Teaching critical thinking: Cultural challenges and strategies in Singapore

Among the challenges faced by educators in promoting critical thinking is that of cultural compatibility. Using Singapore as an illustrative case study, this paper explores the cultural challenges and recommended strategies for the teaching of critical thinking in schools. The research for this study is based on a theoretical framework that focuses on two dominant practices of critical thinking: confrontational and individualistic on the one hand, and collegial and communal on the other. Research data shows that the main cultural challenges are the social expectations of teachers as knowledge transmitters and a perception that critical thinking is essentially adversarial. The recommended strategies are the utilisation of cooperative learning strategies and the provision of a safe learning environment. There are two major implications arising from this research study. The first is a need for policymakers and educators to be cognisant of cultural constraints in the teaching of critical thinking. The second is the significance of teacher efficacy to engender student engagement and successful learning within socio‐cultural constraints. The Singapore experience adds to the existing literature by highlighting the existence and significance of communitarian practices of critical thinking in an Asian context.     

Enhancing curricula and learning environments using critical realist perspectives and approaches: a case study and critique

While critical realist (CR) ontological and epistemological perspectives and research approaches are becoming more widely adopted by higher education researchers, the scope of research is relatively limited, and novice researchers in the area still struggle to create rich, in-depth, and critical accounts of these approaches ‘in action’. This article provides an account of teacher-researchers’ exploration of these perspectives in the context of an important aspect their everyday teaching practice – the design of effective curricula and learning environments. The context is research that focused on the design, evaluation, and enhancement of learning environments intended to facilitate students’ development of design thinking expertise. The article outlines the researchers’ CR paradigm positioning and implications for methodologies used to gather, analyse, and theorise data about the response of design and business students to three iterations of a design thinking learning environment. The research involved action research that integrated survey, case study, and theorising methodologies. Examples of data, analyses, and explanatory theory are provided to give insights into specific research tasks and their outcomes. Possible explanations for the findings and their implications for attempts to enhance the learning environment are considered from a CR perspective along with challenges that deploying these approaches may entail.     

Developing critical understanding by teaching action research to undergraduate psychology students

Action research assumes the active engagement of the stakeholders, such as the community, in the research, and a multiple‐level process of reflection in order to evaluate and monitor the actions taken. This makes action research a suitable methodology to increase the critical understanding of the participants. In this paper we describe the challenge of teaching action research within the context of an undergraduate community health psychology module. The module was designed using principles from transformative learning, critical pedagogy and action learning. The module took place over one semester; and 15 students (13 females, two males) took part in it. We discuss the background to the module development and the alignment of the learning objectives with the teaching and assessment methods, and reflect upon the students’ experiences in the module and the learning outcomes. We conclude by addressing the major challenges involved in teaching action research to increase critical understanding: the ability to engage in deep learning of undergraduate psychology students; our role and expectations as tutors on the course; and the current higher education system in which action science yet has to find a place.     

Promoting deep learning in a teacher education programme through self- and peer-assessment and feedback

The incorporation of self- and peer-assessment and feedback has significant potential as a pedagogical strategy to promote deep learning in project based coursework. This study examined the impact of a deeper approach to learning on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking and metacognitive skills. It also examined the impact on student learning outcomes within a project based module with a significant design element. Forty-seven students participated in the pilot of an online peer feedback system. Results suggest that the quality of students’ reflections through peer feedback and overall satisfaction with the module remained high despite students’ citing a preference for instructor feedback. The data also indicate that the incorporation of self- and peer-assessment and feedback resulted in higher quality learning outcomes and enhanced critical thinking skills.     

“I am not simply learning and regurgitating information,I am also learning about myself”: learning portfolio practice and online distance students

This case study explored the experience of learning portfolio practice and whether learning portfolio practice facilitated the development of critical thinking skills among online distance students. Data were generated using the participant learning portfolio entries and two-time semi-structured interviews. Five themes were constructed in the data-led thematic analysis: being an online distance student, the experience of learning with a learning portfolio, my approach to learning, thinking critically in my learning portfolio, the sociology discipline context. Findings indicate that learning portfolio practice can enhance the nature of the learning experience by providing students with a personal space to evaluate their own learning, to process their thoughts and experience and to document their lives and learning in an authentic and meaningful way. The findings suggest that learning portfolio practice can facilitate the development of critical thinking skills within a disciplinary context.     

Classroom learning environment,critical thinking and achievement in an interdisciplinary subject: a study of Hong Kong secondary school graduates

Although the relationship between the classroom learning environment and academic achievement has been explored in subject-free and disciplinary subject contexts, research into this relationship is still lacking in the context of interdisciplinary subjects. This study investigated the relationship between the classroom learning environment and student achievement in an interdisciplinary subject (i.e. liberal studies) in Hong Kong secondary schools. The mediating role of critical thinking was also explored. The participants were 410 Hong Kong secondary school graduates. The structural equation modelling analyses indicated that (1) the Content aspect of the classroom learning environment had an effect on the achievement in liberal studies, and this effect was not mediated by critical thinking; (2) the Pedagogy aspect predicted critical thinking skills, which in turn predicted the achievement in liberal studies; (3) the Relation aspect had no significant effects on critical thinking skills and student achievement in liberal studies. Suggestions on enhancing students’ high-order thinking skills and achievement in interdisciplinary subjects were provided.     

The Development of Critical Thinking Skills in Undergraduate Supervisory Management Units: efficacy of student peer assessment

Well‐developed critical thinking skills are essential to good management, yet the fundamentals of critical thinking are often not taught explicitly to management students. This paper reports on the efficacy of a module designed to develop students’ critical thinking skills in the context of peer evaluation in a second‐year supervisory management unit. The module comprised a lecture and a seminar on the nature of critical thinking, followed by a series of seminars in which students practiced the skills taught. Sixty‐eight student oral literature reviews were delivered and evaluated over the first two semesters in 1997. Each presentation was graded by several small groups of students, with the assistance of a detailed marking guide. Results indicate that tuition in critical thinking strategies and skills may influence both peer/tutor grading agreement, and literature review content.     

问题解决学习活动中批判性思维发展的特征

问题解决在线学习活动强调将学习活动置于有意义的问题情境中,通过个人或小组协作的方式来解决问题。问题解决的过程与批判性思维的发展密不可分,批判性思维是问题解决学习活动中重要的认知加工过程。Newman等学者提出的批判性思维模型详细界定了批判性思维的发展层级及其表现,可用于量化分析在线学习活动中的交互文本内容,而话语分析技术可以从质性角度确保交互文本分析的完整意义。通过设计案例并运用这两种分析工具可以揭示出问题解决学习活动中批判性思维发展的特征：一是批判性思维各层级出现的频率是不一样的,各种表现的量化比例可以表明批判性思维发展的层级;二是批判性思维质量与构建问题空间及形成问题解决策略的效果密切相关;三是在问题解决的不同阶段批判性思维发展的过程和互动结构不同。     

A distance education contribution to a social strategy to combat poverty: Open University Community Education courses in Glasgow

Attacking widespread under‐education with limited resources in the scattered, oppressed adult population of South Africa is a formidable challenge. One way of meeting this challenge could be to develop adults’ critical thinking skills, using their own experience as their main educational resource. Experiential learning technology, facilitated from a distance, could provide a means of achieving this aim. Research carried out at a conference on experiential learning at Natal University, Durban, provided an opportunity to assess the viability, desirability and usefulness of this educational method and aim. Participants’ responses indicate that the method is promising, although further experiment and development are necessary, particularly with different groups.

Three issues are discussed in this paper: the nature of the South African educational context, the promotion of critical thinking skills as an adult education aim, and the potential of employing experiential learning technology, facilitated from a distance, as a method of developing critical thinking skills.     

批判性思维量表在医学教育中的应用与展望

批判性思维是医学生医学素养发展的重要构成部分,培养批判性思维能力是世界高等教育的共同目标。量表是衡量学生批判性思维状况,检验培养效果的重要工具。运用文献调研法与内容分析法,追踪国内外批判性思维量表的发展,对条目式量表、情景选择式量表、开放式量表、混合式量表的开发现状及在医学教育中的应用进行分析,比较常用量表的特点及差异。研究发现批判性思维量表在我国医学教育的应用中存在中国文化元素缺失、特异性学科量表有待开发以及量表不能覆盖教育的全周期全过程等三个方面的不足。未来我国批判性思维测评需要以中国文化和国情为基础,开发针对医学生的批判性思维特异性量表,加强批判性思维的全过程评价。     

合作学习理论对英语专业学生口语思辨能力的影响

国内英语专业学生批判性思维能力较弱已经成了外语教育界的不争事实。大量研究都显示相比较其他非英语专业学生,英语专业学生更倾向于死记硬背,无条件接受教师讲授内容,缺乏独立思考能力。合作学习法(又称小组学习法)是在自主学习理论之上构建起来的,该学习理论能在一定程度上缓解外语类学生思辨能力弱的症状。本研究旨在说明该学习理论对学生思辨能力提高的影响力。通过口语测试、非结构化访谈等实证研究,研究者证实了合作学习能够提高英语专业学生思辨能力。     

Taking critical thinking,creativity and grit online

Technology has the potential to facilitate the development of higher-order thinking skills in learning. There has been a rush towards online learning by education systems during COVID-19; this can therefore be seen as an opportunity to develop students’ higher-order thinking skills. In this short report we show how critical thinking and creativity can be developed in an online context, as well as highlighting the importance of grit. We also suggest the importance of heuristic evaluation in the design of online systems to support twenty-first century learning.

     

THE HISTORY OF AN INNOVATION

This paper is concerned with the processes and thinking that were involved in the development of a highly innovative BEd degree course within the modular course of Oxford Polytechnic. The rationale for the degree course will be considered, followed by a discussion of some of the processes involved in implementing that rationale. The development of a particular basic first year module will be looked at in depth as a case study illustration of innovative teaching, learning and assessment methods, including distance learning, peer teaching, self assessment, group projects, first hand research, analysis of group dynamics and critical enquiry.     

大学英语阅读课堂中教师提问和学生批判性思维的培养

批判性思维是帮助学生提高学习能力,发展认识观的很重要的一种思维能力.本文将语言教学和批判性思维培养结合在一起,以大学英语阅读课为背景,浅谈教师提问和学生批判性思维的培养.     

Beyond translation: adapting a performance-task-based assessment of critical thinking ability for use in Rwanda

Critical thinking is frequently proposed as one of the most important learning outcomes of a university education. However, to date, it has been difficult to ascertain whether university students in low-income contexts are improving in their critical thinking skills, because the limited studies in this domain have relied on instruments developed in Western contexts, despite the clear dangers of such an approach. Cultural bias in assessment can best be overcome by explicitly developing tests for use in specific contexts. However, resource constraints often prevent this possibility. An alternative strategy is to adapt an existing instrument for use in a particular context. Although adaptation is the norm for high-stakes cross-cultural assessments, it is often not attempted for single country research studies. This may be due to an assumption that adaptation is excessively technical or will add significantly to a study timeline. In this article, which relies on data from a recent study in Rwanda, we present a methodology for adapting a performance-task-based assessment of critical thinking. Our experience with this methodology suggests that small teams can adapt instruments in a relatively short time frame, and that the benefits of doing so far outweigh any cost.     

The impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service science teachers

ABSTRACT

In the study, the impact of inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking dispositions was investigated. The sample of the study comprised of 56 pre-service teachers in the science education teacher education programme at the public university in the north of Turkey. In the study, quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group were applied to find out the impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results showed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group did not show statistically significant greater progress in terms of critical thinking dispositions than those in the control group. Teacher educators who are responsible for pedagogical courses in the teacher education programme should consider that the inquiry-based learning could not be effective method to improve pre-service teachers’ critical thinking dispositions. The results are discussed in relation to potential impact on science teacher education and implications for future research.     

Fostering critical thinking: Features of powerful learning environments

Critical thinking is a recurrent educational ambition. At the same time, it is not self-evident how that ambition can be realised. This is partly due to the different perspectives from which Critical Thinking can be approached. The literature on critical thinking is extensive and diverse, different meanings and aspects of critical thinking have been explored. However, there is agreement among several researchers that critical thinking entails both ability and attitudinal components. Research in psychology on different types of cognitive processing has similarly pointed to the importance of both skills and attitudes. This article builds on a tripartite notion of disposition that has been proposed in the context of education. The tripartite dispositional perspective on which we elaborate highlights the importance of ability, inclination and sensitivity. We describe and discuss an educational protocol aligned with the tripartite conceptualisation of disposition. The protocol identifies characteristics of powerful learning environments. We propose that the proposed educational protocol—aligned to Critical Thinking education goals, conditions and interventions—can be used for fostering critical thinking. More specifically, the use of four types of interventions are recommended: (1) modelling, (2) inducing, (3) declaring and (4) surveillance. Finally, we underscore that there is a need for further research on the use of the educational protocol.     

关于批判性思维教育和高等教育改革关系的思考

批判性思维教育和高等教育改革二者互促共进。一方面,批判性思维是全球化、多元化、信息化时代背景下高等教育改革的重要目标,也是高校课程改革的必然要求,对大学生的主动、全面、继续发展和有效学习都具有重要意义,有利于防止高校课程改革仅停留在表面活跃的浅层次上。另一方面,高等教育改革推动批判性思维的课程化为批判性思维教育积累丰富的理论和实践经验,而且高校课程改革倡导的教学理念、教学设计、教学评价以及教师的言传身教等是促进批判性思维教育的有效方式。在当前我国高等教育改革积极推进时期,我们应深化批判性思维教育研究,加大国家政策支持,深入推进批判性思维教育,为高等教育改革做进一步的支撑。     

Using higher order thinking questions to foster critical thinking: a classroom study

To determine if quizzes containing higher order thinking questions are related to critical thinking and test performance when utilised in conjunction with an immersion approach to instruction and effort-based grading, sections of an Educational Psychology course were assigned to one of three quizzing conditions. Quizzes contained factual multiple-choice questions, factual essay questions or essay items requiring higher order thinking. Critical thinking was measured with a pre-test–post-test design and the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (Short Form). Classroom learning was assessed via multiple-choice and essay tests. Critical thinking increased equally across all sections. The section receiving higher order thinking quizzes performed significantly better than the other two sections on both the multiple-choice and essay portions of the classroom tests. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of methodological approaches to encouraging critical thinking.