英语专业大学生思辨能力现状与影响因素研究

A Study of English Majors’ Critical Thinking Ability:Current Status and Influencing Factors

本研究对786名不同年级的英语专业、其他文科专业和理工科专业大学生进行了思辨能力(技能和倾向)测试,并向其中335名英语专业学生实施问卷调查,旨在考察英语专业学生思辨能力的现状及其内外部影响因素。研究发现,大一、大二英语专业学生的总体思辨能力与其他文科和理工科学生相当,不支持外语专业学生思辨能力不如其他专业学生的论断;英语专业大一到大三年级内的学生未发现思辨能力的显著差异;影响英语专业学生思辨能力的因子有9个,最重要的两个因子皆与外部因素——教师有关,说明教师在促进学生思辨能力发展中发挥着关键作用,研究结果为促进我国高校外语类大学生思辨能力的培养提供了参考。

This study measured the critical thinking ability(skills and disposition)of 786 English majors,liberal arts majors,as well as science and engineering majors in different grades,and conducted a survey on the 335 English majors for the purpose of investigating English majors’critical thinking ability and its internal and external influencing factors.It is found that overall critical thinking ability of the 1st-year and 2nd-year English majors is comparable to that of the students majoring in liberal arts,science and engineering;no significant difference exists among English majors across the first three grades.Among the nine identified factors influencing the critical thinking ability of English majors,two crucial ones are related to the external teacher,indicating the pivotal role teachers play in promoting their students’critical thinking ability.Results of the study refute the misconception that foreign language majors are inferior to other majors in critical thinking,and provide a reference for how to cultivate critical thinking of foreign language majors in Chinese universities.