The Future of Education
Critical Thinking, Student Participation and Attitudes Toward Inclusion in Higher Education
Marek Vojtko, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia)
Jana Duchovičová, Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia)
Abstract
The growing emphasis on inclusive higher education and democratic citizenship highlights the need to understand factors that shape students’ critical thinking and attitudes toward inclusion. While both constructs have been extensively studied independently, their mutual relationships and the role of student participation remain underexplored, particularly in the context of teacher education. This study aims to investigate the level of critical thinking and attitudes toward inclusion among university students in the social sciences, with a particular focus on future teachers. Furthermore, it examines whether active participation in academic governance, student representation, and civic engagement is associated with higher levels of critical thinking and more positive inclusive attitudes. The research is grounded in the assumption that participation in decision-making processes, dialogue, and representation creates opportunities for reflective thinking, exposure to diversity, and the development of democratic competencies. The proposed research design combines standardized instruments measuring critical thinking and attitudes toward inclusion with indicators of student participation. Particular attention is paid to the dimensions of inference, recognition of assumptions, deduction, interpretation, and evaluation of arguments, as well as the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural components of inclusive attitudes. The study seeks to develop an empirically supported model explaining the relationships among these variables and to contribute to the conceptualization of academic inclusion in higher education. The expected findings may provide valuable implications for teacher education programmes, inclusive university policies, and strategies aimed at fostering critical and socially responsible graduates prepared for the challenges of contemporary democratic societies.
Keywords: critical thinking, inclusion, higher education, student participation, teacher education
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