Critical thinking (CT) in sustainable higher education: Ensuring consistent CT perception-practice and identifying gaps between college instructors' and students' perceptions in advanced academic writing courses in the UAE

Abstract

Sustainable higher education is expected to assist in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by developing several academic competencies, including CT skills. However, sustaining the development of college students' CT skills requires ensuring a consistent relationship between CT perceptions and practices. Hence, this study seeks to examine college instructors' actual CT practices in light of their stated perceptions. Furthermore, it compares college instructors' and their students' CT perceptions, practices, and assessment in advanced academic writing courses in the UAE. A mixed-method design method was used. Six college English writing instructors and their students (n = 164) responded to the teacher and student questionnaires, five out of the six were observed, and the same six were interviewed at the end. Overall, instructors' and students' perceptions and practices were similar except for a few areas, especially about CT explicit instruction and modeling. Furthermore, an inconsistent relationship was identified between instructors' CT explicit instruction perceptions and their actual practices. While instructors supported explicit CT instruction in theory, five out of six confirmed they had never defined or modeled CT in practice. Finally, considering the significant role of CT in achieving sustainable development goals and students' calls for more CT framing, the study provided several recommendations for higher education CEOs, academic leaders, and college instructors.