning contexts. Various research further supports that effective teaching strategies that consider students' affective characteristics lead to improved learning outcomes, echoing the high mean scores for behavioral and affective strategies in this study (Vankus, 2021; Hui & Mahmud, 2023). Chiu et al (2021) demonstrated that understanding the interplay of affect and cognition in mathematics learning is crucial for student success, supporting the effectiveness of these strategies. These studies collectively highlight the balanced approach that integrates behavioral, affective, and cognitive strategies to optimize student learning. Critical Thinking Skills Table 2 shows the levels of students’ critical thinking skills with an overall mean of 4.21 (SD = 0.43). This can be interpreted as the students having a very high level of critical thinking skills with minimal deviation in their responses. This can be further interpreted as students are capable of engaging in complex tasks that require their analysis, creativity, reasoning, and, more so, their decision-making skills. It can be seen in the table above that Thinking Outside the Box obtained the highest mean (SD = .49). This suggests that students have a high regard for their skills in solving problems in a creative and unconventional way. This was closely followed by Thinking Within the Box (SD = .47), indicating that students also have a high regard for utilizing their logic and reasoning in dealing with various information. Systematic Analysis received the lowest mean but was still interpreted within a high range. This implies that, though students engage in analytic and structured processes, they are more inclined to explore and create ideas and information, reflecting a diversified critical thinking profile among students. The findings of this study align with existing research that emphasizes the importance of all these critical thinking dimensions in the cognitive development of an individual. The indicator Thinking Outside the Box, being the highest mean score, is supported by Yang and Zhao (2021), who underscored the role of creative thinking in enhancing the cognitive abilities of students, more specifically in the problem-solving aspect. On the other hand, the high scores for Systematic Analysis Pa ge 4 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 4(6) 1-6, 2025 highlight a gap identified by Wani & Hussian (2024), who argue that while innovative thinking is crucial, systematic analysis remains foundational for critical thinking. The implications of these findings suggest that while current teaching strategies effectively promote creative thinking, there is a need for more targeted interventions to maintain and also improve students' systematic analytical skills. Utilization of Teaching Strategies and Critical Thinking Skills The results of the correlation test of utilization of teaching strategies and students’ critical thinking skills are presented in Table 3. The overall r-value is 0.575 (p < 0.05), indicating a moderately positive correlation between teaching strategies and students’ critical thinking skills. This implies that when the levels of teaching strategies utilization increase, their critical thinking skills also increase. The results also show the rejection of the null hypothesis since the p-value is less than the significance level, 0.05. Table 3: Correlation Matrix of Utilization of Teaching Strategies and Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Utilization of Teaching Strategies Critical Thinking Skills System Analysis Thinking within the box Thinking outside the box Overall Behavioral Strategies .517* .555* .553* .636* Cognitive strategies .399* .573* .434* .543* Effective strategies .331* .440* .332* .417* Overall .447* .574* .471* .575* *p<0.05*, significant The positive correlation between teaching strategies and critical thinking skills is consistent with the findings by Arviani, Wahyudin, and Dewi (2023), who concluded that students' critical thinking abilities can be improved by designing teaching strategies that encourage them to think critically. Recent research highlights that various teaching strategies demonstrate an association with student’ abilitys to analyze, evaluate, and generate creative solutions to problems (Anggraeni et al., 2023; Okolie et al., 2022). When teachers use methods that encourage students to construct knowledge and reflect on their learning process, they become more efficient in analyzing and evaluating information (Nurideen, et al., 2024; Notobushi, 2023; Simanjuntak et al., 2021). Similarly, when students are given tasks that tackle complex and real-world problems instead of memorizing facts, they develop their reasoning skills and become better problem-solvers (Yu et al., 2024). Such findings on the association among the constructs are instrumental in identifying effective teaching strategies that can enhance higher-order thinking among students, necessary for them to thrive in this ever-changing world. Moderation Analysis of School Type on Teaching Strategies and Critical Thinking Skills The study explored the moderating influence of school type on the relationship between teaching strategies and critical thinking skills among senior high school students. Table 4 presents the regression analysis indicating a significant moderation effect of school type on the association of teaching strategies and critical thinking skills. The results show that the utilization of teaching strategies in private schools explains 36.7% (R² = .367) of the variance in students' perceptions of these strategies. The regression analysis further reveals that 89.3% (R² = .893) of the variance in critical thinking skills among private school students can be attributed to the utilization of teaching strategies, which highlights the significant impact of teaching strategies on critical thinking skills within such specific educational environments. The stronger link found in private schools suggests that factors such as available resources, teacher preparation, and curriculum flexibility may contribute to the greater effectiveness of these strategies (Sha et al., 2022). Table 4: Regression Analysis of School Type on Teaching Strategies and Critical Thinking Skills School Type (Private) B SE β Utilization of Teaching Strategies 1.384 .219 School Type: Private .514* .252* .136* R2=.367 .134* .038 .305* F = .000 Constant 4.267 .117 Utilization of Teaching Strategies -.017 .026 School Type: Private -2.659 .074 Critical Thinking Skills R2=.893 F = .000 *p<0.05*, significant Pa ge 5 https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmri Am. J. Multidis. Res. Innov. 4(6) 1-6, 2025 The findings of this study align with existing literature that emphasizes the critical role of teaching strategies in fostering critical thinking skills, particularly in private school settings. Recent research studies (Loaiza et al., 2025; Bacan, 2025; Galope & Gumanoy, 2025) reinforce the idea that private schools often implement more structured and diverse teaching strategies than their public-school counterparts. Such integration of more student-centered strategies is likely facilitated by greater instructional autonomy, enabling the use of methods such as project-based, cooperative learning, and even AI- driven technology that are empirically known to boost student engagement and cognitive development (Rabiu et al., 2025; Lin, 2025). These studies collectively reinforce the importance of employing teaching strategies that enhance critical thinking skills and highlight the need for continuous improvement of strategies across diverse educational settings. CONCLUSIONS This study assessed the moderating influence of school type on teaching strategies and critical thinking skills among senior high school students. The results revealed that teaching strategies are highly utilized across different school types, with Affective Strategies and Behavioral Strategies showing a very high level of usage, and Cognitive Strategies showing a high level but still substantial usage. These findings suggest that students consistently experience various instructional approaches, and teachers are intentionally making efforts to make students apply what they have learned. The students exhibited very high levels of critical thinking skills, with Thinking Outside the Box obtaining the highest mean. This shows that students who are encouraged to think creatively and innovatively tend to develop advanced critical thinking abilities. Systematic analysis, though getting the lowest mean among the three dimensions, obtained a high mean score, indicating that students are still capable of breaking down complex information, following logical processes, and arriving at well-thought- out decisions. Moreover, the study shows a moderately positive correlation between the utilization of teaching strategies and the enhancement of critical thinking skills. It further indicates that better teaching strategies lead to stronger development of students’ critical thinking skills. Notably, private schools were found to be more successful in developing students’ critical thinking skills, which suggests that such a school type may have greater resources or flexibility to implement innovative teaching methods, thereby significantly supporting the development of students’ critical thinking abilities. Based on these findings, it is recommended that teachers, regardless of the school type, should continue the utilization of diverse strategies. Further, policymakers are recommended to investigate specific resources and policies that private schools implement, and consider how these can be adapted and scaled for public education systems. Acknowledgements We acknowledge with gratitude the guidance and strength granted by the Almighty throughout the conduct of this study. 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