مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - DETERMINING THE SENIOR STUDENTS CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES IN HEALTH SCIENCES FACULTY IN A UNIVERSITY

Abstract :

Objectives: Aim of this study is to determine and compare critical thinking dispositions of the senior students in health sciences faculty in a university. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 211 senior students in health sciences faculty in a private university in March- July 2010. The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and a self report questionnaire survey which was developed by the researchers with the help of the material based on the literature was used to collect the data in the study. The questionnaire was developed by the researchers. Chi-square, ANOVA and t tests were used in the data analysis in the program of SPSS 11.5. Results: The majority ( 62.6 %) of the students participating in the research were in the 21-23 year old age group and 74.4 % of them were women. Most of the students (%56,4) graduated from anatolian/science high school or college. According to the findings of this study, it was determined that % 69.7 of the student’s have low level critical thinking skills, % 30.3 of the students have moderate level critical thinking skills. It was determined that the mean scores of the CCTDI according to departments were for nursing department 237.69; for physical treatment and rehabilitation department 230.56; for nutrition and dietetic department 225.41, for social services department 220.24, for sports sciences department 218.40, and for health institutions management department was 210.27 (p 0.05). It was significantly meaningful that, the students who were graduated from anatolian/science high school or college CCTDI mean scores higher than the other students. Conclusion: As a conclusion; it was determined that students have low level critical thinking skills in health sciences faculty in a university. Some socio-demographic data had influence on critical thinking skills.