Abstract:
Developing the critical thinking skills of student radiographers is imperative in
an era of rapidly advancing technology. The status of the students' ability to demonstrate
critical thinking skills needed to be explored for the Department of Radiography at a
comprehensive university to determine if a more explicit curriculum was needed to
facilitate these skills.
Aim: The aim of this article is to present results of a study conducted to determine the
critical thinking ability of 3rd year radiography students at a Comprehensive University in
South Africa.
Method: The research study used a descriptive exploratory design to collect both quantitative
and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected by scoring the participants
ability to think critically when answering clinical scenarios posed in the form of vignettes
given to the students under assessment conditions. The qualitative data was generated by
in-depth field notes made inductively by the researcher.
Results: The findings of this study indicated that the majority of participants demonstrated
a minimal ability to think critically.
Conclusion: The study results imply that in order to improve critical thinking skills of student
radiographers, there is a need for curriculum adjustment, to nurture and encourage
these skills. It is recommended that facilitators adopt methods to integrate these skills in
the curriculum.
