Perceptions Of Critical Thinking Research Articles

Students Perception on Soft Skills in Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati, Cirebon, Indonesia

Background: Soft skills is important attributes of professionalism in the practice of medicine. Soft skills to be known as person's ability beyond knowledge, intelligence, or competence. Faculty of Medicine in Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati, Cirebon, Indonesia, has used various learning methods to support students' skills, allowing students to have different perspectives in understanding soft skills. Aims: To identify the perception of medical students at Faculty of Medicine, Swadaya Gunung Jati University, in the pre-clinical stage towards soft skills. Methods: This was an observational descriptive study. Respondents were selected using Stratified Random Sampling techniques, sample size was 262 respondents were obtained from semester 2, 4, 6 and 8. This study used primary data with 42 statement items with univariate analysis. Results: From 262 respondents, of 93.1% students (244) have a good perception of the definition of soft skills. As many as 50.4% (123) of 262 respondents have a good perception of time management. As many as 81.3% (213) of 262 respondents have a good perception of critical thinking. 73.7% (193) of 262 respondents have a good perception of teamwork. As many as 87.4% (229) of 262 respondents have a good perception of public speaking. Conclusion: This study showed medical student perception of soft skills regarding definition, time management skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and public speaking had a good perception. In the future, Faculty needs to provide space for students to develop these soft skills through training or interprofessional education and other programs. Received: 10 September 2024 | Reviewed: 16 October 2024 | Revised: 23 October 2024 | Accepted: 31 October 2024.

Teachers' perceptions of critical thinking and mathematical literacy in main school PISA 2022 regional survey Yogyakarta, Indonesia

To form critical citizens, integrating critical thinking into the school curriculum is a must. Critical thinking is considered a vital skill that can help students tackle problems effectively, improve academic achievement and develop rational thinking. However, there is no agreement among teachers on the definition of this concept or the best way to train students to apply it, especially at the basic education level. Therefore, through a qualitative research approach, this study aims to uncover the views of junior secondary school teachers in the PISA 2022 Main Survey in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, regarding the concept of critical thinking and Mathematical Literacy. Six teachers working in the three schools that were the subject of this survey were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method. Through thematic analysis, this study sought to identify, analyze and report the main findings from the interviews. The results showed that the teachers recognized the importance of reasoning mapping, group discussions and active learning as practices that promote critical thinking and mathematical literacy among students. Although they had previously been exposed to these concepts through project-based learning and 'Philosophy for Kids', they indicated the need for further support through peer learning and the implementation of the 'Philosophy for Kids'.

“(Not) knowing what you know”: Exploring educators’ perceptions of critical thinking in occupational therapy

Background Critical thinking is key for responsible occupational therapy practice. However, the degree to which educators understand critical thinking and the conceptualizations of such concept in teaching remains unclear. Aim This study aimed to describe occupational therapy educators’ perceptions and experiences of teaching critical thinking. Material and Methods Social constructivism underpins the study. Eight participants were included in three online synchronous focus groups. One participant was interviewed in person due to time constraints. Data were analysed using content analysis. Results This study reveals a considerable diversity of perceptions and experiences of ambiguity regarding educators’ perceptions of what they know about and how to teach critical thinking. Most educators interpret critical thinking in ways that differs from their colleagues. Furthermore, educators encounter divergent expectations pertaining to their role as educators and the readiness of their students. Conclusions This study reveal a paradox within the occupational therapy profession, where critical thinking is highly valued yet educators experience ambiguity, differing expectations of their role, time constraints, and lack of formal education to support students’ development of critical thinking. Significance This study provides the foundation for further inquiry into the invisible effects and benefits of different understandings of critical thinking on occupational therapy practice.

Mathematical Critical Thinking Skills through STEM/STEAM Approach: A Systematic Literature Review

The STEM/STEAM approach provides opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills through the integration of different disciplines. This study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent to which the STEM/STEAM approach develops critical thinking skills in mathematics teaching and learning. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We searched Springer Link, Eric, and Google Scholar for 21 articles on critical thinking published between 2018 and 2022. The results show that most of the lead authors studying critical thinking through STEM/STEAM are from Indonesia, with fewer contributions coming from the United States, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Japan, and Malaysia. The most common research methods used are quantitative research and R & D. These methods correspond to the types of data collection tools used by researchers and critical thinking tests to identify critical thinking skills for the cognitive aspect and questionnaires for the affective aspect. The best practice for improving learner’s mathematical critical thinking skills in STEM/STEAM is Project-Based Learning (PBL). However, this practice is not used by many development researchers. The authors find distinctive features in the interventions used by researchers to improve the critical thinking of learners from each country. The most common intervention was an analysis of the implementation of the STEM/STEAM approach in Indonesia. Many Indonesian researchers also developed learning models and media. Other countries focused more on computer-based activities, developing community programs, and identifying participants' perceptions of critical thinking. These differences give each country its own characteristics in improving and identifying the critical thinking skills of its people. These differences in practices and interventions can also provide alternatives for researchers in their research on critical thinking through the STEM/STEAM approach.

Exploring Higher Secondary EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Critical Thinking and Its Development: A Critical Reflection

Exploring Higher Secondary EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Critical Thinking and Its Development: A Critical Reflection

Selected aspects of perceptions of critical thinking among Polish and Czech primary school principals

The article concerns Polish-Czech research carried out as part of the project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget, We are crossing borders. 'Key competences in teaching and education' project was implemented under the Praděd Microprojects Fund. The descriptive purpose of the research was to prepare a detailed description of the level of competence of the surveyed people and the relationships between the dependent variable and independent variables.The explanatory purpose of the research was to find out why certain independent variables differentiate the respondents' answers.The study used the diagnostic survey method, the survey technique. They were attended by, among others, 49 principals from primary schools from Poland and the Czech Republic. The data analysis was carried out using the statistical program STATISTICA, in which statistical methods related to the study of the statistical significance of differences between variables were used using the Student's T-test for independent samples, to compare the means of two independent samples. Also the chi-square test was used.The results show how the management staff of educational institutions from Poland and the Czech Republic confidently perceive potential solutions to various difficult situations in their institutions and what critical thinking requirements they have for future teachers.

Teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking and their evaluation of mathematics assessments

Teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking and their evaluation of mathematics assessments

Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions of Critical Thinking in English Language Classrooms in Higher Education: A Case of EFL Teachers

Language teachers are usually proficient in teaching language skills but may not always receive training in fostering critical thinking abilities that guide effective learning. Existing literature underscores the pivotal role of teacher behaviours in shaping students’ critical thinking development. However, educators can effectively incorporate critical thinking into their instructional methods only when they possess a clear conception of what critical thinking entails. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of critical thinking among Algerian university teachers and the strategies they employ to integrate critical thinking into their courses. A qualitative research approach was employed, involving structured interviews with Algerian English lecturers from various higher education institutions, including educators from the Higher Training Teacher’s College of Oran, the University of Mostaganem Abdelhamid Ibn Badis, and the University of Oran 2 Mohamed Ben Ahmed. A total of fifteen teachers participated in the interviews. The findings indicate that while a majority of teachers exhibit sound knowledge of critical thinking, they often lack the necessary support for its effective implementation, leading them to primarily focus on subject matter comprehension. Moreover, these educators encounter various challenges in teaching critical thinking and express the need for additional support in this aspect. Consequently, the study underscores the demand for tailored professional development programs aimed at integrating critical thinking into the English language curriculum, materials development, and pedagogical practices.

Prospective Biology Teachers Perceptions of CT, ICT and TPACK Skills of during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the learning process to change from face-to-face to online learning, without exception it has also occurred at Islamic Universities in Indonesia. Therefore, an online learning design with WhatsApp and Google Classroom was conduct to improved critical thinking (CT), information communication and technology (ICT), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of Prospective Biology Teachers in Islamic Universities (PBTs-IU). The aims of this study was to investigate prospective biology teacher’s perceptions of critical thinking, ICT and TPACK skills of during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study used quantitative descriptive method. Data were collected from 195 PBTs-IU, with of 19 males and 176 females. The quality of the instrument was achieved use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and alpha Cronbach tests. Then, paired sample correlations test was used to confirmed the hypothesis. The result of the study showed that there is different with CT, ICT and TPACK skill pre-course with post-course PBTs-IU. This finding also showed that score CT, ICT and TPACK of PBTs-IU for post-course is higher than pre-course. In concluded, there was a significant difference score for pre-course and post course about prospective biology teacher’s perceptions of CT, ICT and TPACK skills of during the Covid-19 pandemic.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS FOR CHINESE TEACHERS: A STUDY OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS

Critical thinking is a vital skill that promotes students’ learning, enhances their creativity to solve problems, encourages them to seek new strategies and develops their thinking to a higher level. However, students cannot develop critical thinking by themselves, they need teachers’ support and guidance. The aim of the research is to explore how Chinese mathematics teachers define critical thinking, and how their gender, teaching experiences and perceptions of critical thinking affect their mathematics class. Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied in the study. Data collected were analysed by deploying the statistics of mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s γ analysis at a 5% level of significance. Based on this paper, results revealed that gender and teaching experience are not significant variables but teaching experience and culture influence teachers’ confidence and behaviour while teaching critical thinking. This study provided opportunities for future research, particularly in the area of closing the gap in mathematics teachers’ perception of critical thinking between China and Western countries, and how to support students develop critical thinking skills in their daily learning.

What does critical thinking mean? Examination of pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures and definitions for critical thinking

This study aims to determine pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures and conceptual definitions for the concept of critical thinking, thereby revealing their perceptions about it. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research approaches, was employed in the study. The study group consists of 161 pre-service teachers from different departmental programs of a state university in Turkey (primary school teaching, mathematics education, science education, Turkish education, social sciences education and psychological counseling and guidance education) enrolled in the ‘Critical and Analytical Thinking’ elective course in the fall and spring semesters of the 2021–2022 academic year. A form consisting of open-ended questions prepared by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. The first part of the form consists of a word association test used to reveal pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures about critical thinking and the relations between the concepts in this structure while the second part involves an open-ended question in response to which they can write their original definitions for critical thinking. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data obtained from the form. The analysis showed that the pre-service teachers had rich cognitive structures for the definition and content of critical thinking, that they preferred to describe the concept of critical thinking as skill-based in their definitions and did not include critical thinking dispositions in their definitions as much as skills, although they emphasized many critical thinking dispositions in the word association test, that their definitions were consistent with the definitions in the literature, and that their perceptions of critical thinking were relevant to the nature of critical thinking.

Exploring Turkish EFL pre-service teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking and reading

The process of critical thinking (CT) plays an important role in enhancing English language proficiency levels of learners, especially the reading and writing proficiency levels. Since there are not many studies focusing on the relationship between CT and critical reading (CR), the current study intended to measure Turkish EFL pre-service teachers’ CT disposition levels and CR self-efficacy levels together. 118 students studying at the department of English Language Teaching at a state university participated in the study. 36 of them participated in the semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. Findings of the study demonstrated that the students’ CT disposition and CR self-efficacy levels were found to be at moderate level. Results of the relationship between CT disposition levels and CR self-efficacy levels revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between them. As for the results of the semi-structured interviews, the students were aware of the concept “critical”; however, their CT and reading skills needed to be developed. Results of the study overall indicated that more importance should be given to CT and reading skills in the field of foreign language teacher education.

An Evaluation of the Perceptions of Socio-Humanities Students on the Skills of Critical Thinking

One of the fundamental objectives of higher education is to prepare students to think analytically in order to develop and create knowledge, thus going beyond receiving information and building simple knowledge. That is why higher education must adapt its teaching and learning process to cultivate critical thinking of students. In order for academia to ensure the effectiveness of the development of critical thinking skills, student perceptions cannot be neglected, given that they are the ultimate receptors. In addition, investigating students’ perceptions of critical thinking skills could guide future training methods that promote their development. The purpose of this research is to explore students' attitudes and beliefs regarding critical thinking skills, as well as aspects of their development in academia and their transfer to other contexts. The study is conducted at the Dunarea de Jos University of Galaţi and uses the questionnaire survey method to assess students' perceptions of critical thinking, from several perspectives: the level of knowledge on critical thinking skills, strategies for learning critical thinking skills, the qualities of a critical thinker, the way students relate to the COVID 19 pandemic and fake news. To obtain the necessary data, the questionnaire was distributed through Microsoft Forms and subsequently analyzed to describe students' views on critical thinking. A sample of 101 students from specializations in the field of socio-humanities completed this survey. The results of the study showed that students invoke the need to overcome difficulties in developing critical thinking skills by: training teachers to use critical thinking in the classroom; including and practicing critical thinking skills in applied activities at courses and seminars; applying debates and discussions in the classroom as teaching and learning strategies; translating the theories learned in courses into different case studies; use of training skills, questionnaires, homework; participation in group projects in a collaborative environment.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF CRITICAL THINKING IN STEM LEARNING

The character development of Indonesian students is directed towards teaching students to form critical thinking skills. In forming critical thinking skills, one of the parties that play an important role is the teacher. In addition to critical thinking skills, the competencies that students are expected to master include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, there is little research on teachers regarding critical thinking in STEM learning despite it is the teachers who are expected to teach this skill to students. This study aims to determine the teacher's perception of critical thinking skills in STEM learning. The participants were 67 elementary school teachers in one district in Bangka Belitung Province. Data were collected through a questionnaire given after the teacher was given brief information about Critical Thinking. The results showed that teachers' perceptions of critical thinking in STEM learning were very diverse. Teachers in this study also perceive students' abilities as a constraint. The results of the study encourage the need for training on critical thinking for elementary school teachers.

A teachers’ based approach to assessing the perception of critical thinking in Education university students based on their age and gender

In the 21st century, critical thinking (CT) is regularly presented as one of the most important competences to be developed by a majority of educational institutions. Teachers are expected to change and enrich their teaching and learning methodologies so that students could face future challenges. Nonetheless, few are the instruments that measure the perception of critical thinking based on teachers’ conception. The aim of this study is to design and validate an instrument for the assessment of CT in university students based on the conception of CT that university teachers have. For this study, a total of 312 Spanish university students have participated. Based on a good model fit from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis and good reliability indices, the results provide strength to the theoretical model to evaluate critical thinking in university students formed by six dimensions (Analyzing/Organizing; Reasoning/Argumenting; Questioning/Asking oneself; Evaluating; Positioning /Taking decisions, and Acting /Committing oneself) and 42 items. Similarly, age was not a predictor variable for the different dimensions; while gender was statistically in favor of women in some of the dimensions, and tendentially, the dimension of Positioning/Taking decisions, in favor of men. However, despite these differences, the model guaranteed its factorial invariance. These findings have important pedagogical implications for universities in particular, and educational institutions in general, when developing curricula and teaching plans that focus on the development of students’ critical thinking.

The Perceptions of Critical Thinking and Inclusive Practice among Primary School Teachers

Curricula where inclusiveness towards all students is a priority, the most useful ability to tackle problems in the twenty-first century. This research aims to present primary school education applied by primary school teachers for the teaching and evaluation of critical and inclusive thinking. Using a qualitative method, the authors looked for candidates who have a real commitment to improving the profession of primary school teachers in the elementary school age range (about 7-12 years). Then, the author conducted in-depth interviews in September and October 2022 with ten elementary school teachers, of which 5 were from public schools and 5 were from private schools in Surabaya, Indonesia. Research shows that primary school teachers will recognize the need to develop students' critical thinking skills but are not adequately equipped to meet this demand. Elementary school teachers choose deliberation and cross-group interaction as key methods for developing critical thinking. These primary school teachers link the relationship between critical thinking and fair and high-quality schools. Critical thinking is very important if want to change society in a way that can assess reason, values, pluralism, and diversity.

Teacher’s Perception of Critical Thinking: Beneficial or Time Consuming?

This paper provides the importance of the critical thinking among the student, which starts from the classroom. It also provides an overview of teachers’ perceptions and practices of it while teaching. Further, it also brings to the fore the necessity of integrating it in the classroom by the teachers. This qualitative study was conducted under Habermas’s interests’ approach with purposeful sampling technique as a methodology. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with teachers who have more than five years of experience in the academic field. The findings of the research provided insight that education though has gone through paradigm shift, from teacher centered to student centered, teachers still prefer practicing traditional teacher centered method depriving students of the critical thinking skills which they are in need of

Teachers’ Perceptions of Critical Thinking in Primary Education

Teachers’ Perceptions of Critical Thinking in Primary Education

Teachers’ Perspectives: Developing Undergraduate EFL Learners’ Critical Thinking Skills

This paper aims to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking (CT), its importance in EFL classes, and its teachability, which aims to develop undergraduate EFL learners’ skills. Not only does it present firsthand information about the teachers’ widespread understanding of CT, but it also analyzes the relevant instructional experience in depth. To provide an objective analysis of the EFL teachers’ conceptualization and visualization of CT skills in a home setting, a questionnaire has been distributed to a sample population of EFL teachers at Birzeit University in Palestine. This measuring tool provides a description of variables that affect implementing CT in class. The paper also tries to defend the need to equip teachers with an unambiguous thoughtful understanding of CT concepts and instructional strategies that develop learners’ ability to think critically. Based on the respondents’ answers, the paper concludes the discussion by confirming that critical-thinking-based instruction should be better practiced in EFL classes.

Children’s critical thinking skills: perceptions of Norwegian early childhood educators

ABSTRACT The significance of learning to think critically from a young age is well documented. Early childhood educators play an essential role in children’s critical skills development. Therefore, it is crucial to understand their perceptions of this concept. This qualitative study explored Norwegian early childhood educators’ perceptions of critical thinking (CT). Ten educators representing three different kindergartens were interviewed. Thematic analyses revealed that the educators had many different understandings of CT; all agreed on the importance of CT for children’s development and identified their role as essential in supporting and stimulating CT among children. They described CT more in relation to a child’s dispositions and attitudes than cognitive skills and connected it mainly with social and physical aspects. Overall, this study contributes to raising awareness of the importance of supporting educators’ knowledge about the CT concept and pedagogical approaches to enhancing CT in children.