Pilot Study of the Teaching of Critical Thinking Skills and Creative Talents for Biochemistry Students at University

Abstract

A reform of the education system was introduced in Hong Kong in the past few years. Secondary School students entering university were observed to be highly diverse in terms of their academic backgrounds than ever before. Our previous studies had revealed that students under the new education system emphasized more on factual knowledge; however, their views on generic skills, such as critical thinking skills and creative talents, apparently declined (when compared with students before the reform). In this pilot study, we conducted five preliminary surveys studying the teaching effectiveness of critical thinking skills and creative talents among university students major in Biochemistry. Lectures and in-class activities were designed and conducted to promote the critical thinking skills and creative talents among the students between 2011 and 2015. Our preliminary findings suggested that the increased attendance of lectures and the increased participation of in-class activities were positively correlated to the performance and the confidence of the students' critical thinking skills, although no statistically significant data was obtained at this stage. Interestingly, our preliminary findings also implicated with statistical significance that the lectures and in-class activities were positively correlated to the change in the attitudes of the students on the importance of creative talents for the study of life science and the assessment of the their creative talents. Taken together, our preliminary findings built up a foundation for us to further expand and optimize our study based on the current lecture design and in- class activity arrangement. In the long run, it is envisaged that the critical thinking skills and creative talents could be promoted among the students under the new education system.