Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking skills

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VisorBoy
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Re: Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking ski

Post by VisorBoy »

The article is a little misleading. It states that Plymouth State improves critical thinking ability from Freshman to Senior year, yet UT-Austin does not. The missing fact here is that Freshman at UT-Austin are actually more proficient critical thinkers than Seniors at Plymouth State, per the CLA+ data.

https://graphics.wsj.com/table/THINKTEST_0510

In other words, UT-Austin enrollees are already good critical thinkers. The role of the university experience at UT-Austin is to prepare talented incoming students for the most demanding jobs. At Plymouth State, the role may be geared more to teaching critical thinking skills to those who lack them.

Large universities ideally should play both roles due to the diversity of educational talent in a large Freshman class. But the critical thinking value added would still be diluted by those with high abilities as incoming Freshmen.

It would be helpful to see data on how the critical thinking skills of graduating Seniors have varied over time. Then we could better judge the educational performance of the universities. It would also help to know if there is a 'ceiling score' of critical thinking on the test itselfs (or a practical ceiling in real life).
Last edited by VisorBoy on Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Major Kong
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Re: Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking ski

Post by Major Kong »

I've always been of the opinion that actual critical thinking is not learned as much as it's innate, you either have it or you don't.

I'm not against offering educational instruction on examples but my experience in the field has always been there are thos that just don't grok.

Crisis Management is much the same way...folks just crumble when the schitt hits the fan. :)
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Re: Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking ski

Post by Florida Hokie »

Major Kong wrote:I've always been of the opinion that actual critical thinking is not learned as much as it's innate, you either have it or you don't.

I'm not against offering educational instruction on examples but my experience in the field has always been there are thos that just don't grok.

Crisis Management is much the same way...folks just crumble when the schitt hits the fan. :)
Critical thinking and crisis management are completely different in my opinion. Critical thinking can be taught, as can crisis management but the two require different personality traits. Critical thinking requires patience whereas crisis management requires, for lack of a better term, balls to make a quick, informed decision.

College education used to teach critical thinking skills - they've totally lost their way there/
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Re: Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking ski

Post by HokieJoe »

Major Kong wrote:I've always been of the opinion that actual critical thinking is not learned as much as it's innate, you either have it or you don't.

I'm not against offering educational instruction on examples but my experience in the field has always been there are thos that just don't grok.

Crisis Management is much the same way...folks just crumble when the schitt hits the fan. :)
I think several classes helped teach me to be a critical thinker: research methods, philosophy (which was just logic and epistemology), econ and stats.
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Major Kong
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Re: Study: US Colleges fail to improve critical thinking ski

Post by Major Kong »

HokieJoe wrote:I think several classes helped teach me to be a critical thinker: research methods, philosophy (which was just logic and epistemology), econ and stats.
Then you have it and had it since birth. Some people even after hours classes just don't get it and there is nothing wrong with that.

It's like trying to teach height or gender...oh wait :!: :P

In all seriousness though I'm of the opinion that teaching and offering classes in critical thinking is a great thing. It gives those that have the talent to recognize it and use it...those don't have it become gender studies majors. :mrgreen:

One thing that I've found very useful is actually being in position to use critical thinking skills...it has served me well. Today however I think many of our "students" tend to get offended before thinking things out.
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