Selection of critical and creative thinking assessment instrument: Systematic review of the literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v18.n2.603-625Keywords:
Critical and Creative Thinking Skills, Critical Thinking Dispositions, Critical Thinking Mental Habits, Problem-Solving, InterdisciplinarityAbstract
The relevance of critical and creative thinking (CCT) in education is indisputable, especially given global assessments indicating that many students enter higher education with critical thinking skills still under development and achieve only moderate levels of proficiency by the end of their courses. Despite its importance, CCT remains undervalued in educational practices, particularly in assessments, undermining students' personal and professional development, as well as active citizenship, innovation, economic growth, and social inclusion. This scenario highlights the need to develop and adopt effective, validated instruments for assessing CCT skills. This article presents a systematic review literature of CCT assessment instruments, focusing on identifying tools suitable for qualitative studies in secondary education. These skills are considered essential for the 21st century, being crucial for solving interdisciplinary problems. The research was based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, covering studies from 2018 to 2022, and utilized databases such as SCOPUS and Web of Science. The instruments were analyzed in terms of reliability, validity, cultural adaptation, scope, relevance, and educational levels. Additionally, real-life scenarios and question types were explored. The results revealed that most assessment instruments target adults or university students, with few adapted for secondary school youth. Among the analyzed instruments, those by Lopes, Silva, and Morais, as well as Franco, Costa, and Almeida, stood out. The former integrates practical scenarios, combines CCT, and was specifically designed for the Portuguese context. The latter encompasses all dimensions of critical thinking (skills, dispositions, and mental habits). The study concludes that the instrument by Lopes, Silva, and Morais is the most suitable for qualitative studies in secondary education due to its theoretical comprehensiveness, originality, and integration of real-life scenarios.
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