Critical Thinking Skills among Ninth Standard Students in Relation to Gender, Intelligence and Study habits

Authors: Dr. Harish G.C

Pages: 13-20

Abstract:

Critical thinking skill is not an isolated skill but rather one with a wide applicability. It is a skill needed by all leaders, followers, professionals, businessmen, market women, young and old, men and women, in business thinking, teaching thinking, medical thinking, personal thinking, etc. Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing or evaluating information gathered from or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning as guide to belief and action. For teachers who are entrusted with producing future leaders and manpower for every nation, it is even quite essential. The present study aim to examine empirically the effect of Gender, Intelligence and study habits on the critical thinking skills of secondary school students. A sample of 140 students was selected randomly from ninth standard students of Bangalore city.2x2x2 factorial design was employed with two levels of gender: boys and girls, two levels of intelligence: high and low and two levels of study habits high and low. The analysis was carried out by employing three way analysis of variance.