Understanding and Assessing Critical Thinking: A National Survey of Social Work Educators’ Perceptions

Critical thinking is a key construct in social work education; however, a universally accepted definition of the construct remains elusive. To determine collective agreement in meaning and viable methods of assessment for critical thinking in social work education, researchers administered an online survey to a national sample of social work educators. Respondents were 184 educators, who provided feedback on critical thinking components. Findings supported social work educators’ interest in student reflection, intellectual curiosity, and analytical abilities. We suggest the need for further discussion regarding deconstructing critical thinking into process and demonstration.