چکیده:
The present exploratory mixed methods study aimedto develop a scale for assessing critical thinking (CT) ability of Iranian EFL learners. The study wasconducted in three phases. In phase one, the features of CT components were examined in the writingsof 120 participants. A holistic and an analytic scale were developed based on their performance in exploiting the components of CT and the features of CT components.In the second phase, the language learners' new writing samples (N=110) were analyzed to examine to what extent they could employ the CT components.Also, the reliability and validity of the newly developed scale was calculated. Factor analysis revealed that the scale measured the four constructs of clarity, fairness-breadth, depth- significance-logicalness, and accuracy-precision-relevance.In the final phase, the researchers implemented the newly developed scale on a new group of learners (N=33)to observe the degree the scale couldassess the CT ability of language learners.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Assessing Critical Thinking Ability via the Writing Process: Developing and implementing a Rating Scale ID: IJEAP-1706-1052 Reihaneh Sheikhy Behdani1 Mojgan Rashtchi2 Abstract Received: 01/06/2016 Accepted: 04/09/2016 Available online: 2016/11/11 The present exploratory mixed methods study aimedto develop a scale for assessing critical thinking (CT) ability of Iranian EFL learners.
In the second phase, the language learners' new writing samples (N=110) were analyzed to examine to what extent they could employ the CT components.
Introduction Critical thinking (CT) plays an importantroleinlearning(Beyer, 1987; McPeck, 1981) and puzzling out the students' CT ability seems to be crucial in this rapidly changing world (Stupple, Maratos, Elander, Hunt, Cheung, Aubeeluck, 2017).
Paul and Elder (2014) maintained that to improve the CT ability, learners need to engage in a set of intellectual processes consisting ofpurpose, concept, information, question, inference, assumption,point of view, and implication.
In the third phase, the researchers applied the scale to examine the extent to which the scale could assess the CT ability of language learners.
Additionally, the researchers used Akef's (2007) rating scaleand Ennis-Weir’s(1985) Essay Test to examine the consistency ofthe participants' performance in the English writing and CT.
In fact, the researchers aimed to examine the extent the newly developed scale could determine the CT ability of a group of EFL learners.
The purpose of this phase was to explore the extent to which the scale could assess the CT ability of EFL learners via writing.
To compensate for the drawbacks, the researchers developeda rating scale that utilizes the writing process to assess the CT ability among language learners.