scholarly journals Critical Thinking Development In Undergraduate Engineering Students From Freshman Through Senior Year: A 3-Cohort Longitudinal Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A Ralston ◽  
Cathy L Bays
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
The Impact

Critical thinking is considered a necessary learning outcome for all college students and essential for academic and career success.  There are many challenges to developing a comprehensive approach to teaching and assessing critical thinking skills. Although the literature has many examples of the incorporation of critical thinking and assessment into courses, longitudinal studies following engineering students through their undergraduate career are lacking.  This study assessed the impact of using the Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework to enhance undergraduate students’ critical thinking skills with the hypothesis: There will be a significant increase in undergraduate students’ critical thinking abilities from the freshman to the senior year with the explicit and strategic incorporation of critical thinking assignments. The research question was, “How do the critical thinking skills of undergraduate engineering students change as they progress through the engineering program with the explicit and strategic incorporation of critical thinking assignments?” The study was a descriptive, longitudinal study of three engineering student cohorts as they progressed through the four year undergraduate program. The study was approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board. There was a statistically significant increase in critical thinking scores over the four years for each of the three cohorts. Integrating and evaluating critical thinking assignments into engineering curricula is possible, but a major challenge to critical thinking assessment using a holistic rubric is training engineering faculty in their use.  The results are encouraging, and participating faculty agree; but sustaining these efforts to imbed critical thinking assignments throughout the engineering college curriculum will require effort and administrative support.

scholarly journals Investigating the Impact of Model Eliciting Activities on Development of Critical Thinking

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Frank ◽  
Jake Kaupp ◽  
Ann Chen
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Model Eliciting Activities ◽  
The Impact

This paper presents a portion of a study on how model eliciting activities (MEAs) impact critical thinking development in first year engineering. Model eliciting activities (MEAs) are realistic problems used in the classroom that require learners to document not only their solution to the problems, but also their processes for solving them. Studies have shown MEAs to be valuable in helping students to develop conceptual understanding, knowledge transfer , and generalizable problem--‐solving skills. This study is investigating the impact of the MEA- integrated course on students’ development of critical thinking skills. Ultimately, the team aims to determine whether the MEA-integrated course facilitates students’ critical thinking. During the fall semester of the 2012/2013 academic year three instruments will be used to evaluate the critical thinking skills (CTS) of first year engineering students. These instruments will be used as both a pre--‐ and post--‐test in order to benchmark CTS of the incoming first year students, and determine the effectiveness of MEA instruction on developing student critical thinking ability. These instruments are the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z (Cornell Z), the International Critical Thinking Essay Test (ICTET) and the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA). This paper will present the preliminary findings from analysis of the MEA results and pre and post tests from the study.

scholarly journals Emotional Intelligence and Undergraduate Engineering Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Skipper ◽  
Lindsay Greenlee ◽  
Jannette Finch ◽  
Kaitlin Marley
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Computer Engineering ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
The Impact

Engineers in construction and manufacturing are expected to be able to work with and lead diverse, multidisciplinary teams. Engineering students entering the workforce must be not only technically competent, but also possess skills in working with other people. These traits are frequently lacking with newly graduated engineering students due to the highly technical focus of their curriculum. The opportunity to develop Emotional Intelligence skills is limited. This research proposed that Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) undergraduate students may possess a higher level of Emotional Intelligence than Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) undergraduate students. The research also proposed that if differences were observed, that causal influences could be identified. Undergraduate engineering students at The Citadel completed The TalentSmart Emotional Intelligence Appraisal® along with demographic data and a variety of questions regarding their undergraduate experience. This research included freshman and senior students in Civil and Environmental (CEE) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at The Citadel. These surveys suggested that undergraduate engineering students increase their EI score as they advance from Freshman to Senior year. The surveys also suggest that Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Majors do not advance in their EI scores from Freshman to Senior year as well as Civil and Environmental (CEE) majors. A positive connection was established between work experience and the impact on higher levels of EI. A positive correlation for growth in EI score was also demonstrated for students who attended high schools with smaller graduating classes. Based on the results of this research, the paper proposes CEE and ECE faculty place increased emphasis on encouraging students to pursue summer jobs, internships, and similar extracurricular programs. Both CEE and ECE faculty should evaluate their curriculum with an eye towards inculcating learning opportunities for EI into course work. Additionally, faculty and admission officials should give at least equal consideration to admitting students who graduate from smaller schools that may offer less college prep courses that may appeal to admissions officials

Small Firm Audit Partner Hiring Crisis: A Role Play for Critical Thinking and Negotiation Skills

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
George R. Aldhizer
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Small Firm ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Planning Stage ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Final Agreement ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT This role play requires students to consider the complexities of a small CPA firm urgently attempting to replace the unique industry knowledge and experience possessed by a terminally ill audit partner. In this role play, students assume the position of either an existing partner or a former partner who is considering rejoining the firm. This role play includes two sections. First, in the planning stage, students brainstorm mutually equivalent options that satisfy their critical financial and nonfinancial interests to address the problem of replacing the terminally ill partner in their respective existing partner and former partner teams. Second, students engage in a “table” negotiation with their assigned counterpart to reach an amicable agreement to this firm crisis and participate in a debriefing session and prepare a debriefing document. The small firm context provides a unique opportunity to make contributions to the existing accounting and auditing literature related to enhancing students' critical thinking and negotiation skills. Distinctive small firm role play elements that should enhance critical thinking and negotiation skills include considering contingent agreements that dovetail differences in future legal liability forecasts, and dovetailing differences to take advantage of complementary skill sets to mitigate industry-specific auditor detection risks and related business risks.1 Critical thinking skills also should be strengthened through negotiating a package of interests and related options including the impact of various tradeoffs that are not fully known until the table negotiation commences so that the final agreement does not exceed the firm's non-negotiable budgetary constraints.

scholarly journals Enhancing Learning Through Reflection– A Case Study of SEEU

SEEU Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brikena Xhaferi ◽  
Gezim Xhaferi
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Good Tool ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Learning through reflection is one of the most interesting experiences that students might have. It is considered a very good tool for self-assessing learning. It is believed that “teachers who promote reflective classrooms ensure that students are fully engaged in the process of making meaning” (Costa and Kallick, 2008, para.5). Dewey (1991) was among the first researchers who based his work and research on the positive roles that reflection plays in fostering self-reflection and critical thinking. He has defined it as an active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief. Reflections give students opportunities to think and reflect about their learning and note down the obstacles they might face during this process. The present study aims to investigate the impact of journal writing in promoting critical-thinking skills, and its impact on enhancing learning. The study uses two instruments, a student refection journal and an interview. Also, Marzano’s New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives developed in 2000 was used in the third phase of the study. This Taxonomy contains Three Systems: the Self-system, the Metacognitive system and the Cognitive system. The overall study results show that reflection journals help students to become more independent learners, reflect on their learning experiences and identify the most useful learning strategies. Most importantly, all study participants hold positive attitudes towards reflection and they consider it as a valuable tool which can increase learning.

scholarly journals Active teaching model to promote critical thinking

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 ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Educational Intervention ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Active Teaching ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Teaching Learning

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.

scholarly journals The Impact of Online Mentoring in Implementing RADEC Learning to the Elementary School Teachers’ Competence in Training Students’ Critical Thinking Skills: A Case Study During COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-356
Author(s):  
H. Lestari ◽  
W. Sopandi ◽  
U. S. Sa'ud ◽  
B. Musthafa ◽  
D. Budimansyah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Online Mentoring ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to describe the impact of online mentoring activities in implementing the RADEC (Read, Answer, Discuss, Explain, and Create) learning model on the competence of elementary school teachers in training students’ critical thinking skills. The method was a pre-experiment with a one-group pretest-posttest design involving 25 elementary school teachers in Indonesia. The teachers received online mentoring in implementing RADEC learning model. The research instrument was a questionnaire to measure teachers’ knowledge and skills in training critical thinking. The data processing technique was carried out by calculating the mean and the percentage of each item to obtain a description of the teachers’ knowledge and skills in training students’ critical thinking before and after treatment. The data were analyzed inferentially with a paired sample t-test using SPSS version 22 software to see the impact of the treatment on teachers’ competence in training critical thinking. Based on the results of the paired-sample t-test, for both the knowledge and skills aspects, the probability value (sig) was 0.00 <0.05. This result means that there was a significant difference in the knowledge and skills of teachers in training students’ critical thinking skills before and after mentoring activities. The study results indicate that the online mentoring in implementing the RADEC learning model improved teachers’ competence in training elementary school students’ critical thinking skills. 

scholarly journals CARD GAME TO IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Gressick ◽  
Joel B. Langston
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Student Understanding ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Social Reasoning ◽  
Classroom Implementation ◽  
Iterative Design

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.

scholarly journals Guided Inquiry Lab: Its Effect to Improve Student’s Critical Thinking on Mechanics

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97
Author(s):  
Ade Febri ◽  
Sajidan Sajidan ◽  
Sarwanto Sarwanto ◽  
Dewanto Harjunowibowo
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Guided Inquiry ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Learning trends in the 21st-century require students to have the ability to sort appropriate information from certain sources. To do this, students must have critical thinking skills. One of the learning models that can facilitate students to think critically is a guided-inquiry lab. Thus, the purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the impact of the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model on students' critical thinking skills on mechanics material. A pre-experimental method employing one group pretest-posttest only design was applied to obtain students' critical thinking skills data before and after the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model. A total of 32 students from a junior high school in the city of Karanganyar, Central Java, were involved as the samples in this study. The data obtained were then analyzed using N-gain calculations. Based on the data analysis, there are 81.25% of students have medium creative thinking skills after being taught with a guided-inquiry lab, meaning there is an increase in the average score of students after being taught using a guided-inquiry lab model. It can be concluded that the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model is effective to improve students' critical thinking skills

scholarly journals Critical thinking skills: The academic ability, mastering concepts and analytical skill of undergraduate students

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tutut Indria Permana ◽  
Iin Hindun ◽  
Ndzani Latifatur Rofi'ah ◽  
Ardiani Samti Nur Azizah
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Academic Ability ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Correlated Factors ◽  
Analytical Skill

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.

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