Critical-thinking pedagogy and student perceptions of university contributions to their academic development

Abstract

Colleges and universities are increasingly being called upon to demonstrate that they are indeed educating students and to justify the increasing tuition fees they charge (Education Consortium, 2006). Using data collected as part of the 2005 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), this study examines the relationship between the assignment of higher order thinking activities during programs of study and student perceptions of the extent to which their universities have contributed to their general academic development and job preparation. The empirical evidence provided by this study indicates that the extra efforts faculty exert to engage their students in higher order thinking activities make a difference and are acknowledged, at least implicitly, by students as contributing to the development of critical life skills.