Foster Critical Thinking Skills Research Articles

Engaging Students in Authentic Microbiology Research in an Introductory Biology Laboratory Course is Correlated with Gains in Student Understanding of the Nature of Authentic Research and Critical Thinking

Recent recommendations for biology education highlight the role of authentic research experiences early in undergraduate education as a means of increasing the number and quality of biology majors. These experiences will inform students on the nature of science, increase their confidence in doing science, as well as foster critical thinking skills, an area that has been lacking despite it being one of the desired outcomes at undergraduate institutions and with future employers. With these things in mind, we have developed an introductory biology laboratory course where students design and execute an authentic microbiology research project. Students in this course are assimilated into the community of researchers by engaging in scholarly activities such as participating in inquiry, reading scientific literature, and communicating findings in written and oral formats. After three iterations of a semester-long laboratory course, we found that students who took the course showed a significant increase in their understanding of the nature of authentic research and their level of critical thinking skills.

Critical Thinking in Health Sciences

Critical thinking is defined as active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge. Although of paramount importance for medical and para-medical students, it has often been ignored in the medical curriculum. Structured thinking through knowledge of critical thinking can be helpful in a variety of clinical conditions, such as communicating with the patient, understanding the patient's complaints and research. Need for critical thinking in medical education, intellectual standards, critical thinking applied to clinical reasoning, fallacies in reasoning and steps to foster critical thinking skills in medical students are discussed in this article for educational forum.

Effectiveness of problem based learning as an instructional tool for acquisition of content knowledge and promotion of critical thinking among medical students.

To assess effectiveness of PBL as an instructional tool in clinical years to improve learning of undergraduate students in terms of acquisition of content knowledge, critical thinking and problem solving skills through problem based learning and traditional way of teaching. Quasi-experimental study. Fatima Jinnah Medical College for Women, Lahore, from October 2009 to April 2010. Final year medical students attending Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Surgery rotations were inducted as participants in this study. Two batches of 50 students each attended Gynaecology rotation and two batches attended Surgery rotation, i.e. 100 students in each. Each batch was divided into two groups i.e. A and B of 25 students each. Group-A learnt through traditional teaching, involving bedside teaching and lectures in wards and Group-B learnt relevant clinical knowledge through a modified PBL process. Content knowledge was tested by MCQs testing recall while clinical reasoning and problem were assessed by MCQs testing analysis and critical thinking. Intra-group comparison of mean scores of pre and post-test scores was done using paired sample t-tests while for intergroup comparison of mean scores was done through independent sample t-test. Teaching through traditional method significantly improved content knowledge, (p = 0.001) but did not considerably improve clinical reasoning and problem solving skills (p = 0.093) whereas, content knowledge of students who studied through PBL remained the same (p = 0.202) but there was marked improvement in their clinical reasoning and problem solving skills (p = < 0.001). PBL is an effective instructional tool to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills among medical students.

Active learning as a path to critical thinking: Are competencies a roadblock?

Nursing educators are called to graduate students who are critical thinkers able to face the challenge of negotiating increasingly complex health care systems (Candela, 2011; Cerullo and da Cruz, 2010). Active learning has been incited as a mechanism to foster critical thinking skills (Michel et al., 2009; Pascarella, 2005; Walker, 2003). Yet despite evidence and academic applause in favor of active pedagogies, passive pedagogies continue to dominant the nursing education landscape (Brown et al., 2009; Burbach et al., 2004; Schnell, 2005). Although, scholarly literature in nursing and education substantiate existence of various obstacles that inhibit faculty incorporation of active pedagogies, perhaps the insidious culture of competencies in nursing education is what truly engenders a milieu for the continued use of passive pedagogies. In this article, I aim to stimulate debate about the culture of competencies in nursing education as the overriding force which perpetuates use of passive pedagogies.

The educational theory basis of team-based learning

Background: Health care providers require the ability to use critical thinking skills and work effectively in a team as a part of an overall set of competencies. Therefore, educational programs should use appropriate methods based in educational theory to effectively graduate learners with these abilities. Team-based learning (TBL) is a method that has been introduced in healthcare education to foster critical thinking skills while students work in high functioning teams.Aims: This article will show how TBL follows the principles of constructivist learning theory.Method: The principles of constructivist learning theory are discussed in relation to the teaching method of team-based learning. The effectiveness of TBL in healthcare education is then reviewed.Results: TBL is learner centered with the teacher acting as an expert facilitator and also provides students with opportunities to expose inconsistencies between their current understandings and new experiences thus stimulating development of new personal mental frameworks built upon previous knowledge. The learning is active using relevant problems and group interaction. Teamwork skills are strengthened by focused reflection on new experiences during the group sessions and on teamwork success by providing feedback to group members.Conclusion: Since these aspects are all essential components of constructivist educational theory, TBL is solidly grounded in the theory and is a promising method to strengthen healthcare education.

Experiential Learning: A Course Design Process For Critical Thinking

This article describes a course design process to improve the effectiveness of using experiential learning techniques to foster critical thinking skills. The authors examine prior research to identify essential dimensions of experiential learning in relation to higher order thinking. These dimensions provide key insights for the selection of experiential techniques within a course. Using these dimensions, the authors propose a course design process to systematically develop an experiential course format that aligns with instructor-specified content and critical thinking objectives. This process is relevant to educators interested in developing critical thinking skills and may serve to promote more effective student learning.

A Simulated Clinical Day for Practical Nursing Students

The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate the use of simulation to create a real clinical day for practical nursing students, designed to foster critical thinking skills as they complete care for a team of simulated patients. Simulation provides for a safe teaching and learning environment that builds student confidence and is free of consequences for errors.

Critical Thinking in Language Education

Critical thinking, rooted in critical philosophy, has long been an influential part and parcel of Western education. The present study is an attempt to sketch the concept of critical thinking as a viable cornerstone in language education. First, a number of the definitions of the concept as posited by different scholars are put forth. Second, the typical features of critical thinkers are introduced from the perspectives of education scholars. Third, different standpoints on the teachability of the ability to think critically are reviewed. And finally, a number of classroom techniques, including debates, media analyses, problem-solving tasks, self-assessment and peer-assessment, likely to foster critical thinking skills in language classrooms are proposed.

Implementation and evaluation of critical thinking strategies to enhance critical thinking skills in Middle Eastern nurses

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate critical thinking strategies to enhance critical thinking skills in Middle Eastern nurses. Critical thinking strategies such as questioning, debate, role play and small group activity were developed and used in a professional development programme, which was trialled on a sample of Middle Eastern nurses (n = 20), to promote critical thinking skills, encourage problem solving, development of clinical judgment making and care prioritization in order to improve patient care and outcomes. Classroom learning was transformed from memorization to interaction and active participation. The intervention programme was successful in developing critical thinking skills in both the nurse educators and student nurses in this programme. This programme successfully integrated critical thinking strategies into a Middle Eastern nursing curriculum. Recommendations are as follows: (1) utilize evidence-based practice and stem questions to encourage the formulation of critical thinking questions; (2) support the needs of nurse educators for them to effectively implement teaching strategies to foster critical thinking skills; and (3) adopt creative approaches to (i) transform students into interactive participants and (ii) open students' minds and stimulate higher-level thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Online discussion and critical thinking skills: A case study in a Singapore secondary school

&lt;span&gt;Studies have shown that electronic discussion can be used effectively to teach critical thinking and can achieve greater understanding. The use of online discussions is common in polytechnics and universities, and many schools in Singapore have begun to introduce online forums for discussion beyond the classroom. This research investigates lower secondary school students' critical thinking in an asynchronous online discussion environment. The findings show that the students in this age group have only minimally exhibited critical thinking skills during the online discussion. However, investigation into students' perception of online discussion shows positive attitudes. Some enhanced scaffolding strategies for online discussion participants and guides on designing good questions are recommended to foster critical thinking skills in this environment.&lt;/span&gt;

Using the community of inquiry methodology in teaching bioethics: a focus on skills development

The community of inquiry methodology was developed by Professor Matthew Lipman to enable the teaching of philosophy in schools. Lipman felt that inquiry-based learning was essential in schools because: Education should empower children to be thoughtful about the lives they lead, and doing philosophy is important to that goal. The community of inquiry is a powerful pedagogical tool to foster student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative and affective skills development. As such it can be useful in the bioethics classroom. This article describes the community of inquiry methodology and how it can be a useful arrow in quiver to a teacher of bioethics.

Introducing Medical Geology to Undergraduates as a Critical Thinking and Risk Assessment Tool

Medical geology is a fast growing sub-discipline within the geological sciences; in fact it now has its own division within the Geological Society of America. With more universities pushing for integrated science classes and cross-discipline projects, it is necessary for geology educators to help students think critically and creatively about the incorporation of other fields of study into geology. We have designed a straightforward project suitable for undergraduates that emphasizes the role of geology in human health. Using the publicly available Vital Statistics of the United States, students calculate standard mortality ratios (SMRs) from respiratory and intrathoracic cancers and breast cancer as a function of county of death in Montana and California over the period of 1978–1993. The SMRs show variances in death rates from these cancers when compared to the state rates. The students can superimpose these data on geological maps, then raise questions and form theories about how geology may or may not impact the population's health. Not only does this project foster critical thinking skills about science integration, it serves as a unique tool for teaching risk perception vs. reality.

Writing Context-Dependent Item Sets that Reflect Critical Thinking Learning Outcomes

Faculty in a medical-surgical nursing course developed learning outcomes to foster critical thinking skills involved in clinical reasoning. To facilitate students' abilities to make effective clinical judgments, direct teaching of thinking skills was incorporated into nursing content instruction. This instructional design challenged faculty to develop test items that would permit direct observation of students' thought processes. The author describes how context-dependent item sets were developed to meet this evaluation need.

Fostering Critical Thinking and Teamwork Skills via a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Approach to Public Speaking Fundamentals

This PBL approach to the Public Speaking Fundamentals course was developed and assessed as part of Dr. Ahleldt's dissertation under the direction of Dr. Sellnow Objective: The objectives are to foster critical thinking and teamwork skills, which result in more depth and breadth of content than is typically observed in beginning speakers Course: Public Speaking Fundamentals

Designing a Written Assignment To Promote the Use of Critical Thinking Skills in an Introductory Chemistry Course

This article describes the creation, use, and application of a rubric to a written assignment in order to promote the critical thinking skills of students in an introductory chemistry course. Inquiry-guided instruction was the primary strategy used in the classroom to introduce freshmen to the application of critical thinking skills. The rubric targeted particular cognitive skills. The intellectual standards that define critical thinking are embedded in the rubric. The delineation of a specific rubric provided students with clear goals, allowing them to identify a deficiency without providing the specificity that could potentially hamper the students' critical thinking process. Teachers may use this rubric to foster critical thinking skills over a semester-long assignment.

Ropes, Poles, and Space: Active Learning in Business Education

As business students graduate and obtain jobs in the global market, corporations are complaining that students employed in entrylevel management positions lack critical thinking or creativity skills. Creativity involves the ability to break out of established patterns and try new approaches. A truly creative individual is not lost in his or her own world, oblivious to all that goes on around them; rather, they combine broad knowledge and imagination to stimulate adventurous (and very likely unconventional) thinking versus merely generating a taxonomy of ideas leading to only one conclusion. How can a university business faculty incorporate ‘critical thinking’ and ‘creativity’ into their courseware? This article discusses an encompassing active learning matrix with examples of exercises, projects, and simulations to foster critical and creative thinking skills in business courses.

Ropes, Poles, and Space

As business students graduate and obtain jobs in the global market, corporations are complaining that students employed in entrylevel management positions lack critical thinking or creativity skills. Creativity involves the ability to break out of established patterns and try new approaches. A truly creative individual is not lost in his or her own world, oblivious to all that goes on around them; rather, they combine broad knowledge and imagination to stimulate adventurous (and very likely unconventional) thinking versus merely generating a taxonomy of ideas leading to only one conclusion. How can a university business faculty incorporate ‘critical thinking’ and ‘creativity’ into their courseware? This article discusses an encompassing active learning matrix with examples of exercises, projects, and simulations to foster critical and creative thinking skills in business courses.

Evaluating a Web-based Graduate Level Nursing Ethics Course: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

This article discusses the course design, experiential findings, and evaluation of a Web-based course for graduate nurses examining professional health care practice and ethical issues. Using course input and evaluative data, the article addresses student and teacher perceptions of use of a Web-based delivery mode for graduate level courses and the appropriateness of this ethics course for graduate level students. Evaluative data supported existing knowledge concerning pros and cons of Web-based education. New insights concerning the Web's ability to foster critical thinking skills and supports for continuing ethics education for nurses are reported. All students assessed this ethics course as being of considerable value to their professional practice. Students evaluated the pros of Web use for the course as far outweighing the cons. The students' substantial interest in and critical thinking about appropriate knowledge bases to underpin effective ethical decision-making strongly supports the need for continuing ethics education for practicing nurses.

Use of writing portfolios for interdisciplinary assessment of critical thinking outcomes of nursing students.

This article discusses an interdisciplinary research project in which faculty from nursing and english collaborated in the assessment of students' critical thinking skills as reflected in writing portfolios. Faculty reviewed students' writing portfolios and then corresponded on email from two different universities about evidence of critical thinking in the portfolios. Findings suggest that writing portfolios can provide important evidence of critical thinking outcomes. To do this, however, faculty need to design writing assignments to foster critical thinking skills, helping students to think not only about learning to write, but also about using writing to learn.

Critical thinking: incorporation into the paramedic curriculum.

The purpose of this paper is to present approaches to foster critical thinking skills within the context of the current paramedic curriculum. It reviews some of the definitions and concepts of critical thinking from selected adult education and nursing literature in an attempt to formulate a workable definition as it applies to paramedics. From that definition, elements are identified and incorporated to form a teaching model for use in presenting the curriculum content. Some sample teaching strategies based on revised objectives of the airway/ventilation section also are included.