A survey of attitudes towards critical thinking among Hong Kong secondary school teachers: Implications for policy change

The term “critical thinking” (CT) is frequently found in educational policy documents in sections outlining curriculum goals. Despite this frequency, however, precise understandings among teachers of what CT really means are lacking. In this study, 72 high school teachers in Hong Kong were surveyed and interviewed on their beliefs about the meaning of CT. Results indicated that while the teachers had some conception of the term, it tended to be narrow. Further, they expressed strong support for the inclusion of CT in the curriculum, while conveying a desire for training in how to teach it. The findings suggest more precise definitions of CT are needed in educational documents.

Research highlights▶ High school teachers were surveyed on their beliefs about “critical thinking”. ▶ The teachers had a wide range of conceptions about its meaning. ▶ Some teachers thought critical thinking included only cognitive skill elements. ▶ Some teachers thought critical thinking included only cognitive skill elements, others thought it was more dispositional in nature. ▶ The meaning of “critical thinking” needs more clarity in educational documents.