Work

Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills in Primary Education: Validation of Challenges of Thinking Test

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The global demand for 21st century competencies raises critical thinking (CT) as a priority educational objective, which in turn projects the need for CT evaluation. The lack of CT assessment instruments for youngsters justifies the aim of this study: to develop a CT test for Primary Education and unveil its psychometric properties. The methodology follows the test development prescriptions through the elaboration of the six-skill CT test, the test application to primary sixth-graders and the confirmatory factor analysis on the answers. Starting from a 48-item test form, the empirical analysis confirms a six-factor structure, interpret the six empirical factors in face of the postulated CT skills, confirm a one-dimension structure for the whole test and for each of the six factors (except Comparison), and describe the goodness-of-fit psychometric parameters that support the reliability and validity of the 31-item test form. Finally, the properties, utility, limitations, and prospective improvements, developments and applications of the test for education and CT research are discussed.

Source: Revista Evaluar

DOI: 10.35670/1667-4545.v24.n2.46493

Authors: María Antonia Manassero-Mas, Ángel Vázquez-Alonso

Institution: Universitat de les Illes Balears

Language: English

Topic: Education and Critical Thinking Development

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación