Critical thinking development in higher education during the post-truth era: A scoping review

The post-truth era has intensified epistemic challenges in higher education, as digital misinformation and emotional persuasion increasingly shape how knowledge is accessed and evaluated. This study presents a scoping review examining critical thinking development in higher education between 2015 and 2024. Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 26 peer-reviewed studies were identified through systematic database searches. An Input – Process – Output (IPO) framework was applied to synthesise patterns across individual, pedagogical, and institutional dimensions. The findings indicate that critical thinking development is influenced by students’ epistemic dispositions, metacognitive awareness, and prior knowledge, alongside systemic conditions such as curriculum design, educator quality, and academic culture. Core developmental processes include inquiry-based learning, reflective strategies, and digital epistemic practices such as truth-checking and lateral reading. Although most studies report improved analytical reasoning, challenges remain regarding sustainability and transfer in digitally complex contexts.