Examining critical thinking aptitudes of high school students using the W-GCTA test in the context of UAE

Abstract

For nearly 60 years, educators and policymakers have highlighted the need to graduate students who are critical thinkers and know how to think, from classroom to workplace. The emphasis in school curricula is frequently on what to think rather than how to think. Thus researchers and educators demand a change on this approach and transformation To meet the demands of the 21st century, critical thinking abilities are considered essential. In order to gain a better insight into various aspects of critical thinking, the current study aimed to measure the critical thinking aptitudes of high school students in a private school in Dubai. Despite Dubai's exponential growth in multiple sectors, critical thinking research is lacking to show how such an important skill relates to the city and country's development. This research follows the quantitative approach by using a modified 40-question W-GCTA test to collect the data, from a sample of 91 high school students, to answer the study questions. Descriptive and inferential statistical data analyses were done by conducting descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Major findings revealed that the students possess critical thinking aptitudes above the average percentage, with a total score of 76 %. The main result indicated that the participating high school students’ critical thinking profile was positive, and above average, based on the W-GCTA. While a nonsignificant statistical result was found in the overall score, yet, the Inference, Argument, and Deduction W-GCTA sections showed significant differences. In addition, it is concluded that students' critical thinking aptitudes appear to be unaffected by the gender difference. For future research, authors recommend to increase the sample size by involving more schools and collecting qualitative data.