Relationships between critical thinking dispositions and learning styles

A mutually inclusive model directing the development of critical thinking includes facilitating critical thinking dispositions or affective attributes of individuals as well as their critical thinking skills. This inclusion takes into account personal and subjective ways of making meaning as part of the conceptualization of critical thinking. There is a gap in understanding the disposition dimensions of critical thinking among professional nursing students and how they may relate with other behavioral aspects. Many baccalaureate programs have been found to define and/or measure critical thinking as primarily cognitive in nature. Guided by this crucial omission of knowledge regarding critical thinking dispositions, this study addressed the following research questions: (1) What are the critical thinking dispositions and learning styles of baccalaureate nursing students? and (2) Are there correlations between critical thinking dispositions and learning modes? A descriptive, correlational study was conducted in which the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and Kolb's Learning Style Inventory were administered to two convenience groups of senior-level nursing students (n = 100). Low critical thinking self-confidence mean scores for both groups were found. Other disposition scores that reflected weaknesses were analyticity, systematicity, and inquisitiveness. Strong disposition scores are described as are dominant learning styles. The Spearman Rank-Difference Correlation measurement indicated relationships between specific components of critical thinking dispositions and learning modes. Implications for nursing education are presented.