Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory Research Articles

A Pilot Study of Critical Thinking Disposition and Self-Efficacy with English Majors in China

This pilot survey study is intended to investigate tertiary learners’ critical thinking disposition and self-efficacy as well as the relationship between these two variables. Participants were 135 English majors from non-key universities in Shanxi, China. Two 6-point Likert scales were chosen as measures: one is the Self-efficacy Inventory particularly designed to measure tertiary students’ general self-efficacy; the other is the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory which focuses on four aspects of intellectualness, emotionality, rationality and morality. Findings indicate that students exhibited medium self-efficacy and low critical thinking disposition, with a significant difference between each pair of the four aspects. It was strikingly noticeable that students of lower English proficiency demonstrated higher level of both critical thinking disposition and self-efficacy than peers. Self-efficacy and critical thinking were found positively correlated at significant level. There was clear indication that emotionality served as the strongest predictors of self-efficacy while morality demonstrated least predictive power.

Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) and Rigid Object Rotation (ROR) Concept Mastery Through Multiple-Based Representation (MR) in Mechanics Learning Using GeoGebra Software

This research examines critical thinking skills and concept mastery of the Rigid Object Rotation (ROR) in Mechanics learning in Physics education students. There are some computer programs in Mathematics learning used in Physics learning, e.g. GeoGebra. The subjects of this study were 21 students of third semester at one private university in Jakarta. This is a mixed method research with quantitative and qualitative triangulation. The data collection instruments were the tests results on the Rigid Object Rotation (ROR) multiple-based representation (MR) concept that corresponds to the concept of understanding by using revised Bloom’s taxonomy and California Critical Thinking Test (CCTT) to evaluate critical thinking skills and Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI) to measure students’ critical thinking attitudes. The results show that the average rate of pre-tests was 44.38 and the average rate of post-test was 68.14 with percentage of N-Gain of 42.5 % for the mastery of ROR concept which shows improvement. The results of multiple representations (MR) analysis on students’ worksheet (SW) using GeoGebra software for ROR were 61.7 % for verbal, 85.7 % for picture, 45.3 % for graph and 77.9 % for Mathematics which show considerable percentage. The results of the analysis on Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) was categorized as good as well as the improvement of ROR concept mastery using GeoGebra software was in good category.

Impact of mind mapping on the critical thinking ability of clinical nursing students and teaching application.

ObjectiveWe analyzed the impact of mind mapping on the critical thinking ability of clinical nursing students and its use as a teaching application. This study provides reference information for clinical teaching.MethodsWe selected 64 nursing students using convenience sampling. Participants received basic knowledge training of mind mapping in three sessions during the intervention. Questionnaires on critical thinking ability were designed by the researchers, adopting the Chinese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. Data collected using the questionnaires included learning strategy function and clinical skill improvement with mind mapping, as well as students’ degree of adaptability to mind mapping. Participants’ critical thinking ability before and after the intervention was analyzed using a paired t-test.ResultsThe critical thinking inclination of nursing students was significantly improved after intervention compared with that before the intervention (t = −0.74). The four dimensions of open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, cognitive maturity, and systematicity among nursing students after the intervention were also significantly improved compared with before the intervention.ConclusionMind mapping is conducive to improving the critical thinking ability of clinical nursing students.

Does writing patient care daily effects on critical thinking? A pilot study with 1st year nursing students

Writing is a powerful way of learning. Writing may provide students with opportunities to think by discussion and use higher-level thinking skills to answer complicated problems. The purpose of this study is to understand whether keeping written patient care logs has an effect on improving the critical thinking skills of nursing students. This study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design. The sample of the study consisted of 69 students who were registered for the course Fundamentals of Nursing, agreed to participate in the study and filled out the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) completely. The study was conducted with students who were participating in clinical practice of the 1st-year course Fundamentals of Nursing in the spring semester of the academic year of 2016-2017. The pretest was carried out on the first day of clinical practice by applying a questionnaire form and the CCTDI with the students. Throughout the clinical practice, the students kept written logs at the end of each day of practice. The posttest was carried out on the last day of clinical practice by applying the CCTDI with the students. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the results of the pretest and the posttest. The mean pretest critical thinking disposition score of the students was found as 214.71 ± 20.17, while their mean score in the posttest was found as 219.13 ± 23.96. The difference between the mean pretest and posttest critical thinking disposition scores was statistically significant. As a result of this study, it was found that the mean critical thinking scores of the students were not on a desired level but keeping written patient care logs affected the improvement of their critical thinking skills positively.

Relationship between critical thinking disposition and research competence among clinical nurses: A cross-sectional study.

To explore the relationship between critical thinking disposition and research competence among clinical nurses. The development of the nursing discipline and evidence-based practice calls for research competence and critical thinking disposition among clinical nurses. The verification of the relationship between critical thinking disposition and research competence could make contributions to promoting related knowledge building and providing practical implications for nurses, nurse educators and nurse managers. However, there is a lack of evidence exploring the relationship between critical thinking disposition and research competence in clinical nurses. A cross-sectional study. A total of 156 clinical nurses from two tertiary hospitals participated in this study. The Chinese Version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and Research Competence Scale for Clinical Nurses were used to measure critical thinking disposition and nursing research competence, respectively. Data were collected in September 2017. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation and linear regression were used to analyse data. The STROBE checklist was used in reporting this study. The clinical nurses surveyed showed a positive inclination to general critical thinking but reported an overall low level of nursing research competence. A moderate degree of positive correlation was found between critical thinking disposition and research competence among clinical nurses. Educational degree was also found as an influencing factor of nursing research competence of clinical nurses. The critical thinking disposition of clinical nurses is positively related to their research competence. Nurses with a passion for nursing research should pay attention to improving their critical thinking dispositions. Nurse educators and managers should provide better learning, working and research environments and more supports to cultivate critical thinking disposition and improve nursing research competence in nursing research education and practice.

Biology prospective teachers’ critical thinking disposition and critical thinking skills of IKIP Mataram

Preparing prospective teachers as professional teachers is a very basic part of universities based on education and teacher training. In order to support professionalism career, prospective teachers must be equipped with 21st century skills, one of which is critical thinking skills, but to be able to think critically, prospective teachers must also have a critical thinking disposition, because critical thinking disposition is a prerequisite for acquiring critical thinking skills. This research is a survey study aimed at explaining the relationship between thinking dispositions and critical thinking skills. The prospective teachers critical thinking skills data were collected using essay questions, while the critical thinking disposition was collected using a critical thinking disposition questionnaire adopted from the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). The Sample in this research is taken by simple random sampling, obtained sample or respondent as many as 103 prospective teachers. The data in this study was statistically analyzed using Pearson product-moment (r). Based on the result of an analysis, R-value is 0.209. This r value indicates the low critical thinking disposition of prospective teachers, although there is a relation between the critical thinking disposition itself and the critical thinking skills of the prospective teachers, so that the value of r also indicates to be taught about the critical thinking disposition to the prospective teachers to acquire critical thinking skills as their professional career supporters.

Impact of a case-based–Team-based learning model on critical thinking and self-efficacy of nursing Undergraduates in China

Different education systems or cultural backgrounds may influence the effectiveness of various educational approaches. The purpose of this article is to report the impact of an integrated case-based and team-based learning (CB-TBL) approach on critical thinking, self-efficacy and learning interesting of nursing undergraduates. We conducted quasi-experimental and qualitative study on 118 nursing undergraduates from 20 teams who were taking a course on nursing management from September 2017 to January 2018. The teams researched their assigned topics, identified a case study, carried out the investigation, created PowerPoint presentations, reported and discussed the topic and posted them on the course management system blackboard site. Data gathering was based on two valid and reliable questionnaires: Chinese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV) and the Self-efficacy Integrated Scale. Open-ended questions were also designed for the evaluation of students' feedbacks and views on educational methods. The results showed that more than 90% of participants found the CB-TBL model interesting. We found that the post-test average score was higher than the pre-test one in the CTDI-CV, the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale. The participants and teaching supervision team also responded positively to the CB-TBL approach, which greatly stimulated the students' learning interest. This article may be of value to nursing educators who wish to replace traditional learning with informal learning (student-centred active learning) so as to enhance not only the students' knowledge but also the advancement of critical thinking and self-efficacy.

The effect of individual innovativeness on critical thinking disposition in first and emergency aid program students

Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to examine the effect of individual innovativeness on critical thinking disposition in first and emergency aid program students. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted between September and October 2019 with first and emergency program students studied in the 2018-2019 academic year. The population of the study was composed of students enrolled in the first and emergency aid program at Kovancilar Vocational School of Elazig Firat University. No sampling method was used in the study by aiming to reach the entire population. As a result, 95% of the population was reached, whereby a total of 121 students included in the study. Data were collected using an introductory information form, the Individual Innovativeness Scale (IIS), and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Data were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 package program and evaluated using percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis. Results: The students’ IIS and CCTDI mean scores were 68.4±9.5 and 260.2±29.9, respectively. The individual innovativeness level of the students affected their critical thinking disposition. A statistically significant difference was found between the students’ individual innovativeness according to gender, status of keeping up with current issues and field-related developments, and status of believing in the necessity of using technological devices in education (p 0.05). Conclusion: As the individual innovativeness level of first and emergency program students increased, their critical thinking disposition increased.

Comparison Study Between Freshman and Senior Nursing Students' Critical Thinking Skills at Faculty of Nursing, Sana'a University

Background: Nursing has embarked on a ―curriculum revolution,‖ and the appraisal of critical thinking has gained substantial attention in nursing academia. Aim of the Study: compare critical thinking skills between freshmen nursing students and senior nursing students at Faculty of Nursing, Sana'a University. Methods: comparison cross- sectional study was done and two tools for data collection were used for demographic data and critical thinking disposition survey. Study was done among 100 nursing students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - Sana'a University in 2018. Ethical issues was considered in all steps of the research. Results: the total mean score of California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was high and there was a statistical significant difference between level of education toward CCTDI in relation to analyticity and no significant difference toward the dimensions of CCTDI. Also there was a statistical significant difference between gender toward CCTDI in relation to open minded in which female were open minded than male. Conclusion and Recommendations: The study showed that the majority of the undergraduate nursing students at the mentioned setting showed ambivalent disposition towards most of the dispositional characteristics and the overall CCTDI. Nursing programs should include the teaching strategies that promote critical thinking dispositions and ensure the application of all of its competencies.

The Implementation of WebQuest-supported Critical Thinking Instruction in Pre-service English Teacher Education: The Turkish Context

Critical thinking, a vital skill for the 21st century, has become a desirable educational outcome by educators. Promoting students’ critical thinking has been a concern in various educational settings and the role of teachers is considered to be the most significant factor for successful instructional implementations. The present study aims to examine the effects of WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction on the critical thinking disposition levels of Turkish pre-service teachers (PTs) of English and to determine whether receiving WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction leads to a change in the PTs’ understanding of critical thinking. Data were collected from 60 freshman PTs studying at a state university in Istanbul, Turkey. Thirty PTs were assigned to the experimental group and received WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction, while 30 PTs were assigned to the control group and received traditional text-only instruction. The study lasted seven weeks and data were collected by means of the Turkish version of the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and semi-structured focus group interviews conducted before and after the treatment. Findings revealed that the WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction produced statistically significant differences in the PTs’ critical thinking disposition levels and the PTs demonstrated clearer awareness of critical thinking at the end of the study.

Structuring a New Socioscientific Issues (SSI) Based Instruction Model: Impacts on Pre-service Science Teachers’ (PSTs) Critical Thinking Skills and Dispositions

The purpose of the study was to propose a new socioscientific issues based instruction model and to investigate the impacts of new model on PSTs’ critical thinking skills and dispositions in climate change unit. Quasi-experimental method was applied. The sample of the study was determined by convenient sampling and it was comprised of 90 junior PSTs. The experimental group in which SSI based instruction was implemented, consists of 45 pre-service teachers, and there were 45 pre-service teachers in the control group. Data was gathered quantitatively with the help of Turkish version of the Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test (E-WCTET) and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine the impacts of new model on the critical thinking skills and dispositions of PSTs in experiment and control groups. Findings of the study revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between the treatment and the control group's critical thinking skills scores. However, the posttest scores of the treatment group were increased. Also, results indicated that there is a statistically significant difference between the treatment and the control group's critical thinking dispositions scores. Implications for teaching practice are discussed.

The Bilingual Advantage in Thinking Critically: The Roles of Age of Onset and L2 Proficiency

Abstract The bilingual advantage and its effect on executive function (EF) are among the major concerns of researchers in the field of bilingualism. Nevertheless, the bilingual effect on critical thinking has not yet received the attention it truly deserves. The present study aimed to investigate the bilingual effect on critical thinking disposition (CTD) and its relationship to age, age of onset (AoO), and L2 proficiency. An experimental design was adopted to study the impact of bilingualism on CTD. Correlational designs were then used to investigate the association between L2 proficiency and age of bilinguals with their CTD scores. The sample included 286 participants, consisting of 143 bilinguals, carefully matched with 143 monolinguals based on age and socioeconomic status. The bilinguals were then divided into two groups of early bilinguals (AoO = 10 years or less) and late bilinguals (AoO = 11 years or more). Their L2 proficiency and performance on the University of Florida Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory were measured and compared. The results indicate an advantage in CTD in favor of the bilinguals, with no significant difference between early and late bilinguals. A larger effect size was observed with an elevation in the age of the bilinguals. A positive association was found between L2 proficiency and the bilinguals’ CTD, with a weak correlation between education and CTD scores. The results are also compared with those of the bilingual effect on EF.

Development and validation of the critical thinking disposition inventory for Chinese medical college students (CTDI-M)

BackgroundThis study aimed to develop and conduct psychometric testing of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory to measure the critical thinking disposition of Chinese medical college students.MethodsThe study was conducted in two stages: (a) item generation, reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and (b) confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and testing of psychometric properties (Cronbach’ s alpha, test-retest reliability and convergent validity). The subjects included 1035 Chinese medical college students. The test-retest reliability of the instrument was determined at a two-week interval (n = 61). A general linear regression model was developed to examine the predictive effects of gender, age and major on CT disposition. The data were analysed with SPSS 22.0 and Amos 21.0 during item development and the reliability and validity analyses. Vista was utilized for parallel analysis during the principal axis analysis.ResultsEighteen final items were sorted into 3 factors, which were identified as “Open-mindedness”, “Systematicity/Analyticity” and “Truth-seeking”, with cumulative variance of 41.37, 46.00 and 49.59%, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.924, and the factors’ alphas ranged from 0.824 to 0.862. The correlational analysis indicated significant correlations between the subscales of the CTDI-CM and the total scores of the CTDI-CV, indicating modest evidence for the convergent validity of the CTDI-CM. Gender, age and education significantly predicted the CT disposition of Chinese medical students. Open-mindedness and Systematicity/Analyticity were higher for medical students than for nursing students.ConclusionsThis study presents a reliable and valid instrument for clinical thinking disposition. Future studies should explore other predictive factors of CT dispositions (e.g., cognitive/motivational) and criterion validity.

The Relationship Between Critical Thinking and Clinical Competence in Nurses

Background The lack of clinical competence in nurses leads to problems in providing nursing services. Studies indicate that nurses lacking the required skills can endanger the public health in medical centers. Critical thinking is a factor that can affect nurses' clinical competence. Objectives The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between critical thinking and clinical competence in nurses. Methods The current descriptive-analytical and cross sectional study was conducted on 120 nurses selected by random sampling method. Data collection tools included the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI), as well as clinical competence and demographic information questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS using Pearson correlation coefficient, linear regression, and -test. Results Pearson correlation test showed a positive correlation between the total scores of critical thinking and clinical competence. Based on the results of the linear regression analysis, the tendency toward critical thinking could predict 28.4% of the clinical competence. The nurses mean CCTDI scores were at the positive level and their mean clinical competence scores were at the average level. Conclusions According to the obtained results, nursing authorities can organize practical workshops on the development of critical thinking of clinical nurses as one of the most important and operational strategies to improve nursing clinical competence and, ultimately, move towards optimal care.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes towards English Courses and Their Critical Thinking Skills

The aim of the current research is to reveal the relationship between pre-service teachers’ attitudes towardscompulsory English courses and their critical thinking skills. The study also investigates the effect of the participants’age, gender and department on their attitudes towards compulsory English courses and their critical thinking skills.California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) and Attitude Scale towards English Classes (ASTEC)were used as data collection instruments. 159 pre-service teachers from different departments of a public university’sfaculty of education. The results showed that there is no significant relationship between the participants’ age, genderand department and their CCTDI and ASTEC scores. According to the correlational analyses, it is found that there isno correlation between CCTDI and ASTEC scores of the participants. The results have been discussed under the lightof relevant literature and implications are presented for further research and pedagogy.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills of Visually Impaired Female National Judo Team Athletes

A high level of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in visually impaired female national judo team athletes is an important factor in increasing their performance and for their high performance. The aim of this study was to examine critical thinking and problem-solving skills of visually impaired female national judo team athletes. The sample of the study was composed of visually impaired female athletes (n=15) in 2015 national team. A Personal Information Form, the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and the Problem Solving Inventory were used as data collection tools. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using SPSS 17 software. Evaluation of the data analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference among groups in total Problem Solving Inventory and Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory scores in terms of age group or age of starting judo (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between total problem-solving and total critical thinking disposition scores of athletes (p>0.05). As a result, judo coaches are thought to play an important role in the development of strategies for increasing athletes’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills and in the development of their sporting performance, particularly in the development of high performance.

Practice and effectiveness of "nursing case-based learning" course on nursing student's critical thinking ability: A comparative study.

Case-based Learning was an effective and highly efficient teaching approach that was extensively applied in education systems across a variety of countries. Critical thinking ability is an important indicator for access the study ability for baccalaureate nursing education. The study aimed to explore the effect of "nursing case-based learning" course on the critical thinking ability of nursing student. A total of 80 students who were in Junior were included in this study. The experimental group included 40 students who selected "nursing case-based learning" course. The control group included 40 students who selected the traditional teaching course. The critical thinking disposition inventory (CTDI-CV) was used to evaluate the effects of the critical thinking abilities during the 1st week (pre-test), the 9th week (mid-test), and the 18th week (post-test). There are no statistically significant differences between two groups in the pre-test thinking abilities (P > 0.05). After nine weeks, the critical thinking abilities of experimental group were significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05). Three obtained time-points had statistically significant differences of control and experimental group (P < 0.05). The "nursing case-based learning" was an effective course to develop the critical thinking abilities of nursing students. Strict instructional design was the guarantee for the smooth implementation of "nursing case-based learning" course.

Impact of Students’ Strengths, Critical Thinking Skills and Disposition on Academic Success in the First Year of a PharmD Program

Objective. To determine the critical thinking skills, critical thinking disposition, and personal strengths that contribute to student success and excellence in the first year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Methods. Student pharmacists from three cohorts completed the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) to assess their critical thinking skills, the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to assess their critical thinking disposition, and the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment to determine their top five Signature Themes. HSRT overall categories, CCTDI subcategories, and top five Signature Themes were analyzed to determine both independent predictors and a logistic regression model of success and excellence. Results. HSRT and the Signature Theme of Consistency were independently associated with both success and excellence. CCTDI Open-mindedness and the Signature Themes of Achiever and Learner were also independent predictors of excellence. Age and several Signature Themes were negative independent predictors of success. In a multiple logistic regression model, HSRT overall category and the absence of Signature Themes Command and Woo predicted success and HSRT overall category predicted excellence. Conclusion. This is the first model to determine performance in the first year of PharmD program using Signature Themes. Critical thinking skills, the critical thinking disposition of Open-mindedness and the Signature Themes of Achiever, Consistency, and Learner are associated with the highest student performance.

General Self-Efficacy Mediates the Effect of Family Socioeconomic Status on Critical Thinking in Chinese Medical Students.

Background: Critical thinking (CT) is an essential competence for medical students. Family socioeconomic status (family SES) and general self-efficacy (GSE) play crucial roles in the development of CT. However, the association among family SES, GSE, and CT in Chinese medical students has yet to be fully investigated.Objectives: To investigate the role of family SES and GSE in the development of CT in Chinese medical students.Methods: 1,338 medical students were recruited using multistage stratified cluster sampling from three institutions in China. The Chinese critical thinking disposition inventory (CTDI-CV), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and a self-made inventory assessing family SES were administered to collect data. The relationship between CT and family SES as well as GSE was evaluated by structural equation modeling.Results: Students of higher family SES obtained higher CTDI-CV and GSES scores. A positive correlation was found between family SES and CT (r = 0.101–0.141, p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), as well as between family SES and GSE (r = 0.111–0.129, p < 0.01). Moreover, GSE was moderately correlated with CT (r = 0.418, p < 0.01). The model of partial mediate effect of GSE showed the best fit index with X2 = 29.698, df = 9 and X2/df = 3.300, NFI = 0.990, IFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.984, CFI = 0.993, RMSEA = 0.041.Conclusion: Family SES has a positive albeit limited influence on GSE and CT in Chinese medical students. GSE mediates the effect of family SES on CT and plays a larger role. Enhancing medical student’ GSE maybe an efficacious way to improve medical students’ CT.

Influence of critical thinking disposition on the learning efficiency of problem-based learning in undergraduate medical students

BackgroundProblem-based learning (PBL), a pedagogical approach, is widely accepted in medical education. Manipulated by many factors, the internal motivation of learner is the most crucial determinant that affects the nature of the outcome, in which the influences of critical thinking (CT) remained elusive.MethodsOne hundred two third-year undergraduate medical students at Peking University were involved in this study. A Chinese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV) was used to assess the CT disposition, and the performance scores of students in PBL tutorials were compiled. A parametric bivariate correlation analysis was performed between the students’ CT scores and their PBL average scores. The PBL scores were compared between the strong and weak CT disposition groups using independent t-test. The analysis of numerical data was conducted using SPSS 16.0.ResultsCT disposition of third-year undergraduate medical students at Peking University was at a positive level, with an average score of 297.72. The total CT scores had a positive correlation with the scores of the PBL performance and its five dimensions significantly. In the majority, students with Strong-CT disposition obtained higher scores in PBL tutorials compared with students with Weak-CT disposition. The performance of these two groups was significantly different in the Late-Half but not in the Early-Half PBL tutorials. Furthermore, a significant improvement was observed in the students with strong CT but not weak CT dispositions.ConclusionCT disposition positively correlates to a students’ PBL performance. Students with stronger CT dispositions perform better in the PBL process and obtain higher scores. Our work suggested that the open-mindedness of the CT disposition is the primary factor that determines the improvement of the preparation dimensions in the PBL process.