Web site logical path: [www.psy.gla.ac.uk] [~steve] [talks] [this page]
Presenters
Luke Timmons, former student of
School of Psychology,
University of Glasgow.
Steve Draper,
School of Psychology,
University of Glasgow.
Slides:
PDF
An interpretation of this is that critical thinking depends upon practice at
discussion which is based upon giving and assessing reasons; and furthermore
that it is opportunity for informal discussion and not formal education which
is the most important factor for this. No significant association of critical
thinking with discipline was found, as would be the case if the differences in
teaching-led demands for discussion were the important variable (either due to
disciplinary differences, or to teaching habits in different departments).
A further implication could be that the most important feature of the
transition from school to Higher Education is whom you live with, and that
this could be the biggest drawback to online and distance education. It also
suggests that in general, staff and students are equally oblivious to the key
educational value of discussion; or critical thinking skill would not depend
upon whom you live with but instead on deliberately arranged discussion. The
interesting, but unplanned, finding in this study stemmed from using an
established measure of critical thinking: this makes it an important candidate
for evidencing the impact of enhancements in higher education.
Web site logical path:
[www.psy.gla.ac.uk]
[~steve]
[talks]
[this page]
Handout:
Related material:
Abstract
A study which measured undergraduates' general critical thinking skill, using
Ennis' test, explored correlations of these test scores with demographic data.
The most statistically significant associations were not with commuting
distance or closeness to campus, but with whom the student lived. Best
average scores were for students living with friends; next were for those
living with parents; lowest were for living alone or with others who were not
friends.
In order to book online or obtain further information about the conference,
please visit
Enhancement and innovation in Higher Education.
[Top of this page]