Forming Judgements and Contributing to Debates: Religion and Contemporary Society

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 494-508
Author(s):  
Lucas Carmichael

Abstract This essay explores the materials, assignments, and approaches of a lower-division introductory undergraduate course, Religion and Contemporary Society. Based on my experiences at the University of Colorado at Boulder, I propose that, with support, sustained engagement with theory enriches more traditional approaches by cultivating critical thinking skills and inviting undergraduate students to learn about and participate in ongoing conversations and debates in the academic study of religion.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-52
Author(s):  
Vu Thi Hong Van ◽  
Nguyen Van My

In the international integration and globalization context and the strong influences of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), critical thinking (CT) is becoming a more and more important skill that students need to be trained. To undergraduate students, critical thinking is not only a key study skill to meet the targets of the university curriculum but also the individuals’ ability to think independently and make appropriate decisions in real-life situations. Consequently, preparing students to utilize the widest range of academic language skills through analysis, synthesis, and problem-solving facilitates them to the highest levels of academic achievement and the future continuous professional development. This article analyses the crucial roles of critical thinking skills in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) and developing practical professionals for English pedagogical major students. For practical purposes, examples of activities and steps of implementation are given to enhance critical thinking skills for students at HCM City University of Education, Vietnam.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Grant ◽  
Marshall Smith

Enhancing students' critical thinking capabilities stands as the top goal of undergraduate education, according to faculty from many universities. We assessed the change in critical thinking skills with a sample of 176 students enrolled at either the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB) or Colorado College (CC) by employing the Critical-thinking Assessment Test (CAT) developed with collaboration and support from the National Science Foundation. Students' critical thinking progress was compared by assaying skills during the first and last weeks of the term in classes that expressly emphasized: (1) critical thinking, or (2) civic engagement, or (3) where, according to the class instructors, neither was a point of major emphasis. CAT scores improved significantly for students at both institutions, in different categories of class types, and over the dramatically different lengths of terms (3.5 weeks at CC vs 15 weeks at UCB). Our research contributes to an understanding of changes in critical thinking as part of the undergraduate experience. We demonstrate that the CAT instrument can be an effective tool for assessing critical thinking skills across very different institutions of higher education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 293-298
Author(s):  
Fábio da Costa Carbogim ◽  
Larissa Bertacchini de Oliveira ◽  
Melina Mafra Toledo ◽  
Flávia Batista Barbosa de Sá Diaz ◽  
Greicy Kelly Gouveia Dias Bittencourt ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: To present the experience of elaboration and implementation of the Active Teaching Model to Promote Critical Thinking (MEAPC), associated to Problem-Based Learning (PBL), for undergraduate students in Nursing. Method: Case report on the experience of the educational intervention (MEAPC + PBL) with undergraduate students in Nursing, in a 20-hour course on Basic Life Support (BLS). The MEAPC was validated by judges to guide the analysis of clinical cases. Critical Thinking (CT) skills were assessed using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Result: The educational intervention took place in two phases: elaboration and implementation, allowing not only the production of knowledge about BLS, but also the development of CT and exchange of experiences for teaching-learning. Conclusion: The association of the MEAPC to the PBL in the course of BLS organized the learning, gave opportunity to acquire knowledge and to stimulate the skills of the CT.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Gressick ◽  
Joel B. Langston

Fostering critical thinking skills is a ubiquitous goal across disciplines and social contexts. Productive solutions to educational, content-based and social problems can emerge through well-reasoned conversation. How best to support the development of these skills has been a topic of debate. In this study, we investigated the design and effectiveness of a card-based game focused on undergraduate student understanding of common fallacies in thinking. 13 Fallacies was designed with the intention of improving students’ reasoning. In our study, we completed an iterative design phase, play testing phase and have collected data on student learning outcomes from two semesters as a result of classroom implementation. Results indicate that 13 Fallacies improved student understanding of common fallacies in thinking and promoted social reasoning for at-risk undergraduate students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tutut Indria Permana ◽  
Iin Hindun ◽  
Ndzani Latifatur Rofi'ah ◽  
Ardiani Samti Nur Azizah

Science and technology development in the 21st-century has been demanding educators to provide learning activities which stimulate students’ critical thinking skills. This study aimed to find out the correlated factors of the students’ critical thinking skills as well as of which was the strongest determinant in leveling the skills. The subject of this correlational research was 112 undergraduate students in the Department of Biology Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang who took Botany course. There were four variables measured in this study, namely academic ability, mastering concepts, analytical skill, and critical thinking skills. The data of academic ability was obtained from students' cumulative index in the previous semester while the three other variables were measured using final exam test. All of the variables then analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that the three predictor variables (mastering concepts, academic ability, and analytical skill) gave effective contributions toward students’ critical thinking skills, with the percentages of 3.84%, 32.25%, and 54.26% respectively. Therefore, the results of this study could be a basic reference in designing learning process which empower the students’ critical thinking skills.


Author(s):  
Mohan Rathakrishnan ◽  
Arumugam Raman

Trello online discussion has become one of the important strategies for the University Utara Malaysia Management Foundation Programme student to teach other students to think critically in conveying their ideas and become more proactive and creative in critical thinking subject. In a heutagogical approach, learners become highly autonomous and self-determined while learning online. They use Trello online discussion tool as self-determination learning. Trello enable the learners to use their capacity and capability with the goal of producing learners. Trello online learning was conducted to examine its effectiveness in enhancing macro critical thinking among active-reflective learning style. The students discuss and write their ideas in Trello. Ideas that are posted in Trello will be displayed in front of the class so that the entire learners in the class could see the given ideas. Paul's model was used to analyze learners' critical thinking in Trello online discussion.


2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (02) ◽  
pp. 298-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamze Çavdar ◽  
Sue Doe

AbstractTraditional writing assignments often fall short in addressing problems in college students' writing as too often these assignments fail to help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension of course content. This article reports the use of a two-part (staged) writing assignment with postscript as a strategy for improving critical thinking in a lower-division political science course. We argue that through well-designed writing assignments, instructors can encourage students to reconsider concepts, critically evaluate assumptions, and undertake substantive revisions of their writing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nhung Thi Tuyet Pham

Over the past several years, various stakeholders have continued to express concerns about the quality of U.S. higher education. Under the accountability and transparency pressures, institutions must provide evidence of student learning, especially the value of general education programs upon graduation. Therefore, a case study at a U.S. comprehensive university was conducted to assess five general education competency skills (written, oral, quantitative literacy, critical thinking and information literacy). To facilitate “close the loop” conversations with faculty and committees, in addition to descriptive analysis, the university disaggregated the assessment data in a non-traditional way by examining the relationship of student factors (race, year and college) and student learning. The researcher used ANCOVA and ANOVA to identify significant differences. Results indicated year and race were related to student outcomes, except for critical thinking skills. The researcher provided suggestions for use of the study’s findings to close the loop in the general education program.


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