The Relationship between Critical Thinking Dispositions and Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract The primary purpose of this correlational study was to explain the relationship between discipline specific critical thinking skills in agriculture and leadership and critical thinking dispositions of selected youth leaders in the National FFA Organization. Voluntary participants in the study included 212 youth leaders from 50 states. The researcherdeveloped critical thinking skills tests and critical thinking disposition inventory (EMI), which were distributed online and by conventional mailing procedures indicated positive, but low relationships between critical thinking skills and the innovativeness and engagement dispositions. Additionally, low, but negative relationships were found between critical thinking skills and the maturity critical thinking disposition. In the recommendations section, educators are asked to consider influencing critical thinking dispositions by exposing students to a wide range of cultures and experiences through field trips, service-learning activities, videotapes, and the Internet. It is also recommended that agricultural educators influence critical thinking by infusing teaching for critical thinking into agricultural education courses and in leadership training activities. Lastly, the researchers recommended further research on the instruments used to collect data on critical thinking skills and dispositions. Specifically, the cognitive maturity disposition of the EMI should be further developed, and the skills instrument should be altered to achieve more variability