Developing critical practitioners: A review of teaching methods in the Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging

• Examines the concept of critical thinking including the personal traits required to enact it.
• Reviews three teaching activities aimed at teaching critical thinking.
• Assesses student perceptions of the activities in facilitating critical thinking skills.
• Students who acquire critical thinking skills can undergo transformative learning.
• Establishing an audit trail can ensure teaching activities are having desired effect.

BackgroundThe capacity to apply critical thinking clinically is no longer an option for radiographers. Radiographers are obliged by their registration board to embrace a contemporary and integrated conceptualisation of competence, including the capacity to think critically and reflectively to resolve clinical challenges.The study examines the complexity of critical thinking, identifies the skill set and personal traits necessary to enact it practically.MethodsThird and final year radiography students' perceptions of three teaching approaches used within the undergraduate course were explored using peer reviewed survey instruments. Thematic analysis and descriptive analyses were applied to the data to make sense of the responses.ConclusionsStudents are exhibiting the capacity to formulate, evaluate and revise their own work practices through critical thinking. Educational activities that have been proven effective in empowering students with the skills necessary to meet professional standards and the personal traits required to enact them should be prioritised in curricula. The study has shown that establishment of an audit trail for the educational activities in use within radiography programs can facilitate the acquisition of evidence-based and reflective practice skills amongst students. An assessment of student's perceptions of the learning activities they engage with is an important step on this trail, though a before and after measure could be applied.