<p>The article discusses the construction of the critical thinking concept in higher education and its change in scientific publications between 1993 and 2017. Based on a systematic literature review, the following research questions are raised: <em>how does construction of critical thinking concept change in the context of higher education during time? How are personal, interpersonal, and social aspects expressed in the concept of critical thinking in the context of higher education? </em>The systematic literature review revealed significant grow of publications starting from 1998.  It is also disclosed slight change in treating critical thinking as purely general or domain-specific competence. The authors of the researched articles do not make clear division between critical thinking as a general and as a domain-specific competence. Researchers in different fields tend to associate critical thinking with the development of a person’s cognitive and intellectual capacities, including skills and attitudes. However, some authors reveal also interpersonal and social aspects of critical thinking. Alas, there are not so many publications in favour of such comprehensive approach. But there is still some hope that critical thinking will be treated and nurtured as personal, interpersonal and social competence.</p>

Knowledge management and critical thinking are two broad and important phenomena for contemporary society. Their concepts are both well-discussed in the literature. However, the existing conceptual links between them have not been analyzed, and the role of critical thinking in the process of effective knowledge management has not been revealed. This article aims to fill this gap by presenting the conceptual connections between knowledge management and critical thinking. In order to reveal the inner structure of each concept and identify the conceptual connections, a critical review was conducted. The results showed the links between the concepts of knowledge management and critical thinking within three dimensions: relationships, process, and goals. In conclusion, each dimension is presented and described, with a special focus on the unexpected and deep intersections revealed between the two concepts on a personal, interpersonal, and societal level. This research may be regarded as providing the basis for further analysis of the links between these two phenomena. Increased awareness of the existence of critical thinking in knowledge management can forge new directions in organizational strategies and staff training programs.

Critical thinking has been more than just a part of academic rhetoric and educational practice for some time now. In the rapidly changing world of information flow, critical thinking is often identified as the goal of higher education, and in the modern labour market, the importance of critical thinking to an organisation’s success is emphasised. Critical thinking is recognised as one of the tools for the formation and development of human and social capital. Nevertheless, there is a lack of evidence about the manifestation in the labour market of the critical thinking developed at institutions of higher education. This article seeks to reveal the attitude toward the importance of critical thinking in the modern labour market and toward the responsibility for developing it from the perspective of different stakeholder groups (lecturers, students, employers and employees) (the case of Lithuania). Quantitative research methodology was chosen, using a questionnaire for data collection. It was found that in both higher education and the labour market, critical thinking is treated as a developed and dynamic competence that encompasses both cognitive skills and dispositions. All of the stakeholder groups consider inference and argumentation to be the most important critical thinking skills in the modern labour market. Critical thinking dispositions such as self-confidence and fairness are the most valued. All of the stakeholder groups delegate responsibility for the development of critical thinking to the individual. In evaluating critical thinking, no divide was established between the higher education and labour market segments. The most differences in attitudes emerged in evaluating the assumption of responsibility for the development of critical thinking.

Contemporary school is inconceivable without the integrated interactive learning tools and information communication technologies (hereinafter referred to as ICT) in the education process� However, according to research, ICT integration in the learning process is insufficient� The aim of this research is to analyse the experience of pedagogues in using ICT during lessons� introduction The use of ICT in education is an important element in the European Commission's strategy ensuring effective European education systems and competitiveness of the European economy (Key Data on Learning and Innovation through ICT at School in Europe, 2011)� European Union (EU) and UNESCO institutions place great importance on integration of ICT in the education process and on the teacher ICT competences, since successful integration enhances the learning process, makes it more attractive, promotes cooperation, authentic learning, motivation of pupils and teachers, and helps to effectively solve problems in the contemporary ICT-driven world (The ICT Impact Report, A Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, 2006)� According to the strategic EU documents, promotion of teachers' creativity and innovation through ICT is one priority area, therefore teachers' ICT qualification should be focused (Teaching and Learning for an ICT According to research, in other countries integration of ICT in the learning process is also insufficient; most often schools fail to develop the vision of the effective integration of ICT in the education process (Kuskaya-Mumcu, Koçak-Usluel, 2013) and are not able to reach their full potential (Fredriksson, Gajek, Jedeskog, 2009)� The main causes are: absence of a common policy in the EU Member States, and lack of trust, competence and resources in ICT integration (Bingimlas, 2009)� Research revealed that changes related to the integration of ICT in education are slow, whereas the impact of ICT on teaching highly depends on ICT usage in the education process (The ICT Impact Report� A Review of Studies of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe, 2006)� Basic ICT skills are insufficient to teach pupils (E-Teacher 2�0 Empowering Teacher's ICT-Pedagogical Competencies� 2010)� Effective ICT integration requires much more than the technical knowledge of how to use the devices (UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers, 2011)� This requires fundamental changes in the teaching/learning framework, teaching paradigms/ methods and consolidation of new methodologies; thus, teachers should have the opportunity to engage in training, to deepen their understanding and mastery of ICT as a tool for innovating teaching approaches 1 � According to the data of the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), the major need for further improvements in Lithuania is related to the teaching practice and understanding/adopting relevant methods� Whereas globally the major professional development needs in the rapidly changing areas are due to globalisation, e�g� teachers' ability to use/apply ICT in the education proces...

No abstract

This article aims to present the interaction between understanding of critical thinking and teaching and learning of critical thinking skills in higher education in Lithuania. Representative quantitative research was implemented, and 152 teachers and 1512 students took part in the survey. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors – the rigidity and elasticity of the conception of critical thinking – that have an impact on teaching and learning of critical thinking skills.

Preface 6 variety in conceptualisations on what it is, how it is shown, what it addresses,and what it requires. The use and development of critical thinking are regularly and intentionally supported both in the labour market and higher education, despite diverse and clear indications that all that supporting of critical thinking, all that teaching of critical thinking are not always equally effective. Different conceptualisations of critical thinking result in different interpretations of the value of particular interventions, and, in turn, these different interpretations result in different reactions to those interventions. In addition to that insight, the monograph also extends an invitation for more research on fostering critical thinking, both by creating situations that afford critical thinking and by developing what is needed to engage in critical thinking. Here, too, we can only hope that the invitation will be widely accepted.The monograph highlights the importance of critical thinking, that is, why it is equally important to research it. It also highlights the complexity of critical thinking, stressing the need for research that acknowledges that complexity. The monograph recognises and illustrates that critical thinking deserves and requires multiple research approaches. Understanding critical thinking, the practice of critical thinking, the fostering of critical thinking, and the development of critical thinking requires knowledge and an in-depth understanding of the literature on critical thinking; it also requires engagement in empirical research, from qualitative and quantitative to descriptive, explanatory and interventionist. The monograph reveals that more conceptual and more empirical research need one another. Through instantiation, empirical research helps understand and validate conceptual research on critical thinking, while the use of conceptual literature is essential for deconstructing the findings in order to make them meaningful. The methodological richness and solid embeddedness in the (international) literature of this monograph might be intimidating, but extend an invitation to researchers and scholars in the domain of critical thinking to be especially critical when it comes to making methodological choices. Again, we can only hope that the invitation will be widely accepted.In The Society of the Spectacle, Guy Debord invites us to be critical and not to be 'spectators', writing: 'Spectators do not find what they want, they want what they find'. This monograph helps to not become spectators -to remain critical first and foremost about (the development of) critical thinking.

No abstract