Technology and Its Impacts on EFL Students’ Critical Thinking: A Systematic Literature Review
Keywords:
critical thinking, educational technology, artificial intelligence, digital literacy, EFL, systematic literature reviewAbstract
The prevalence of digital technology has influenced pedagogical approaches and student participation in EFL environments. As technology becomes more embedded in language learning, its impact on students' critical thinking has received attention. This systematic literature review examines the impacts of technology on students’ critical thinking and identifies pedagogical strategies that promote critical thinking through effective technology integration. Employing a PRISMA-guided review process, empirical and conceptual literature published between 2011 and 2025 was systematically collected from academic databases and analyzed using thematic synthesis. The findings reveal that technology can enhance critical thinking by fostering inquiry, collaboration, reflective learning, and access to diverse perspectives when integrated through purposeful pedagogical practices. However, an excessive reliance on digital tools, such as search engines, automated translation systems, and generative artificial intelligence, may result in cognitive passivity, reduced metacognitive regulation, weakened evaluative judgment, and diminished learner autonomy. The review further underscores the importance of teacher mediation, inquiry-based learning, and critical digital literacy in maximizing the educational benefits of technology while minimizing potential risks. The review concludes that sustaining critical thinking in EFL classrooms necessitates a balanced, pedagogically guided use of technology and the systematic development of critical digital literacy.
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