Institute of Educational

The most fundamental move to enhance the quality of critical thinking in students is the improvement of motivation to think, as the key to success in life and study. This is because acquiring the skills involved in critical thinking, in the process of official curriculum, cannot guarantee the development of these skills, and consequently, their application in different situations. Therefore, one of the most useful steps with this regard is the enhancement of the attitudinal aspects of critical thinking, paying attention to the function of hidden curriculum in higher education-something which could be in the opposite direction to official curriculum. Thus, the present study, by benefiting from the method of documentary analysis, while clarifying the position of hidden curriculum in higher education and studying its relation to critical thinking, offers the analysis of the apparatus of effects and the use of hidden curriculum in the development of critical thinking. With this regard, it is discussed that the function of hidden curriculum in higher education is due to the fluctuation in the official curriculum-which by itself is due to: lack of a complete legislation of this program in higher education, relation between hidden curriculum and the dimension of critical thinking and attention paid to hidden curriculum in liberal education with an inclination towards critical thinking. In addition, the hidden curriculum, developed out of a dialectical methodology is studied to investigate the development of critical thinking of the learners.

One of the main objectives of the ICT-based education is training of critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is essential for a thouthful way of living and compatability to rapid social changes. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship betweeen usage of ICT tools and critical thinking desposition among distance education students. The research was done through descriptive (Survey) method. The study population consisted of all students of Isfahan Payam-Noor university (distance education) from which a sample of 100 students was selected by using random sampling method. In order to collect data, ICT Questionnaire and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDE) were used. The Results showed that the mean of total score of critical thinking disposition was 276.31 indicating an ambivalence desposition. Also there were significant relationships between the amount of familiarity to ICT tools, scientific-scholarly objectives and awareness of news and information objectives and critical thinking desposition.

The aim of the study was to investigate predicting of critical thinking based on emotional creativity and its components in university students. One hundred fifty six Shiraz university students were selected using convenient sampling method. Emotional Creativity and Critical Thinking Questionnaires were used for collecting data. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that emotional creativity was positively related to critical thinking. Also, critical thinking was significantly associated with components of effectiveness/authenticity and preparedness, but there was not significantly association with component of novelty. In additional, emotional creativity was positively correlated with all if components of critical thinking: engagement, maturity, and innovativeness. Simple regression analysis indicated emotional creation significantly predicted critical thinking. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that among of components of emotional creativity, effectiveness/authenticity component only significantly predicted critical thinking. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that emotional creativity plays an important role in critical thinking.

Parents and children from tender age through adolescence continue to renew relationships with each other. This study aims to show how Training Educational pattern influenced the Parent-Child Relationship subsequent critical thinking. In this study quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group method was used. Statistical population of all female students in twelfth grade schools in Birjand is intended to achieve the main objective of this study. Pattern group was achieved by using the cluster sampling multistage method. A typical school in the city of Birjand was randomly chosen with a class considered as a sampling unit and finally the samples generated are divided into experimental and control groups. Questionnaire used were based on variables of Parent-child relationship (Fine, Morland and Schwebel,1983), and critical thinking (Ricketts, 2003). Data generated were analyzed through Multivariate covariance  examination. The result indicates that parent-child relationships are improved by Educational pattern. Also it was demonstrated that relationship improvement due to Educational pattern increases children’s critical thinking in the aspect of creativity&  commitment. It should be noted that according to the results besides the improving parent-child relationships due to educational model training, critical thinking dispositions in children is increased as well.