The Relationship Between Study Engagement and Critical Thinking Among Higher Vocational College Students in China: A Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE: Numerous cross-sectional studies have explored the correlation between study engagement and critical thinking, but the relationship between the development of these two key variables over time is unclear and the causal relationship between them remains controversial. In this study, we examined the developmental trajectories of and the interplay between study engagement and critical thinking. METHODS: We used a questionnaire method to follow 654 first-year students in Chinese higher vocational college over a period of one year and three times, of which 231 (35.321%) were male and 423 (64.679%) were female, with an average age of 18.11 years. Descriptive statistics were used to present general characteristics of the study participants, and latent growth model was used to explore the developmental trajectories of study engagement and critical thinking, and to explore the interplay between study engagement and critical thinking from a developmental perspective. Based on this, a cross-lagged model was used to verify the causal relationship between study engagement and critical thinking. RESULTS: During the first year of higher vocational college in China, students’ levels of study engagement and critical thinking declined continuously. The initial level and development of study engagement can positively influence the initial level and development of critical thinking, respectively, while the initial level and development of critical thinking can in turn positively influence the initial level and development of study engagement, respectively. Study engagement and critical thinking can predict each other. CONCLUSION: The above results help researchers and educators to develop study engagement and critical thinking in higher vocational college students from a developmental perspective. The development of either aspect of study engagement and critical thinking can contribute to the joint improvement of both.