Assessing Undergraduates' Critical Thinking 'In-Flight' During IWSP: A Mixed-Methods Study on In-Situ Assessment Validation and Critical Thinking Development
Grant Name
Applied Learning and Innovation Grant (ALIGN)Abstract
Critical thinking (CT) is a core learning outcome in higher education, yet most assessments are conducted in decontextualized classroom settings. Informed by established frameworks and assessments such as the Paul-Elder framework, the HEIghten Critical Thinking Assessment, and the PACIER framework, this project aims to develop and validate a suite of tools to assess students' critical thinking in situ while they are engaged in integrated work-study programmes (IWSP) and performing authentic professional tasks. The primary objective is to develop practical assessment instruments that focus on essential CT competencies and support longitudinal assessment, with strong ecological validity and explicit contextualization for IWSP.
Using a mixed-methods design that combines student surveys, interviews, supervisor observation rubrics, and qualitative workplace observations, and employing advanced quantitative and qualitative analyses, the project aims to develop and establish the reliability and validity of these instruments for assessing critical thinking longitudinally as it unfolds in authentic professional contexts in the age of artificial intelligence.
The project will deliver: (1) a validated critical thinking survey instrument; (2) an observation-based supervisor rubric for assessing CT in workplace settings; (3) an evidence-based evaluation model suitable for use by higher education institutions; and (4) empirically grounded recommendations for enhancing critical thinking development during IWSP.