Does the integration of technology in a smart e-classroom support the acquisition of critical thinking skills?

The number of electronic classrooms in schools has rapidly increased. Often rooms are converted with lack of planning and limited funding to support multiple disciplines and learning styles. Little evidence exists of how technology in the classroom can affect higher order learning skills on the adult learner. In this work-in-progress, preliminary results of the integration of a smart e-classroom with various technologies assessed with a validated critical thinking instrument in two sections of an introductory graduate information systems course are discussed. The electronic classroom contained a computer-controlled system integrated in a room designed with strict attention given to ergonomics and environmental conditions. Students in both sections of a course taught by the same instructor were tested for critical thinking skills at the beginning and end of a 14-week semester utilizing the exact syllabi. Preliminary results show that technology had a positive effect on the acquisition of skills.