There are various arguments surrounding critical thinking, from it being an innate ability to its... more There are various arguments surrounding critical thinking, from it being an innate ability to its perceived absence due to cultural backgrounds, to diversities in the presentation of critical thinking. Less attention, however, is placed on the cognitive complexity embedded in critical thinking performance, particularly the important role of knowledge understanding and application when becoming a critical thinker. While there are generic statements stipulating learning outcomes and expectations, operationalising them in the curriculum design, learning activities and assessments by students is less transparent. Thus, this study aims to propose and validate a critical learning skills (CLS) framework to contextualise expected learning outcomes through a visual roadmap for successful achievement at the master’s level. We assume that being a critical thinker entails various critical learning skills, and that critical thinking performance is closely related to knowledge understanding and application. The CLS framework includes four components: information gathering, building understanding, knowledge application and productive thinking. The descriptors of each component were generated after analysing the keywords stated in the learning outcomes in the qualification descriptors at the master’s level in the UK context. A questionnaire and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the framework with a sample of 132 master’s students from two programs at one UK university. The results indicate that the framework is reliable and valid. The potential of using the CLS framework as a guide for future research and postgraduate teaching and learning are discussed. The framework can be applied to master’s programs in other contexts.
Schools and teachers in England and Wales are under pressure to raise
standards. Currently, ther... more Schools and teachers in England and Wales are under pressure to raise standards. Currently, there is little direct relationship between research activity and support for teachers in meeting these demands. The context for the article is teaching thinking which is being promoted as a means to raise standards by the current government. Teaching thinking includes the concepts of metacognition and transfer in its underpinnings but there is little practical assistance for teachers to make these concepts a reality in the classroom. The article describes 10 roles that teachers can perform to put these concepts into practice, which were identified by interviewing pupils who had been taught by teachers using the innovative practice of debriefing. The article discusses the broader issues of how teachers can be engaged in research and knowledge production in a more satisfying relationship than is currently the norm.
This paper reports on a three-year collaborative research project, funded by a British Council Ch... more This paper reports on a three-year collaborative research project, funded by a British Council China Studies Grant, to develop thinking skills interventions for young people with disabilities in China. The paper examines the opportunities brought about by recent economic and educational reforms in China, and the challenges for teaching and learning practices
There are various arguments surrounding critical thinking, from it being an innate ability to its... more There are various arguments surrounding critical thinking, from it being an innate ability to its perceived absence due to cultural backgrounds, to diversities in the presentation of critical thinking. Less attention, however, is placed on the cognitive complexity embedded in critical thinking performance, particularly the important role of knowledge understanding and application when becoming a critical thinker. While there are generic statements stipulating learning outcomes and expectations, operationalising them in the curriculum design, learning activities and assessments by students is less transparent. Thus, this study aims to propose and validate a critical learning skills (CLS) framework to contextualise expected learning outcomes through a visual roadmap for successful achievement at the master’s level. We assume that being a critical thinker entails various critical learning skills, and that critical thinking performance is closely related to knowledge understanding and application. The CLS framework includes four components: information gathering, building understanding, knowledge application and productive thinking. The descriptors of each component were generated after analysing the keywords stated in the learning outcomes in the qualification descriptors at the master’s level in the UK context. A questionnaire and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the framework with a sample of 132 master’s students from two programs at one UK university. The results indicate that the framework is reliable and valid. The potential of using the CLS framework as a guide for future research and postgraduate teaching and learning are discussed. The framework can be applied to master’s programs in other contexts.
Schools and teachers in England and Wales are under pressure to raise
standards. Currently, ther... more Schools and teachers in England and Wales are under pressure to raise standards. Currently, there is little direct relationship between research activity and support for teachers in meeting these demands. The context for the article is teaching thinking which is being promoted as a means to raise standards by the current government. Teaching thinking includes the concepts of metacognition and transfer in its underpinnings but there is little practical assistance for teachers to make these concepts a reality in the classroom. The article describes 10 roles that teachers can perform to put these concepts into practice, which were identified by interviewing pupils who had been taught by teachers using the innovative practice of debriefing. The article discusses the broader issues of how teachers can be engaged in research and knowledge production in a more satisfying relationship than is currently the norm.
This paper reports on a three-year collaborative research project, funded by a British Council Ch... more This paper reports on a three-year collaborative research project, funded by a British Council China Studies Grant, to develop thinking skills interventions for young people with disabilities in China. The paper examines the opportunities brought about by recent economic and educational reforms in China, and the challenges for teaching and learning practices
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Papers by Mei Lin
thinking performance, particularly the important role of knowledge understanding and application when becoming a critical thinker. While there are generic statements stipulating learning outcomes and expectations, operationalising them in the curriculum design, learning activities and assessments by students is less transparent. Thus, this study aims to propose and validate a critical learning skills (CLS) framework to contextualise expected learning outcomes through a
visual roadmap for successful achievement at the master’s level. We assume that being a critical
thinker entails various critical learning skills, and that critical thinking performance is closely related to knowledge understanding and application. The CLS framework includes four components: information gathering, building understanding, knowledge application and productive
thinking. The descriptors of each component were generated after analysing the keywords stated in the learning outcomes in the qualification descriptors at the master’s level in the UK context. A
questionnaire and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the framework with a sample of 132 master’s students from two programs at one UK university. The results indicate that the framework is reliable and valid. The potential of using the CLS framework as a guide for
future research and postgraduate teaching and learning are discussed. The framework can be applied to master’s programs in other contexts.
standards. Currently, there is little direct relationship between research activity and support for teachers in meeting these demands. The context for the article is teaching thinking which is being promoted as a means to raise standards by the current government. Teaching thinking includes the concepts of metacognition and transfer in its underpinnings but there is little practical assistance for teachers to make these concepts a reality in the classroom. The article describes 10 roles that teachers can perform to put these concepts into practice, which were identified by interviewing pupils who had been taught by teachers using the innovative practice of debriefing. The article discusses the broader issues of how teachers can be engaged in research and knowledge production in a more satisfying relationship than is currently the norm.
Books by Mei Lin
thinking performance, particularly the important role of knowledge understanding and application when becoming a critical thinker. While there are generic statements stipulating learning outcomes and expectations, operationalising them in the curriculum design, learning activities and assessments by students is less transparent. Thus, this study aims to propose and validate a critical learning skills (CLS) framework to contextualise expected learning outcomes through a
visual roadmap for successful achievement at the master’s level. We assume that being a critical
thinker entails various critical learning skills, and that critical thinking performance is closely related to knowledge understanding and application. The CLS framework includes four components: information gathering, building understanding, knowledge application and productive
thinking. The descriptors of each component were generated after analysing the keywords stated in the learning outcomes in the qualification descriptors at the master’s level in the UK context. A
questionnaire and confirmatory factor analysis were used to validate the framework with a sample of 132 master’s students from two programs at one UK university. The results indicate that the framework is reliable and valid. The potential of using the CLS framework as a guide for
future research and postgraduate teaching and learning are discussed. The framework can be applied to master’s programs in other contexts.
standards. Currently, there is little direct relationship between research activity and support for teachers in meeting these demands. The context for the article is teaching thinking which is being promoted as a means to raise standards by the current government. Teaching thinking includes the concepts of metacognition and transfer in its underpinnings but there is little practical assistance for teachers to make these concepts a reality in the classroom. The article describes 10 roles that teachers can perform to put these concepts into practice, which were identified by interviewing pupils who had been taught by teachers using the innovative practice of debriefing. The article discusses the broader issues of how teachers can be engaged in research and knowledge production in a more satisfying relationship than is currently the norm.