Epistemological development and critical thinking: an assessment perspective

D'Northwood, Gavin

Abstract

Assessment in higher education has long been a challenging issue, particularly so for complex higher-order thinking such as critical thinking. Research continues to demonstrate considerable variability across assessors. The literature affords many reasons for this, to which I would foreground nuanced conceptualisations of critical thinking (the subject of separate working papers), yet it seems that ultimately in reaching examination boards there is apparent agreement between assessors. This too is the subject of much published research, however I seek to add here through proposing a link to models of epistemological development, examining in particular those of Perry (1970) and Baxter Magolda (1992). These models describe students’ knowledge and knowing at progressive levels, with students’ capacities for critical thinking growing as their epistemological beliefs develop (Moon, 2008). This, I suggest, is potentially reflective of much of assessors’ expectations of final year dissertation students with respect to their abilities as evidenced to think critically.

Citation

D'Northwood, G. (2023, May). Epistemological development and critical thinking: an assessment perspective. Paper presented at British Accounting & Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education SIG Annual Conference 2023, Durham, UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: British Accounting & Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education SIG Annual Conference 2023
• Start Date: May 17, 2023
• End Date: May 19, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jun 4, 2024
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2472843