This dissertation is comprised of three independently conducted studies, linked by
investigation into the development of thinking skills deemed necessary for the 21st
Century. While educators and policy makers advocate teaching students creative and
critical thinking skills to address an increasingly global and complex world, they
simultaneously mandate accountability through evidence-based educational practices.
The results of these studies add to the literature base relating to the claims of specific
programs and curricula purporting to teach 21st Century skills and to the relationship
between two of those skills—creative and critical thinking. Study 11 was a qualitative
investigation of learning outcomes for secondary students who participated in an
advanced, online, case-based course in environmental science. Growth in critical thinking
outcomes was evident for most students exposed to the research-based curriculum. In
Study 2 , the researchers investigated learning outcomes in the areas of creative problemsolving,
creative and critical thinking, and teamwork for middle school students who
participated in a creativity enhancement program, Destination ImagiNation. Results
indicated that participation supports growth in 21st Century skills for middle school
participants. In Study 3, the relationships between critical thinking and divergent thinking
in middle school students were assessed, and the researcher investigated whether there