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Measuring critical thinking in graduate education: what do we know?
Lisa A Seldomridge1, Catherine M Walsh
1Department of Nursing, Salsibury University, Salisbury, MD, USA. laseldomridge@salisbury.edu
Nurse Educator
|May 19, 2006
Summary
Master
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Higher Education Pedagogy
- Skill Development
Background:
- Accrediting bodies advocate for master's education to enhance critical thinking.
- Literature review indicates a gap in research on critical thinking in postbaccalaureate students.
- Existing studies predominantly focus on undergraduate nursing students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on critical thinking in postbaccalaureate education.
- To identify research gaps in measuring critical thinking skills.
- To provide recommendations for future research in nursing and other fields.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of 35 studies.
- Analysis of research focusing on undergraduate nursing, practicing RNs, and master's students in various disciplines.
- Critique of current research methodologies and findings.
Main Results:
- A significant lack of research specifically measuring critical thinking in postbaccalaureate nursing and other professional students.
- Seventeen studies focused on undergraduate nursing students.
- The remaining studies were distributed across practicing registered nurses (RNs) and master's students in physical therapy, business, medicine, and nursing.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for more research on the development of critical thinking in master's-level students.
- Future studies should employ robust methodologies to measure critical thinking in diverse postbaccalaureate programs.
- Understanding critical thinking progression is vital for advancing professional education and practice.
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