Critical Thinking Criteria
After a month hiatus, we are glad to continue sharing SoTL research through this blog in my new role as a Clinical Professor and Director of the Center for Teaching at New York University Shanghai. This week, we will share the July 2018 article, "Critical Thinking Criteria for Evaluating Online Discussion” by Bernstein and Isaac.
In this study, the authors remind us of the challenges to promote meaningful engagement in online conversations, and student development of critical thinking skills. Further, they note the potential shortcomings to assess, measure and evaluate critical thinking through rubrics. The study used quantitative and qualitative data from faculty to identify their attitudes about critical thinking attributes as performance measures for evaluation rubrics. Factor analysis revealed that the response patterns clustered for each factor represented the themes:
1) demonstrates logic and reasoning (offering accurate supporting evidence, strategies. solutions); &
2) creative critical thought processes (novel perceptions, bias refutation, and alternative-seeking).
Critical thinking descriptors that aligned to the seven criteria, including:
Problem identification: clear problem statement, nature of problem, novel perception, linked to historical phenomenon
Clarifying question: accurate paraphrasing, provides dichotomy, refutes bias Logic of argument: clear and valid assumptions, flow of arguments, sequence of ideas
Evidence/supportive information: clear connection to logic, relevant examples
Synthesis of ideas: clearly connects concepts, identifies differences and commonalities, reveals patterns
References to readings: attribution, accuracy in paraphrasing and quotations, demonstrates understanding, original thought related to readings
Problem solving: clearly expresses solution or strategy, logical result of evidence
Ultimately, the authors suggest that faculty should use an evaluation rubric that encompasses these two dimensions.
Bernstein, A., & Isaac, C. (2018). Critical Thinking Criteria for Evaluating Online Discussion, International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 12(2).
You can find all OER papers for this journal at IJSoTL.
