Overview

Critical thinking is a major and enduring aspect of higher education and the development of criticality in students has long been a core aim. However, understandings of criticality are conceptually and empirically unclear. The book combines a well developed conceptual discussion of the nature of criticality appropriate for the twenty-first century, the extent to which it is attainable by arts and social science undergraduates, and the paths by which it is developed during students’ higher education experiences. Drawing upon empirical accounts and case studies of teaching and learning in different disciplines, this book critically analyses higher education curriculum and policy documentation to explore higher educational processes, encouraging a re-evaluation of practice and educational values, and enabling the development of curricula which incorporate systematic attention to the development of student criticality. This book proposes a rounded conceptual vision of criticality in higher education for the twenty-first century.

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9781441137876

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Reviews

'This is a timely contribution to current debates concerning the role and purpose of Universities in the twenty first century. For those with a specific interest in teaching and learning in the social sciences, this is a 'must read' text. For others, it provides a rich and fascinating resource for understanding the nature of criticality; both its theoretical underpinnings and empirical evidence of its development in practice. Whilst its focus is on specific fields of study - Modern Languages and Social Work - the authors adopt an interdisciplinary perspective that makes this book relevant to a much wider social science community.' Jackie Powell, Emeritus Professor in Social Work Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, UK 'Ask most academics what the most important skill is that students should develop when in higher education and it is likely that critical thinking will be the one which most put at the top of their list. This intriguing book, based on an ESRC funded study, emphasises the context dependent nature of critical thinking, critical self-reflection and critical action. As well as providing an authoritative overview of the concept, the authors examine how undergraduates in modern languages and social work at one research-intensive university experience criticality and how teachers might facilitate the development of criticality. This book makes an important contribution to the development of curriculum policies, assessment strategies and higher education pedagogies.' Mick Healey, HE Consultant and Researcher, Emeritus Professor University of Gloucestershire, UK, Honorary Professor University of Queensland, Australia, Visiting Professor Edinburgh Napier University, UK, and Visiting Professor University of Wales Newport, UK 'This book provides an integration of practical wisdom and theoretical understanding in a difficult area of higher education. It is based on a deep understanding of the issues addressed and a thorough knowledge of existing work in the field.' Lewis Elton, Emeritus Professor, University College, London, UK, Honorary Visiting Professor, University of Gloucestershire, UK, and Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Surrey, UK 'Developing Student Criticality in Higher Education meticulously argues for a conceptual framework of criticality in undergraduate education based on innovative and rigorous empirical research. It contextualises the results of this research in a comprehensive historical and global overview of theories of criticality and in doing so raises vital questions about the role of critical thinking in higher education. In doing this it also explores the purpose of higher education in the 21st century. It deserves to be read by both educators and policy makers.' Joan Orme, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, Glasgow School of Social Work, UK 'In this age of instrumentalism, the idea of criticality is falling away and becoming lost from view. And yet it remains a key idea in any serious idea of the university. This book, accordingly, is most timely and much needed, and it not only offers a new framework but shows too how the framework can be applied in practice and how the student experience may be suitably stretched once again. We are in the authors' debt.' Ronald Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education, Institute of Education, London, UK

‘This is a timely contribution to current debates concerning the role and purpose of Universities in the twenty first century. For those with a specific interest in teaching and learning in the social sciences, this is a 'must read' text. For others, it provides a rich and fascinating resource for understanding the nature of criticality; both its theoretical underpinnings and empirical evidence of its development in practice. Whilst its focus is on specific fields of study - Modern Languages and Social Work - the authors adopt an interdisciplinary perspective that makes this book relevant to a much wider social science community.' Jackie Powell, Emeritus Professor in Social Work Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, UK 'Ask most academics what the most important skill is that students should develop when in higher education and it is likely that critical thinking will be the one which most put at the top of their list. This intriguing book, based on an ESRC funded study, emphasises the context dependent nature of critical thinking, critical self-reflection and critical action. As well as providing an authoritative overview of the concept, the authors examine how undergraduates in modern languages and social work at one research-intensive university experience criticality and how teachers might facilitate the development of criticality. This book makes an important contribution to the development of curriculum policies, assessment strategies and higher education pedagogies.' Mick Healey, HE Consultant and Researcher, Emeritus Professor University of Gloucestershire, UK, Honorary Professor University of Queensland, Australia, Visiting Professor Edinburgh Napier University, UK, and Visiting Professor University of Wales Newport, UK ‘This book provides an integration of practical wisdom and theoretical understanding in a difficult area of higher education. It is based on a deep understanding of the issues addressed and a thorough knowledge of existing work in the field.' Lewis Elton, Emeritus Professor, University College, London, UK, Honorary Visiting Professor, University of Gloucestershire, UK, and Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Surrey, UK ‘Developing Student Criticality in Higher Education meticulously argues for a conceptual framework of criticality in undergraduate education based on innovative and rigorous empirical research. It contextualises the results of this research in a comprehensive historical and global overview of theories of criticality and in doing so raises vital questions about the role of critical thinking in higher education. In doing this it also explores the purpose of higher education in the 21st century. It deserves to be read by both educators and policy makers.' Joan Orme, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, Glasgow School of Social Work, UK ‘In this age of instrumentalism, the idea of criticality is falling away and becoming lost from view. And yet it remains a key idea in any serious idea of the university. This book, accordingly, is most timely and much needed, and it not only offers a new framework but shows too how the framework can be applied in practice and how the student experience may be suitably stretched once again. We are in the authors' debt.' Ronald Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education, Institute of Education, London, UK This book is an excellent contribution to developmental approaches to criticality. It has already made an invaluable contribution to my own work in both research and curriculum development and is particularly useful for those engaged in transition issues or developing student capacity for success in higher education. It will certainly interest researchers, educators and policy-makers who are searching for a research-led approach to understanding and developing student criticality in an era of rapid change in higher education. -- Chad Habel, University of Adelaide * Higher Education Research & Development * This book is an important contribution to important current debates about higher education... The evident awareness of broader issues affecting higher education means that the authors are able to use their detailed and wide-ranging discussion of criticality to engage with fundamental issues such as the purposes of higher education. In addition to being able to shed light on such issues the authors also engage impressively with the literature. -- Jonathan Hughes, The Open University * British Educational Research Journal *

Author Information

Rosamond Mitchell is Professor in the School of Humanities and Director of the Centre for Applied Language Research at the University of Southampton, UK. Florence Myles is Professor of Second Language Acquisition at the University of Essex, UK.

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