Towards a Dynamic Approach to Assessing Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Higher Education

Abstract

The present article probes the perceptions of first year English degree students towards their teachers’ assessment. University teachers’ literacy and attitudes towards dynamic assessment in EFL classes are also investigated. The aim is to experience a new approach to assessing students’ critical thinking skills by making a change in assessment practices in higher education. To reach this aim, a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were adopted. The results revealed the positive and negative perceptions of students towards their teachers’ assessment as well as their (i.e. students) lack of critical thinking skills in the English language. The results also demonstrated the positive attitudes of teachers towards the use of dynamic assessment in EFL classes.