Exploring Goal Orientation as a Determiner of Critical Thinking Disposition
Author: Ms. Ruchi Mittal & Dr. Ashwini Karwande
Life is about making choices – personal, professional, political, religious and many more. Our choices determine who we become in our adult lives and how successful we can call our lives. While it may seem to be a simple exercise, the actual cognitive processes involved in making a choice are complex. It starts with the basic process of thinking. Many terms are associated with the concept of thinking; but when it comes to decision making, what matters the most is critical thinking. Critical thinking, in its simplest form, is about digging deeper and questioning what is offered on the surface. One of the most prominent goals of any education is to teach learners to think critically. Critical thinking is accepted to have two dimensions – skill as well as disposition. This paper explores the disposition dimension of critical thinking and attempts to identify Goal Orientation - in terms of Academic Goal Orientation and Social Goal Orientation as one of the determiners of Critical Thinking Disposition. It includes the findings of a study to establish relationships between the said variables.