Perceptions and practices of critical thinking amongst faculty of nursing, medicine, and education discipline in Karachi, Pakistan
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)
Department
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan
Abstract
Using a descriptive explorative design, the study aimed to explore the perceptions and practices of critical thinking amongst the faculty of nursing, medicine, and education disciplines. In line with the set criteria, a purposive sample of 12 teachers were selected for the study from four university settings in Karachi, Pakistan, where multidisciplinary training programs for nurses, doctors, and teachers are offered. The data was collected through semi structured interviews and observation of faculty's teaching practices in a classroom pertinent to the phenomenon of this study. Content analysis of the data revealed four major themes: multi dimensionality of CT, characteristics of a critical being, challenges and barriers to implementing CT, and creating an enabling environment in the classroom. The analysis revealed that faculty has unique and diverse perceptions of critical thinking that influence their teaching practices in the classroom. Teachers' ability to create an enabling physical, psychological, and intellectual environment in classrooms to promote learners' CT is contingent upon their understanding of CT. Teachers who verbalized a better understanding of CT and its strategies, demonstrated ability to create an enabling environment for promoting CT skills in the classroom. The study findings also indicated that there are more similarities than differences in the perceptions and practices of CT amongst members of the faculty of nursing, medicine, and education. The findings point to the implementation of training sessions for the teachers about CT in order to help them operationalize their perceptions of critical thinking and become critical beings, before expecting them to adopt a CT culture in their classrooms and promote learners' CT.
Recommended Citation
Cassum, S. H. (2011). Perceptions and practices of critical thinking amongst faculty of nursing, medicine, and education discipline in Karachi, Pakistan (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.