Abstract
This chapter presents a qualitative investigation of lecturers’ perceptions of
critical thinking and how this influenced how they taught. All of the participants
taught the same first-year university chemistry course. This case study
provides insights about how there may need to be fundamental shifts in lecturers’
perceptions about learning and the development of critical thinking skills
so that they can enhance knowledge and understanding of chemistry as well as
advance the students’ critical thinking. Recommendations are made for professional
learning for lecturers and for changing the “chemistry” of the design of
learning experiences through valuing critical thinking in assessments and making
critical thinking more explicit throughout the course. The authors argue
that critical thinking must be treated as a developmental phenomenon.
critical thinking and how this influenced how they taught. All of the participants
taught the same first-year university chemistry course. This case study
provides insights about how there may need to be fundamental shifts in lecturers’
perceptions about learning and the development of critical thinking skills
so that they can enhance knowledge and understanding of chemistry as well as
advance the students’ critical thinking. Recommendations are made for professional
learning for lecturers and for changing the “chemistry” of the design of
learning experiences through valuing critical thinking in assessments and making
critical thinking more explicit throughout the course. The authors argue
that critical thinking must be treated as a developmental phenomenon.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Improving classroom engagement and international development programs |
| Subtitle of host publication | International perspectives on humanizing higher education |
| Editors | Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger, Mandla Makhanya |
| Place of Publication | Bingley, UK |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited |
| Chapter | 7 |
| Pages | 93-110 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Volume | 27 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781839094729, 9781839094743 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781839094736 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Publication series
| Name | Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited |
| Volume | 27 |
| ISSN (Print) | 2055-3641 |
Keywords
- critical thinking
- chemistry
- university
- teaching strategy
- learning
- lecturer
- perception
- teaching activities
- effective teaching
- barriers and obstacles