Project C

Student engagement has oftentimes proposed a challenge. Today, educators find critical thinking essential method in the engagement of students (Abrami, Bernard, Borokovski, Wade & Surkes, 2008, p. 1103), but it seems that not much has happened. A study in 2007, (which measures the engagement of close to 500,000 students) reports student engagement continuously decreasing (Busteed). In efforts to improving student engagement in High Schools, researchers not only stress the involvement critical thinking, but the importance of understanding how engagement incorporates with students and teachers.

Generally, student engagement has always been a concern in whether students and teachers create meaningful discussions in learning. In this study, we investigate the opinions of high school students in whether they feel they can apply their knowledge to other learning environments. With the data, students will answer whether they strongly agree or disagree. We firstly discuss how students directly feel towards their environment-- and how critical thinking is incorporated in relationship to the expectation.

Critical thinking (CT) defines itself as an efficient series of purposeful judgments execution and (Tümkaya, Aybek, & Aldağ, 2009, p. 37). In another study, critical thinking is also defined as a series of cognitive skills: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation to what is true (Facione, 2013, p. 3; Moore & Parker, 2009, p. 3). Evidently, critical thinking is an imperative aspect of education, but the issue is how critical thinking is incorporated into education. Given that even three year olds are able to engage in critical thinking (Willingham, 2007, p. 10), cognitive psychologist Daniel T. Willingham recommends critical thinking has a dependent relationship on the atmosphere of the classroom (Willingham, 2007, p. 15). That is, the focus of understanding critical thinking really depends on how both students and teachers incorporate it.

Many studies have argued the methods in which critical thinking should be executed. While some preliminary research suggests that critical thinking is strongly associated with asking the right questions. (Browne & Keeley, 2007, p. 7), other research has suggested there are other underlying issues in which student engagement is dependent on. The Foundation of Critical Thinking (2008) stresses underlying issues such as bias and prejudice in the classroom. Although student engagement may be inaugurated in a variety of ways-- does it mean it’s effective? Rather than exploring different methods of classroom critical thinking, will focusing on collectively eliminating classroom bias and prejudice improve critical thinking? Another important premise within this framework is the importance of solidifying the foundations of non biased classroom to improve student critical thinking.

This study serves to investigate how the trend of student engagement has changed from surveys in 2009 to now-- 2017. In addition to explore whether new statistics show any significance from then to now, this study will consider if students directly believe critical thinking is incorporated in their learning. What are the subjects students are taught vs. what is expected from them?

Reference List

Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A. (M.L.I.S), Surkes, M. A.,

Tamim, R., & Zhang, D. (2008, Dec). Instructional interventions affecting critical

thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta analysis. Review of Educational

Research, 78(4), 1102-1134. doi:10.3102/0034654308326084 . Retrieved from

http://www.physics.emory.edu/faculty/weeks//journal/abrami-rer08.pdf

Browne, M. N., & Keeley, S. M. (2007). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical

thinking. Pearson Education. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/download/38866955/asking_the_right_questions.pdf

Busteed, B. (2013, Jan 7). The school cliff: student engagement drops with each

school year. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/170525/school-cliff-student-engagement-drops-school-year.aspx

Facione, P. A. (2013). Critical thinking: what it is and why it counts. Insight

Assessment. Retrieved from http://elementary.nrms.wikispaces.net/file/view/Critical+Thinking+and+Why+(2).pdf

Moore, B. N., & Parker R. (2009). Critical thinking. New York, New York: McGraw-

Hill Higher Education. Retrieved from http://fdjpkc.fudan.edu.cn/_upload/article/10/90/88bc33024683a80cd4da88fc41f0/b44b90d4-3455-4eca-9e9c-31011233c3d1.pdf

Paul R., & Elder L. (2008) The miniature guide to critical thinking concepts and tools.

The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ae91/0a3996c2ae6bfc3e1393896b5a2c270d5ff5.pdf

Tümkaya, S., Aybek, B., & Aldağ, H. (2009). An investigation of university students’

critical thinking disposition and perceived problem solving skills. Eurasian

Journal of Educational Research, 36, 57-74. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/5142165/An_Investigation_of_University_Students_Critical_Thinking_Disposition_and_Perceived_Problem_Solving_Skills_

Willingham, D. T. (2007). Critical thinking, why is it so hard to teach? American

Federation of Teachers. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/505e7a18e4b0a01995610030/t/54cfebe6e4b0c38f7e17b132/1422912486218/Crit_Thinking.pdf