The correlation between critical thinking tendency and the teaching style employed by faculty members at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND: The tendency towards critical thinking, along with its associated factors, has garnered significant interest among researchers as a pivotal professional competence for educators. Additionally, teaching styles play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking skills and enhancing one’s propensity for such thinking, thus contributing to its overall development. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the tendency towards critical thinking and the teaching styles employed by faculty members at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a correlational study on 88 faculty members from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, who were selected through systematic sampling. Data were collected using Ricketts Critical Thinking Tendency Questionnaire and Grasha-Richman Teaching Style Inventory. The analysis of the data was conducted using multiple regression tests and Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS software version 20 for statistical analysis. RESULT: The majority of the participants were 45–55 years old (63.7%) and had a doctoral degree (84.1%). Also, half of the faculty members were male and had more than 15 years of teaching experience (50%). The mean scores obtained for critical thinking disposition and teaching styles were 137.61 ± 9.48 and 153.47 ± 26.90, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was identified between critical thinking disposition and teaching styles ( r = 0.63, P < 0.01). Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between critical thinking disposition and age ( r = −0.28, P < 0.01), while a significant positive correlation was observed between critical thinking disposition and gender ( r = 0.28, P < 0.01). Moreover, a significant inverse relationship between teaching styles and teaching experience was also noted ( r = −0.27, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of this research indicate a notable correlation between the inclination towards critical thinking and the teaching styles employed by faculty members. Furthermore, the propensity for critical thinking serves as a significant predictor of these teaching styles. Implementing educational initiatives focusing on critical thinking and instructional methodologies can create conducive learning environments that foster the development of critical thinking skills among both faculty and students.