Nurturing the Reflective
Practitioner: Enhancing pedagogical
robustness through active inquiry.
Presented at: Redesigning Pedagogy Conference
3 to 5 June 2013
Presented by: Mary George Cheriyan (Chairperson)
Jarina Peer
Tan Yen Chuan
Masturah Abdul Aziz
Lucille Yap
Yeo Jun Han
The 4 Presentations in the Symposium
1. Enhancing pedagogical robustness through active
inquiry.
By MARY George Cheriyan
2. The Benefits and Challenges of Practitioner Inquiry:
Teachers’ Perspectives
By Jarina PEER, Tan YEN CHUAN, MASTURAH Abdul Aziz
3. Effective Questioning, Effective Learning
By LUCILLE Yap, Yeo JUN HAN
4. Correlations between Article Review and WatsonGlaser Critical Thinking Appraisal
By AZAHAR Bin Mohamed Noor
Is good teaching hinged on
reflection?
Reflective Practice
• Reflective practice is the habit of
inquiring and investigating a problem
situation in order to understand how to
frame a solution (Donald Schon,1983)
The Moral-Ethical Dimension in Reflective Practice:
Attitudes (Dewey, 33)
Openmindedness
Respect for diversity
Humility
Hope in the learner
Responsibility
Considers consequences
Makes meaning of
experiences for teacher
& learner
Wholeheartedness/
Engagement
Curious about subject
and impact of teaching
on learning
Teaching as
an artistry
Refines & hones the
craft
Assertion: Reflective Practice boosts
teacher professionalism
Calibre
Discourse
Knowledge
Creation
• to challenge assumptions of
pedagogical practices, be current
with estd principles of practice;
refine craft
• cultivates professional confidencearticulate professional beliefs; learn
from others
• think & observe critically; frame &
challenge theories and models.
Assertion: Reflective Practice
strengthens theory-practice nexus
3 levels of teacher
knowledge and
inquiry (CochranSmith & Lytle, 1999)
Knowledge of Practice: Teachers generate
knowledge by making their classrooms and school
sites for inquiry, connecting their work to larger
issues, and take a critical perspective on the theory
and research of others
Knowledge in Practice: Teachers derive practical
teaching knowledge from experience, reflection &
inquiry
Knowledge for Practice: Teachers learn content &
pedagogical knowledge from researchers & apply it.
PeRL Research Ecosystem
How and in what ways can teachers be
supported in their development as
thoughtful, reflective practitioners, so
that they may be active contributors to
the teaching community?
Schoolwide: driven by Specialists; policy
implications
Practitioner Inquiry: conducted by indv/
grp of teachers to inquire into a classrm
or departmental practice
Knowledge
Sharing
Research
Office:
-Defines
categories
-Call for
proposals
-Protocols
-Nomination for
-Training
PeRL
Research
Ecosystem
Knowledge
creation/
sharing
Benefits and challenges
faced within this
ecosystem by teachers
who have embarked on
Practitioner Inquiry
-Integrate with
fraternity
-Research
Build capacity
–Assign PeRL
Advisors
presentations
-Publish in Inhouse magazine
Protocols
submission
Oversight
Ethics
Guidance
Platforms
Infrastructure
& Tools
-Software
Idea
Incubation
- Newsletter:
trends
-align to school’s
curriculum
review
-Website:
Resource &
Repository
Is Good teaching hinged on reflection ?
Yes
Is Good teaching hinged on systematic inquiry?
ie, research design, data gathering and analysis?
Possibly: impact on teacher professionalism
If the goal is to share it with the larger educational
fraternity,… it is necessary.
Reflective Practice
Systematic Enquiry
Metacognition
‘Stepping Stones’ questions
Professionalism
Participation in educational
fraternity
Enhance student learning
Teacher growth
The Motivations, Benefits and
Challenges of Practitioner
Inquiry: Teachers’ Perspectives
Dr. Jarina Peer, Ms. Tan Yen Chuan,
Ms. Masturah Aziz
Rationale
• To develop an understanding of the factors
that influence teachers’ readiness in
embarking on Practitioner Inquiry (PI) by
– investigating the motivations, benefits and
challenges faced by them
– looking at the support system in place
Context
• Several teachers in this school have been involved in
practitioner inquiry projects; however, there are
emerging issues related to this effort to promote PI
in the school as
– teachers are not researchers and some teachers may not have the
necessary research knowledge
– experienced teachers often have sufficient tacit knowledge to be able
to reflect and improve their pedagogy without research
– the ability to do research was not perceived to be a core competency
of a teacher
Context
• RGS PeRL is now looking at lifting the baseline
towards encouraging and enabling teachers
into a path of a systematic inquiry
– Focus is on RGS PeRL facilitated research
Research Question
• Overarching research question:
“What are the factors that influence teacher
readiness in embarking on practitioner inquiry?”
• Guiding research questions:
– What are the motivations, benefits and challenges
faced by teachers on embarking on practitioner
inquiry?
– What are the infrastructure and system in place to
support a culture of informed practice?
Literature Review
The Teacher Growth Model
•Due to the multi-faceted nature of
teacher’s work, this implies that
having a repertoire of strategies and
content mastery is not sufficient for a
teacher to be a competent
professional in the 21 century.
st
•The teacher will have to pursue
professional development through
multiple modes of learning, which
include reflective practice, researchbased practice, conferences and
mentoring etc. (Ministry of Education,
2012)
Literature Review
Teacher Leadership
• Teachers are leaders when they function in
professional communities to affect student
learning; contribute to school improvement;
inspire excellence in practice; and empower
stakeholders to participate in educational
improvement (Childs-Bowen, Moller, &
Scrivner, 2000, p. 28)
Literature Review
Teacher Motivation
•Sylvia & Hutchinson (1985) concluded: “Teacher
motivation is based in the freedom to try new
ideas, achievement of appropriate responsibility
levels, and intrinsic work elements.
•They explain that true job satisfaction is derived
from the gratification of higher-order needs, “social
relations, esteem, and actualization” rather than
lower-order needs.
Methodology & Data Collection Methods
• Methodology: A case study approach
 To develop a deep understanding on the factors influencing teacher’s
readiness in embarking on practitioner inquiry.
Data Collection
Methods
Secondary data:
Needs Analysis
Survey
Document
Analysis
3 Focus Groups
Discussions
2 Interviews
Data Analysis Methods
Data
Display
Data
Collection
Data
Reduction
Conclusion:
Drawing
and
Verifying
(Miles & Huberman, 1994)
Thematic analysis was used to
identify recurring patterns in the
data
• conclusions were drawn and
verified through the review
and defining of emergent
themes
• overarching concept and final
themes were emerged based
on the similarities,
differences, patterns and
relationship of the data
Findings
Summary
• A shared vision drives a culture of informed practice
–the role of PI within the school’s strategic direction
–PI is a Viable Solution for:
a)
b)
Theory-Practice Nexus
Teacher Professionalism
• Teacher’s beliefs and preferences about reflective practice
and teacher professionalism motivate their decision
–A shared vision shapes the way staff members go about their work and strong
leaders play a significant role in building this culture, which, once established, is
deeply embedded in the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of staff members.(Picucci,
2002).
Findings
Recognition
Management
Support
Shared Vision
Regard PI as a contribution comparable to the
other established contributions a teacher can
make to the school
Support
Support PI efforts visibly and notably such that it
becomes a collective responsibility
Value of PI
Believe in and advocate in the usefulness of a PI
as a Viable Solution
Support
Structure
Investment needed in structures which promote
and support PI and productively use findings
Infrastructure
PI as a Viable
Solution
Teachers’
Perception
Relationships
Relationship-building platforms are needed to
foster colleagues’ support and participation
Improving
T&L
Improvements in student learning and
curriculum are achieved through investigation,
evaluation, etc.
Professional
Development
PI affords recognition of work, exposure,
opportunities & training for career advancement
Personal
Interest
Passion and interest may lead teachers to pursue
PI for their own personal satisfaction
Findings
Final Themes
Supporting Evidences
Management Support
“There must be more extrinsic motivation, in terms of giving them [teachers]
time and recognition of what they do.”
- Recognition
- Support
- Value of PI
“Although there are encouragement for teachers to do PI, but it is more of
teachers’ own initiative …”
“The higher management sees the usefulness and support you in doing the PI.”
Infrastructure
- Support Structure
- Relationships
“You need to set up a kind of task force, start up a committee, identify
someone who is able to spearhead, e.g. someone who is trained in doing
research, but also at the same time getting people in the department to work
together to gather data from many classes. The support.”
“When you work as a team, you need to work with people who are able to do
it and want to do it.”
Teachers’ Perception
of PI
“Embark on PI to find an answer to solve a concern about something/ a
problem.”
- Improving T&L
- Professional
Development
- Personal Interest
“The topics that I choose to do action research will be those that can show
improvement in students’ standards and command of language/ writing.”
“Have the opportunity to collaborate with external researchers/ teachers/
colleagues with common interest/ common discipline.”
“Action research has always been something that I wanted to do.”
Findings
Challenges to Teachers’ Readiness in embarking on PI
•Challenges surfaced allow identification of strengths and Areas for
Improvement (AFIs), and will be elaborated further in the next
section.
•Challenges identified from data are:
–More tangible value attributed to PI is needed
–Recognition of teachers’ contributions in terms of teaching and learning and
professional development
–Fine-tuning existing structures
–The resistance to change when findings are proposed to be implemented on a bigger
scale
–Viable Alternative Solutions which may seem more attractive than PI
–Lack of interest in conducting research
–Enhancing teacher competencies and confidence
Discussion & Recommendation
A Shared Vision to Promote a Culture of PI
Strength
• RGS promotes a culture of PI, thus, an
infrastructure has been set up in the form of RGS
PeRL.
Areas of Improvement
• This Shared Vision has to be instilled across all levels,
through
1) Management articulation of PI as a strategic focus
2) Improved Infrastructural Support
Discussion & Recommendation
1) Management Support
Strengths
•Based on the document analysis
• RGS supports PI as a viable solution to strengthen the
theory-practice nexus and enhance teacher
professionalism.
• RGS PeRL provides support and structures to drive PI as a
school-wide approach
AFIs
•To embed PI in the school culture, the school
management will need to incorporate PI within the
school’s strategic direction
Discussion & Recommendation
1) Management Support
Recommendation
• PI needs to be recognized as a valid contribution to
the school by
⁻
•
Attributing it as equivalent to that of a departmental
duty
Including it in work review discussions
Discussion & Recommendation
1) Management Support
• Based on the Needs Analysis: 15% would like to
consult their superiors before embarking on PI
“Today’s teachers don't necessarily look for answers from an
instructional leader. But they need to know that their leader
understands and appreciates their work and recognizes their
challenges and frustrations” (Hoerr, 2008, p. 2)
Discussion & Recommendations
1) Management Support
Recommendations
•
Key personnel should lead by example.
• The Heads need to consciously and decisively apply PI findings
to curriculum improvement, e.g.
⁻
⁻
Review pedagogical approaches
Utilize proposed solutions to Areas For Improvement (AFIs) in
their own departments
Effective school leadership today must combine the traditional school
leadership duties and include a deep involvement with specific aspects
of teaching and learning and effective instructional leaders are intensely
involved in curricular and instructional issues that directly affect student
achievement (Cotton, 2003).
Discussion
2) Infrastructure (Work Structure and Support Structure)
What Works
• RGS PeRL’s infrastructure for PI provides critical
oversight:
⁻
⁻
⁻
⁻
Protocol: Call for Proposals, Documentation & Statement of Ethics
Training via in-house and external workshops
Mentorship
Dissemination
• RGS PeRL’s integration with school’s curriculum
• Theory practice nexus/indigenized research
• Teacher professionalism
Discussion & Recommendations
2)
Infrastructure (Work Structure and Support Structure)
AFIs
• Meeting teachers’ higher aspirations to apply their research
beyond their own practice.
• Enhancing PI rigor and standards
• Addressing teachers sense of readiness: 61% of the all the
teachers who completed the needs survey indicated that they
would like to develop their research skills
Recommendation
• PeRL needs to evaluate and respond to the evolution of reflective
practice in the school
• PeRL advisors act as a bridge between teachers embarking on PI
and Heads
Discussion
3) Teachers’ Perception of PI
A. Value of PI
•Improving teaching and learning
•Professional Development
–Recognition
–Exposure & Opportunities
–Networking and Collaboration
–Acquisition of skills and competencies
Discussion
3) Teachers’ Perceptions of PI
B. Personal Interest
• An inherent motivation to conduct PI is due to
–an interest or aptitude in conducting research
–the desire to try new things and venture into new frontiers
–a passion in their niche areas of pedagogy
–an interest in a field such as ICT which integrates well with pedagogy
Conclusion
•
It is hoped that insights from the study will inform
the school on how to
–
–
•
Enhance teacher professionalism
Strengthen the theory-practice nexus which drives the school culture
of informed practice
Ultimately, such initiatives may boost teacher
readiness in embarking on PI, and in the long run,
contribute to the development of a robust
professional learning community.
Further Studies
•
Culture of PI in the school should be re-visited to track
improvements
Implementation of some of the recommendations outlined
may assist in the formation of a Professional Learning
Community (PLC)
•
•
a study conducted in the near future may then shed some
important findings on the feasibility, viability and sustainability for
the school to construct a PLC from a bottom up approach, instead
of top down approach
Limitations
• The participants varied in their involvement of PI, hence there
may be a lack of in-depth descriptions about some aspects of
the topic discussed.
• Due to time constraints, member checks were not conducted
where participants could provide feedback to check the
accuracy of their interview transcripts.
References
Ali Callicoatte Picucci, A. B., Rahel Kahlert, & Andy Sobel. (2002). Shaping school culture. Principal Leadership, 3841.
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Razavieh, A., & Sorensen, C. (2006). Introduction to Research in Education: Wadsworth
Publishing.
Auerbach, C. F., & Silverstein, L. B. (2003). Qualitative data: an introduction to coding and analysis: NEW YORK
University Press.
Bromley, D. B. (1986). The case-study method in psychology and related disciplines: Wiley.
Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1993). Inside/Outside: Teacher Research and Knowledge: Teachers College Press.
Cotton, K. (2003). Principals and student achievement [electronic resource]: what the research says: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Dana, N. F., Gimbert, B., & Silva, D.Y. (1999). Teacher inquiry: Staff development for the 21st century. Pennslvania
Educational Leadership, 18(2), 6-12.
Dewey, J. (1933). Democracy and education. New York: Free Company.
Hatch, J. A. (2002). Doing qualitative research in education settings: State University of New York Press.
References
Hoerr, T. R. (2007). The Principal Connection/ What is Instructional Leadership? Informative Assessment,
65(4), 84-85.
Hubbard, R. S., Shagoury, R., & Power, B. M. (2003). The Art of Classroom Inquiry: A Handbook for TeacherResearchers: Heinemann.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook: SAGE
Publications.
PeRL, R. (2012). RGS PeRL Handbook 2012. Singapore: Raflles Girls' School Pedagogical Research Lab.
Punch, K. F. (1998). Introduction to Social Research: SAGE Publications.
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2005). Qualitative interviewing: the art of hearing data: Sage Publications.
Sylvia, R. D., and T. Hutchinson. (1985). What makes Ms. Johnson teach? A study of teacher motivation.
Human Relations(38), 841- 856.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods: SAGE Publications.
RGS PeRL Team Involved
•
•
•
•
Mrs. Mary Cheriyan – Director, RGS PeRL
Dr Jarina Peer, Head, Research
Ms. Tan Yen Chuan, Teacher-Specialist
Ms. Masturah Abdul Aziz, Research Executive
We Would Like to Thank
• Tan Ean Kiam Foundation
• Staff of RGS who were involved in the
study
by
Mrs Lucille Yap-Chua Puay Lan
Mr Yeo Jun Han
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can a positive questioning attitude enhance student
learning?
CONTEXT
‘….. questions asked during a lesson are
those initiated by the teacher and only
rarely by the students, and that questions
do not emerge spontaneously from
students; rather, they have to be
encouraged. In cases in which students do
ask questions during lessons, they are
usually informative ones.’
(Dillion, 1988)
CONTEXT
‘The content of a question can indicate the level of thinking
of the person who raised it. In general, the cognitive level of
a certain question is determined by the type of answer it
requires.’
(Yarden, Brill, and Falk, 2001)
Purposeful inquiry does not
happen spontaneously. It must
be learned.
(Baird, 1990, p 184)
AREA OF STUDY FOCUS
* 1 Year 3 class & 3
Year 4 classes
This study focuses on the ability
of upper secondary Geography
students*, who learn Geography
through the inquiry approach,
to
ask
meaningful
and
geographically
relevant
questions.
INTENT
• Foster a positive questioning attitude in
high-ability girls; to seek information
for its own sake as much as for its
usefulness.
• Develop the students’ ability to ask
more and better questions resulting
from an inquiry-based instruction.
INTENT
• Create a safe and non-threatening environment in
which students are given opportunities to pose
questions.
• Establish and maintain communication with students.
METHODOLOGY
Identify
Research
Question
Present
Findings
Inform
students of
intended
Action
Research
STEPS
Present
findings and
make
recommendations
IN
ACTION
Collate and
RESEARCH
interpret
data
Design and
conduct postQuestionnaire
Design and
conduct preQuestionnaire
Infuse
questioning
tools into
classroom
instruction
INTERVENTIONS :
Questioning Techniques
INTERVENTIONS :
Questioning Techniques
INTERVENTIONS :
Questioning Techniques
PRE- and POST- QUESTIONNAIRE
FINDINGS:
Characteristics of Effective Questioning
I. WAIT Time
One has to wait after asking a question before answering it
oneself or going on to ask further questions or making further
points.
Questions
Pre-Test
Post-Test
1.
72.5%
96.7%
2. I use WAIT time to think about answers.
72.5%
92.7%
3. I give WAIT time to my classmates when
asking questions.
52.5%
84.6%
The teacher gives me WAIT time before I
answer his/her questions.
Waiting is a sign that you want thoughtful participation. (Wang, 2003)
DISCUSSION:
Characteristics of Effective Questioning
I. WAIT Time
• The provision of WAIT time allows for metacognition, and an
increase in frequency and length of student responses
(including unsolicited responses).
• WAIT time has to be applied judiciously: the optimal wait
time for a given question depends on the cognitive level of
the question and student expectations.
FINDINGS:
Characteristics of Effective Questioning
II. Higher-order Thinking, HoT (Critical & Creative)
Higher-order thinking is more than the learning of facts and
concepts. It requires more cognitive processes and it involves the
learning of complex judgmental skills such as decision making and
problem solving.
Questions
Pre-Test
Post-Test
1. I ask questions to justify a decision or an
outcome.
67.5%
93.5%
2. I ask questions to examine multiple
viewpoints or perspectives.
61.7%
92.7%
3. I ask questions that allow me to apply
62.5%
knowledge or a procedure to a familiar or
unfamiliar task.
92.7%
Dead questions reflect dead minds. (Paul, 2000 )
DISCUSSION:
Characteristics of Effective Questioning
II. Higher-order Thinking
•
Higher level order of questioning from Bloom’s taxonomy,
like questions that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation,
can trigger a higher level of thinking.
• Questions drive thinking; high-order questions drive our
thought beneath the surface of things and force us to deal with
ambiguity and complexity. No questions equals no
understanding, and thereby, no learning.
• Higher-order thinking skills, though difficult to teach and learn,
can be developed as such skills are valuable: they are more
likely to be applied and usable in real-world situations.
FINDINGS:
Student
Metacognition
Metacognition
Knowledge and control of one’s thought and learning processes;
being able to know how to learn, to monitor one’s own
understanding, to reflect about one’s understanding, and to
strategize about how to resolve one’s confusions.
Questions
Pre-Test
Post-Test
1.
I think and formulate responses to
questions asked in class.
67.5%
93.5%
2. I answer questions at the appropriate
cognitive level.
65.0%
89.4%
3. I can explain the thinking that led to my
answers in class.
74.2%
93.5%
To make an individual metacognitively aware is to
ensure that the individual has learned how to learn."
(Garner, 1988)
DISCUSSION:
Student Metacognition
Metacognition
The questioning attitude could increase metacognition, or an
awareness of thinking, in students. Metacognition calls for
elaboration and application of one’s learning which can result in
enhanced understanding.
In brief, time for reflection in order to engage oneself in monitoringplanning-evaluation would inspire learners’ engagement with
higher order thinking and reasoning.
FINDINGS:
Student
Attitudes and Perceptions
Attitudes and Perceptions
Student attitudes and perceptions affect the learners’ mental climate
of the classroom. If students have positive attitudes and perceptions,
they have a mental climate conducive to learning; a sense of
acceptance and a sense of comfort and order.
Questions
Pre-Test
Post-Test
1. I am comfortable asking questions in class.
56.6%
82.9%
2. I am confident in asking questions in class.
56.6%
73.2%
I ask a mix of different types of questions at all 38.3%
cognitive
levels:
knowledge,
comprehension,
application, analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
75.6%
3.
Attitudes and perceptions affect the classroom climate. (Marzano, 1992)
DISCUSSION:
Student Attitudes and Perceptions
Attitudes and Perceptions
Student attitudes and
perceptions drive
motivation and behaviour. When students are
convinced of the value of questioning, they
would
i.
cultivate a positive questioning attitude,
ii.
develop their questioning skills to seek
clarifications and to broaden and deepen
their body of knowledge and
iii. have a mental climate conducive to
learning .
Achieve academic success
Teachers need to continually foster and reinforce
positive attitudes and perceptions about the
learning climate and model the
way.
OTHER FINDINGS:
Outcomes
97.6% - Questioning is a skill
that can be developed.
82.1% - My questioning skills
have improved.
95.1% - My capacity as a
learner has
increased through
questioning.
65.8% - I have developed
the art of
questioning.
86.2% - My academic
performance has
improved through
questioning.
94.3% - I have developed a critical mind through questioning.
Questioning
Thinking
Learning
STUDENT VOICES
(Shirley Wang, class 412, 2012)
STUDENT VOICES
heavy and
time-consuming.”
(Justina, class 301, 2012)
CONCLUSION
• As classroom practitioners, we know that effective questioning is
critical to student learning and student academic success. Therefore,
the need to develop a questioning mind in our students is essential.
• The inquiry-driven approach to teaching and learning requires
constant practice and reinforcement if inquiry is to be integrated into
classroom instructional practices.
• Higher-order thinking skills, including metacognitive awareness and
metacognitive development, are complex and require a supportive
(positive and affective) environment.
• An effective learning environment in which students are given ample
opportunities and time to develop their questioning skills would
develop the students’ ability to ask more and better questions about
phenomenon around them.
CLOSING REMARK
“What’s in a question, you ask? Everything. It is a way of
evoking stimulating response or stultifying inquiry. It is, in
essence, the very core of teaching.”
(John Dewey, 1933)
REFERENCES
•
Wang,C.M. and Ong, Grace (2003), Questioning Techniques for Active Learning, in
Ideas on Teaching, Volume 1, Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning
(CDTL), National University of Singapore.
•
Walsh, J.A. & Sattes, B.D. (2005), Quality Questioning: Research-based Practice to
Engage Every Learner, Corwin Press, Australia.
•
Marzano, R.J. (1992), A Different Kind of Classroom : Teaching with Dimensions of
Learning, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,ASCD,
Alexandria,VA.
Nurturing the Reflective Practitioner
Correlations between Article Review
and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking
Appraisal
Azahar M Noor
Nurturing the Reflective Practitioner
Correlations between Article Review and Watson-Glaser Critical
Thinking Appraisal
5 June 2013
Azahar M Noor
Critical Thinking
• MOE’s “Desired Outcomes of Education” states that:
by the end of post-secondary education, students
should be able to think critically.
• Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) as used in Raffles
Programme proposed that curriculum for the gifted
should be differentiated and organised around high
level thinking skills.
Research Questions
1. What is critical thinking?
2. Is there a correlation between students’
performance in the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking
Appraisal (WGCTA) and their performance in the
Article Review (AR)?
Hypothesis: Since both are tools to measure critical
thinking, there should be a correlation between
students’ performance in both tests.
Some Definitions of CT
• VanTassel-Baska (2006) included four process
elements: to judge or evaluate, comparing and
contrasting ideas, to generalise from concrete to
the abstract, and to synthesise information
within or across disciplines.
• Yeap, L.L. (2004) observed that critical thinking
determines the credibility of certain facts and
sources, detects biasness, evaluates the
soundness of arguments and distinguishes the
relevant from the irrelevant.
• Paul, R. (2007) defined critical thinking as
thinking that analyses thought, that assesses
thought, and that transforms thought for the
better.
• Lipman, M. (1991) defined critical thinking as
thinking that facilitates judgement, because it
relies on criteria, is self-correcting, and is
sensitive to context.
Defining Critical Thinking
• Teachers may lack clarity as to what CT really
means.
• Defining CT may be complex due to:
- variety of definitions and,
- it involved multitude of skills eg Paul, R (1990)
identified 9 micro skills and 16 macro abilities
related to critical thinking.
Before we seek to measure and develop CT,
there needs to be clarity and consistency in
defining CT.
Hence, identifying the core characteristics of
Critical Thinking can serve as a guide and
working definition for teachers.
1. Critical Thinking involves High Order
Cognitive Skills
3 Core Elements
1: CT involves evaluating the validity and falsity of an
assertion. Some definitions use the term “argument”
instead of “assertion”.
2: CT involves making a judgement that relies on
criteria. Some definitions may emphasise “making
generalisations” instead of “making a judgement”.
3: CT involves metacognitive self-evaluation. Some
definitions use the term “self-correcting”.
2. Critical Thinking involves Disposition
to think critically
Role of affective dispositions
• Halpern, D. F. (1998) ..the thinker must be willing to
put in the required mental effort as he may choose
not to engage in critical thinking even if he has
excellent critical thinking skills.
• Paul, R. (1990): identified nine traits of critical
thinking, in which he emphasised the intellectual and
moral commitments necessary for a person to
improve the quality of his thinking.
• Implication to Teachers ?
Is there a correlation between students’
performance in the WGCTA and their
performance in the AR?
Why is this question important?
•AR as a Proprietary Instrument
•Validation: concurrent validity test
What is Article Review?
An assessment tool used in RP for Social Studies
curriculum in Yr 3 and 4.
• Seen and Unseen Article – differing viewpoints on
an issue.
• On assessment day, students must bring the
Seen Article into the exam room with their
annotations.
The Five Critical Thinking Domains Tested in WGCTA
• Inference: Students are required to draw conclusions from certain
observed or supposed facts.
• Recognition of Assumption: In this test, students are required to
decide for each given statement, whether an assumption is made,
or not made, by the person.
• Deduction: Students are required to judge whether a conclusion
necessarily follows from a statement.
• Interpretation: Students are required to read a short paragraph
and decide, for each of the given conclusion, whether the
conclusion logically follows, or does not follow.
• Evaluation of Argument: Students are given a series of questions.
Each question is followed by several arguments. Students are
required to decide if an argument is strong or weak. For an
argument to be strong, it must be both important and directly
related to the question.
WGCTA’s 5 Domains
AR CT Skills
•Inference
•Recognition of
Assumption
•An impt skill for AR.
•Deduction:
•Interpretation:
•Evaluation of
Argument:
•Skill is part of close reading but not
assessed
•Students required to identify & qn
assumptions. Overlap but more
difficult in AR. In WGCTA, student just
makes a “yes” / “no” choice.
•Skill is part of close reading but not
assessed
•Evaluation of article is assessed eg
has the author presented a
convincing argument … ?
Skills in AR which are NOT tested in WGCTA
• Comparative analysis: The 2 contrasting articles
will demand skills in comparison.
• Making a judgement: Students are required to
make a judgement on an issue, based on the
contrasting views presented in the 2 articles
given. In making a judgement, students have to
develop their own criteria, consider contextual
realities and present their views on the issue
given.
Comparative analysis and making a judgement put AR at
a higher level of sophistication in terms of CT skills
Methodology
•
•
•
•
96 Year 4 students selected.
Stratified sampling (interval of 5 names)
Data:
AR End of Year Assessment scores
WGCTA test scores conducted in Term 4
SPSS was used to run correlations test
AR Test against WGCTA
N
All students
96
Top Performers (60% of
students who scored 4.0 in
AR)
56
Average Performers
(Bottom half who scored
< 4.0 in AR)
40
AR Mean score
78.8%
Highest: 100%
Lowest: 53%
88.5%
70.2%
WGCTA Mean score
82.6%
83.0%
82.1%
• The
mean score for the total WGCTA was 82.63%. This
· The mean score for the total WGCTA was 82.63%. This placed the 96 students at
placed
the 96 students at 93.43 percentile based on Grade
93.43 percentile based on Grade 11 norms - showed a high level of CT skills.
11· normsthis
showed
a high
level of between
CT skills
There was
a marked
difference
(dispersion)
the mean scores of top and
• There
was performers
a marked
between the mean scores of
average
in difference
the AR
· and
Thereaverage
was little difference
in thein
WGCTA
mean scores between average and top
top
performers
the AR.
• Littleperformers
difference in WGCTA scores (Top vs Aveg)
Is there a Correlation?
Terms
• Correlation measures the relationship between 2
variables (+ or -). Correlation does not equal
causation.
• Statistically significant = the result does not happen
by chance. Significance level was set at 0.05.
• If result = > 0.05, means it is not statistically
significant
• If result is < 0.05, means only less than 5% that the
result happen by chance. Result is thus statistically
significant.
Results of correlations test
• The correlation between the TOTAL WGCTA
scores and AR scores was not significant.
• Results for 4 domains of “Recognition of
Assumptions”, “Deduction”, “Interpretation”
and “Evaluation of Arguments”were also not
significant.
• Only “Inference” scores were statistically
significant, but the strength of correlation
between “Inference” and AR scores was weak.
• Results were not expected : (
Conclusion
•Different format: WGCTA used multiple-choice format
while AR is essay writing. Hence language could be a
major influence in the results eg a student may have
high CT skills, but may not be able to express their ideas
clearly. Teachers may grade the essays for clarity of
expression.
•The other skills tested in the AR have substantial
influence on students’ performance. These are not
captured in WGCTA esp comparing and contrasting skills
•If a student is able to prepare for AR, the need to apply
CT is diminished.
Implications
• Perhaps expand the 3 criteria rubric to four to
sharpen assessment on CT skills that the AR
seeks to develop and assess.
• Review implementation, reduce spotting and
pre-prepared answers.
• WGCTA showed the students have high CT.
How do we translate high CT to high
performance in the AR? Makes CT more
salient in class.
• Not able to validate AR yet.
Follow-up
• Sharing within Humanities Department.
• Social Studies team decided on:
1.Rubric was revised to 4 criteria effective 2012
2.The team reflected on how we can teach CT more
explicitly.
3.WGCTA shows lower scores in Inference skills
which we deemed as “more basic” and “easier”.
Introduced Argument Mapping in 2013 as build
inference skills and accuracy in reading an integral
skill to CT.
Interestingly ………When WGCTA scores were
compared with overall SS grades
• Correlation between total WGCTA scores and SS
grades was highly significant --> CT skills have an
influence on students’ SS performance (AR, PT and
CBA).
• “Inference” and “Evaluation” domains are also
statistically significant (but not the other 3 domains),
although the strength of the correlations is weak.
Thank You
CONTACT INFORMATION
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