Effect of critical thinking skills on numerate behaviours among management and business-related higher education students: a Nigerian case

Abstract

The rise in student failures and dropouts in Nigerian higher education has become a social concern, largely due to a lack of necessary numerical skills. A study in Osogbo, Nigeria, explored the impact of critical thinking strategies on numerical competence among 118 non-science students. Researchers used a pretest-posttest design with a numeracy test and a math efficacy scale to assess numerical behaviour and mathematics self-efficacy. Results highlighted the need for interventions to boost academic achievement. The findings revealed a significant main effect of treatment on critical thinking skills (CTS) and mathematics self-efficacy (F(1, 113), p