Abstract
The importance of fostering critical thinking (CT) in community college education has been recognized highly worldwide. However, limited studies have been conducted to investigate CT abilities among community college students in the Asian context. A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 209 Chinese community college students to assess the levels of CT cognitive skills and CT dispositions and to identify the associated factors. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST), California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI), and a questionnaire on the students’ socio-demographic and academic profiles were used. The results showed that the average level of CT cognitive skills was 17.82 ± 4.10, which was at the upper end of the moderate range. For CCTDI scores, the mean value was 278.81 ± 22.61 and positive disposition towards CT was shown in four subscales: open-mindedness, analyticity, confidence in reasoning, and inquisitiveness. From regression analysis, HKDSE total score (i.e., university entrance examination total score), CT subject grade level, CCTDI truth-seeking, and CCTDI analyticity were identified as the four significant factors associated with their CT cognitive skills. The findings provide significant implications when reviewing the program design and curriculum as well as the addition of CT elements in a separate course to promote students’ CT abilities for sustainable development.
Highlights
Critical thinking (CT) has been identified as one of the top competencies required by employers, according to the World Economic Forum [1]
One student refused to participate in the online questionnaire on socio-demographic and academic characteristics after completing both the Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) tests
The findings in this study demonstrate that the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), being a university-entrance score, was the most significant factor for the CCTST score, and this is in line with previous studies
Summary
Critical thinking (CT) has been identified as one of the top competencies required by employers, according to the World Economic Forum [1] It is an essential skill for community college graduates [2], as this competency is always requested by both articulation partners in tertiary institutions and workplace employers. CT is an essential human ability to understand the challenges and deal with different risks and changes of the world. It is one of the key elements of the learning objectives for achieving the sustainable development goals established by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) [4,5]. Research examining community college students’ CT abilities is scarce, in Asian contexts
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