A proposed framework for teaching and evaluating critical thinking in nursing.

This paper reports the development of critical thinking of urban high school students in the Chinese city of Xi’an. It presents the assessment of the students’ two components of critical thinking: dispositions towards critical thinking and critical thinking skills, using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Results show that the students’ dispositions toward critical thinking are at an average level while their critical thinking skills are very low. This research also shows that there is no significant difference between students from science classes and arts classes in their critical thinking dispositions while science students have a higher level of critical thinking skills. Students from advanced classes have a higher level of the two components of critical thinking than their counterparts from general classes. There are no differences between male students and female students in both components.

Critical discourse analysis and critical thinking: An experimental study in an EFL context

In this paper, we address critical thinking skill assessment in the context of management education. This paper uses Ennis’ well-known list of critical thinking abilities to identify assessable critical thinking components present in student work. A sample of 152 graduate written assignments designed to assess critical thinking is used as a basis for analysis. These were taken from a business analysis subject in a large Australian business school over a 6-year period. A methodological framework is proposed and applied to this data set, offering a way of assessing evidence of five representative categories pertaining to critical thinking in a business context. The framework includes a basic clarification (BC), bases for inferences (BI), inferences (IN), advanced clarification (AC) and auxiliary abilities (AA). Results indicate that the essays rank highly on AA and AC but low on BC, BI and IN. While critical thinking is partially evidenced in the study corpus, attention is needed in terms of refining the measurement framework dedicated to eliciting specific critical thinking components. We provide the initial elements of such a framework in this paper and make suggestions for how it can be improved. Implications for the theory and practice of management education are outlined.

Assessing students’ critical thinking performance: Urging for measurements using multi-response format

This study examines the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in aqidah akhlaq instruction at Azanaya Homeschooling and its contribution to the development of students’ critical thinking skills in Islamic education. The study explores how PjBL is implemented, how Islamic theological concepts—particularly rububiyyatullah and mulkiyyatullah are integrated into project activities, and how facilitators and parents support the development of students’ critical thinking. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with facilitators and students, and analysis of instructional documents. Data analysis followed the interactive model of Miles and Huberman, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, supported by triangulation and member checking. The findings indicate that project-based learning encourages students to engage in authentic inquiry and reflective learning processes that stimulate key components of critical thinking, including problem analysis, interpretation of Islamic theological principles, ethical evaluation, and reflective inference. Through projects related to environmental responsibility and social ethics, students critically connect the concepts of rububiyyatullah and mulkiyyatullah with their roles as khalifah in everyday life. The collaborative partnership between facilitators and parents further strengthens reflective dialogue and supports the development of critical thinking beyond formal learning settings. This study contributes to the literature on Islamic pedagogy by demonstrating that integrating theological concepts within PjBL can function as an effective framework for cultivating critical thinking in aqidah akhlaq education, particularly within alternative learning environments such as homeschooling.

Hay una creciente literatura sobre técnicas eficaces a través de las cuales el pensamiento crítico (PC) puede ser fomentado en un entorno educativo. De una manera que concuerda con la enseñanza como un proceso interactivo, existe un debate considerable sobre la mejora de las capacidades de PC de los profesores en los últimos años. En cuanto a los efectos positivos de la colaboración en el PC, el presente studio analiza si la frecuencia de los componentes del PC entre evaluadores noveles y experimentados de EFL iraníes diferente mientras se evalúa un pasaje de forma individual y colaborativa (en parejas). Para ello, se adoptó un enfoque de métodos mixtos. Las evaluaciones escritas realizadas por dos grupos de evaluadores noveles y experimentados fueron codificadas en busca de declaraciones clasificadas como uno de los cinco componentes del PC (Stapleton, 2001). Los datos obtenidos incluyeron protocolos de pensamiento en voz alta y comentarios escritos hechos por evaluadores mientras que evaluaron 3 pasajes escritos por examinados de IELTS. A continuación, los evaluadores principiantes y experimentados se compararon en base a la frecuencia total de los componentes de PC utilizados al evaluar individualmente y en colaboración. Posteriormente, se intent establecer su criterio para anotar un pasaje (sin usar una rúbrica). Los hallazgos revelaron que la colaboración en la evaluación de la escritura mejora las habilidades de los evaluadores de PC independientemente de su nivel de experiencia, mientras que los índices de PC fueron significativamente mayores en parejas experimentadas. Aunque, las habilidades de PC de los evaluadores principiantes y experimentados no fueron significativamente diferentes al evaluar individualmente. Con respecto a los criterios aplicados por los evaluadores principiantes, el análisis cualitativo reveló preocupaciones importantes sobre el nivel superficial del texto. En realidad, se cree que están en la línea de formar sus estrategias personales y establecer sus propios criterios como evaluadores. Mientras que los evaluadores experimentados fueron más allá de la sintaxis en semántica.

Introduction: Since both components critical thinking and moral reasoning are considered to be major phenomena, the development of which is a priority of all world education policies, they are paid a lot of attention in foreign countries. However, foreign studies have only made a little mention of examining their relationship and integrity as well as until recently, each dimension has been examined separately in Slovakia and there is no piece of evidence showing the relationship between them. Based on this, we have formulated the following scientific problem: Is there a relationship between critical thinking and moral reasoning? Methods and respondents: The basic measurement tool of our research was the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal used to determine the level of critical thinking. The level of moral reasoning was investigated by Lind´s Moral Competence Test. The examined sample consisted of the available selection of the 2nd and 3rd year teacher study programme students for lower and upper secondary education at the University of Prešov in Prešov (N = 241) and the testing itself was realized in the academic year 2020/2021. Results: Our research shows that the average value of the gross score in critical thinking of the teacher students is M = 43.26 (SD = 5.09) and the achieved average numeric value of moral judgment expressed by the C-score is M = 21.15 (SD = 12.88). Based on the Pearson Correlation results, we were discussing whether the calculated value of the correlation coefficient indicates the relationship between critical thinking and moral reasoning and whether there is a relationship between moral reasoning and individual cognitive components of critical thinking and the results of the research show interesting findings about the relationship between critical and moral reasoning of teacher students. Conclusion: The conclusions of the research lead us to redesign the undergraduate training of future teachers in the context of the World Economic Forum challenges and the support for minds of the future according to H. Gardner - critical, creative, disciplined, ethical and tolerant - as a critical and moral integrity.

Supporting critical thinking skills needed for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: A content analysis of a national and two international education programs in Turkey

An emphasis on science practices in university science education provides a logical route to student development of scientific literacy and critical thinking. Unlike scientific literacy and critical thinking which have been the subjects of much debate and controversy, the science practices are consensus-based and well-defined. As the disaggregated components of critical thinking, science practices are well-positioned to support and systematically assess student development of critical thinking. In this paper, we report on our examination of general chemistry laboratory curricula for opportunities to engage students in science practices using the Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol, 3D-LAP. Our findings suggest that the laboratory curricula provide opportunities for students to engage in some practices, while others are consistently underrepresented. Additionally, there is a disproportionate emphasis on mathematical thinking which not only has equity implications, especially for marginalized students, but could also have the unintended consequence of students developing a distorted view of the intellectual work of chemistry. The findings of our study indicate a need for greater balance with respect to the practices in the general chemistry laboratory curricula, and have the potential to inform the design, development, or adaptation of lab curricula to better support scientific literacy and critical thinking. We couple accountable disciplinary knowledge and constructive alignment to discuss these and other findings and implications of our work for teaching, learning, and research.

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing must learn to think critically. Character education (CE) refers to the effort to teach basic values and moral reasoning (Doyle & Ponder, 1977). Values clarification (VC) is the process of examining one's basic values and moral reasoning (Rokeach, 1973). Character education and values clarification as subject matter foster the development of critical thinking (CT), a tool used both to develop and to modify values and moral reasoning. These three areas mutually support one another. The development of a set of values and their underlying moral reasoning is the foundation for thinking critically about values. The authors examine the components of critical thinking, character education, and values clarification, summarize the literature, and provide a template for appropriate lesson plans. They also describe strategies that promote the development of critical thinking, character education, and values clarification.

This study explores early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ perceptions of young children’s critical thinking skills using Peter A. Facione’s critical thinking framework. Employing a quantitative descriptive design, data were collected from 131 ECE teachers in Banten Province through a structured questionnaire. The analysis revealed that teachers demonstrated a relatively strong understanding of problem analysis but showed limited comprehension of other critical thinking components, including interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and self-regulation. This gap potentially impairs their capacity to stimulate children’s reasoning, reflection, and conclusion-making skills. Furthermore, teachers were found to rely predominantly on factual questioning, with minimal emphasis on promoting analytical or evaluative thinking during classroom interactions. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted professional development programs that equip teachers with effective questioning techniques and instructional strategies aimed at fostering higher-order thinking. Integrating critical thinking into the early childhood curriculum through play-based and inquiry-driven approaches holds promise in enhancing children’s cognitive flexibility, reflective thinking, and problem-solving abilities beyond mere factual recall.

This study attempts to identify the pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ epistemological beliefs towards learning, their educational beliefs, and critical thinking dispositions as well as the relationship between them. A relational survey model was employed and the study group consisted of 152 pre-service teachers. The study used Epistemological Beliefs Scale towards Learning (EBStL), The Educational Philosophy Tendencies Scale (EPTS), and Marmara Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale (MCTDS) as data collection tools. The results suggested that pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ epistemological beliefs and critical thinking dispositions were above the average value. Moreover, they were found to have progressive and reconstructivist tendencies. The results also revealed that the pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ epistemological beliefs towards learning did not differ across their gender, academic achievement, parents’ educational level while significantly differed in terms of their grade level. The pre-service secondary mathematics’ teachers’ educational beliefs significantly varied across their gender, grade level while that was not the case for their academic achievement and parents’ educational level. Besides, the results confirmed positive and significant relationships between the pre-service teachers’ epistemological beliefs towards learning and their critical thinking disposition levels and progressivism, further positive and significant relationships were noted between the critical thinking dispositions and progressivism, reconstructionism and perennialism. Progressivism was found to be explained by epistemological beliefs towards learning and critical thinking dispositions; reconstructionism was found to be explained by critical thinking disposition; epistemological beliefs towards learning was determined to be explained by progressivism and critical thinking disposition, and critical thinking dispositions were identified to be explained by reconstructionism and perennialism

There has been no research exploring cognitive conflict problems in geometry from commognitive framework. Nevertheless, this framework offers strong potential for gaining new theory about cognitive processes of critical thinkers. This study addresses this gap by exploring in depth how critical thinkers solve cognitive conflict problems in geometry from commognitive framework. Commognitive involves four main components: word use, visual mediators, routines, and narratives. This study employed a qualitative approach to explore the cognitive processes in depth. The instrument used in this study consisted of cognitive conflict problems in geometry designed for junior high school students. The subjects of this study consisted of 17 students from the mathematics olympiad group at Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) Surya Buana Malang, Indonesia. The results revealed two categories: Category A met all critical thinking components and commognitive indicators, whereas Category B met only some. The commognitive conflicts highlighted key moments of cognitive engagement and discourse transformation. These conflicts activated critical thinking components, including interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. Based on the result, it is recommended that future research explore the development of mathematics instructional designs in cognitive conflict problems based on commognitive framework.

Developing critical and creative thinking skills is essential for prospective teachers to meet 21st-century education demands. However, these skills remain relatively low among teacher education students. This study investigates how higher education institutions can design learning experiences to foster these competencies, focusing on the Creative and Critical Thinking in Research-based Learning (CCTRbL) model. This study employed an action research approach based on a modified Burn model, comprising five stages: (1) Identifying, (2) Planning, (3) Intervening, (4) Observing, and (5) Reporting. The participants were 27 teacher education students. Data were collected using an integrated critical and creative thinking assessment rubric for evaluating students’ research-based paper tasks. Data analysis utilized categorical descriptive techniques and percentage calculations. The findings indicate that the CCTRbL model effectively enhances students' critical and creative thinking skills, with scores of 68.29 and 65.18, respectively, categorized as high. This suggests that the implemented model positively impacts students' ability to think critically and creatively. The study demonstrates that integrating critical and creative thinking in a research-based learning framework is beneficial for teacher education programs. The findings suggest that the CCTRbL model can be adapted for use at different educational levels with modifications suited to subject-specific requirements. The CCTRbL model is a promising approach to fostering critical and creative thinking skills in teacher education. It is recommended for broader application in primary, secondary, and higher education to enhance students' cognitive abilities and professional competencies.

STEM education is useful for facing 21st century competition. However, the availability of STEM project-based learning (STEM-PjBL) modules for enhancing scientific literacy and critical thinking Indonesian students is still rare, especially at the elementary school level. The objective of this study is to design a STEM-PjBL module that enhances students' 21st-century skills, specifically focusing on improving their scientific literacy and critical thinking capabilities by organizing the constructs and items within the module. This study is qualitative research at the stage of designing the content of STEM-PjBL module using literature reviews and expert interviews. The acquired data underwent thematic analysis for examination. The resulting module construct includes module objectives; module structure; module content that includes STEM components; scientific literacy components, and critical thinking components; learning aids or media; and assessment in modules with accompanying items for each construct. The resulting module construct and item are used as the basis for the next stage, namely the module development stage. This study holds significance for advancing STEM education in Indonesia and serves as a valuable asset, particularly for initiatives highlighting STEM-PjBL learning activities aimed at enhancing 21st-century skills