Sept. 9, 2022

Critical Thinking Skills at CISH

Researchers from the University of Oxford explore the DP’s effect on critical thinking October 27, 2020 in Diploma Programme (DP), Research, University stories

Do CISH International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students have an edge when it comes to critical thinking? Researchers from the University of Oxford conducted a study to examine the effects of the DP on the critical thinking skills of DP and non-DP students in Australia, England and Norway.

2020年10月27日，牛津大学的研究人员就DP文凭课程，研究，大学故事对DP学生批判思维的影响做出探究调查。

CISH的国际文凭IB DP学生在批判思维方面是否占有优势？牛津大学研究人员开展一项研究，以测试检验DP对澳大利亚，英国和挪威地区DP及非DP学生的批判思维的影响。

About the study

A new study investigated whether student participation in the DP contributed to higher levels of critical thinking as measured by a validated critical thinking assessment1. Researchers also examined DP curricular elements that may support critical thinking and explored the perspectives of DP students and teachers.

关于研究

一项新研究使用一个通过验证的批判性思维评估系统探究了参与DP课程是否有助于学生提高批判性思维。研究人员还研究出了DP课程中可能促进培养批判性思维的因素，并探究了DP学生和教师的观点。

What does the data show?

The researchers used propensity score matching, a statistical technique that allowed them to construct matched IB and non-IB samples with similar characteristics for comparison. The results of these tests showed that the DP students had significantly higher levels of critical thinking than the non-DP students (p < .001), with a moderate effect size (d = 0.48).

The study also looked at differences in critical thinking across grade levels among the matched DP and non-DP students. Findings showed that the advantage of DP students was more pronounced in grade 12, compared to grade 11 students (F(1,360) = 7.11, p = .008). This suggests that the difference in critical thinking between IB and non-IB students increases over the course of the DP (see figure).

数据说明了什么？

为了去做对比，研究人员使用了倾向评分匹配，这项统计技术能够让他们去建构具有相似特征的匹配的IB和非IB样本。这次测试的结果显示，DP的学生的批判思维水平显著高于非DP学生(p < .001),并得出适中的效果值(d = 0.48).

这项研究也观察到了在不同年级，匹配的DP和非DP学生的批判思维的差异性。研究结果显示，与11年级的学生相比，DP 12年级学生的优势更为明显(F(1,360) = 7.11, p = .008)。这表明，IB和非IB的学生之间的批判性思维差异在DP课程中有所增加（如图）

Critical Thinking by Grade

按年级划分的批判性思维

Figure 1. Critical thinking as a function of grade and IB participation

图一：批判性思维与年级和IB参与度之间的关系图

DP curricular elements that support critical thinking

Researchers analysed select IB policy, instructional and subject documents to see what elements of the DP may support critical thinking. This analysis revealed that the IB embraces an approach to critical thinking development, which is largely in line with evidence-based best practice. At a general level, the theory of knowledge (TOK) course provides critical thinking instruction outside of any content area. Additionally, researchers found evidence of subject-specific critical thinking instruction across all courses and subjects. The DP approach makes teaching critical thinking an explicit goal, ensuring that critical thinking instruction is not assumed to follow from other knowledge gains, but is specifically taught within the classroom. They have over 40 different levelled courses to choose.

DP促进批判思维的课程要素

研究人员分析了选定的IB政策，教学和主题文件，以了解DP的哪些要素可能会促进批判思维水平提高。这项分析揭示了IB采用了一项方法去发展批判思维，这个很大程度上符合循证实践原理。一般而言，TOK课程提供了任何内容领域之外的批判思维指导。此外，研究人员发现在所有课程和科目中，都有针对具体科目的批判思维指导。DP方法使批判思维教学成为一个明确的目标，确保批判思维不是从其他知识中获得的，而是在课堂上具体教学的。他们有40多个级别的课程可供选择。

What DP students and teachers are saying?

DP students and teachers were interviewed to learn more about their views on learning or teaching critical thinking.

DP学生和老师是怎么说的？

DP学生和老师参加了访谈，就批判思维学习和教学来了解他们的看法。

Students believed TOK, the extended essay and particular subjects were helpful in developing their critical thinking skills. Additionally, students felt that the DP better prepared them for future studies compared to other school systems and suggested that the teaching of critical thinking made them better learners.

学生认为TOK，拓展性文章和特定科目有助于他们培养批判性思维能力。此外，相比于其他学校的体系，学生感到DP能够更好地为他们的未来学习做准备，并认为批判性思维教学使他们成为更好的学习者。

Teachers claimed that the DP approach plays a central role in fostering students’ critical thinking skills. Like students, overall, teachers felt that the DP offers stronger preparation for university studies compared to national or state programmes. All teachers interviewed agreed that the DP enhanced students’ thinking skills, which could provide a comparative advantage to DP students, as one teacher commented:

“I feel like our students end up maybe more rounded than other students would, just because we, we kind of facilitate both sides and thinking about things from different perspectives and then coming up with their own validated conclusions. And I think that’s a very valuable part of the course”. (Environment systems and society teacher, England)

教学者认为DP方法在培养学生的批判思维技能的层面发挥着核心作用。与学生一样，一般而言，教师认为，与国家和州项目相比，DP提供了更强的准备。所有接受采访的教师都同意，DP提高学生的思维方式水平，这可以为学生提供相对优势，正如一名教师所说：“我觉得我们的学生最终可能比其他学生更全面，因为我们促进了双方，从不同的角度思考问题，然后得出他们自己的经验证的结论。我认为这是课程非常有价值的一部分。”。（环境系统和社会教师，英国）

References

参考文献

1ENNIS, R. H.; MILLMAN, J.; TOMKO, T. N. Cornell Critical Thinking Tests: Administration Manual. California (EE. UU.): Critical Thinking Company, 2005.

ENNIS，R.H。；米尔曼，J。；康奈尔批判性思维测试：管理手册。加州（EE.UU.）：批判性思维公司，2005年。

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