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Enhancing Active Learning and Critical Thinking
in Higher Education: University Teachers’
Perceptions of the ALCT Program
Vlasta Vizek Vidovic (Croatia), Visnja Grozdanic (Croatia), and Sharon B. Kletzien (United States)
This paper describes the transformation of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RWCT) program into the Active Learning and Critical Thinking in Higher Education program (ALCT) as implemented in the higher education context in Croatia, based on the RWCT Prague conference in 2001. The initial experiences with program implementation are described, with a particular emphasis on innovations intended to increase the relevance of the program for university teachers. Preliminary evaluation results are presented.
Introduction
Research on initial teacher education in Croatia has revealed that the teaching methods of university teachers engaged in teacher education are predominantly teacher-centered and discipline-oriented (Vizek Vidovic, 2006). The traditional approach to teaching, as transmission of information, does not enable students to integrate the huge amounts of mechanically stored information into meaningful and personalized knowledge. One of the factors contributing to the persistence of the discipline-oriented approach to teaching at this level is the educators’ own uni-dimensional perception of their role. The prevalent belief is that the higher education teacher is primarily a researcher, whose excellence in research is both necessary and sufficient for high quality teaching. The consequence of such an attitude is a lack of systemic efforts within the higher education system aimed at changing teachers’ skills and competencies in teaching. The crucial question is how to tackle this complex issue, keeping in mind that the programs offered must be perceived not as an unnecessary burden, nor as a threat to academic self-esteem, but as a useful means for professional and personal growth.
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Enhancing Active Learning and Critical Thinking in Higher Education