Measuring Critical Thinking Through Concept Maps
A Semester-long Experiment in Lifespan Course
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol3.iss7.405Keywords:
Concept maps, Critical thinking, Lifespan, Undergraduates, StudentsAbstract
Critical thinking forms the core of our knowledge base. Students in higher education need practice and refinement of this skill crucial to help in their personal and social lives. The purposes of this study was to create an opportunity for the students in Lifespan Human Development course (n=20) to learn, practice and enhance critical thinking and conceptualization skills. This was studied using the assignment of Concept Maps, assessing the criteria Basic content, In-depth information, Connections/Comparisons, Theoretical/Holistic Views, Creativity/Novelty. Results showed that students improved in their critical thinking skills over the semester showing three performance patterns–Steady-progress, Inconsistent-progress, and Diffused. Researcher proposes that critical thinking ability to be introduced, practiced, supported, and promoted through deliberate instructional strategies and assessed regularly.
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