Abstract
This study examined an acquisition process of “critical thinking disposition” with a four-wave panel data on junior high school students. More specifically, we examined the causal relationships among “critical thinking disposition”, “the skill of practical use of information”, “motivation”, and “communication activity”. We tested several causal models by structural equation modeling, and selected appropriate models. Results showed that “motivation” had effected on “critical thinking disposition” via “the skill of practical use of information”. Also, we found that “truth seeking disposition” which is a factor of “critical thinking disposition” had direct and indirect effected on the other factors of “critical thinking disposition”. Furthermore, we found that “critical thinking disposition” had positive effects on “communication activity”. We concluded that as a way to develop students’ critical thinking disposition, several approach will needed by improving students’ learning motivation, informat on literacy, and truth seeking disposition.
