Understanding and assessing critical thinking using active learning strategies in undergraduate social work courses through Bloom's Mastery Learning / by Dianna L. Montgomery.

The ability to think critically is a fundamental competency in social work education, yet research on effective pedagogical strategies to foster this skill remains limited. This study compares the impact of active learning versus traditional teaching methods on critical thinking in a 100-level undergraduate social work course. Using a quasi-experimental design, students’ level of critical thinking was assessed using open-ended essay prompts three times during a 15-week semester using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scale Rubric (HTCSR). Although the results were not statistically significant regarding the level of critical thinking as related to the pedagogical approach, trends in students’ performance and potential influences were discovered. The findings provide a foundation for future research on the impact of pedagogy on students’ critical thinking in social work higher education.