ERIC Number: EJ726985
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 11
Abstractor: Author
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4871
The Effect of Perceived Learner Advantages on Teachers' Beliefs about Critical-Thinking Activities
Warburton, Edward; Torff, Bruce
Journal of Teacher Education, v56 n1 p24-33 2005
To investigate teachers' beliefs about critical-thinking (CT) activities for different populations of learners, the Critical Thinking Belief Appraisal (CTBA) was administered to 145 practicing secondary teachers. Teachers rated both high-CT and low-CT activities as more effective for high advantage learners than low advantage ones, demonstrating strong "advantage effects." They also rated high-CT activities as more effective than low-CT ones for both high-advantage and low advantage learners, demonstrating "pedagogical-preference effects" stronger for high-advantage learners than low-advantage ones. Although these results are inconsistent with the assertion that teachers favor low-CT activities over high-CT ones for low-advantage learners, the results suggest that low-advantage learners may receive fewer high-CT activities in schools, which may hinder their academic performance. Studies of the development of teachers' CT-related beliefs are needed, with the goal of establishing teacher-education practices emphasizing appropriate use of high-CT activities for low-advantage learners.
Descriptors: Critical Thinking, Teaching Methods, Teacher Attitudes, Beliefs, Learning Activities, Measures (Individuals), Secondary School Teachers, Academic Achievement, Educationally Disadvantaged
SAGE Publications, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243 (Toll Free); Fax: 800-583-2665 (Toll Free).
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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