Student perceptions of how critical thinking is embedded in a degree program

Abstract

Critical thinking is a highly valued outcome of university study, although its nature is difficult to define. Most students are not directly taught critical thinking, but are expected to display it in at least some of their assignments. We do not know much about student perceptions of their development as critical thinkers in their degree programs. This paper presents research into student perceptions of instruction in critical thinking and aspects of its development as they study in an undergraduate degree program in agriculture. Twenty‐one students across four years of study were interviewed. They received direct instruction in critical thinking only in the first year of study, and the literature review emerged as a key genre in which critical thinking was perceived to be important by later‐year students. The final sections highlight the importance of considering the disciplinary contexts in which students develop their critical thinking, and of preparing them for transfer to post‐study contexts.

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