ERIC Number: EJ1042995
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 58
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1812-9129
Enhancing Educators' Skills for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Classroom Discourses: A Randomized Control Trial
Gul, Raisa B.; Khan, Shehla; Ahmed, Azra; Cassum, Shanaz; Saeed, Tanveer; Parpio, Yasmin; Schopflocher, Donald; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne
International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, v26 n1 p37-54 2014
The literature reveals that educators find it challenging to foster critical thinking (CT) in their students if they have not learned how to use CT in their educational system or training. This paper reports findings from a national research project that was undertaken to enhance the educators' ability to promote CT in their teaching practices. Using a randomized control trial design with a preand post-test, 91 educators from 14 of the 17 schools of nursing in Pakistan consented to enroll in the study and 72 completed the study. The intervention included 40 hours of learning experience during two workshops that focused on CT. Data were collected, pre- and post-intervention, via observations and audiotaping of the participants teaching sessions for 60-90 minutes. The data obtained was assessed for the educators' level of questioning, teaching strategies, and facilitation skills. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Compared with the preintervention data, findings from the post-intervention data in the experimental group revealed positive changes in their pedagogical skills, including a significant increase in the number of higher order questions that are considered important for developing students' CT skills. This study affirms that educators must have structured training to use and foster CT in their teaching practices.
Descriptors: Critical Thinking, Skill Development, Intervention, Teaching Methods, Control Groups, Pretests Posttests, Nursing Education, Foreign Countries, Workshops, Statistical Analysis, Experimental Groups, Teaching Skills, Teacher Education, Teacher Characteristics, College Faculty, Outcomes of Education, Observation
International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning. Web site: http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: Pakistan

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