A Novel Approach to Teaching and Assessing Students’ Critical Thinking in University Mathematics

Abstract

This paper investigates the attitudes of the university mathematics lecturers towards the use of deliberately misleading mathematics questions in teaching and assessment as a pedagogical strategy with their students. The intention of using such questions is to enhance students’ critical thinking. Critical thinking is understood here as “examining, questioning, evaluating, and challenging taken-for-granted assumptions about issues and practices” as defined by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. The study is based on a survey of university lecturers who have been introduced to the suggested pedagogical strategy. Their attitudes are compared with the attitudes of secondary school mathematics teachers.