Development Of Critical Thinking Skills Research Articles

Evaluating Critical and Creative Thinking (CRITHNK): Student Perspectives on General Education Competencies through Mixed Methods Analysis

In today's educational landscape, fostering critical thinking (CT) skills is paramount for students to navigate modern complexities. This study examines the importance of CT in higher education, drawing from seminal works such as those by John Dewey. It evaluates a Critical and Creative Thinking (CRITHNK) course at De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde, known for its innovative initiatives. Numerous studies highlight a gap in CT skill development among undergraduates. Quantitative analysis assesses students' perceptions of the CRITHNK course's contribution to CT skill development, aligning with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) outcomes. Qualitative inquiry explores its impact on intellectual growth, personal responsibility, and practical skills, gathering student recommendations for improvement. Results indicate students perceive the CRITHNK course as highly effective in developing CT and related competencies, aligning with CHED outcomes. However, moderate variability suggests individual differences, suggesting targeted interventions for enhancement. This study identifies areas for curriculum improvement, providing insights for faculty development and enhancing teaching practices. It contributes to the discourse on CT in higher education, emphasizing its role in addressing global challenges and fostering community-driven change.

Critical Thinking Skills Development among Secondary School Students: An Analysis of Chemistry Textbook Grade X (2020)

The current study used qualitative analysis of the Chemistry textbook grade X through the facilitation of NVivo 12 software to analyze the textbook about critical thinking skills development. The textbook was selected through purposive sampling. The findings revealed that the textbook fostered critical thinking skills through several approaches relevant to chemistry concepts in to real-world, and their applications, asking open-ended questions, presenting merits and demerits of chemical processes, offering flow diagrams of industrial systems, comparing related concepts, and illustrating underlying chemical principles behind the phenomenon. The book urged students to apply chemistry principles critically in practical settings, evaluate them from different perspectives, rationalize complex processes thoroughly, and analyze their strengths and weaknesses in various approaches. Additionally, it invited them to discover the logic behind complex chemical systems and question what drives chemical behaviors at core levels. Moreover, explicit instruction on developing critical thinking skills should be better integrated into the curriculum with inquiry-based activities.

Evaluation of Critical Thinking Elements: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Physics Textbook Grade IX

Critical thinking skills are essential in the 21st century in all academic and overall life. This skill is among the 4Cs of the twenty-first century that enable learners to analyze information, argumentation evaluation, decision making, and problem-solving. The purpose of the current study is to analyze the 9th-grade physics textbook about the development of critical thinking skills among students. A purpose sampling technique was utilized to select the physics textbook. Nvivo 12 software was used as a facilitator to get the analysis of the document after importing it in PDF format through the qualitative content analysis method. Passages and activities regarding critical thinking skills development were identified. As per the analysis of the document, five aspects were extracted regarding the development of critical thinking skills, encouragement of inquiry-based tasks, promotion of application and problem-solving, development of analysis and evaluation, creative thinking, and connection of concepts towards real-life situations. There are different examples from the textbook that promote open-ended questions, practical problems, analysis, and creative exercises to challenge students to think critically with the application of their knowledge. Through engagement in inquiry-based activities, data analysis, problem-solving, evaluation, and creativity, the learners of the twenty-first century can develop the capability of critical thinking with innovation and logic.

Comparative study of problem solving skill development features in Japanese and Indonesian high school physics textbooks

Despite both Japan and Indonesia incorporating critical thinking skill development into their educational curricula, Japanese students exhibit higher problem-solving abilities. To investigate the role of physics textbooks in nurturing problem-solving skills, a comparative and content analysis method was employed, focusing on two textbooks: The Basic Physics High School Textbook for Science by Sukenshuppan (JP-SKN) and Fisika 1 untuk Jurusan IPA by Tiga Serangkai (ID-TS). Foshay's teaching principles for problem-solving skills served as the analytical framework, consisting of 12 key points to identify problem-solving teaching features within the textbooks. Explicitly stated sub-chapters and consistently recurring implicit elements within each chapter were recognized as book features. The analysis revealed that JP-SKN encompasses a greater variety of problem-solving skill development features compared to ID-TS. While the quality of these features may differ, JP-SKN contains 16 book features aligned with problem-solving teaching principles, surpassing the 12 found in ID-TS. JP-SKN employs diverse approaches to foster problem-solving skills, including case studies, graphs, tables, illustrations, and interactive digital content. Its "Thinking Learning" feature (思考学習) encapsulates numerous problem-solving principles, providing instructions, structured problems, and encouraging the formulation of mental models for problem resolution. Conversely, ID-TS incorporates additional elements beyond problem-solving, such as promoting teamwork, scientific attitude, and offering numerous practice questions. These findings offer valuable insights and references for the development of learning resources that aim to promote critical thinking skills within Indonesia's new curriculum. Furthermore, they serve as a starting point for future research to explore how both countries interpret their respective curriculum mandates when designing representative textbooks, particularly concerning high school Physics subjects.

EVALUATION OF THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA

The present study examined critical thinking (CT) and its importance in Saudi secondary education. The sample included upper-secondary students and teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital and largest city. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to study students' CT skill development, barriers to growth, instructors' views on CT advancement, and students' views on their CT skills. The study examines secondary school students' critical thinking development and impediments. It also examined teachers' perceptions of their students' progress in CT. The research collected quantitative data from 374 questionnaires and qualitative data from eight interviews. SPSS performed regression analysis on survey quantitative data. A thematic analysis was employed to evaluate qualitative interview data. The quantitative findings from the surveys revealed uneven CT skills. The findings also showed that gender, Grade Point Average (GPA) and family background affect CT. The qualitative findings from the interviews with the teachers stressed the importance of collaborative programming and active student engagement in classroom activities to foster CT. Bullying and peer pressure hindered autonomous and CT, making it difficult for instructors to motivate and support students. The findings emphasised the importance of teachers in creating a safe learning environment and encouraging analytical thinking. Recommendations for improving CT in Saudi secondary education were proposed addressing several critical aspects of CT advancement, including curriculum development, teacher training, parental involvement, government-led extracurricular learning, teacher-student interactions, and gender equality in CT advancement. This study could help Saudi students develop CT skills to meet the challenges of the modern world. Keywords: critical thinking (CT), mixed-methods research, Saudi Arabia, secondary education, teacher-student interaction

Critical Thinking Skills Development for 21st Century: An Analysis of Biology Curriculum (2006)

Critical thinking has become an important skill of the 21st century to cater for complex challenges. The current study aimed to analyze the curriculum of biology (2006) to explore the critical thinking skills addressed in the document. The curriculum document was selected through purposive sampling technique. To do the document analysis, thematic analysis was used with the facilitation of NVivo 12 software that examined the curriculum’s aims and objectives, importance of critical thinking in the document, pedagogy, and assessment techniques suggested for the development of critical thinking. According to the findings of the study, the document explicitly addresses critical thinking in aims and objectives section. It also focuses on evidence, rational thinking, and intellectual honesty. Moreover, the suggested pedagogy is open ended questions, inquiry-based learning, concept mapping, and dialogue for the development of critical thinking skills among students. For the development of higher order thinking skills, a substantial weightage is allocated to alignment of the curriculum's goals. However, the study also identifies potential areas for improvement, such as providing more explicit guidance on integrating critical thinking across the curriculum and offering specific examples of activities and assessments that promote critical thinking. The findings suggest that while the curriculum lays a strong foundation for critical thinking skills development, its effective implementation relies on teachers' capacity to translate these intentions into classroom practice.
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Gamification as a methodology to enhance analytical and sustainable engagement on social media

This research examines the impact of gamification on the development of critical thinking skills to counter misinformation, focusing specifically on students’ roles as developers of educational software. Involving 107 university students, this study employs an experimental pretest–posttest methodology. An educational Escape Room was implemented, and its influence on critical and digital competencies was scrutinized. The procedure comprised three stages: pretest measurement, formative intervention, and posttest evaluation. A comparative analysis of the scores for the questions highlights a pressing need to enhance media and digital literacy. The findings reveal a predominance of responses indicating improvements in source verification and fact-checking. However, no significant differences were observed in the pre and post responses (0.607 > 0.05), leading to the conclusion that the implementation of a technological training program does not significantly contribute to acquiring skills for identifying falsehoods and deceptions on the internet. In conclusion, the study underscores the necessity to develop effective strategies to address misinformation and recognizes gamification as a motivating educational tool.

Barriers to Promoting Critical Thinking Skills: An Empirical Study of Female Pre-Service English Teachers’ Perceptions in Jouf University in Saudi Arabia

Critical thinking (CT) is an essential life skill that needs to be instilled in young minds during their education years. This study explored pre-service English teachers’ perceptions of the barriers to promoting CT skills in Saudi classrooms and investigated potential solutions to these perceived barriers. The study used a qualitative research design. Data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with 25 female pre-service English teachers. The issues that emerged as barriers to the promotion and development of CT skills in classrooms related to the personality of students, teaching methods, and the culture of criticism. The study proposes measures to enhance the development of CT skills in the classroom, including modifications to the teaching methods courses that are offered in pre-service English programs and the changing of perceptions toward CT skills.

Development of higher-order thinking in health profession education: A comprehensive toolkit for medical educators.

Higher-order thinking (HOT) is widely recognized as an essential objective of health profession education (HPE). Based on Lipman's three-dimensional model of thinking, we investigated strategies for the development of HOT including critical thinking (CT), creative thinking, and caring thinking in HPE in three consecutive studies. Fostering students' CT is regarded as an outcome of HPE. However, there is the limited level of consensus on educational interventions for CT development. In view of some of the controversies surrounding the development of CT skills and dispositions in HPE, the aim of this study was to determine educational interventions affecting CT development in HPE. This study employed the best-fit framework synthesis design. The frameworks recommended by Abrami et al. were used as a basis for the synthesis. The priori themes were extracted from the selected best-fit frameworks. Then, Google Scholar, PubMed, SID, and ProQuest databases were searched for the literature related to the development of CT skills and dispositions in HPE students. Derived data from the HPE literature were coded against the priori themes, extracted from the best-fit frameworks. Interpretation and restructuring of the new themes derived from HPE literature, and the preexisting priori themes resulted in the final framework of the interventions affecting CT development in HPE students. The themes extracted from the HPE studies (including reflection, discussion, simulation, role-playing, questioning, and explicit expression of CT goals in curriculum) were similar to the a priori themes derived from the studies by Abrami et al. The new themes of experiential learning, art-based learning, argument mapping, concept mapping, and creating appropriate educational atmosphere were obtained by constant comparison of the data among the studies. The comprehensive framework of CT development methods provides a toolkit for medical educators. According to the results of the current study, the mixed approach, where CT is taught as an independent track, along with the discipline-specific CT development, seems to be more effective, compared to the immersion approach. Creating learning moments in the context of practice through experiential learning is noteworthy in the development of CT skills and dispositions. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of the newly developed strategies, such as art-based learning and concept mapping.

When big ideas meet critical thinking in lesson study: Insights from a pre-service language teacher education course

This article reports a classroom-based inquiry in which a group of pre-service language teachers were guided to engage in a lesson study project focusing on the incorporation of the framework of big ideas into language teaching. Specifically, the study zooms in on the student teachers’ exercise and development of critical thinking (CT) through the lesson study process. Relying on data from semi-structured interviews and classroom artifacts, the findings reveal that the introduction of big ideas in lesson study served as a crucial knowledge base for the participants’ pedagogical sense-making, thus contributing to their CT. The process of lesson study, characterized by a progressive structure, tailored scaffolding, and constructive feedback, also facilitated their development of CT skills and dispositions, which in turn contributed to their understanding and application of the big idea framework within the lesson study process. While the participants encountered some negative feelings in the process (e.g. due to the competitive atmosphere brought by the ‘same topic and different design’ arrangement), they tried to turn such emotions into a stimulating source for their CT growth and professional learning. In light of the research results, pedagogical implications for teaching and teacher education were put forward in the end.

The distance between the humanities and medicine: Building a critical thinking mindset by interdisciplinary dialogue through mind mapping

In this study, we investigate the gap between the humanities and medicine. We propose a methodology to bridge this gap by fostering critical thinking skills through interdisciplinary dialogue and mind mapping. A critical thinking mindset amongst students could be successfully developed through the use of interdisciplinary dialogue. Our objective is to equip students from diverse academic backgrounds with the ability to effectively evaluate medical and life science information.Our study employs Socratic questioning, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the implementation of structural and relational mind-mapping techniques. Through Socratic questioning, students engage in-depth discussions that challenge their existing knowledge and encourage them to explore different perspectives. This approach facilitates the integration of multiple viewpoints and enhances students' ability to think critically about medical concepts and their implications. To organize and visualize complex information, mind mapping techniques are employed. Structural and relational mind maps help students comprehend the relationships between various concepts and to identify patterns within the subject matter. By visually representing information, students gain a deeper understanding of medical and life science topics and can effectively analyse and synthesize information from a holistic perspective.The findings of the study reveal that the interdisciplinary dialogue approach, coupled with mind-mapping techniques, significantly contributed to the development of critical thinking skills amongst students. Through active participation in discussions and the application of Socratic questioning, students demonstrated improved comprehension of medical concepts and the ability to construct well-informed arguments. This teaching method emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in liberal education. Our findings demonstrate that involving students with different academic majors fosters a collaborative learning environment, where diverse perspectives are valued. This approach not only enhances knowledge exchange but also encourages creativity and innovation in the field of medicine.In conclusion, our study highlights the potential of interdisciplinary dialogue and mind mapping as effective tools to bridge the gap between humanities and medicine. The findings indicate that students who engage in interdisciplinary dialogue and utilize mind-mapping techniques develop a critical thinking mindset, enabling them to proficiently evaluate medical and life science information. By incorporating these approaches into liberal education, students are equipped with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of the medical field and to contribute to the evolving healthcare challenges of our society.

The Correlation Between Students’ Learning Environment and Their Critical Thinking Skill Development

This research aims to determine if there is a correlation between learning environment and students' critical thinking skill development. Research method that is used is Correlation. The sample in this research is 25 university students of the English Education Department. Instruments used in this research were questionnaires and practice tests. The questionnaire sheet adapted from The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). it is used to find out students' opinions about their learning environment. Other instrument that is used is the practice test of Critical Thinking Appraisal which was used to determine the level of students’ critical thinking ability. In analyzing the data, this research used the product-moment correlation analysis technique. The results shows that there are no correlations between learning environment and the development of students’ critical thinking skills. Building a good learning environment is important and can support a good learning process.

Curriculum framework to facilitate critical thinking skills of undergraduate nursing students: A cooperative inquiry approach.

Critical thinking (CT) is vital in assisting nurses to function efficiently in the ever-changing health care environment. A CT-based curriculum framework provides the impetus necessary to drive the acquisition of CT skills of students. Yet, there is no known CT-based framework contextualized to developing countries where seniority tradition is a norm. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a CT-based curriculum framework to facilitate the development of CT skills of nursing students in developing countries. Cooperative inquiry. Using purposive sampling, 11 participants comprising students, educators and preceptors developed a CT-based curriculum framework. Findings were organized into a framework illustrating interconnected concepts required to foster CT skills of nursing students. These concepts include authentic student-facilitator partnership, a facilitator that makes a difference; a learner that is free to question and encouraged to reflect; a conducive and participatory learning environment; curriculum renewal processes and contextual realities.

Critical Thinking in Nonprofit Management Education Is an Explicit Emphasis Related to Greater Skill Development?

Critical thinking is a core skill for nonprofit managers. Teaching for critical thinking is effective in improving students’ critical thinking; however, the pedagogy must be contextualized to various domains. This quasi-experimental study explored the contextualization of critical thinking skill development in two identical nonprofit management education (NME) courses. The research questions were: a) what is the critical thinking disposition of undergraduate NME students?, and b) does an explicit pedagogical focus on critical thinking in NME lead to increased capacity to exercise critical thinking skills? Findings suggest that an explicit focus on critical thinking was related to improved skill performance. Statistically significant differences were found for four of the six critical thinking skills. The change in skill performance may be a combination of both motivation and skill change, both of which benefit from an explicit focus on critical thinking.

Critical Thinking Skills Development: An Analysis of Mathematics Curriculum 2006 (Grade-wise)

The current qualitative study was conducted to analyze the mathematics curriculum across grade levels for students’ critical thinking skills development. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the document with the facilitation of NVivo software. As per the analysis, Grades I-III cover core math concepts at an introductory level using real-life examples presented concretely. Then grades IV-VIII revisit these same ideas with more depth and add logical reasoning. Finally (IX-X) and higher secondary (XI-XII) levels aim to build a rigorous conceptual understanding of complex mathematical topics like calculus, vectors, and complex numbers as well as non-routine problem-solving capacity utilizing proof techniques and technology tools like MAPLE software. The research results show that the curriculum is indeed effective for 21st-century skills development such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and technological literacy. Students who complete this systematic program will be prepared for advanced studies or careers that require mathematical proficiency.

Evaluating and comparing critical thinking skills of residents of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

BackgroundToday’s complexities and diversity in the clinical setting have revealed the need to pay attention to strengthening critical thinking (CT) skills. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare CT skills in the residents of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. The study's statistical population included 284 residents in orthopedic, internal medicine, and surgery groups studying in the PGY1 to PGY4 years of residency. The data collection tool was the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) form B. The collected data were entered into SPSS-16 software and analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (one-way ANOVA) statistics. The significant level in all tests was considered at P < 0.05.Results189 out of 284 residents completed and returned the questionnaire, and the response rate was 66%. The mean CT skill score of residents (M = 13.81, SD = 3.52) was lower than the optimal level (M = 17.1 SD = 5.0). Comparing the mean CT skill scores of the residents separately for the residency year revealed a significant decrease in CT scores in the 4 years. A significant difference was found between the CT skill scores in the three groups (internal medicine, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery).ConclusionThe CT skills of the residents of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were generally below the optimal level. The CT score of the residents show an increase in PGY2, but a decrease in PGY3 and PGY4. Due to the emphasis of accreditation institutions, the World Federation for Medical Education, and other international educational institutions on the importance of critical thinking, it is recommended to pay more attention to the factors related to the promotion and development of CT skills in residency programs.

БІЛІМ БЕРУДЕ ЖЕКЕ ТҰЛҒАНЫҢ СЫНИ ТҰРҒЫДА ОЙЛАУ КАБІЛЕТТЕРІН ДАМЫТУ

Nabieva Lazzat Iksatovna Master of Pedagogical Sciences, Caspian University of Technology and Engineering named after Sh. Yessenov, Aktau, Kazakhstan DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Abstract. Due to the active growth of digital information technologies in the era of globalization, the speed of information dissemination has not only increased, but also poses a threat to the information security of the state. In particular, the dissemination of various destructive opinions through the Internet has set the stage for today's younger generation to fall prey to negative information. In this regard, this article shows that the development of critical thinking in the younger generation should be the main goal of domestic education, as well as an important way to educate children in accordance with the requirements of the time. The study comprehensively reveals the importance of critical thinking for the modern information society. In fact, in the domestic education system, first of all, when organizing the educational process, it is necessary to carry out purposeful and regular work with students to develop critical thinking. However, tasks aimed at the development of critical thinking in the traditional content of subjects provided for by the programs of secondary and higher education are not considered in most cases. Therefore, in the article the author presents the importance of developing critical thinking skills in a teenager today and several ways to implement it. At the same time, in the course of writing this article, an in-depth review of the main scientific, theoretical and methodological works written by domestic and foreign scientists on the development of critical skills among young people was made. The database of the article consists of the results obtained by the method of observation among students studying in higher educational institutions. In addition, when revealing the topic and conducting its scientific analysis, the methods of systematization, comparative analysis, induction and deduction, which are general scientific methods in the field of the humanities, were used. In confirmation of the conclusions set forth in the article, the results of a questionnaire survey conducted among young people studying in secondary and higher educational institutions are given. Key words: critical thinking; younger generation; education; digitalization; globalization; National security; education; modern information technologies.

The Impact of Attitudes, Beliefs, and Cognitive Reflection on the Development of Critical Thinking Skills in Online Students

Learning and development of critical thinking (CT) skills in higher education is essential for academic achievement. The following experiment is the first to examine the effect of online student’s perceptions and attitudes towards CT across dimensions of confidence, valuing, misconceptions, cognitive reflection, and authors writing. Furthermore, a CT intervention was developed, and the effects of the intervention examined with an aim to help students improve their grade point average. The analyses demonstrated that student’s confidence and cognitive reflection predict academic achievement. Moreover, the online CT intervention was associated with improved students’ CT attitudes, skills, and academic performance. Significant interactions were observed between time (pre- and post-intervention) and intervention in cognitive reflection, confidence, beliefs, and attitudes related to CT, and student grade point average (GPA, as a measure of student’s performance on online modules). It was concluded that the CT can be taught and that an intervention based on “how to think” rather than a “what to think” mixed approach can help online students develop CT, strengthen their confidence in CT and help students improve their academic performance in an online setting.

DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING OF STUDENTS IN THE LEARNING PROCESS

In the modern world, the requirements for specialists, and especially for graduates of pedagogical specialties, are changing. Higher education institution, along with professional training, is a place of intensive self-development and socialization of the student. To study successfully at the university it’s required from a student a rather high level of intellectual development, erudition, memory, and the ability to think logically. To think critically means to know the rules of logic and follow these rules. Critical thinking should not be reduced to negative judgments and criticism; on the contrary, it requires reasonable reasoning and consideration of a variety of approaches. To think critically, i.e. the tendency to doubt is formed by a person with the expansion of the boundaries of his knowledge of the world. «Critical» in this situation is equivalent to «analytic», aimed at cognition and analysis. The criticality of thinking allows a person to analyze the amount of information, select the necessary facts, logically rethink them, and make conclusions. Critical thinking is an invaluable skill that students need for a successful professional and personal life. Teachers should be thoughtful and purposeful in creating learning objectives that contribute to the development of critical thinking skills to a lower and higher level, as well as in using technologies to implement activities that support these learning goals

Critical Thinking Skills Development Among Students for Enhancing Critical Writing Skills: A Review

The study reflects that effective planning helps for adopting for developing thinking and writing skills within the educational system. The technologies reflect blogs along with wikis that offer instructional advantages for developing critical thinking (CT) skills among the students. CT skills always have an approach for strength along with weakness for decision-making regarding setting goals for the student. The individual perspective also has an issue for developing the thinking skills among the students. The effectiveness for improving the learning process also reflects boosting individual performance. The results reflect that the experimental group achieved a higher score instead of traditional learning students and the members staffed for a higher level of performance for developing the learning materials.