Exploring critical thinking skills among undergraduate agriculture education and studies students

摘要: The purpose of this dissertation was to describe the current critical thinking abilities undergraduate agriculture education and studies students, explore how entry pathway enrollment in a capstone course affect these abilities. Objectives were to: (1) establish departmental benchmark for seniorlevel agricultural students; (2) determine if pathway, direct from high school admittance versus transfer community college admittance, has an effect on abilities; (3) examine impact semester-long farm management development For objectives one two, 75 senior-level undergraduates Department Agricultural Education Studies at Iowa State University randomly selected complete assessment test during spring 2013 semester. T-tests step-wise regression model analyzing predictors ability used analyze data. objective three, paired sample t-tests differences 25 students’ preand post-test scores course. Overall, students performed greatest their evaluate interpret information, but unable master founded creative effective communications. Step-wise total revealed ACT score as only significant predictor overall ability. Students’ not significantly influenced by or However, positively summarize patterns results graph.