Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha

This study investigated the extent to which critical thinking could be promoted through question based framework via information competency assessment. The ability to evaluate information’s credibility using critical thinking is key indicator of information competency. The study set out to determ...

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Main Author: Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha
Format: Thesis
Published: 2013
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Online Access:http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/1/CACHA_LLEUVELYN_AREGLADO_(WHA080016).rar
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/
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Institution: Universiti Malaya
id my.um.stud.5600
record_format eprints
institution Universiti Malaya
building UM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaya
content_source UM Student Repository
url_provider http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/
topic L Education (General)
QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
spellingShingle L Education (General)
QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha
Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
description This study investigated the extent to which critical thinking could be promoted through question based framework via information competency assessment. The ability to evaluate information’s credibility using critical thinking is key indicator of information competency. The study set out to determine strategies how critical thinking transpired through infusion of information competency into content instructions to encourage critical thought processes and authentic learning. An assessment tool is required where students are empowered to challenge ideas, investigate complex information problems, and look for workable solutions integrating information technology capabilities. Prior to commencing the study, a range of online assessment tools used in universities abroad including iSkills and iCritical Thinking Certification of ETS are reviewed to gain insights into best instructive practices that encourage critical thinking in research, evaluation, creation and communication of information. Using questioning or problem-based approach in the constructivist and cognitive framework the study has established that technology integration supports higherlevel cognitive processes as it increases student’s effective interaction with information. A repeated measures design is used with pre-test/post-test and investigative searching assessment to determine the degree of learning and evidence of critical thinking skills resulting from the web based assessment of information competency. The design manipulates the impact of instructional strategies for furthering critical thinking through active engagement with problem solving exercises in steady progression of information competency skills. Initial sample consisted 21 Masters of Library and Information Science graduate students, of whom 3 did not complete, with strongly varying academic backgrounds, professional experience and with different levels of competence participated in this study. The practical relevance of using repeated measures design, employing the same group of participants in every assessment is clearly supported by the current findings. It makes sense to get information from a single group of graduate students through multiple benchmark assessments across a five-month semester course “Information Needs and Behaviour”. Students’ intense participation in multiple cognitive skills assessment activities allows researcher to check perspectives that facilitate understanding through descriptive qualitative strategies. Utilizing the strategy of supplementing quant itative with qualitative methods lessens perceptibly the amount of time it takes to collect multiple-data in different ways to describe accurately the phenomenon under study. Quantitative data included scores through repeated measures design of pretest/posttest, and a foreign based investigative searching assessment. While qualitative data utilized descriptive means, open-ended questions, interviews to capture participants’ perceived challenges and learning experience further evidenced from student learning portfolios to verify improvement of their critical thinking. The results corroborated with participants’ responses that purposeful assessment activities that involved well thought out evaluation of information’s credibility and significance can increase their cognitive abilities to problem solve and make informed decisions regardless of their starting point or aptitude level. Findings signified that individual students can make an amount of improvement through active learning engagement on tasks that trigger further inquiry and careful evaluation that sharpen critical thinking. Finally, the study has given an account that web based assessment of information competency can be an invaluable tool for encouraging critical thinking as evidenced by assessment results and participants’ responses. It provides the means to practice and increase awareness of their critical thinking to improve the outcomes of their thought processes
format Thesis
author Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha
author_facet Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha
author_sort Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha
title Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
title_short Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
title_full Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
title_fullStr Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
title_full_unstemmed Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha
title_sort engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: a single group repeated measures design / lleuvelyn areglado cacha
publishDate 2013
url http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/1/CACHA_LLEUVELYN_AREGLADO_(WHA080016).rar
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/
_version_ 1738505810437210112
spelling my.um.stud.56002015-06-30T01:05:12Z Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha L Education (General) QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science This study investigated the extent to which critical thinking could be promoted through question based framework via information competency assessment. The ability to evaluate information’s credibility using critical thinking is key indicator of information competency. The study set out to determine strategies how critical thinking transpired through infusion of information competency into content instructions to encourage critical thought processes and authentic learning. An assessment tool is required where students are empowered to challenge ideas, investigate complex information problems, and look for workable solutions integrating information technology capabilities. Prior to commencing the study, a range of online assessment tools used in universities abroad including iSkills and iCritical Thinking Certification of ETS are reviewed to gain insights into best instructive practices that encourage critical thinking in research, evaluation, creation and communication of information. Using questioning or problem-based approach in the constructivist and cognitive framework the study has established that technology integration supports higherlevel cognitive processes as it increases student’s effective interaction with information. A repeated measures design is used with pre-test/post-test and investigative searching assessment to determine the degree of learning and evidence of critical thinking skills resulting from the web based assessment of information competency. The design manipulates the impact of instructional strategies for furthering critical thinking through active engagement with problem solving exercises in steady progression of information competency skills. Initial sample consisted 21 Masters of Library and Information Science graduate students, of whom 3 did not complete, with strongly varying academic backgrounds, professional experience and with different levels of competence participated in this study. The practical relevance of using repeated measures design, employing the same group of participants in every assessment is clearly supported by the current findings. It makes sense to get information from a single group of graduate students through multiple benchmark assessments across a five-month semester course “Information Needs and Behaviour”. Students’ intense participation in multiple cognitive skills assessment activities allows researcher to check perspectives that facilitate understanding through descriptive qualitative strategies. Utilizing the strategy of supplementing quant itative with qualitative methods lessens perceptibly the amount of time it takes to collect multiple-data in different ways to describe accurately the phenomenon under study. Quantitative data included scores through repeated measures design of pretest/posttest, and a foreign based investigative searching assessment. While qualitative data utilized descriptive means, open-ended questions, interviews to capture participants’ perceived challenges and learning experience further evidenced from student learning portfolios to verify improvement of their critical thinking. The results corroborated with participants’ responses that purposeful assessment activities that involved well thought out evaluation of information’s credibility and significance can increase their cognitive abilities to problem solve and make informed decisions regardless of their starting point or aptitude level. Findings signified that individual students can make an amount of improvement through active learning engagement on tasks that trigger further inquiry and careful evaluation that sharpen critical thinking. Finally, the study has given an account that web based assessment of information competency can be an invaluable tool for encouraging critical thinking as evidenced by assessment results and participants’ responses. It provides the means to practice and increase awareness of their critical thinking to improve the outcomes of their thought processes 2013 Thesis NonPeerReviewed other http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/1/CACHA_LLEUVELYN_AREGLADO_(WHA080016).rar Lleuvelyn, Areglado Cacha (2013) Engaging students in critical thinking through information competency assessment: A single group repeated measures design / Lleuvelyn Areglado Cacha. PhD thesis, University of Malaya. http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/5600/