Formal education and critical thinking skills for the knowledge economy in Zambia
Date
2016-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the question: Are GCE ‘O’ Level examinations administered by the
Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) supporting the development of the critical thinking
skills of analysis, evaluation and creation in Grade 12 school leavers given the backdrop
of the Knowledge Economy (KE)?
Chapter 1 focuses on the background and context of the study. It also provides a brief
overview of the knowledge economy and the centrality of critical thinking skills.
Chapter 2 gives a fuller description of the knowledge economy and globalization.
Chapter 3 describes Bloom’s Taxonomy and critical thinking in order to make visible the
theoretical framework for the study
Chapter 4 sets out the research method and demonstrates how the measuring instrument
based on the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is applied to the analysis of examination papers
Chapter 5 deals with data analysis and interpretation, specific techniques employed and
reasons for such strategies.
Chapter 6 discusses the findings, and comes to the conclusion that that the GCE ‘O’ Level
examinations administered by the ECZ are not supporting the development of the critical
thinking skills of analysis, creativity and evaluation in Grade 12 school leavers.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek tot watter mate die O-vlak eksamens van die Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) die ontwikkeling van die kritiese denkvaardighede van analise, evaluasie en kreatiwiteit ondersteun Deur Bloom se Taksonomie toe te pas op geselekteerde eksamenvraestelle oor ʼn 5 jaar tydperk, kom die tesis tot die gevolgtrekking dat sodanige vraestelle nie daarin slaag om die denkvaardighede te inkorporeer nie.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek tot watter mate die O-vlak eksamens van die Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) die ontwikkeling van die kritiese denkvaardighede van analise, evaluasie en kreatiwiteit ondersteun Deur Bloom se Taksonomie toe te pas op geselekteerde eksamenvraestelle oor ʼn 5 jaar tydperk, kom die tesis tot die gevolgtrekking dat sodanige vraestelle nie daarin slaag om die denkvaardighede te inkorporeer nie.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Knowledge economy, Critical thinking, Creative ability, Education -- Zambia, Globalization, UCTD