Does College Teach Critical Thinking? A Meta-Analysis

TLDR

Educators view critical thinking as essential, yet its effectiveness in college remains unclear. The meta‑analysis examines gains in critical‑thinking skills and dispositions across college and discusses implications for future education. The study aggregates evidence on critical‑thinking skill and disposition gains over various college durations. Results show substantial improvements in critical‑thinking skills and dispositions during a typical college experience, but curriculum‑wide initiatives do not consistently yield long‑term gains.

Abstract

Educators view critical thinking as an essential skill, yet it remains unclear how effectively it is being taught in college. This meta-analysis synthesizes research on gains in critical thinking skills and attitudinal dispositions over various time frames in college. The results suggest that both critical thinking skills and dispositions improve substantially over a normal college experience. Furthermore, analysis of curriculum-wide efforts to improve critical thinking indicates that they do not necessarily produce incremental long-term gains. We discuss implications for the future of critical thinking in education.