A Study of Critical Thinking Skills in the International ...

A Study of Critical Thinking Skills in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

October 2015

Julie Wade, Natalie Wolanin, and Trisha McGaughey

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... vii Study Design ............................................................................................................................. vii Summary of Key Findings ........................................................................................................ vii Survey Findings from MYP and non-MYP Respondents..................................................... vii Observations of MYP Classrooms....................................................................................... viii Consistency of Findings from Multiple Measures ............................................................... viii Critical Thinking Skills Used Most Frequently ................................................................... viii Recommendations.................................................................................................................... viii

Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Program Description ....................................................................................................................... 2 Literature Review............................................................................................................................ 2 Scope of the Study .......................................................................................................................... 4 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 4

Selection of Schools.................................................................................................................... 4 MYP Schools ...........................................................................................................................4 Non-MYP Comparison Schools ..............................................................................................5 High Schools ............................................................................................................................5

Student Sample and Survey Administration ............................................................................... 5 Student Survey ............................................................................................................................ 6 Teacher Sample and Survey Administration .............................................................................. 7 Teacher Survey ........................................................................................................................... 8 MYP Classroom Observations.................................................................................................... 8

Observation Protocol. ..............................................................................................................8 Student Demographic and Performance Data............................................................................. 9 Procedures for Analysis .............................................................................................................. 9

Analytic Procedures for Question 1 .........................................................................................9 Analytic Procedures for Question 2 .......................................................................................10 Analytic Procedures for Question 3 .......................................................................................10 Analytic Procedures for Question 4 .......................................................................................11 Findings......................................................................................................................................... 11

Program Evaluation Unit

i

Critical Thinking Skills in MYP

Question 1: Do current MYP students report using critical thinking skills to a greater extent than non-MYP students?........................................................................................................... 11

Characteristics of Middle School Survey Respondents .........................................................11 Survey Responses of MYP and non-MYP Students..............................................................12 Survey Responses of MYP Students: Critical Thinking Strategies and Practices Reported by Largest and Smallest Percentages of Respondents ...........................................16 Question 2: Do high school students with an MYP background report greater use of critical thinking skills than their non-MYP counterparts? .................................................................... 18 Characteristics of High School Survey Respondents.............................................................18 Survey Responses of High School Students Previously Enrolled in MYP and nonMYP Schools .........................................................................................................................19 Survey Responses of High School Students Previously Enrolled in MYP: Strategies Used by Largest and Smallest Percentages of Respondents ..................................................22 Question 3: Do MYP teachers report greater use of practices promoting critical thinking in the classroom than non-MYP middle school teachers? .................................................................. 23 Characteristics of Teacher Survey Respondents....................................................................23 Survey Responses of MYP and non-MYP Teachers .............................................................25 Teachers' Responses by Subject Area ...................................................................................28 Survey Responses of MYP Teachers: Practices Used Daily or Frequently by Largest and Smallest Percentages of Respondents .............................................................................31 Findings from MYP Classroom Observations .......................................................................32 Critical and Creative Thinking Skills: Congruence of Findings by Multiple Measures ................................................................................................................................37 Summary of Findings.................................................................................................................... 38 Survey Findings from MYP and non-MYP Students ............................................................... 38 Survey Findings from MYP and non-MYP Teachers .............................................................. 38 Observations of MYP Classrooms............................................................................................ 39 Critical Thinking Skills Used Most Frequently in MYP Classrooms ...................................... 39 Strengths and Limitations ............................................................................................................. 39 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Recommendations......................................................................................................................... 41 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................... 42 References..................................................................................................................................... 42 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 45

Program Evaluation Unit

ii

Critical Thinking Skills in MYP

Appendix B ................................................................................................................................... 55 Appendix C ................................................................................................................................... 57 Appendix D ................................................................................................................................... 61 Appendix E ................................................................................................................................... 63 Appendix F.................................................................................................................................... 66

Program Evaluation Unit

iii

Critical Thinking Skills in MYP

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