Newsletter #33 Do Students Experience the Critical Thinking We Intend to Teach?

Written by Center for Teaching and Learning Wenzhou-Kean University | Apr 7, 2026 6:58:51 AM

Do Students Experience the Critical Thinking We Intend to Teach?

Critical thinking is widely regarded as essential in higher education—particularly in an era of social media, misinformation, and generative AI. Yet a noticeable gap may exist between what instructors believe they teach and what students perceive they learn. In a study conducted at two research universities in Norway and Germany, 94% of instructors reported that critical thinking plays a significant role in their teaching, while only 12% of students agreed.
 
This qualitative study was conducted at two research universities in Norway and Germany and involved 137 participants (46 teachers and 91 students). Using open-ended questionnaires and content analysis, it examined how teachers and students understand critical thinking, how they perceive its presence in teaching, and what barriers they believe limit its development.
Table 1. Study participants across countries and disciplines
 
The study explored three key questions:
  • How do instructors and students define critical thinking?
  • How do they perceive its presence in teaching and learning?
  • What factors do they believe limit its development?

1. Shared Definitions, Different Emphases

Both instructors and students showed substantial overlap in how they defined critical thinking. Across the responses, critical thinking was understood as involving skills, dispositions, and knowledge, including elements such as evaluation, analytical processing, open-mindedness, and the ability to interpret and question information. At the same time, instructors appeared to hold a somewhat broader understanding than students, placing greater emphasis on research-related factors, particularly methodological critique. Overall, the study suggests that while teachers and students share many core ideas about critical thinking, instructors tend to frame it in a more expansive and research-oriented way.
 
 

Figure 1. A multidimensional view of critical thinking
 
 
2. Uneven Perceptions in Teaching and Learning
 
This divergence becomes even more apparent in actual teaching and learning contexts, most notably in the fact that teachers place far greater emphasis on critical thinking than students perceive. In teaching practice, teachers can point to a range of ways in which critical thinking is incorporated, such as literature discussions, peer-review activities, and reflection on teaching outcomes. Students, by contrast, tend to focus mainly on specific hands-on applications of critical thinking within their courses. Their perceptions also appear to be shaped by disciplinary background: overall, students in the humanities and social sciences show greater awareness of critical thinking than those in STEM fields.

Table 2. Different emphases in how teachers and students understand critical thinking
 

3. Barriers Beyond the Classroom

The factors perceived to constrain critical thinking show even greater variation. Both instructors and students identified lack of time as a major barrier, while other commonly mentioned constraints included superficial learning, lack of knowledge, fear, deference to authority, and information overload. The study also found differences across disciplines and national contexts, suggesting that the conditions supporting critical thinking are not the same in every educational setting.


Figure 3. A gap in perceptions of critical thinking in teaching
 
 
One of the study’s most important theoretical contributions is its argument that critical thinking is best understood not as a single, fixed concept, but as what Wittgenstein called a family resemblance concept—complex, multidimensional, and resistant to any one precise definition. For that reason, critical thinking may be better cultivated across the curriculum, in close connection with disciplinary knowledge, rather than treated as a standalone skill or isolated module.
 
Taken together, the findings offer an important reminder for higher education. Critical thinking is not a teaching goal that can simply be declared “achieved.” Rather, it is a gradual developmental process that depends on creating the right conditions: sufficient knowledge, time, psychological safety, and sustained opportunities for practice.
 
 
References：
Nyléhn, J., Boge, C., Schaldach, P., & Soulé, J. (2026). Core themes in critical thinking: Perspectives from students and university teachers in Norway and Germany. Science & Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-026-00721-z
 
 
 

Key Updates about CTL

Registration Now Open | Professional Development Program on Artificial Intelligence Literacy in the Digital-Intelligence Era 

 
The program centers on the integration of AI-driven creativity and pedagogy, offering innovative teaching methodologies and insights into cutting-edge technological developments. The curriculum covers AI-empowered teaching practices, case studies in instructional innovation, and emerging frontiers in AI technologies. Instruction is delivered by senior faculty members of Peking University, supported by doctoral-level teaching and research teams.
  • Dates: April 23–26, 2026
  • Location: Yanyuan Campus, Peking University (Beijing)
  • Format: In-person instruction + visits and study tours + seminars and discussions
  • Language: Chinese
For more information, please click here.
 

Instructional Skills Workshop

We are pleased to announce the upcoming Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) — a signature faculty development program designed to strengthen teaching practices through experiential learning.

🗓️ Upcoming Session

  • Session #26: May 16-17 & May 30-31.
Participants will explore core teaching and learning concepts, reflect on current practices, experiment with new instructional strategies, and engage in supportive environments.
We look forward to discussing this excellent opportunity to increase student engagement with interested faculty and staff of WKU. Please note that participation is limited to five individuals, and all four days of the workshop are required.
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Author: Yan  (Tanya) Tang
Chief Editor: Yirui (Sandy) Jiang
Subeditor: Anqi（Angel）Wei

 
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