Critical Thinking in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Schools: A Case Study of Two Prominent Schools in Erbil

Nurturing critical thinking skills in the classroom is considered an important educational activity. It is believed that critical thinking skills are transferable and that they can be applied in practice when appraising, evaluating and implementing research. That more nurses than ever before have been judged academically knowledgeable in research has not guaranteed the transfer of such knowledge to practice. This paper discusses some of the reasons for the failure to narrow the gap between research and practice. In particular we argue that, if nurses are encouraged to develop creative and generative thinking alongside their critical thinking skills, then the art of nursing will have fuller representation in education, research and practice. The successful development of critical thinking skills for academic purposes does not necessarily mean that these skills are used in practice in relation either to research or clinical decision-making. This suggests that the transferability of critical thinking skills is less than straightforward. Indeed, there has been little narrowing of the research-practice gap since students started to learn critical thinking for academic purposes. However, we propose that thinking skills can be encouraged in the context of practice and that regular educational events, such as journal clubs, can contribute to developing critical thinking in the practice environment. The research-practice gap will reduce only if research becomes part of practitioners' ideology, which includes the art and science of nursing. Critical and creative thinking are prerequisites to narrowing the disjuncture between research and practice, and we suggest that educators and practitioners explore structured ways of meeting together to appraise literature as a possible means of making use of their thinking and knowledge in clinical practice.

Critical thinking skills in midwifery practice: Development of a self-assessment tool for students

Development and psychometric testing of the Carter Assessment of Critical Thinking in Midwifery (Preceptor/Mentor version)

The importance of developing primary school pupils’ critical thinking are substantiated in the article. Nowadays, a lesson in primary school involves the introduction of innovative methods and techniques that make it possible to develop pupils’ positive motivation for the need to acquire new knowledge, the ability to analyze, interpret and systematize information and use it in life situations or future professional activities.The purpose of the paper is to reveal the theoretical and methodical basis of developing primary school pupils’ critical thinking; to substantiate the main methods of developing critical thinking in primary school lessons.Methods: psychological and educational literature analysis, analogy, induction and deduction.Results. The use of technology for the developing critical thinking in primary school lessons is becoming more and more important. A modern school should prepare pupils for the future life through the forming schoolchildren’s ability to think critically, to select and analyze the necessary information, to use knowledge to solve educational and life situations independently. The implementation of technology for developing critical thinking is a complex, but interesting process of mastering knowledge and forming skills, because it requires thorough preparation, long-term planning, skillful implementation from the teacher, since the educational process has an obvious dialogic orientation between the teacher and the pupil, where the teacher plays an important role. As a result of the application of technology for the developing critical thinking, pupils’ analytical thinking, creative abilities are developed, and their intellect is enriched. The technology for developing critical thinking allows to upbring an active, communicatively competent personality, prepared for future life communication, capable of solving problems and making specific decisions in the changed circumstances of communication in the conditions of a modern lesson. A pupil who has developed critical thinking, has the ability to perceive, understand, interpret, evaluate an informational text, express his / her position in a reasoned way, competently justify his / her opinion, taking into account the opinions of the interlocutor. It is this personality that the school is designed to develop in modern lessons in the aspect of technology for developing critical thinking. Keywords: critical thinking; primary school pupils; technology for developing critical thinking; creative thinking; three-stage lesson structure; phase of evocation; awareness and comprehension of knowledge; reflection phase.

This paper is a report of a study to determine the impact of the preceptor coaching component of a reflective contextual learning intervention on novice nurses' critical thinking skills during the first 6 months of their practice. The use of preceptors to develop novice nurses' clinical skills has been well documented in the literature. However, there is little literature focused on preceptor involvement to develop novice nurses' critical thinking. This small case study was conducted in the United States of America in 2004 with six nurse/preceptor dyads. Stake's qualitative instrumental case study design was used to evaluate the preceptor component of the contextual learning intervention. Stories of preceptor experiences were analyzed using Stake's phases of data analysis (i.e. description, categorical aggregation, establishing patterns, naturalistic generalizations). Specific questions (e.g. nature of coaching used by the preceptor) guided the analysis. Repeating patterns were coded and isolated and later collapsed as the analysis moved forward. Preceptors use of the contextual learning intervention created a context that stimulated novice nurses' critical thinking. Two main themes describe the novice nurses' critical thinking skills relative to the preceptor coaching: 1) critical thinking as organizing and carrying out tasks; and 2) critical thinking as intentional, reflective thinking. Preceptor education should incorporate the following components: understanding the impact of power and anxiety on critical thinking of novice nurses transitioning into practice; creating dialogue that invites questions in a reflective and critical manner; and challenging thinking through sharing of perspectives.

Critical thinking is essential for success in the 21st century, particularly in language learning. This study explores pre-service English language teachers’ (ELTs) perceptions and practices regarding critical thinking instruction in Indonesia. Through a qualitative case study approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two pre-service ELTs from a private university in Yogyakarta. Thematic analysis revealed a rich tapestry of insights into the participants’ understanding of critical thinking, their perceived importance in language learning, and their willingness to integrate critical thinking into their teaching practices. The findings highlight the significance of critical thinking in language acquisition, as it empowers students to analyze complex information, evaluate diverse perspectives, and form informed judgments. Participants emphasized the need for incorporating critical thinking strategies into language teaching to enhance students’ cognitive abilities and facilitate deeper understanding. Nevertheless, the study also identified potential challenges, including the uneven distribution of critical thinking practices across the education system and the need for specialized teacher training to implement critical thinking instruction effectively. The study contributes to understanding pre-service ELTs’ perceptions and practices of critical thinking in Indonesia. It also provides valuable insights for teacher training programs, curriculum development, and future research investigating critical thinking instruction in English language teaching.

ABSTRACT: This research aims to determine the feasibility of student worksheets to practice critical thinking skills using blended learning on reaction rate matter. This research is using Research & Development (R&D) design with the subjects are 2nd-grade students. The instrument used which as the student worksheet, pretest-posttest sheet, student activity observation, and student responses questionnaire. The validity of the student worksheets on the concentration factor, surface area, temperature, and catalyst obtained the percentage respectively 89.37%, 87.55%, 87.67%, and 87.53%. Student activities, obtaining a percentage of 90% and observation of student responses by 91%. The effectiveness of the students' worksheets in terms of the N-gain score of the pretest and posttest with an average of 0.65 in the medium category is very effective to practice critical thinking skill. So the student worksheet using guided inquiry learning model and blended learning strategy in reaction rate matter to practice critical thinking skill is feasible to use in High School.Keywords: student worksheet, critical thinking skill, blended learning, the reaction rate

Critical Thinking development in Indonesian secondary schooling has been paired and emphasized in English as an Additional Language in order to respond to global changes and position the nation for better engagement with global concerns. This article presents a qualitative study that investigated in-service teachers’ perceptions about facilitating Critical Thinking in their English language classes in an Indonesian high school through in-depth interviews. Teacher interviews in this study were analyzed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, and the findings revealed that teachers appeared to lack Critical Thinking concepts and were faced with constraints in their English language classes. Substantial obstacles such as inadequacies of students’ English language proficiencies, authentic Critical Thinking materials in English as an Additional Language as well as appropriate assessment tasks also minimized teachers’ efforts in facilitating and developing Critical Thinking in their English language classes. As a result, teachers claimed that they required further professional learning about Critical Thinking practices and related assessment tasks before they would be able to effectively facilitate students’ Critical Thinking. The need to overcome these barriers to effective Critical Thinking facilitation in English language classes provides a rationale for including observations of teacher and student practices in classrooms, as well as policy.

Critical thinking (CT) is considered an important attribute in practice disciplines and faculty members in nursing, medicine, and education are expected to facilitate the development of CT in their graduates so that these individuals can be critical, reflective, competent, and caring professionals and service providers (Distler, 2007; Shiau & Chen, 2008; Worell & Profetto-McGrath, 2007). When students are actively engaged in their learning, and classrooms have an enabling environment, critical thinking is promoted. Teachers must reflect upon their teaching pedagogy when students do not participate in stimulating discussions, or asks questions in class. Research suggests that lack of understanding of CT affects teachers’ CT practices in the classroom. Literature supports that teaching learning activities and opportunities that emphasize encouragement of students’ participation in classroom fosters communication, student engagement, creativity, self – directedness and critical thinking (Choy & Cheah, 2009). Thus it is vital to explore what CT practices can be performed by educators to influence students’ CT. The present study aimed to identify perceptions and practices of CT among educators from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, and education in higher education in Karachi, Pakistan. A descriptive exploratory design was used where 12 multidisciplinary educators participated in semi structured interviews and allowed classroom observations. Four major themes were identified, but this paper will explore multidisciplinary educators’ practices of CT in a classroom setting. The faculty needs to be aware of how their practices of critical thinking can create an enabling learning environment, and what factors in its physical, psychological and intellectual environment can affect critical thinking in students. Keywords: Enabling environment, Student engagement, Faculty practices, & Critical thinking

Drawing on MacIntyre’s notion of rationality, this article examines the conceptions and practices of critical thinking in Chinese schools. Focusing on the perceptions of school leaders in Shanghai, this study reports that they interpreted critical thinking primarily as personal inquiry and problem solving. They drew attention to the promotion of critical thinking under the current education reform and highlighted ongoing challenges arising from the high-stakes assessments and prevailing socio-cultural values. This paper shows that definitions and applications of critical thinking in Chinese schools are rooted in and shaped by socially embodied and historically contingent traditions. Cultural influences are manifested in an exam-oriented system, an emphasis on didactic teaching, the centrality of textbooks, a non-confrontational view of critical thinking, and a hierarchical relationship between the teacher and students. The example of Shanghai foregrounds the existence and legitimacy of diverse approaches to and expressions of critical thinking across contexts.

Among the challenges faced by educators in promoting critical thinking is that of cultural compatibility. Using Singapore as an illustrative case study, this paper explores the cultural challenges and recommended strategies for the teaching of critical thinking in schools. The research for this study is based on a theoretical framework that focuses on two dominant practices of critical thinking: confrontational and individualistic on the one hand, and collegial and communal on the other. Research data shows that the main cultural challenges are the social expectations of teachers as knowledge transmitters and a perception that critical thinking is essentially adversarial. The recommended strategies are the utilisation of cooperative learning strategies and the provision of a safe learning environment. There are two major implications arising from this research study. The first is a need for policymakers and educators to be cognisant of cultural constraints in the teaching of critical thinking. The second is the significance of teacher efficacy to engender student engagement and successful learning within socio‐cultural constraints. The Singapore experience adds to the existing literature by highlighting the existence and significance of communitarian practices of critical thinking in an Asian context.

This study aimed to aid in practicing critical thinking skills through an android game about the human reproductive system. A descriptive method was used in this study, in which students did their own exploration using the Android game named Human Reproductive System and Sex Education (HUPROSED). Six indicators of critical thinking skills based on Facione’s work were analyzed. The six indicators were interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, and explanation. Forty six students were chosen to review the game by purposive sampling. This research’s critical thinking skills were included in the quiz question in line with HOTS (High order thinking skills) about the human reproductive system, such as the menstruation cycle, sexually transmitted diseases, sperm, the concept of twins, and HIV, which usually have cognitive skills above C4 (applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating). In the game, students answered the quiz. Five test items based on critical thinking were used to exercise students’ critical thinking skills. The test got a score of 65 on average. Therefore, this research demonstrated how the android game “HUPROSED” may be used to teach students about the human reproductive system and sex education while also allowing students to practice critical thinking, although it still needs to be developed. Keywords: critical thinking skills, android game, human reproductive system

Balancing the seen and unseen: Nurse educator as role model for critical thinking.

Student mobility or study abroad seems to have become a "new normal" in this ever increasingly connected world and highlights the cultural issues of teaching and learning in the educational "contact zones." The presence of large population of international students poses teaching and learning challenges to the host universities. This presentation is based on an ethnographic longitudinal study of a group of Confucian heritage culture (CHC) learners' perceptions of the required practice of critical thinking during their overseas study in an Western (Anglophone) learning culture. In view of the ambivalent and inconsistent findings on international—especially Asian students'—receptiveness of critical learning in Western educational institutions, this study is intended to demystify "critical thinking" by depicting a learning trajectory of how these students were grappling with this learning requirement in the new learning culture. This presentation focuses on an intercultural educational and additive approach and their related strategies that can be adopted by the faculty of western host universities in order to develop international students' understanding and practice of critical thinking by focusing on what the student does instead of what the student is or which culture they are from.

The aim of this study is to examine and determine the extent to which educational drama, as an innovative teaching approach, can cultivate critical thinking of students in primary school. Based on the principles of educational drama, 15 theatrical workshops were designed in relation with and corresponding to the culture and interests of the specific age group. The experimental method that was followed, was designed and implemented in three discrete stages including: the pre-research stage, the main research stage and the results extraction stage. The sample comprising 400 students aged 8-10 has been drawn from six different primary schools in Greece, the subjects of which were randomly selected. Five critical thinking skills were studied, including subtraction, induction, observation, reliability, detection and troubleshooting skills. The qualitative and quantitative data collected was next triangulated in order to lead to the desired result. The results confirmed the main research hypothesis, hence educational drama, as an innovative method, can enhance students' critical thinking in primary school.