Critical Thinking in General Education in China

Abstract

In the last two decades or so, educating students with critical thinking, creativity and innovative skills has become a primary concern for many teachers, policy makers, university administrators, and even parents in China. This paper explores the development of cultivating students with critical thinking and its challenges. Current education reform in China indicates that policymakers and university administrators show serious concern, but under the pressure of exam-oriented education, memorization, and lecture pedagogy, faculty, university administrators and policy makers have not embraced it whole-heartedly. This research also found that general education is valued in Chinese higher education institutions, and will be more effective as politics, economy and society more developed in China.