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Cited by 932Education and Critical Thinking DevelopmentEducational Strategies and EpistemologiesInnovative Teaching and Learning Methods

Strategies for Teaching Students to Think Critically: A Meta-Analysis

Abrami, Philip C., Bernard, Robert M., Borokhovski, Eugene, Waddington, David I., Wade, C. Anne, Persson, Tonje·2015·Review of Educational Research
DOI 10.3102/0034654314551063
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Abstract

Critical thinking (CT) is purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanations of the considerations on which that judgment is based. This article summarizes the available empirical evidence on the impact of instruction on the development and enhancement of critical thinking skills and dispositions and student achievement. The review includes 341 effects sizes drawn from quasi- or true-experimental studies that used standardized measures of CT as outcome variables. The weighted random effects mean effect size ( g+) was 0.30 ( p < .001). The collection was heterogeneous ( p < .001). Results demonstrate that there are effective strategies for teaching CT skills, both generic and content specific, and CT dispositions, at all educational levels and across all disciplinary areas. Notably, the opportunity for dialogue, the exposure of students to authentic or situated problems and examples, and mentoring had positive effects on CT skills.

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  • Precision teaching methods improve students' critical thinking fluency over time.

    “Precision teaching methods, which focus on data-driven instructional techniques, have been shown to improve students' critical thinking fluency over time [5].”

    From Systematic literature review on critical thinking in higher education (2025) · cites this paper as [5]

  • Abrami et al. suggested that the important factor in critical thinking education is not where the course is located in the curriculum, but rather the pedagogies employed by the instructor.

    “Abrami et al. (2015) suggested that the important factor is not where the course is located in the curriculum, but rather the pedagogies employed by the instructor.”

    From Lessons from the field: Isn't it just common sense? Naïve realism as a barrier to learning (2024) · cites this paper as Abrami et al., 2015

  • Executive functions underlying general critical thinking, the ability to overcome bias, and metacognitive processes can all be trained and enhanced by educational programs.

    “The executive functions underlying general critical thinking, the ability to overcome bias (Houdé 2000; Houdé and Borst 2014), and meta-cognitive processes (i.e., meta information about our cognitive strategies) can all be trained and enhanced by educational programs (Abrami et al. 2015; Ahern et al. 2019; Alsaleh 2020; Bellaera et al. 2021; Uribe-Enciso et al. 2017; Popil 2011; Pasquinelli and Br”

    From Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration: Assessment, Certification, and Promotion of 21st Century Skills for the Future of Work and Education (2023) · cites this paper as Abrami et al. 2015

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Authors
Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Waddington, D. I., Wade, C. A., & Persson, T.
Affiliations
Concordia University (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Review of Educational Research
Publisher
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Published
2015-06
Volume
85
Issue
2
Pages
275-314
ISSN
  • 0034-6543 (ISSN-L)
  • 1935-1046
DOI
10.3102/0034654314551063
OpenAlex
W2130102695
Cited by
932
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 129 · 2025: 156 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 118 · 2022: 90 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 80 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 6
FWCI
112.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Review of Educational Research (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Education and Critical Thinking Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
Keywords
critical thinking, critical thinking instruction, critical thinking disposition, critical thinking skills, academic performance, effect size, dialogue, authentic problems, situated learning, mentoring, teaching methods

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