Racial Inequality in Critical Thinking Skills: The Role of Academic and Diversity Experiences

Josipa Roksa (), Teniell L. Trolian (), Ernest T. Pascarella (), Cindy A. Kilgo (), Charles Blaich () and Kathleen S. Wise ()
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Josipa Roksa: University of Virginia
Teniell L. Trolian: University at Albany, State University of New York
Ernest T. Pascarella: University of Iowa
Cindy A. Kilgo: University of Alabama
Charles Blaich: Wabash College
Kathleen S. Wise: Wabash College

Research in Higher Education, 2017, vol. 58, issue 2, No 1, 119-140

Abstract: Abstract While racial inequalities in college entry and completion are well documented, much less is known about racial disparities in the development of general collegiate skills, such as critical thinking. Using data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we find substantial inequality in the development of critical thinking skills over four years of college between African American and White students. The results indicate that these inequities are not related to students’ academic experiences in college but are substantially related to their experiences with diversity. These findings have important implications for understanding racial inequality in higher education and considering strategies for addressing observed disparities.

Keywords: Critical thinking; Race; Academic experiences; Diversity; Inequality; College student development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s11162-016-9423-1

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