What, Then, Is Critical Thinking? Insights from a Longitudinal Study of Critical Thinking

ABSTRACT Papers were systematically gathered from the same college students at different times throughout their undergraduate education. These papers were scored by faculty in other institutions on AAC&U’s critical thinking rubric as part of the association’s Scoring Collaborative. Students’ critical thinking scores were used in addition to GPA as another metric of learning. Critical thinking scores were incorporated into ongoing assessment activities, which include the administration of psychological survey instruments throughout students’ undergraduate experience. This approach enabled analyses to identify antecedent psychoeducational variables associated with successful critical thinking performance, improvement in that performance, and students’ ability to meet the expectations established by the university under study. The results of this longitudinal, mixed-methods study provide insights into students’ growth in critical thinking over time and the role “productive struggle” plays in promoting desirable levels of critical thinking.