The Efficacy of Seminar Courses

This study explores the relationship between the seminar course model and critical thinking development among students through qualitative data collected from four strategically chosen case study institutions. Results of a cross-case analysis suggest that the seminar approach provides fertile ground for the cultivation of critical thinking skills because it is conducive to the pursuit of active learning instructional methods. Differences in institutional context help illuminate how the seminar model is heavily and effectively used as a curricular vehicle at some schools, and why it is less prevalent at others. The efficacious relationship between seminar courses, active learning, and critical thinking development yields important implications for the link between curricular offerings and student retention.