Skill Development and Critical Thinking in Higher Education

Abstract

The development of ‘critical thinking’ is often put forward as an ideal of higher education. However, there is a significant contention over what is meant by the phrase. This paper looks at how a critical approach might be encouraged as an aspect of skills development in higher education. In the Master of Research (MRes), degree a variety of research orientated skills is taught, the combination of which is thought to be pertinent to ‘good’ research and to professional life generally. As a result of focus group and interview sessions conducted with participating students, it appears that one of outcomes most useful to the students has been a development of a self‐awareness through reflection. This self‐awareness pertains to where their skills lie and to a more general awareness of how they learn. This, in turn, seems to have led to the development of a more thoughtful, enquiring and open‐minded approach, in both professional and personal life. This approach appears to embrace many of the ideals of a critical mind, irrespective of which definition of ‘critical thinking’ is preferred. What a sad comment on modern educational systems that most learners neither value nor practise active, critical reflection. They are too busy studying to stop and think. Sadder still, many educators don't reflect either. They must be too busy ‘teaching’ (Hammond & Collins, 1991 p. 163.)