Psychometric properties of the critical thinking disposition assessment test amongst medical students in China: a cross-sectional study

Perception of the Level of Competency of Candidates for Graduation: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Complex Thinking

Complex thinking is a cognitive skill that focuses on the integrated analysis and synthesis of information with a systemic and critical perspective that enables creative decision-making in the face of complex realities or challenges. At the educational level, it is valued as a transdisciplinary competency, meaning it is relevant for individuals regardless of their profession or field of study. This article presents the results of measuring the perceived achievement of complex thinking among 830 graduating students from a technological university in Mexico, aiming to identify possible significant differences based on their discipline or major. Methodologically, a multivariate descriptive statistical analysis was performed using R and RStudio software, including calculation of means and standard deviations, violin plots, boxplot and ANOVA significance analysis, and t-test. The results show that the differences were not statistically significant in all the disciplines, although it is possible to note significant differences, which reveals a differentiated behavior in the process of formation and development of complex thinking according to the discipline of study. In conclusion, the present study shows that the students' areas of training are associated with differences in perception of complex thinking and its associated sub-competencies, thus differentiating this ability in their graduation profile. This article contributes to the existing literature on the formation and development of complex thinking and its sub-competencies as relevant professional skills for lifelong learning.

Social Entrepreneurship, Complex Thinking, and Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy: Correlational Study in a Sample of Mexican Students

This article presents the results of a study conducted on a sample population of students attending a technological university in western Mexico. The development of the entrepreneurial self-efficacy competency was evaluated within a process of ideation of social entrepreneurship projects to develop social entrepreneurship and complex thinking competencies. A multivariate descriptive analysis was implemented to demonstrate possible statistically significant correlations between the competencies of social entrepreneurship, complex thinking, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The results confirm the correlations between the competencies of social entrepreneurship, complex thinking, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, concluding that there is statistically significant information to indicate that the complex thinking competency positively impacts not only the process of generating social entrepreneurship projects but also the scaling of entrepreneurs’ perceptions about their capabilities at the time of entrepreneurship. At a practical level, this study presents results that argue for the need to develop complex thinking in students in social entrepreneurship programs, both in universities and in organizations that promote entrepreneurship. It confirms that complex thinking is a valuable competency in the ideation and generation of entrepreneurial proposals.

Business Decision-Making and Complex Thinking: A Bibliometric Study

Complex thinking is an important tool for effective decision-making, as it helps people to better understand uncertain situations by considering the multiple variables and relationships involved in a situation, thus being able to identify patterns and connections that would not otherwise be evident. This article presents the results of a bibliometric study to identify academic publications that consider the correlation between decision-making in the business area and complex thinking competency and its sub-competencies. The intention was to have a theoretical horizon that provides a complete overview of the current academic situation regarding the correlation of both professional skills to identify areas of opportunity for new studies. Methodologically, we conducted a literature review using Scopus and Web of Science databases under the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol from which a sample of 339 articles related to both topics was obtained. R, Rstudio, and Bibliometrix were used for the quantitative analysis of the data. The results showed an academic tendency to associate decision-making in business with critical thinking, paying little attention to the other sub-competencies of complex thinking. Furthermore, we found a concentration of research in specific universities and countries, repeating a tendency to study only a few sub-competencies. Overall, this work sheds light on the broad opportunity to link the complex thinking macro-competency with decision-making in business, to provide more extraordinary skills and tools to future professionals.

Evaluating and comparing critical thinking skills of residents of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND

Today's complexities and diversity in the clinical setting have revealed the need to pay attention to strengthening critical thinking (CT) skills. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare CT skills in the residents of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study. The study's statistical population included 284 residents in orthopedic, internal medicine, and surgery groups studying in the PGY1 to PGY4 years of residency. The data collection tool was the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) form B. The collected data were entered into SPSS-16 software and analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (one-way ANOVA) statistics. The significant level in all tests was considered at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

189 out of 284 residents completed and returned the questionnaire, and the response rate was 66%. The mean CT skill score of residents (M = 13.81, SD = 3.52) was lower than the optimal level (M = 17.1 SD = 5.0). Comparing the mean CT skill scores of the residents separately for the residency year revealed a significant decrease in CT scores in the 4 years. A significant difference was found between the CT skill scores in the three groups (internal medicine, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery).

CONCLUSION

The CT skills of the residents of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were generally below the optimal level. The CT score of the residents show an increase in PGY2, but a decrease in PGY3 and PGY4. Due to the emphasis of accreditation institutions, the World Federation for Medical Education, and other international educational institutions on the importance of critical thinking, it is recommended to pay more attention to the factors related to the promotion and development of CT skills in residency programs.

Complex thinking and social entrepreneurship. An approach from the methodology of compositional data analysis

This article describes a study that sought to identify the correlation between social entrepreneurship and complex thinking competencies in a population of Mexican students. The article uses the novel approach of compositional data analysis. Compositional data analysis focuses on studying data that are part of a whole, whose importance lies in the relative information between its parts and not in absolute values. The analysis allows us to identify an association between the competencies and find statistically significant relationships between sub-competencies. In particular, correlations can be seen between the sub-competencies of scientific thinking and critical thinking with the sub-competency of self-control, leadership, and social awareness and social value. Furthermore, a correlation is observed between systemic thinking with the sub-competency of social awareness and social value, self-control, and leadership sub-competencies. In a practical way, this article introduces the compositional data analysis methodology to the academic educational literature focused on the study and measurement of competencies, opening possibilities for more precise, broad, descriptive analyses not achieved with other methodologies.

Development of the Perception of Achievement of Complex Thinking: A Disciplinary Approach in a Latin American Student Population

This paper aims to identify whether there are statistically significant differences in the level of perceived achievement of complex thinking competence in a population of Latin American students from different disciplines. The intention is to corroborate or question the academic literature that categorizes certain types of thinking (systemic, scientific, and critical) as characteristic elements of some disciplines. Methodologically, the validated eComplexity instrument was applied to a sample of 370 undergraduate students from a Mexican university. The results showed that the highest means for systems thinking can be found in the disciplines of Engineering, Business, and Humanities, while the highest means for critical thinking can be found among architecture students. However, statistically, the results showed no significant differences upon an overall comparison of all disciplines. In conclusion, the findings of this study prove to be valuable for educational institutions seeking to develop complex thinking in their students, demonstrating that the disciplinary area is not a limiting factor in developing a perception of achievement in a particular competence and its sub-competences.

Factors associated with the critical thinking ability of professional nurses: A cross-sectional study

Aim

To measure the level of critical thinking among Vietnamese professional nurses and to identify the related factors.

Design

A cross‐sectional design was used.

Methods

The total sample included 420 professional nurses. Data were collected from July to September 2019 in three public hospitals located in Southwestern Vietnam. The level of critical thinking was measured using the Vietnamese version of the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire. The data were analysed using the independent Student's t tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and regression analysis.

Results

Most of the participants had a low (48.3%) or moderate (45.5%) level of critical thinking. Age, gender, ethnicity, education level, health condition, duration of working as a nurse, duration of working in the current hospital, having heard the term “critical thinking” and work position had an impact on the critical thinking ability. Work position and gender explained 11% of the total variance in critical thinking ability.