Critical Thinking and Online Supplemental Instruction: A Case Study

A wealth of research is available regarding supplemental instruction; however, a dearth exists regarding online supplemental instruction and critical thinking. This case study explored what was assumed to be known of critical thinking and investigated the extent to which critical thought was promoted within a university’s online supplemental instruction program. Survey and persistence data indicated the university’s online SI program was successfully facilitating critical thinking. However, after conducting online session observations, based upon the Paulian critical thinking theory and the adoption of Bloom’s taxonomy as a critical thinking model, the case investigation revealed the initial assumption was flawed. S its inception over four decades ago, Supplemental Instruction (SI) has consistently established a positive impact on student performance (University of Missouri, 2007). Ubiquitous studies, ranging from K-12 to higher education settings, have consistently replicated outcomes demonstrating that participation in SI is positively associated with higher academic performance as compared to those who do not participate in SI (Arendale, 2001; McGuire, 2006; Zaritsky & Toce, 2006; Zerger et al., 2006). Yet, there exists another contributor to higher course grades: critical thinking. Facione (2011), a leading expert in critical thinking, posits a significant correlation exists between critical thinking skills and college grade point average (GPA). It logically follows that if one’s Critical Thinking and Online Supplemental Instruction: A Case Study Cassandra S. Shaw | Capella University | cassandra.shaw@capella.edu 100 | TLAR, Volume 19, Number 1 thinking improves then one’s performance might improve as well. Facione (1990) proposes an educational responsibility toward fostering a “critical spirit” that includes building and strengthening core skills in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. Interestingly, these core skills are an ideal complement to Bloom’s taxonomy—a critical thinking model employed by a leading online university that offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees to domestic and international students. Capella University’s SI program is one of the few, if only, 100 percent online SI programs in higher education. Akin to university curricula objectives, SI session planners and online activities are designed to promote critical thinking through the application of Bloom’s taxonomy. SI Leaders then facilitate the activities during synchronous sessions with the intention of cultivating a critical spirit. A question that came to the forefront of this case investigation was “How well does SI facilitate critical thinking skills? ” A preliminary data examination of SI evaluation surveys and course grades revealed that students were gaining critical thinking skills through participation in SI. The data suggested that these critical thinking skills not only helped students with the current course, but also provided transferable critical thinking skills that could be applied to other courses. Literature Defining the construct of critical thinking was a significant first step toward establishing a foundation from which to conduct the case study. Halpern (2003) stated critical thinking generates new knowledge and that knowledge and thought are intrinsically linked to human cognition. Petress (2004) cited critical thinking as a “mode of thinking” and an “intellectually disciplined process. ” Facione (2011) stated critical thinking is a process in which the resulting outcome includes “thoughtful judgment” and “reflective decision making. ” These interpretations led to the inference that critical thinking facilitates the ability to address issues and solve problems through a disciplined process by which the end result can be justified by reason and evidence. As the construct of critical thought became more apparent through the literature, a question emerged as to what was assumed to be known of critical thinking. This propelled the case study into a Critical Thinking and Online SI: a Case Study | 101 deeper realm in which skepticism usurped assumption. Underpinning the interpretations by Halpern, Petress, and Facione, is the what, why, and how components of critical thought. The what component of critical thinking exemplifies characteristics of an intellectual mode of thinking, such as applying a logical, reasoned, rational, academic, or scholarly approach to thinking whereby justifications are accomplished through reason and evidence. Opinions and conjecture are prohibited as means for justification. The why component examines the importance of critical thought: in other words, why should one think critically? Critical thought is of benefit or value to individuals, society, and culture because it is the global facilitator of enhanced thinking abilities and expanded breadth of knowledge (Facione, 2011). When justification is achieved through reason and evidence, human thought can generate new knowledge, ideas, and solutions, as well as practice fair-mindedness in thinking (Paul, 2011). Given the propensity of the average person to supply opinion as a means to substantiate an argument, it is not difficult to deduce that human nature is challenged to think critically. So how can a person who is not inclined to think critically facilitate critical thinking? The how component of critical thinking refers to an intellectually disciplined process used to promote thoughtful judgment, reflective decision-making, and evidence-based reasoning (Facione, 2011; Huitt, 1998; Petress, 2004). The process alludes to methods used to increase awareness of critical thought so as to acquire basic critical thinking skills and intervene in faulty thinking. Subsequently, this case study needed to locate a fitting framework for facilitating the process of tackling the how component of critical thinking. The resulting outcome was the adoption of the Paulian critical thinking theory. Paulian Critical Thinking Theory The Paulian critical thinking theory purports the application of a specific critical thinking model. At the heart of defining Paulian critical thinking, lay three key facets (Elder, 2010, p. 2): Although it is human nature to think, it is not human nature to think well or critically. “Therefore, we need to be able to intervene in thinking, to 102 | TLAR, Volume 19, Number 1 analyze, assess, and where necessary, improve it. ” Critical thinking is purposeful, has a goal, and utilizes reasoning (Halpern, 1998). According to the Paulian theory, there are multiple processes that should ensue, such as developing fair-mindedness through the eight elements of reasoning and harnessing critical thinking abilities. When incorporated into one’s reasoning, these processes can strengthen critical thought and the incumbent nature to think well and to think without prejudice or illusion. The eight elements of reasoning (Figure 1), or structures of thought, become the idea that all reasoning contains parts, and that these parts enable one to analyze thinking in order to best understand it (Paul, 2008). Each element has influence and is influenced by another. Where one element exists, the other seven exist, like a chain with eight links. All products of reasoning can be analyzed according to these eight elements (Figure 1) since all human reasoning contains the eight parts (Paul, 2008). These eight elements also impact our ability to develop fair-mindedness. Figure 1. Flow chart depicting the process of developing fair-mindedness through the eight elements of reasoning. According to Paul (2011), critical thinking ability can be described as a process or object of thought and an intellectual standard. Critical thinking ability involves the act of gathering relevant information. Connecting this ability to Paul’s process of developing fair-mindedness, information gathering is used to generate a purpose, clarify issues, distinguish relevant from irrelevant information, raise questions, question deeply, practice Socratic discussion, and read critically (Paul, 2008). When making logical inferences, one uses information to compare and evaluate perspectives or theories and to compare Critical Thinking and Online SI: a Case Study | 103 analogous situations to transfer insights to new contexts. Logical inference further helps to utilize concepts to generate or assess solutions, which leads to a refined generalization that avoids oversimplifications and leads to plausible interpretations (Paul, 2008). Next, generating justifiable assumptions is tied to the process of making assumptions that arise when reasons are given and evidence and facts are evaluated. To pursue critical thought logically, one must generate implications by noting significant similarities and differences. Incorporating critical thinking with developing fair-mindedness can be accomplished by checking information for accuracy, through criterion development for that evaluation by clarifying values and standards. This further includes evaluating the credibility of sources where information was mined. The essence of the Paulian theory purports that to think critically requires people to develop fair-mindedness at the same time they learn basic critical thinking skills, and thus begin to practice fair-mindedness in thinking. According to Halpern (1998), critical thinking utilizes cognitive abilities to increase a desirable outcome. Higher order cognitive skills are synonymous with critical thinking skills with a goal of providing useful feedback to improve thinking (Halpern, 1998). The Paulian theory of critical thinking purports the application of a specific critical thinking model. At Capella, Bloom’s taxonomy is that model integrated into courses and student learning. Bloom’s Taxonomy From academic, learning, and training perspectives, Bloom’s taxonomy is familiar to many as a means to construct educational objectives. By crafting distinct