scholarly journals The Relationship Between Quality of Student Contribution in Learning Activities and their Overall Performances in an Online Course

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Rajabalee Yousra Banoor ◽  
Frank Rennie ◽  
Mohammad Issack Santally
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Online Course ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Critical Skills ◽  
Four Levels

Abstract In this research we studied the correlation between the level of students’ online participation and their overall performances. We examined in this study, the participation level in different learning activities assigned to two large cohorts of learners, and compared them with their final grades at the end of the year. We defined the quality of their participation in the online course as being classified into the level of learning activities in which they participated. Learning activities were grouped into four levels which were identified namely at the knowledge, understanding, critical thinking skills and practical competencies. The findings revealed that participation in higher-order online learning activities, that is the higher ability to show critical skills and practical competencies, resulted in better grades of the learners in the module. However, the results also highlighted that overall students had a tendency to score more marks in the knowledge category as the activities required lower order cognitive skills. It was further observed that low performers demonstrated a tendency to obtain lower marks in all the four grouping levels and vice-versa for high performers. Two key elements can be concluded from the findings. The first aspect is about instructional design of such online courses where there is a need for the inclusion of learning activities targeted at the development of different types of skills, and second is the distribution and weighting given to these categories. The recommendation is that for first year students, a greater weighting of marks toward knowledge level activities will generally encourage good performances, and this could be gradually reviewed when they move on to level 2 onwards in their studies.

scholarly journals Cognitive Growth Learning Model to Improve the Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-123
Author(s):  
Aprilia Nurul Chasanah
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Differential Calculus ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cognitive Growth ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Central Java

The ability to think critically and mathematically is strongly needed so that the students are able to face the challenges of 4.0 industrial revolution. By thinking critically, they are expected to be more adaptive in finding solutions to each problem. This study aims to identify the students' mathematical critical thinking skills in solving differential calculus problem solving based on some indicators of mathematical critical thinking skills in learning using cognitive growth model. This is a Classroom Action Research (CAR) which was caried out within four weeks in the odd semester of academic year 2018/2019. The subjects of this study were the first-year students of the Mathematics Education Program in one of higher education institutions in Magelang, Central Java who took the Differential Calculus course. Data collection techniques in this study were test, observation, and interviews. The test results were then analyzed quantitatively, and the indicators of critical thinking skills in each question were also described. Based on the results of the study, it can be shown that about 30% students who begin to think critically is initiated by achieving the indicator of analyzing the arguments. However, not all students who begin to think critically are also able to draw conclusions precisely through deductive and inductive reasoning. There are only five or 16.67% who have been able to draw conclusions correctly.

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 The graduation paper in Translation Studies: Nuances of critical thinking

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-100
Author(s):  
Iulia Bobăilă ◽  
Manuela Mihăescu ◽  
Alina Pelea
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Translation Studies ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Skills

Critical thinking skills play a vital role in a knowledge society and have a direct influence on the quality of teaching and learning. We aim at highlighting the way in which the graduation paper in Translation Studies can become an excellent opportunity to encourage students to test the applicability of key concepts from this field and to tackle research systematically. Based on our experience of supervising graduation papers on translation studies-related topics, we have identified students’ typical approaches and recurring difficulties. This allows us to suggest possible solutions for the problems encountered, depending on each stage of the process. Our purpose as supervisors is to endow students with the cognitive flexibility they need in order to draw up an adequate research plan, use translation assessment criteria creatively and hone their critical skills for future real-life situations.

scholarly journals Critical Thinking Performance Increases in Psychology Undergraduates Measured Using a Workplace-Recognized Test

2020 ◽  
pp. 009862832095798
Author(s):  
Merce Prat-Sala ◽  
Mike van Duuren
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Transferable Skills ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Background: Higher education institutions and universities aim to provide students with a range of transferable skills that enable them to become more thoughtful and effective employees, citizens, and consumers. One of these skills is critical thinking. Objective: The aim of the present research was to examine whether taking a psychology degree is concomitant with students’ increase in critical thinking skills when students are not explicitly taught critical thinking. Method: Study 1 utilized a cross-sectional design and Study 2 a longitudinal design. The Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA, UK) was used to measure critical thinking. Results: For both studies, the overall scores of WGCTA, as well as scores of the subtest of Recognition of Assumptions, were significantly higher for final-year than for first-year students. Conclusion: From the findings, we conclude that the levels of critical thinking by final-year psychology students may be enhanced. Teaching implications: We propose that teaching other aspects of critical thinking such as Evaluation of Arguments and Interpretation, as measured by this test, could be beneficial in further developing psychology students’ overall critical thinking performance.

scholarly journals ReCODE to Re-Code: An Instructional Model to Accelerate Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Sitti Saenab ◽  
Siti Zubaidah ◽  
Susriyati Mahanal ◽  
Sri Rahayu Lestari
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Instructional Model ◽  
Instructional Models ◽  
Instructional Tools ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
New Information

The instructional models that have been implemented in the classroom could not support the development of students’ critical thinking skills. These instructional models can be well implemented if those models can facilitate students with meaningful learning experiences such as reading, connecting prior knowledge to new information being learned in the classroom as well as doing investigation-based activities, discussion activities, and evaluation activities. The authors conducted the research to develop a ReCODE (Reading, Connecting, Observing, Discussing, Evaluating) instructional model and valid, practical, and effective tools. The procedures for developing the model included the preliminary research phase, prototyping phase, and assessment phase. Data on the validity of the model were collected using expert validation instruments, while the practicality of the model was measured using the instruments for the model’s component practicality and the model’s implementation. The effectiveness of the model was examined using the critical thinking test and questionnaires. The model was implemented to first-year students from the Department of Biology Education, Universitas Negeri Makassar, in the even semester of 2018/2019. The results showed that ReCODE was (1) valid, in terms of the theory underlying the development of the model, the components of the model, and the instructional tools accompanying the model, (2) practical because it had feasible components, and the learning process could be carried out successfully, and (3) effective in improving student critical thinking skills; the model also received positive responses from the lecturer and the students. Thus, this study’s findings suggest that the ReCODE instructional model can be applied in the classroom to facilitate critical thinking.

scholarly journals Strategies to Minimise Students’ Weaknesses in Discussion Essay

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-114
Author(s):  
Dexter Sigan John
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Academic English ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Good Writing ◽  
Elective Course ◽  
Purposive Sample

Discussion essay plays a crucial role in academic writing. It has been proven to enhance students' analytical and critical thinking skills effectively. However, students often struggle to compose a good writing due to their inability to use the language features. In that regard, this study aims to identify students’ weaknesses in the discussion essay and the changes seen after the intervention. The study used a purposive sample of 10 first-year students from the Computational Science Programme in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) who took Academic English 2 as an elective course. The study adapted the four stages of action research proposed by Mertler and Charles (2005). It administered a pre-test, post-test and an observation on the students. The findings indicate a significant decrease in the frequency of errors in the language features, namely verb, persuasive language and technical terms, after the two-month intervention. Students also exhibited positive learning behaviour throughout the intervention by participating actively in the learning activities.

scholarly journals Developing critical thinking skills through the lens of understanding intercultural values

2021 ◽  
pp. 66-70
Author(s):  
Svitlana Ustychenko
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
Intercultural Encounters ◽  
Globalized World

In today’s globalized world intercultural competence, criticalthinking skills are necessary to interact successfully with peoplefrom different cultures with their different values, practices, andways of communicating to avoid conflicts and misunderstanding.English teachers as foreign language (EFL) teachers, we arepreparing our students for future intercultural encounters makingthem flexible in their thinking and recognize that people arecomplex. Through reading, writing, listening and speakingactivities we always can find powerful and appropriate ways toinclude culture and critical thinking in EFL classes. The givenlesson plan «Changing lives: charity and volunteering» isdeveloped for a group of thirteen first-year students aged 15-16,of level A2+/B1, having 6 academic hours of English as anobligatory subject per week at Cherkasy State Business Collegeand aimed at working on the following critical thinking aspects aswell as intercultural awareness and culture aspects: examiningexisting bias and prejudice; distinguishing observation andinterpretation; understanding other students’ point of view;cultivating applying «universal intellectual values» (clarity,accuracy, consistency, depth, breadth, fairness); applying activelistening techniques; considering values which impact people’sactivity, encouraging compassion, volunteerism and charity.

scholarly journals The impact of the integrated assessment on the critical thinking skills of the first-year Extended Curriculum Programme students in the Department of Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Melanie Bernice Cloete
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Integrated Assessment ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Integrated Assessments ◽  
Experimental Group

Empirical evidence highlighted the problem of underprepared graduates who lack critical thinking skills required in the work environment. Institutions of higher learning have been mandated to provide graduates with these critical thinking skills. However, in order to achieve this mandate, teaching, and, in particular, assessment practices at institutions of higher learning would need to be rethought and transformed. Integrated assessments that mirror real life situations are particularly useful in the development of critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the integrated assessment conducted with the first-year ECP students in the Department of Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology has enhanced the critical thinking skills of these students. This descriptive and inferential study employed a quantitative strategy, with a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent group design and it was longitudinal in nature. The target population consisted of two groups: all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Management Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (experimental group); and all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Financial Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (control group). All five categories of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal UK edition were administered to both the control and experimental groups in a pre-test and post-test measure. However, only the experimental group was exposed to the integrated assessment. The aim was to measure the change, if any, in the students’ critical thinking skills over a period of time. The findings revealed a statistical significance in the overall post-test scores in favour of the experimental group. The norm group comparisons also revealed that, after the completion of the integrated assessment, the experimental group’s post-test mean scores were higher than the US grade 12 students and were closely matched to the US first year of 4 year colleges. In addition, the experimental group’s pre-and post-test mean scores were closely matched to the SA norm group. These results suggested that the experimental group experienced gains in their critical thinking ability in the post-integrated assessment. It is, therefore, recommended that integrated assessments, which are based on real world problems, should be conducted in the first year and in subsequent years. It is not always possible for universities of technology to offer cooperative education/ in-service training to all students. Contextualized integrated assessments, therefore, bridge this gap by allowing students to experience workplace requirements without physically being in the work environment.

A Compass During the Storm: Offering Students Critical Rigor for Polarizing Times

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objective ◽  
First Year

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.

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