Exploring approaches for developing and evaluating workplace critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is a "must -have" workplace skill for solving problems, gathering evidence, and evaluating information. Despite its importance, studies have revealed that employers perceive new hires to be underprepared to apply critical thinking skills in the workplace. In this study, we conducted exploratory research to investigate approaches for developing and evaluating workplace critical thinking skills that bridge the gap between academia and workplace. We proposed an approach that combines training and assessment elements to signal new hires' critical thinking skills and help them develop those skills, setting them up for a successful career. Our research consisted of two phases: (1) reviewing existing literature, frameworks, and assessments to establish a theoretical foundation, and (2) conducting survey and interview research to understand problems and challenges across multiple industries. Using the insights from our exploratory research, we developed a conceptual critical thinking framework leveraging existing research alongside evidence collected from employers and identified approaches for developing and evaluating workplace critical thinking skills. This framework serves multiple purposes: (1) as a description of different critical thinking skills valued in the workplace; (2) as a foundation for evaluating critical thinking skills; and (3) as a guideline for designing the learning tool or teaching critical thinking skills for the workplace.