The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationship between critical thinking and academic achievement as well as to make some suggestions based on this investigation. Elementary (N=237), junior high (N=486) and senior high (N=299) school students from rural (Penhu County), subruban (Taipei County) and urban (Taipei City) areas were administered the Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level X (CCT-X).The results were as follows:(1)There was a significantly positive correlation between intelligence quotient and critical thinking at all grade levels (elementary school: N=162, r=.23, P<.01; junior high school: N=486, r=.32, P<.001; senior high school: N=299, r=.14, P<.05). (2)There was a significant correlation between critical thinking and total academic achievement among elementary school students (N=162, r=.45, P<.001) and junior high school students (N=486, r=.43, P<.001). (3)There were significant correlations between critical thinking and all subject achievements among elementary school students and junior high school students, especially in natural science (elementary school: N=162, r=.44, P<.001; junior high school: N=486, r=.47, P<.001) and social science (elementary school: N=162, r=.45, P<.001; junior high school: N=486, r=.40, P<.001) while the only significant correlation between critical thinking and natural science was found among high school students (N=299, r=.21, P<.001). (4)Academic achievement was significantly correlated to critical thinking among elementary school students (Wilk's Lambda=.74, df=(2, 159), P<.001) and junior high school students (Wilk's Lambda=.83, df=(2, 483), P<.001) while it was not among senior high school students (Wilk's Lambda=.98, df=(2, 296)).
| Keywords: | Critical Thinking; Academic Achievement; Primary-Secondary Students. |
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