Application of critical thinking approach in the education system its influence and efficiency in La

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Application of critical thinking approach in the
education system its influence and efficiency
in Latvia
RESEARCH
Riga, April 30th 2008
Project Application of critical thinking
approach in the education system its influence
and efficiency in Latvia
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Contents

• RESEARCH DESIGN
• Methods of data collection
• Target groups
• Structure of analysis

Research methodology

• CONTRIBUTION
• Acquirement of CT approach in higher schools and
  continuing education
• PROCESS
• CT approach practice from experts point of view
• CT approach practice in schools KD
• OUTCOMES
• Results of students questionnaire

Research outcomes
DISCUSSION Possible solutions and
recommendations?
Action directives
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Aims and objectives
Aims

• Investigate experience of CT approach
  implementation in the education system
• Identify CT approach implementation opportunities
  and obstacles

Objectives

• CT training model for higher schools and
  continuing education
• Schools practical experiences in CT approach
  application
• Challenges in CT approach implementation common
  causes and solutions
• Surveying CT approach implementation results
  its social efficiency in schools

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Methods and target groups
Students

• 7th and 8th grade students (n600)
• Criteria for selecting questionary items
• Questionnaire fill-in forms

Teachers and administration

• Teachers with short/long-term experiences
• Principals of schools with short/long-term
  experiences
• Partially structured in-depth interviews (n20)
• Question sheets

Experts

• Faculty for programmes of pedagogy studies
• CT instructors
• Representatives of policy makers
• Partially structured in-depth interviews (n11)

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CONTRIBUTION

ACQUIREMENT OF CT APPROACH IN HIGHER SCHOOLS AND
CONTINUING EDUCATION
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CT training model in higher schools
CT approach training in study programmes

• CT approach course included in separate
  specializations programmes
• Elements of CT approach included in other courses
• Insufficient amount of course credits
• Difficulties adopting a new course in a study
  programme
• Various study stages when students are trained in
  CT approach
• INCONSISTENT COURSE STATUS

Motivation

• Stereotype CT approach methods are intended for
  teaching literacy skills
• Irregular attendance of lectures

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ISSUES in higher schools
Issues

• Theoretical framework or practical methodology?
• Humanitarian/social or exact/natural science
  subjects?
• What should CT approach training model be like?
• Limited human resources in higher schools
• How to ensure a connection between knowledge and
  skills?

Consequences

• Fragmentation of CT approach is increasing
• CT approach resources and its sphere of influence
  (social environment) are not utilized fully
• Segmentation between subjects is increasing
• Possibility the course will be excluded from the
  study programme
• Inexperienced teachers are often keen to stick to
  old and tried methods

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ACTION DIRECTIVES
Teaching model

• Secure CT approach course status in study
  programmes
• Specify a reasonable number of course credits
• Integrated model include CT approach training in
  existing mandatory courses
• Anticipate risks of integrated model and produce
  strategies to avert them

Connecting knowledge with practice

• Specify mandatory CT approach practice
  requirements
• Define specific means of meeting these
  requirements, not subordinate them to students
  availability

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CT approach training model in continuing education
Situation update

• CT approach training is a separate course
• CT approach is integrated in other continuing
  education courses
• Course duration and provided feedback
• Importance of courses in promoting exchange of
  experience

Motivation

• ? Teachers motivation CT approach resources and
  opportunities
• ? CT appr. integration in other continuing
  education courses
• ? Causes for undermined motivation
• Notion of humanitarian subjects being more
  appropriate
• Indisposition of some teachers to change old
  habits of their job
• Indisposition towards increasing knowledge about
  CT approach.

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ISSUES in continuing eduaction
Issues

• Theoretical framework or practical methodology?
• Humanitarian/social or exact/natural science
  subjects?
• How to ensure feedback?
• How to ensure an effective connection between
  theory and practice?

Risks

• ? Sticking to old and tried methods
  furthering fragmentation of CT approach
  application
• ? Teachers inactivity in using target-orientated
  methods and adequate materials
• ? Increasing fragmentation
• ? Inadequate image about CT approach as an
  ineffective one

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POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND BENEFITS
Training model

• Propose a two-part CT approach training course
  education philosophy and practical methods
• A solution to teachers segmentation by study
  subjects
• Recognizing CT approach potential
• Promotion of motivation

Theory and practice

• Anticipate feedback provision during course
  preparation
• A system to promote teachers motivation
• Feedback as a prerequisite for CT approach
  approbation un potential recognition

Evaluation

• Course evaluation prior to programme
  implementation
• Course self-appraisal during its progress
• Evaluation a specific time after courses
  conclusion

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PROCESS

CT APPROACH PRACTICE EXPERTS AND TEACHERS
EXPERIENCES
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Practice experts point of view

• CT approach in the system of education is based
  on teachers initiative and goodwill

Teachers personality
Fragmentation

• CT approach is not applied complexly, but rather
  as a body of separate methods
• CT approach potential is not target-orientated
  (convenient, favourite, tried strategies
• Sources of CT approach knowledge

Segmentation

• Notion about CT approach being appropriate
  (only?) for humanitarian/social subjects

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BENEFITS and DRAWBACKS
DRAWBACKS ? Time-consuming ? Unclear valuation
criteria ? Lack of appreciation from parents ?
Difficulty to introduce appropriate CT methods

• BENEFITS
• ? Variety of communication models
• ? Increased student involvement
• ? Positive impact on students motivation
• ? Positive impact on students performance
• ? Development of social skills

Experts assessment
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PRACTICE teachers experiences

• Ive been using it for a long time, I just
  didnt call it CT
• Typical tendency to percieve CT as a body of
  interactive methodology

CT perception
Game

• Teachers with short-term experience tend to talk
  about their experiences, using words like game,
  play, etc.

Fragmentation

• Typical practiceCT approach is not applied
  complexly, but as a body of separate
  methods/strategies
• Combining CT approach methods with others

System

• CT approach as an education philosophy and a
  synthesized application of its corresponding
  methods examples of good practice

Length of experience

• Teachers actual experience is not determined by
  their schools experience
• Role of a teachers personality in implementing
  CT

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Potential of CT appoach teachers

• ? CT helps develop thinking skills and skills of
  individual work
• ? CT contribution in refining socials skills

Skills
Active participation
? CT appr. furthers the use of active methods of
obtaining knowledge ? Participation of all
players in the teaching process
A chance for each student
? Recognizing ones abilities and skills ?
Development of a students personality
Interesting to learn

• ? CT approach is one of the most successful
  alternatives of teaching process organization in
  schools

Diversity
? Potential to vary the methods applied ?
Importance of understanding diversity in the
cognition process ? Tolerance of diversity (of
all kinds)
Motivation
? ? Ambiguous evaluation of its influence on
students motivation to learn
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ISSUES and SOLUTIONS... (I)

• On policy-making and implementation levels
• Development of CT skills is fragmentarily
  included in policy papers
• CT approach is not applied complexly, but rather
  as a body of separate methods

Fragmentation
Testbooks and teaching aids

• One of the weakest links in introducing CT
  approach
• CT approach strategies introduced superficially
  and fragmentarily
• Orientation on volume of material and
  reproduction
• Focuses on humanitarian subjects
• Lack of clarification on use and aims of a
  specific method

• Teachers methodology is not limited
• Necessity to set clear education goals and
  priorities

Teachers role

• To further the application efficiency of CT
  approach, a succession of access application is
  required primary school elementary school
  secondary school

Succession
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ISSUES and SOLUTIONS... (II)
Schools environment

• Attitudes of a schools administration and staff
  towards CT approach
• Student readiness to participate in implementing
  CT approach
• Cooperation between teachers, exchange of
  experience

Schools resources

• Technical resources
• Human resources shortage of pedagogues and
  burning out

Time-consuming

• Myth or truth? discordant experiences and
  opinions

Exam cult

• Unconformity between textbook material and tests
• Focus on final results on exams, not on
  learning process (teachers and parents)

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OUTCOMES

INDICATORS OF CT APPROACH INFLUENCE STUDENTS
QUESTIONNAIRE
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Research instrument for influence of CT approach
Learning process

• Models of communication
• Active/passive learning techniques
• Creative/reproductive techniques

Involvement

• Participation in social activities in
  class/school
• Participation in extra-curricular activities
• Assessment of the significance of participation

• Tolerance towards social and cultural groups
• Tolerance towards diversity
• Discriminatory attitudes

Tolerance
Ability to reason/argue

• Benefits/disadvantages of emigration
• Evaluating statements about good and bad
• Behavioural strategies in day-to-day situations

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GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

• ? Students are open to CT approach and its
  respective methods
• ? No major differences between schools with
  short-term or long-term CT approach experiences

Conclusions
Why?

• Self-appraisal of a schools experience
• Duration of a students experience
• CT approach is taught through a number of
  separate subjects
• Application is fragmented rather than complex
  and structured
• CT approach consolidation is being hindered
• Influence of predominant public discourse on
  students answers
• Family roles in attaining social efficiency

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ACTION DIRECTIVES
CONTRIBUTION

• Improving models of CT approach training

PROCESS

• Preventing issues of fragmentation
• Utilization of CT approach potential and resources

RESULTS

• Identifying criteria for CT approach influence
  and efficiency
• Long-term monitoring of CT approach influence and
  efficiency

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DISCUSSION

• Baltic Institute of Social Sciences
• Elizabetes str. 65 16, Riga
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• www.biss.soc.lv