The rule of law in education and its relationship to thinking skills

Abstract

Thinking skills are a necessary component of the development of a legal society and democracy. Thus, this paper presents an original investigation, the aim of which was to show the perception of people to the rule of law and its relationship to thinking skills. Research tasks were to consider thinking skills using L. Starkey's adapted Thinking skills test and determine the relationship between thinking skills and the rule of law. The scientific novelty is in correlation between thinking skills and perception to the rule of law. The objectives of this study were: (1) determining the level of thinking skills of students using an adapted verbal test by L. Starkey; (2) determining the presence/absence of the relationship between thinking skills and the rule of law. Statistical analysis in the form of a study of the correlation between the rule of law and students' critical thinking was carried out for the results of this test at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Participants received a questionnaire on their perception of the rule of law. 25 students from South China Normal University took part in the study when they were in their 1st study year (2017, 1st study stage) and 4th study year (the same students, 2021, 2nd study stage). The study found that students’ thinking skills and self-assessment about whether they adhere to the rule of law increased (by 43.50% and 66.32%, respectively). As a result of the analysis, it has been established that students’ thinking skills and self-assessment about whether they adhere to the rule of law have a strong correlation (0.714 at stage 1 of the study and 0.724 at stage 2). The data of this study indicate the need to develop and implement in the curriculum tasks and courses that will increase students’ critical thinking skills. Such an approach will ensure the development of the rule of law. The prospect for further research is to explore the possibilities of including thinking skills in educational curricula and improving perception to the rule of law in the students of the departments Engineering and Mathematics.