| The evaluation is based on the application of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) to determine if statistically significant differences exist in test scores between the student groups in the Department of Architecture which offers three programs. All incoming freshmen study for two years in the Architectural Engineering Technology (AET) program. For students who continue, at the beginning of the third year, they may launch into one of two options (a) the five year Architectural Cooperative Program (ARC) or (b) the four year Architectural Engineering Cooperative (AEC) program.; The problem under investigation is that although critical thinking ability is an expected outcome of a college education and is an essential skill of technical and design professionals, WIT has yet to establish empirical research data to determine the level of student critical thinking ability, or to establish benchmarks for future evaluation efforts.; The following ten research questions (RQ) were developed to address the problem: (1) What is an operational definition of critical thinking skills? (2) What are the critical thinking skills needed for effectiveness in the professional fields of engineering and architecture? (3) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between the architectural-engineering (AEC-4) and architectural (ARC-5) senior level students, and the (AET-1a) freshmen? (4) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between (AEC-4) and (ARC-5) senior level students, and the (AEC-3) and (ARC-3) juniors? (5) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between the (AEC-3) and (ARC-3) juniors, and (AET-1a) freshmen? (6) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between senior level (AEC-4) and (ARC-5) students? (7) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between two independent freshmen groups, one group (AET-1a) tested at the beginning of the first semester and the other group (AET-1b) tested at the end of the first semester? (8) Based on the WGCTA are there significant total mean score differences between (AET-2) sophomores nearing completion of two years of study and entering (AET-1a) freshmen? (9) Based on the WGCTA, are there significant total mean score differences between fifth year (ARC-5) architectural students and entering (AET-1a) freshmen? (10) Based on the WGCTA, are there total mean score differences between the combined WIT students and comparable normative student groups from the WGCTA database? (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
