The Impact of the Perceived Value of Critical-Thinking Skills

Authors

  • Aurora Denial New England College of Optometry Author

Abstract

From 2003-2007 at the New England College of Optometry, the Integrative Seminar Course (ISC) was used to facilitate students' learning of clinical reasoning. To examine students' perceptions and experiences regarding their learning, an end-of-year Likert-style survey was administered to 96 first-year students after completion of the ISC. Analysis of the course utilizing the survey, informal student and faculty discussions, and student-generated comments identified three main obstacles to the course goal of helping students value the development of critical thinking: the perception of critical thinking as innate, an inappropriate contextual environment, and a teaching methodology that promoted a passive learning environment. The ISC was revised to address these obstacles and reborn as the Clinical Reasoning Course (CRC). The purpose of this article is to describe and evaluate the changes made to the ISC with a particular focus on how well the revised version improved the value students place on acquiring critical-thinking skills.

Published

2024-03-23