外语专业大学生思辨技能发展趋势跟踪研究

Development of critical thinking skills: A longitudinal study on foreign language majors

本研究历时3年跟踪考察了两所不同类型高校139名英语和德语专业学生的思辨技能发展状况。研究使用自主研制的标准化思辨技能量具,在受试本科学习的前3年实施4次测评。研究结果显示:(1)学生思辨技能整体呈现进步趋势,经历了"上升—持平—上升"的发展阶段;(2)英语和德语专业学生的思辨技能在各阶段无明显差异;(3)思辨技能初始水平不同学生的思辨技能发展轨迹总体相近,但局部存在差异。基于上述结果,研究对外语教学中思辨能力培养的相关问题展开了讨论。

This longitudinal study investigated for three years the development of critical thinking( CT) skills of 139 English and German majors from two universities of different types in China. Using parallel tests of standardized CT skills assessment,it collected data at four stages during the first three years of the participants’ undergraduate study.The results showed that:( 1) the participants in general made significant progress in their CT skills,but not necessarily in a linear and incremental way;( 2) there was no significant difference in CT skills development at four stages between English and German majors;( 3) learners at different starting levels followed similar trajectories with variations at certain stages in their CT skills development. Based on the results,the study discussed the issues concerning CT skills development in foreign language teaching.