Research Findings

Research Findings provides summaries of research about the development, measurement and evaluation of methods to train high impact reasoning and decision making.

Rear view of the head and shoulders of a man talking to a group of people who are sitting in rows facing him

Evaluating Training Techniques

A collection of studies describing and evaluating a variety of training techniques for evidence that they effectively train critical thinking skills or mindset. A Reflective Critical Thinking Workshop for Graduate Students in Pharmacy and Health Sciences A Reflective Critical Thinking Workshop for Graduate Students in Pharmacy and Health Sciences: A Pilot Study. N. Michaels et.al., School of Occupational Therapy, Belmont University, USA. Journal of Modern Education Review, Volume 9, No. 1, pp. 1–12. January 2019, ISSN 2155-7993. This pilot study examined the effects on critical thinking skill in students assigned a teaching role (student-teachers) versus students in a learning group…

Group of business students sitting on the grass discussing project

Learning Outcomes Assessment

A collection of studies reporting the outcome of assessment projects. Papers from general education projects, STEM education studies, health sciences training projects and business education curriculum evaluation projects are included. Overview of scholarly literature about critical thinking, its instruction, and its assessment Don’t Reinvent the Critical Thinking Wheel: What Scholarly Literature Tells Us about Critical Thinking Instruction. Eigenauer JD, (2017) National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development. As colleges face accreditation requirements or as departments undergo program review, they commonly seek to integrate formal statements about critical thinking into their documentation. It is not uncommon for these schools to be…

Success shown with upward arrow with background of students jumping in celebration

Admissions, Retention, and Licensure

These peer reviewed reports link critical thinking scores to professional licensure exam performance and other indicators of student success. Predicting success in Doctor of Physical Therapy programs Exploration of Relationships Among the Health Sciences Reasoning Test, the National Physical Therapy Licensing Examination, and Cognitive Admission Variables. Huhn K & Parrott JS. (2017) Journal of Physical Therapy Education. This study explored variables predicting successful performance in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), NPTE scores, GRE, and undergraduate GPA data was examined for predictors that might enhance the admissions process. This study was a retrospective analysis of…

Hand reaching out for a handshake. Text says recognize potential

Performance Ratings

Increasingly, strength in critical thinking factors into workplace assessment. These studies demonstrate that critical thinking scores are predictive of employer and preceptor ratings. Exploring Critical Thinking Skills in Novices Versus Experts in Dentistry. Critical Thinking in Dental Students and Experienced Practitioners Assessed by the Health Sciences Reasoning Test. Hanlon, J. P. and colleagues. Journal of Dental Education September 2018, 82 (9) 916-920. This study compared first-year dental students at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (novices) to a recruited sample of dental faculty and practicing dentists (experts) using the HSRT. 79% of invited first year students…

Picture of male and female leaders walking together

Leadership, Skills and Mindset

What are the characteristics desired in leaders and decision makers? This collection of research papers examines some potential relationships between critical thinking skills and mindset to leadership and program success. Effectiveness of Officer Training An assessment of the command and general staff college core course effectiveness in developing student critical thinking. Civils TH (2016) Dissertation, Kansas State University Eight student staff groups (n=120) were selected from the Command and General Staff Officer Common Core Course Class 15 population, and the quantitative data used to conduct the analysis was derived from a pretest and posttest using the Military and Defense Critical…