A perspetiva dos alunos sobre um projeto de desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico no ensino superior

Although the development of critical thinking skills is a life-long effort, projects implemented in the educational context have a relevant role regarding this aim. The present paper aims to describe the implementation of an experimental project on the promotion of critical thinking skills in a high educational context, developing subsequently an analysis of the student’s evaluation regarding this process. The project involved 60 students from four Academic Units and was operationalized over 4 sessions (12 hours). The choice of topics related to the daily lives of students, contributed to the appreciation of the thought processes around issues relevant to them and with practical implications for their life projects. The operationalization of these objectives had underlying the development of practical skills in students such as the production of texts, the presentation and discussion of different perspectives in a debate situation and also the production of an individual text, describing their decision making process and reasons for its conclusions. The students considered that their cognitive and thinking process become more organized and systematic, but also more profound and comprehensive. They also identify strengths in the strategies implemented, emphasizing the debate and argumentation, as well as the contents addressed, because these were related with pertinent issues for student’s life.