This study reviews research conducted between 2010 and 2025 on the use of educational technologies to cultivate various types of critical and creative thinking in Iran and worldwide. The literature search was carried out across reputable domestic and international databases including the Iranian Scientific Information Database, MagIran, NoorMags, the Comprehensive Portal of Humanities, ERIC, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis, and Google Scholar—using the keywords “educational technology,” “critical thinking,” “information and communication technology,” and “creative thinking,” along with their English equivalents. The quality of the selected articles was assessed using the checklist developed by Carlson et al. (2007). From an initial pool of 60 identified articles, 20 were ultimately included after screening titles, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and conducting full-text evaluations. Based on the reviewed studies, the analysis focused on 27 primary domains and three subdomains. The primary domains were organized under the three subdomains of cognitive and metacognitive skills, learning and academic achievement, and motivational aspects. This structure was framed within the study’s central focus: the application of educational technologies in cultivating varieties of critical and creative thinking. While educational technologies hold the potential to significantly influence the development of these thinking skills, greater attention should be given to specific areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification. To support this goal, curricula should be designed and delivered in accordance with advances in educational technology to better cultivate students’ critical and creative thinking skills.
Type of Article:
systematic review |
Subject:
Educational Psychology Received: 2024/12/27 | Accepted: 2025/05/28 | ePublished: 2025/08/28