Training In Critical Thinking Research Articles

Course Knowledge, School Support, and Student Competencies Among Chinese Media Production Majors

This study investigates the perceptions of students enrolled in Media Production Majors in China, focusing on three critical educational dimensions: Course Knowledge, School Support, and Student Competencies. Utilizing a comprehensive survey method, the research aimed to assess students’ satisfaction with the curriculum, the support services provided by their institutions, and the competencies they developed during their academic tenure. Findings indicate moderate to high satisfaction with the theoretical content of Course Knowledge but point to significant deficiencies in practical skill application and the integration of modern technological tools, which are crucial for students’ professional readiness. While academic resources such as libraries and online materials were generally appreciated, there was notable dissatisfaction with career development services and mental health support, highlighting the need for more robust career guidance and enhanced psychological support systems. Additionally, students reported that while existing courses effectively developed basic skills like communication and collaboration, they were insufficient in fostering advanced competencies such as leadership, strategic thinking, and innovation. There was a specific demand for improving training in critical thinking and complex problem-solving abilities, which are vital for navigating the rapidly evolving media landscape.Based on these insights, the study recommends a comprehensive revision of the curriculum to incorporate more industry-relevant practices and cutting-edge technology training. This research underscores the urgent need for educational institutions in China to adapt and evolve in response to the dynamic requirements of the media industry, ensuring that graduates are well-equipped to excel in their future careers.

EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT ASPECTS OF THE SOMATIC INTELLIGENCE

Somatic intelligence is a type of human intelligence that includes self-regulation, emotional awareness, and listening to the body. Analyzing the scientific literature, it becomes clear that there are few theoretical works and empirical studies of somatic intelligence in Lithuania, but this does not mean the absence of discourse. Recently, the concept of somatic intelligence has been actively explored in the foreign scientific field using concepts such as somatic awareness, body awareness or interoceptive awareness; creating different models that enable detailing and structuring the concept of somatic intelligence; when constructing assessment systems (questionnaires). The concept of somatic intelligence, from a theoretical point of view, is a new and rarely studied phenomenon that requires in-depth research on a global and (especially) Lithuanian scale. Analyzing the research field of somatic intelligence, it was found that somatic intelligence is of interest to many researchers in various aspects related to the topic of kinesthetics: concept development and modelling, evaluation, education and management processes. The aim of the research – to reveal the features of kinestethic and sensory cognitive processes as the somatic intelligence parts in the educational management. The method of empirical research of the work is qualitative, which is based on phenomenological methodology. The qualitative research method (instrument) is a semi-structured individual interview. For the qualitative research, questions were prepared based on the model of somatic intelligence. The research results showed that, the somatic intelligence of primary school students in Klaipėda city formal education institutions is developed in a rather complex way. Methods and means of developing sensory intelligence include: creating a positive atmosphere, creating a sense of trust and security; the use of educational senses to create knowledge, cultural and environmental knowledge, training of critical thinking; involvement of students' and teacher's feelings, use of feelings for the development of critical thinking. Kinesthetic intelligence training methods include: training of fine and gross motor skills; methods and tools promoting discipline, methods and tools for overcoming stress and solving problems; physical involvement through role playing and other games. Research results related to other aspects of somatic intelligence (emotional and spiritual intelligence) will be presented in next article.

DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING AND CYBERSECURITY LITERACY SKILLS AHEAD OF THE 2024 ELECTION FOR STUDENTS AT VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL OF AL BADAR IN TULUNGAGUNG

The spread of information in the digital media tends to include fake news. Ahead of the 2024 election, hoax is distributed for the certain political interests and can affect divided societies. As the novice voters who are familiar with social media, high school students become the hoax target. Therefore, a training for developing chritical thinking skill and cybersecurity literacy is required by the novice voters. The target of this training is students of Al Badar Vocational High School in Tulungagung. It aims at giving the students a skill for thinking critically towards any information. The authors organized this activity by analyzing the training needs for students, giving a critical thinking training and evaluating the training result. The authors found that the students’ level of critical thinking skill is still low. Therefore, the authors suggest the novice voters to critically check and cross-check all information.

Implications of Large Language Models for OSINT: Assessing the Impact on Information Acquisition and Analyst Expertise in Prompt Engineering

This paper explores the potential use of large language models (LLMs) in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), with a focus on integrating information acquisition and the increasing importance of prompt engineering for analysts. The research includes a comprehensive literature review, which highlights the widespread use of AI in OSINT and the related challenges, such as data validity and ethical concerns. The study emphasizes the significance of prompt engineering as a crucial skill that demands a profound comprehension of LLMs to generate validated intelligence. A model of the OSINT lifecycle that incorporates LLMs is proposed. The paper further discusses updated training in critical thinking, search techniques, and prompt engineering for intelligence professionals. The findings indicate a noteworthy shift in OSINT procedures, highlighting the importance of continuous research and education to fully utilize AI in intelligence gathering.

Critical thinking training model specific to the intelligence analyst

The current reality demonstrates that the human factor became a main and necessary resource for exploring the bulk of problems characterizing the risk society, the competences of critical thinking being essential for the man of future. This issue comprises as well the models of critical thinking formation specific for intelligence analysts focusing on the following peculiarities: goal attainment (Halpern, 2000), the quality of argument (Paul and Elder, 2004), systems of thinking 1 and 2 (Fischer and Spiker, 2004), overcoming the challenges in information analysis (Hendrickson, 2008), ability of critical thinking (Harris and Spiker, 2012). The refinement of critical thinking by an analyst is a process based on knowing the stages of the analytical process, on developing the abilities for cognitive work and formation of the necessary kit of abilities for this activity.

Fundamental theoretical conflicts in the science of critical thinking

Introduction. The article explores the reasons for the lack of scientific consensus on critical thinking. Despite the fact that this concept has become one of the key ones for modern culture, it has not been properly defined, and organizational decisions remain controversial. In this article, we propose to focus not on the gaps in our knowledge of critical thinking, but on finding the reasons for what exactly prevents consensus on these issues. The purpose of the article is to establish fundamental uncertainties and theoretical conflicts in the science of critical thinking that prevent the solution of terminological and organizational aspects of the problem. Materials and Methods. The study is theoretical in nature and is based on an agnological approach to the analysis of expert ignorance (R. Proctor, S. Feirstein, etc.). This approach combines traditional methods of logical and philosophical analysis, but is used when the purpose of the study is not to fill the gap in knowledge, but to find explanations why exactly we do not know what we do not know. In order to achieve this goal, the subjects of scholarly debates regarding critical thinking were identified and the prerequisites on which conflicting concepts are based were analyzed. Results. The study found that the existing organizational debates about how critical thinking should be taught in educational institutions are derived from discussions at a fundamental level. The authors conclude that modern research on critical thinking, despite its apparent thematic proximity to each other, actually reflects different, yet incompatible approaches to nature, psychological mechanisms and standards of critical thinking. Conclusions. The research led to the conclusion that reaching consensus on practical issues, such as the way to organize critical thinking training, requires prior resolution of fundamental theoretical conflicts about the nature, psychological mechanisms and socio-cultural standards of critical thinking.

Structured diary introspection training: A kind of critical thinking training method can enhance the Pro-C creativity of interior designers

Pro-C creativity refers to professional creativity, which plays a key role in designing novel and practical works for designers in practical work. In order to verify the significance of critical thinking and Pro-C creativity and explore how to improve Pro-C creativity through critical thinking training, we carried out two studies. In Study 1, we recruited 58 designers using a longitudinal research approach and employed the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to measure designers' critical thinking. Designers were tasked with completing assignments related to Pro-C level of creativity A, and their creativity was assessed by experts. Through a one-year follow-up analysis, we examined how their critical thinking influenced Pro-C creativity in the design domain. The results of the cross-lagged analysis indicate that scores on critical thinking positively predicted the creativity levels of designers one year later. Study 2 is a controlled intervention study. We developed an intervention program for training critical thinking, named the "Structured diary introspection Training Method", which is based on the online technique. Through a 21-day critical thinking training intervention, the results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that, compared to the control group, designers in the intervention group scored significantly higher in a creative task related to designing a living room. Our findings support critical thinking as an important predictor of Pro-C creativity in the real world and provide a feasible training program for those who need to improve their Pro-C creativity.

Developing Employees’ Critical Thinking Skills in Malta

Critical thinking is considered one of the most significant competencies that employees need to develop in order for them to contribute to an organisation’s success and productivity. The lack of professional development opportunities aimed at enhancing the critical thinking capacity of employees might be deleterious for organisations seeking to capitalise on this competence as a means of remaining innovative. By means of a conceptual case study of Thinkerly – a business-to-business (B2B) firm offering critical thinking training solutions in Malta – this article considers the firm’s business idea, target customer segment, and competitive external business environment. The hypothetical business proposal analyses the internal and external factors affecting the firm’s performance and evaluates the positioning, strategy and competitive advantage of the bespoke training firm. The primary objective of the conceptual case study is to indicate the main considerations a B2B company needs to take when developing critical thinking training in a specific context. To illustrate how any such proposal is likely to have its limitations, two of the models utilised in the design of Thinkerly’s proposal are subjected to critique.

Limitations and Improvements in Cultivating Critical Thinking in Schools of the Chinese Education System

With the demand for new talents in the 21st century, the students trained by examination-based education can no longer meet the abilities needed for future work, and education reform has become a hot topic in today's society. How to train and cultivate the skills needed in the 21st century in daily teaching has become a difficult problem. This paper focuses on the cultivation of critical thinking ability, analyzes the inadequacy and limitation of the existing critical thinking cultivation, and finds that the limitation mainly exists in the teacher's insufficient ability and does not pay attention to the cultivation of critical thinking ability, the students themselves do not have consciousness and the influence of exam-oriented education in these three aspects. Based on the limitations of critical thinking training, this paper gives suggestions on curriculum reform, changes in teachers' teaching methods, and changes in students' consciousness. Based on these existing shortcomings, this paper offers three different suggestions in terms of curriculum, teacher instruction, and changes in student mindset.

An Effectiveness Evaluation on Critical Thinking Exercises in Chinese College English Textbooks

Cultivating students’ critical thinking has long been the consensus reached by the international education circle and a common goal of international higher education reform. However, the training of critical thinking of college students in China started late, and no mature talent training system has been formed in higher education. As a compulsory public basic course for college students in China, College English is one of the most involved courses in universities. As an important material and tool for teaching and learning, the design quality of college English textbook exercises will directly affect the quality of teaching and talent training. Therefore, this study analyzes the effectiveness of textbook exercise design, with a view to contributing to college English textbooks and teaching reform, so as to help students develop critical thinking. In this study, exercises in New Horizons College English (Reading and Writing Course 1), one of the most widely used textbooks, were selected for discourse analysis, and the Delphi Panel’s Dualistic Model was used as a comparison for internal evaluation. Moreover, taking a Chinese university as an example, questionnaire survey are used to conduct external evaluation of textbook exercise design, found that: (a) Exercises in Chinese college English textbooks correspond to the cognitive skills mentioned in the Dualistic Model, which is helpful to the training of students' critical thinking; (b) There are also some problems, such as the imbalance of skills training and the homogenization of questioning methods; (c) Students of College English generally have a high recognition of the importance of critical thinking and textbook design, but believe that textbook design, course teaching and assessment need to be reformed.

THE TOPIC OF THE DISPUTE IN THE CONCEPT OF THE COURSE ON CRITICAL THINKING

The practice of organizing training sessions on the course “Logic and Critical Thinking” is studied. The methodological basis for the formation of critical thinking skills is logic, one of the key issues of which is the effective argumentation. The aim of the article is to systematize the teaching experience in the field of logical and epistemic problems of the argumentation process, to comprehend the specifics of mastering the topic of argumentation as a necessary condition for making activity-based decisions. Attention is emphasized on the achievements of group work in accordance with the settings of the problem-oriented method. The qualification of dispute situations by students is analyzed with reference to the framework of rules for dispute. Argument mechanisms are considered, among which there are permissible and impermissible ones. The obtained results prove the training of critical thinking as an independent value of the modern university, which implies the sustainable development of the educational project on logic and critical thinking. Focusing on the subject of the dispute generates students’ activity in their research and creative works and serves the idea of developing critical reflection.

TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The term "critical thinking" is often used to describe skills compatible with teaching-learning, but also applicable at work, in the family, and the circle of friends. Both attitudes and capacities are needed to carry out the critical thinking training process. Skills are those required in interacting with people and processing information correctly to achieve credibility of data and maintain clarity in communication. Critical thinking takes place in the context of solving problems and interacting with the people around them, so critical thinkers must adapt to both contexts. This type of thinking must be formed and developed from childhood. For this purpose, the teaching staff plays an important role, because it directs the development of students' thinking. Through the instructional-educational process, the teaching staff offers students the chance to develop this thinking. The learning methods and techniques applied by the teacher will direct the development process. We analyzed different methods and techniques through which critical thinking is developed, we described how to integrate and deploy them in the educational process.

« Il est urgent de contrer le développement de la médecine intégrative et de sauver la vraie médecine ». Analyse critique de dix arguments rationalistes sceptiques

ContextThe debate about unconventional healthcare practices and their possible integration into conventional medical care presents an inexhaustible subject of polemics and controversy, particularly in France. In this debate, some prefer to openly deny its complexity in favor of simplistic rhetoric: these are the pro- and anti-unconventional medicine activists. Their radical rhetoric provides an ideal realm of discussion in which to analyze the cognitive shortcuts and other reasoning biases they employ. An initial analysis of the arguments put forth by the antis reveals an asymmetry in the use of the critical thinking they claim: the latter is applied to so-called “pseudo-medicine” and very little to their “rationalist” arguments. MethodIn this article, we have chosen to compensate for this shortcoming by providing a critical analysis of the 10 most common “rationalist sceptic” arguments used by opponents of complementary medical practices put forth in the press and media. Given the caricatural nature of certain skeptical positions, we have chosen to use satire and caricature ourselves for didactic purposes. Each of the 10 arguments is presented as follows: 1) a summary of the radical assertion being defended, followed by 2) the partial arguments or rhetorical strategy put forward to justify it, and 3) the counterarguments which are more or less deliberately kept silent. ResultsWe present a short caricatural summary of this argument: “Breaking news in the field of health care! Wired therapies are attempting to invade real medicine! We, rationalist physicians and defenders of true medicine, are concerned about the development of integrative medicine in France. We are sending this 10-point skeptical rationalist argument to the entire medical community and health professionals in order to put a stop to the development of integrative medicine and protect real medicine from heretics. We challenge every health care professional to take a stand; scientific medicine represents Good, because the Truth is on our side and the evidence guides our steps. If there were any evidence in favor of complementary and integrative medicine, we would be aware of it. In fact, these proponents are nothing more than charlatans whose claims are groundless. Let's be serious and proud to be Cartesian, because our country still stands up to all these would-be crooks. This proposal is based on the values of critical thinking, which aims to fight against misinformation in medicine and more generally in science. We have endeavored, as much as possible, to anticipate the objections that might be raised against our arguments.” We then analyze each argument separately. DiscussionIn the last part of our article, we analyze in greater detail the main cognitive biases used in the 10 arguments cited, drawing on the tools of metacognition: confirmation bias, framing bias and overconfidence bias. We discuss the limits of our work, which does not claim to be free of bias and is open to constructive, well-argued criticism. We make it clear that, despite its misleading appearances, our work is in no way a plea for alternative health care practices that challenge conventional medicine, nor is it an attack on conventional medicine, nor a diatribe against scientific skepticism. ConclusionWe argue for symmetrical training in critical thinking and metacognition among health professionals. Questioning and distancing oneself, without relativism, are indeed the best allies in such controversial debates. Uncertainty should be an integral part of the process of scientific knowledge, which is no longer conceivable in the binary and overly simplistic opposition between ignorance and certain knowledge, by overcoming both an acritical positivism and a radical scientific relativism.

Critical Thinking in Teacher Education: Course Design and Teaching Practicum

Critical Thinking is considered a key component of Higher Education that supports graduates’ preparation for the labor market. However, in the field of teacher education more research is needed to support student-teachers with regard to the complexity of schools. It is considered that a teaching practicum can set the stage for the cultivation of Critical Thinking skills and dispositions, as student-teachers have to face real problems and be led to decision-making. The paper presented here describes the curriculum transformation of courses offering theoretical lectures and teaching practicum in the Department of Primary Education, University of Western Macedonia. After focus group discussion with in-service teachers, the Critical Thinking skills and dispositions considered necessary for teacher education were thoroughly described and utilized for the course design. The courses were modified to include a variety of teaching strategies following the direct infusion approach for training in Critical Thinking with the aim of promoting reflective practices for fostering student-teachers’ critical reflection. In this way, they can be empowered regarding their professional development.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the ARDESOS-DIAPROVE critical thinking training programme

The changes of the 21st century arising from globalisation and technology have led to a transformation both in the professional and the personal environment. Today's highly complex world demands a more in-depth way of thinking in order to adapt to these changes. In this paper, a training system has been proposed to address these issues. In recent years, our team has progressively developed a programme for teaching critical thinking to university students, obtaining very positive results in the improvement of these skills. Our experience over the years has enabled us to modify and improve the ARDESOS programme. These modifications include the addition of a new methodology called DIAPROVE. The new approach is based on primarily working on the diagnostic, prognostic, and verification procedures. Our general objective in this study was to improve critical thinking skills using the latest version of our training programme. We have implemented this programme to see if it produced the desired changes in terms of the magnitude of effect and generalisation of skills. The effectiveness of previous versions had already been demonstrated in different studies, and our aim in this study was to show whether this latest version of the programme (DIAPROVE) substantially improved the effectiveness of the teaching of transversal thinking skills. The PENCRISAL test was the tool used to evaluate the level of improvement. To verify our hypotheses, we used a quasi-experimental design involving a control and an experimental group. Pre/post intervention measures were taken in order to determine the changes in learning. The results show that the experimental group significantly improved its performance in critical thinking for the control group, both globally and in each of the dimensions; in addition, a significant interaction effect was obtained, which further supports our starting hypothesis.

Comparison of the effectiveness of critical thinking training and social cognitive training on the emotional creativity of female students of the first secondary school

Background and Aim: In today's world, it is believed that one should have global thinking, but implement these global thoughts locally. This can also be considered as the localization of global thoughts and ideas. The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of critical thinking training and social cognitive training on the emotional creativity of female students of the first secondary school. Methods: The current research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a one-month follow-up, which was conducted in Sabzevar high schools in 2021-22. The statistical population was made up of all the students of the first secondary school age range, who were selected as available and according to the sample size of 98 female high school students. The tools for collecting information were library studies, questionnaires and documents. In the collection of information, a questionnaire measuring emotional creativity was used as a tool. The sampling method in the present study was available by sampling method. The sample size included 66 people, that is, 33 people were considered for each group. In this research, the components and the total score of emotional creativity were the dependent variables, and the information related to them was collected in the three stages of pre-test, post-test and follow-up from the participants of the experimental and control groups, and to test the effectiveness of the implementation of the independent variable on the dependent variable of the method Analysis of variance with repeated measures was used. The software used is SPSS version 26. Results: The difference in the average scores of the components and the total score of emotional creativity in the pre-test-post-test and pre-test-follow-up stages was statistically significant, but the difference in the average scores in the post-test-follow-up stages was not significant. The difference in the mean of the components and the total score of emotional creativity in the two groups of critical thinking and control is statistically significant. The difference in the effect of two methods of social cognitive education and critical thinking on the components of readiness, innovation, effectiveness and the total score of emotional creativity was significant. Conclusion: According to the results of the research, critical thinking and social cognitive training has increased the emotional readiness of female students in the first year of high school. Critical thinking training created a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in terms of the variable of emotional creativity. And critical thinking and social cognitive training has improved innovation in female students of the first year of high school. Teaching critical thinking and social cognition has not had a significant impact on students.

Comparing the effectiveness of teaching study methods and time management on academic self-efficacy and academic selfregulation and biology course performance of 12th grade experimental sciences male and female students

Background and Aim: The present research was done with the aim to compare the effectiveness of study methods and time management training, on the academic self-Efficacy, academic self-regulation and performance in biology course of female and male students of twelfth grade in experimental science major. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest and posttest design in addition to the control group. The statistical society consisted of all female and male students in twelfth grade of experimental sciences major in Tabriz city during 2021-2022; among them 52 students were selected in one step cluster sampling method as the sample case and categorized in two groups of experimental group (26 students) and the control group (26 students). In order to estimate students’ academic self-efficacy, the standard questionnaire of Jinks and Morgan (1999) was applied. Savari and Arabzadeh (2013) questionnaire was used to analyze their academic self-regulation; and to evaluate students’ performance, their current and previous academic year’s final scores in biology course was utilized. The validity of research instruments was confirmed by the approval of specialists and the reliability was estimated and approved by calculating Cronbach alpha coefficient (α> 0.7). Prior to the study, pre-test of academic self-efficacy and academic self-regulation was implemented in both groups. The experimental group had received study methods and time management trainings through a package in 8 sessions with 60 minutes training, but the control group had not received any training therapy. After the training course in the post-test stage, both of the groups answered to the research instruments of the pre-test stage. Students’ final scores in biology lesson of previous and current academic year was also gained. The research data was analyzed with analysis of covariance using SPSS. Results: Based on the obtained results, the study methods and time management training had the same effectiveness on female and male students’ academic self-efficacy, academic self-regulation and performance in biology course. Conclusion: According to the results of the research, critical thinking and social cognitive training has increased the emotional readiness of female students in the first year of high school. Critical thinking training created a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in terms of the variable of emotional creativity. Also, critical thinking and social cognitive training has improved innovation in female students of the first year of high school. Teaching critical thinking and social cognition has not had a significant impact on students.

Integrating Critical Thinking into Digital Connectivism Theory: Omani Pre-service Teacher Development

The current study implements digital connectivism theory within an English language teaching (ELT) program—specifically for pre-service teachers—in order to evaluate teachers’ ability to generate teaching activities with Bloom’s taxonomy. Connectivism theory emphasizes the principle of connecting students in a network of cognitive processes which in turn can allow the transfer of information; yet it is unclear what students do if they were asked to evaluate, synthesize and analyse (the three higher order skills of Bloom's taxonomy) in connectivism learning approach. The methodology of the study is a case study conducted by means of clustered sampling on 54 teachers, who collaborated in 18 groups and were distributed between ten schools in one district of Oman. The participants were involved in critical thinking training, generating reflections, group discussions, and filling in a checklist. The results indicate a strong need for conceptualizing the principles of connectivism theory to provide a guideline for teachers and students. It is then concluded that the concept of mental “knowledge” is expanded when integrating connectivism and Bloom’s taxonomy in the ELT field. The study proposes pedagogical implications for ELT programs.

Problems of Organizing Critical Thinking Training for University Students

The paper aims to determine the factors that hinder forming and developing critical thinking of students and ways to overcome them in higher education. First, it is a problem of low motivation and a low level of self-regulation in critical thinking training. These problems reduce the effectiveness of all those methods and techniques for forming critical thinking that teachers use. We propose applying differentiated learning (multilevel learning) as one of the most effective ways to solve the problem of organizing critical thinking training. Moreover, we consider that at the beginning of training, it is necessary to determine the personal qualities of students, such as purposefulness, self-discipline, perseverance, tolerance, academic motivation, and self-regulation of cognitive activity. During the learning process, it is necessary to use multilevel tasks and exercises to cover all categories of students. This is because these tasks are based on some volitional qualities of the personality and motivation for learning. This approach is systemic and makes it possible to achieve high efficiency in teaching critical thinking.

Characteristics and determinants of the academic goals in nursing education: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundAcademic goals guide the learning mode of nursing students, focus their objectives and influence the acquisition of skills. However, research on academic goals and related variables is scarce. ObjectiveTo study the relationship between different sociodemographic and academic variables with the type of academic goal in nursing students at the Universitat Jaume I (Spain). DesignCross-sectional study conducted between September 2020 and June 2021. Settings and participantsUndergraduate nursing students at Universitat Jaume I (n = 263). MethodsThe Academic Goal Orientation questionnaire was administered. In addition, the variables age, gender, route to university, previous health studies, previous training in critical thinking, degree year and average grade on academic record were collected. A descriptive analysis of the sample and an analysis of the association between variables were performed. In addition, exploratory multinomial logistic regression was performed. ResultsThe nursing students preferred the Learning Goal (95.8%; n = 263), and this increased among the students as their average grade increased. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that students with a lower average grade, those from advanced years and those without previous training in critical thinking preferred the Work Avoidance and Self-defeating Ego Goals. ConclusionThe preferred goal among the students was learning. The variables that influenced the type of goal were year, average grade and previous training in critical thinking.