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Strategies to Increase Critical Thinking Skills in students
Teach Better Team October 2, 2019 Blog , Engage Better , Lesson Plan Better , Personalize Student Learning Better
In This Post:
- The importance of helping students increase critical thinking skills.
- Ways to promote the essential skills needed to analyze and evaluate.
- Strategies to incorporate critical thinking into your instruction.
We ask our teachers to be “future-ready” or say that we are teaching “for jobs that don’t exist yet.” These are powerful statements. At the same time, they give teachers the impression that we have to drastically change what we are doing .
So how do we plan education for an unknown job market or unknown needs?
My answer: We can’t predict the jobs, but whatever they are, students will need to think critically to do them. So, our job is to teach our students HOW to think, not WHAT to think.
Helping Students Become Critical Thinkers
My answer is rooted in the call to empower our students to be critical thinkers. I believe that to be critical thinkers, educators need to provide students with the strategies they need. And we need to ask more than just surface-level questions.
Questions to students must motivate them to dig up background knowledge. They should inspire them to make connections to real-world scenarios. These make the learning more memorable and meaningful.
Critical thinking is a general term. I believe this term means that students effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate content or skills. In this process, they (the students) will discover and present convincing reasons in support of their answers or thinking.
You can look up critical thinking and get many definitions like this one from Wikipedia: “ Critical thinking consists of a mental process of analyzing or evaluating information, particularly statements or propositions that people have offered as true. ”
Essential Skills for Critical Thinking
In my current role as director of curriculum and instruction, I work to promote the use of 21st-century tools and, more importantly, thinking skills. Some essential skills that are the basis for critical thinking are:
- Communication and Information skills
- Thinking and Problem-Solving skills
- Interpersonal and Self- Directional skills
- Collaboration skills
These four bullets are skills students are going to need in any field and in all levels of education. Hence my answer to the question. We need to teach our students to think critically and for themselves.
One of the goals of education is to prepare students to learn through discovery . Providing opportunities to practice being critical thinkers will assist students in analyzing others’ thinking and examining the logic of others.
Understanding others is an essential skill in collaboration and in everyday life. Critical thinking will allow students to do more than just memorize knowledge.
Ask Questions
So how do we do this? One recommendation is for educators to work in-depth questioning strategies into a lesson launch.
Ask thoughtful questions to allow for answers with sound reasoning. Then, word conversations and communication to shape students’ thinking. Quick answers often result in very few words and no eye contact, which are skills we don’t want to promote.
When you are asking students questions and they provide a solution, try some of these to promote further thinking:
- Could you elaborate further on that point?
- Will you express that point in another way?
- Can you give me an illustration?
- Would you give me an example?
- Will you you provide more details?
- Could you be more specific?
- Do we need to consider another point of view?
- Is there another way to look at this question?
Utilizing critical thinking skills could be seen as a change in the paradigm of teaching and learning. Engagement in education will enhance the collaboration among teachers and students. It will also provide a way for students to succeed even if the school system had to start over.
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Promoting critical thinking into all aspects of instruction.
Engagement, application, and collaboration are skills that withstand the test of time. I also promote the integration of critical thinking into every aspect of instruction.
In my experience, I’ve found a few ways to make this happen.
Begin lessons/units with a probing question: It shouldn’t be a question you can answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ These questions should inspire discovery learning and problem-solving.
Encourage Creativity: I have seen teachers prepare projects before they give it to their students many times. For example, designing snowmen or other “creative” projects. By doing the design work or by cutting all the circles out beforehand, it removes creativity options.
It may help the classroom run more smoothly if every child’s material is already cut out, but then every student’s project looks the same. Students don’t have to think on their own or problem solve.
Not having everything “glue ready” in advance is a good thing. Instead, give students all the supplies needed to create a snowman, and let them do it on their own.
Giving independence will allow students to become critical thinkers because they will have to create their own product with the supplies you give them. This might be an elementary example, but it’s one we can relate to any grade level or project.
Try not to jump to help too fast – let the students work through a productive struggle .
Build in opportunities for students to find connections in learning. Encouraging students to make connections to a real-life situation and identify patterns is a great way to practice their critical thinking skills. The use of real-world scenarios will increase rigor, relevance, and critical thinking.
A few other techniques to encourage critical thinking are:
- Use analogies
- Promote interaction among students
- Ask open-ended questions
- Allow reflection time
- Use real-life problems
- Allow for thinking practice
Critical thinking prepares students to think for themselves for the rest of their lives. I also believe critical thinkers are less likely to go along with the crowd because they think for themselves.
About Matthew X. Joseph, Ed.D.
Dr. Matthew X. Joseph has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation in Milford Public Schools (MA), elementary school principal in Natick, MA and Attleboro, MA, classroom teacher, and district professional development specialist have provided Matt incredible insights on how to best support teaching and learning. This experience has led to nationally publishing articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. He is the author of Power of Us: Creating Collaborative Schools and co-author of Modern Mentoring , Reimagining Teacher Mentorship (Due out, fall 2019). His master’s degree is in special education and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Boston College.
Visit Matthew’s Blog
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Strategies for encouraging critical thinking skills in students.
With kids today dealing with information overload, the ability to think critically has become a forgotten skill. But critical thinking skills enable students to analyze, evaluate, and apply information, fostering their ability to solve complex problems and make informed decisions. So how do we bridge that gap?
As educators, we need to use more strategies that promote critical thinking in our students. These seven strategies can help students cultivate their critical thinking skills. (These strategies can be modified for all students with the aid of a qualified educator.)
1. Encourage Questioning
One of the fundamental pillars of critical thinking is curiosity. Encourage students to ask questions about the subject matter and challenge existing assumptions. Create a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas. By nurturing their inquisitive nature, you can stimulate critical thinking and empower students to explore different perspectives.
2. Foster Discussions
Engage students in meaningful discussions that require them to examine various viewpoints. Encourage active participation, respectful listening, and constructive criticism. Assign topics that involve controversial and current issues, enabling students to analyze arguments, provide evidence, and formulate their own conclusions in a safe environment.
By engaging in intellectual discourse, students refine their critical thinking skills while honing their ability to articulate and defend their positions. And remember to offer sentence starters for ELD students to feel successful and included in the process, such as:
- "I felt the character Wilbur was a good friend to Charlotte because..."
- "I felt the character Wilbur was not a good friend to Charlotte because..."
3. Teach Information Evaluation
In the age of readily available information, students must be able to evaluate sources. Teach your students how to assess information's credibility, bias, and relevance. Encourage them to cross-reference multiple sources and identify reliable and reputable resources.
Emphasize the importance of distinguishing fact from opinion and encourage students to question the validity of claims. Providing students with tools and frameworks for information evaluation equips them to make informed judgments and enhances their critical thinking abilities.
4. Incorporate Problem-Solving Activities
Integrate problem-solving activities into your curriculum to foster critical thinking skills. Provide students with real-world scenarios that require analysis, synthesis, and decision-making. These activities can include case studies, group projects, or simulations.
Encourage students to break down complex problems into manageable parts, consider alternative solutions, and evaluate the potential outcomes. Students will begin to develop their critical thinking skills and apply their knowledge to practical situations by engaging in problem-solving activities.
5. Promote Reflection and Metacognition
Allocate time for reflection and metacognitive (an understanding of one's thought process) practices. Encourage students to review their thinking processes and reflect on their learning experiences. For example, what went right and/or wrong helps students evaluate the learning process.
Provide prompts that help your students analyze their reasoning, identify biases, and recognize areas for improvement. Journaling, self-assessments, and group discussions can facilitate this reflective process. By engaging in metacognition, students become more aware of their thinking patterns and develop strategies to enhance their critical thinking abilities.
6. Encourage Creative Thinking
Creativity and critical thinking go hand in hand. Encourage students to think creatively by incorporating open-ended tasks and projects. Assign projects requiring them to think outside the box, develop innovative solutions, and analyze potential risks and benefits. Emphasize the value of brainstorming, divergent thinking, and considering multiple perspectives. By nurturing creative thinking, students develop the ability to approach problems from unique angles, fostering their critical thinking skills.
7. Provide Scaffolding and Support
Recognize that critical thinking is a developmental process. Provide scaffolding and support as students build their critical thinking skills. This strategy is especially important for students needing additional help as outlined in their IEP or 504.
Offer guidance, modeling, and feedback to help students navigate complex tasks. Gradually increase the complexity of assignments and provide opportunities for independent thinking and decision-making. By offering appropriate support, you empower students to develop their critical thinking skills while building their confidence and independence.
Implement Critical Thinking Strategies Now
Cultivating critical thinking skills in your students is vital for their academic success and their ability to thrive in an ever-changing world. By implementing various strategies, educators can foster an environment that nurtures critical thinking skills. As students develop these skills, they become active learners who can analyze, evaluate, and apply knowledge effectively, enabling them to tackle challenges and make informed decisions throughout their lives.
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Classroom Q&AWith larry ferlazzo. In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog. Integrating Critical Thinking Into the Classroom
(This is the second post in a three-part series. You can see Part One here .) The new question-of-the-week is: What is critical thinking and how can we integrate it into the classroom? Part One ‘s guests were Dara Laws Savage, Patrick Brown, Meg Riordan, Ph.D., and Dr. PJ Caposey. Dara, Patrick, and Meg were also guests on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show . You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here. Today, Dr. Kulvarn Atwal, Elena Quagliarello, Dr. Donna Wilson, and Diane Dahl share their recommendations. ‘Learning Conversations’Dr. Kulvarn Atwal is currently the executive head teacher of two large primary schools in the London borough of Redbridge. Dr. Atwal is the author of The Thinking School: Developing a Dynamic Learning Community , published by John Catt Educational. Follow him on Twitter @Thinkingschool2 : In many classrooms I visit, students’ primary focus is on what they are expected to do and how it will be measured. It seems that we are becoming successful at producing students who are able to jump through hoops and pass tests. But are we producing children that are positive about teaching and learning and can think critically and creatively? Consider your classroom environment and the extent to which you employ strategies that develop students’ critical-thinking skills and their self-esteem as learners. Development of self-esteem One of the most significant factors that impacts students’ engagement and achievement in learning in your classroom is their self-esteem. In this context, self-esteem can be viewed to be the difference between how they perceive themselves as a learner (perceived self) and what they consider to be the ideal learner (ideal self). This ideal self may reflect the child that is associated or seen to be the smartest in the class. Your aim must be to raise students’ self-esteem. To do this, you have to demonstrate that effort, not ability, leads to success. Your language and interactions in the classroom, therefore, have to be aspirational—that if children persist with something, they will achieve. Use of evaluative praise Ensure that when you are praising students, you are making explicit links to a child’s critical thinking and/or development. This will enable them to build their understanding of what factors are supporting them in their learning. For example, often when we give feedback to students, we may simply say, “Well done” or “Good answer.” However, are the students actually aware of what they did well or what was good about their answer? Make sure you make explicit what the student has done well and where that links to prior learning. How do you value students’ critical thinking—do you praise their thinking and demonstrate how it helps them improve their learning? Learning conversations to encourage deeper thinking We often feel as teachers that we have to provide feedback to every students’ response, but this can limit children’s thinking. Encourage students in your class to engage in learning conversations with each other. Give as many opportunities as possible to students to build on the responses of others. Facilitate chains of dialogue by inviting students to give feedback to each other. The teacher’s role is, therefore, to facilitate this dialogue and select each individual student to give feedback to others. It may also mean that you do not always need to respond at all to a student’s answer. Teacher modelling own thinking We cannot expect students to develop critical-thinking skills if we aren’t modeling those thinking skills for them. Share your creativity, imagination, and thinking skills with the students and you will nurture creative, imaginative critical thinkers. Model the language you want students to learn and think about. Share what you feel about the learning activities your students are participating in as well as the thinking you are engaging in. Your own thinking and learning will add to the discussions in the classroom and encourage students to share their own thinking. Metacognitive questioning Consider the extent to which your questioning encourages students to think about their thinking, and therefore, learn about learning! Through asking metacognitive questions, you will enable your students to have a better understanding of the learning process, as well as their own self-reflections as learners. Example questions may include:
‘Adventures of Discovery’Elena Quagliarello is the senior editor of education for Scholastic News , a current events magazine for students in grades 3–6. She graduated from Rutgers University, where she studied English and earned her master’s degree in elementary education. She is a certified K–12 teacher and previously taught middle school English/language arts for five years: Critical thinking blasts through the surface level of a topic. It reaches beyond the who and the what and launches students on a learning journey that ultimately unlocks a deeper level of understanding. Teaching students how to think critically helps them turn information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. In the classroom, critical thinking teaches students how to ask and answer the questions needed to read the world. Whether it’s a story, news article, photo, video, advertisement, or another form of media, students can use the following critical-thinking strategies to dig beyond the surface and uncover a wealth of knowledge. A Layered Learning Approach Begin by having students read a story, article, or analyze a piece of media. Then have them excavate and explore its various layers of meaning. First, ask students to think about the literal meaning of what they just read. For example, if students read an article about the desegregation of public schools during the 1950s, they should be able to answer questions such as: Who was involved? What happened? Where did it happen? Which details are important? This is the first layer of critical thinking: reading comprehension. Do students understand the passage at its most basic level? Ask the Tough Questions The next layer delves deeper and starts to uncover the author’s purpose and craft. Teach students to ask the tough questions: What information is included? What or who is left out? How does word choice influence the reader? What perspective is represented? What values or people are marginalized? These questions force students to critically analyze the choices behind the final product. In today’s age of fast-paced, easily accessible information, it is essential to teach students how to critically examine the information they consume. The goal is to equip students with the mindset to ask these questions on their own. Strike Gold The deepest layer of critical thinking comes from having students take a step back to think about the big picture. This level of thinking is no longer focused on the text itself but rather its real-world implications. Students explore questions such as: Why does this matter? What lesson have I learned? How can this lesson be applied to other situations? Students truly engage in critical thinking when they are able to reflect on their thinking and apply their knowledge to a new situation. This step has the power to transform knowledge into wisdom. Adventures of Discovery There are vast ways to spark critical thinking in the classroom. Here are a few other ideas:
Critical thinking has the power to launch students on unforgettable learning experiences while helping them develop new habits of thought, reflection, and inquiry. Developing these skills prepares students to examine issues of power and promote transformative change in the world around them. ‘Quote Analysis’Dr. Donna Wilson is a psychologist and the author of 20 books, including Developing Growth Mindsets , Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains , and Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching (2 nd Edition). She is an international speaker who has worked in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe, Jamaica, and throughout the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Wilson can be reached at [email protected] ; visit her website at www.brainsmart.org . Diane Dahl has been a teacher for 13 years, having taught grades 2-4 throughout her career. Mrs. Dahl currently teaches 3rd and 4th grade GT-ELAR/SS in Lovejoy ISD in Fairview, Texas. Follow her on Twitter at @DahlD, and visit her website at www.fortheloveofteaching.net : A growing body of research over the past several decades indicates that teaching students how to be better thinkers is a great way to support them to be more successful at school and beyond. In the book, Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains , Dr. Wilson shares research and many motivational strategies, activities, and lesson ideas that assist students to think at higher levels. Five key strategies from the book are as follows:
Below are two lessons that support critical thinking, which can be defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. Mrs. Dahl prepares her 3rd and 4th grade classes for a year of critical thinking using quote analysis . During Native American studies, her 4 th grade analyzes a Tuscarora quote: “Man has responsibility, not power.” Since students already know how the Native Americans’ land had been stolen, it doesn’t take much for them to make the logical leaps. Critical-thought prompts take their thinking even deeper, especially at the beginning of the year when many need scaffolding. Some prompts include:
Analyzing a topic from occupational points of view is an incredibly powerful critical-thinking tool. After learning about the Mexican-American War, Mrs. Dahl’s students worked in groups to choose an occupation with which to analyze the war. The chosen occupations were: anthropologist, mathematician, historian, archaeologist, cartographer, and economist. Then each individual within each group chose a different critical-thinking skill to focus on. Finally, they worked together to decide how their occupation would view the war using each skill. For example, here is what each student in the economist group wrote:
This was the first time that students had ever used the occupations technique. Mrs. Dahl was astonished at how many times the kids used these critical skills in other areas moving forward. Thanks to Dr. Auwal, Elena, Dr. Wilson, and Diane for their contributions! Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post. Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind. You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo . Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching . Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the new redesign—new ones won’t be available until February). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first nine years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below.
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Critical thinkingAdvice and resources to help you develop your critical voice. Developing critical thinking skills is essential to your success at University and beyond. We all need to be critical thinkers to help us navigate our way through an information-rich world. Whatever your discipline, you will engage with a wide variety of sources of information and evidence. You will develop the skills to make judgements about this evidence to form your own views and to present your views clearly. One of the most common types of feedback received by students is that their work is ‘too descriptive’. This usually means that they have just stated what others have said and have not reflected critically on the material. They have not evaluated the evidence and constructed an argument. What is critical thinking?Critical thinking is the art of making clear, reasoned judgements based on interpreting, understanding, applying and synthesising evidence gathered from observation, reading and experimentation. Burns, T., & Sinfield, S. (2016) Essential Study Skills: The Complete Guide to Success at University (4th ed.) London: SAGE, p94. Being critical does not just mean finding fault. It means assessing evidence from a variety of sources and making reasoned conclusions. As a result of your analysis you may decide that a particular piece of evidence is not robust, or that you disagree with the conclusion, but you should be able to state why you have come to this view and incorporate this into a bigger picture of the literature. Being critical goes beyond describing what you have heard in lectures or what you have read. It involves synthesising, analysing and evaluating what you have learned to develop your own argument or position. Critical thinking is important in all subjects and disciplines – in science and engineering, as well as the arts and humanities. The types of evidence used to develop arguments may be very different but the processes and techniques are similar. Critical thinking is required for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels of study. What, where, when, who, why, how?Purposeful reading can help with critical thinking because it encourages you to read actively rather than passively. When you read, ask yourself questions about what you are reading and make notes to record your views. Ask questions like:
Our web page covering Reading at university includes a handout to help you develop your own critical reading form and a suggested reading notes record sheet. These resources will help you record your thoughts after you read, which will help you to construct your argument. Reading at university Developing an argumentBeing a university student is about learning how to think, not what to think. Critical thinking shapes your own values and attitudes through a process of deliberating, debating and persuasion. Through developing your critical thinking you can move on from simply disagreeing to constructively assessing alternatives by building on doubts. There are several key stages involved in developing your ideas and constructing an argument. You might like to use a form to help you think about the features of critical thinking and to break down the stages of developing your argument. Features of critical thinking (pdf) Features of critical thinking (Word rtf) Our webpage on Academic writing includes a useful handout ‘Building an argument as you go’. Academic writing You should also consider the language you will use to introduce a range of viewpoints and to evaluate the various sources of evidence. This will help your reader to follow your argument. To get you started, the University of Manchester's Academic Phrasebank has a useful section on Being Critical. Academic Phrasebank Developing your critical thinkingSet yourself some tasks to help develop your critical thinking skills. Discuss material presented in lectures or from resource lists with your peers. Set up a critical reading group or use an online discussion forum. Think about a point you would like to make during discussions in tutorials and be prepared to back up your argument with evidence. For more suggestions: Developing your critical thinking - ideas (pdf) Developing your critical thinking - ideas (Word rtf) Published guidesFor further advice and more detailed resources please see the Critical Thinking section of our list of published Study skills guides. Study skills guides This article was published on 2024-02-26 Distance LearningUsing technology to develop students’ critical thinking skills. by Jessica Mansbach What Is Critical Thinking?Critical thinking is a higher-order cognitive skill that is indispensable to students, readying them to respond to a variety of complex problems that are sure to arise in their personal and professional lives. The cognitive skills at the foundation of critical thinking are analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explanation, inference, and self-regulation. When students think critically, they actively engage in these processes:
To create environments that engage students in these processes, instructors need to ask questions, encourage the expression of diverse opinions, and involve students in a variety of hands-on activities that force them to be involved in their learning. Types of Critical Thinking SkillsInstructors should select activities based on the level of thinking they want students to do and the learning objectives for the course or assignment. The chart below describes questions to ask in order to show that students can demonstrate different levels of critical thinking.
*Adapted from Brown University’s Harriet W Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning Using Online Tools to Teach Critical Thinking SkillsOnline instructors can use technology tools to create activities that help students develop both lower-level and higher-level critical thinking skills.
Pulling it All TogetherCritical thinking is an invaluable skill that students need to be successful in their professional and personal lives. Instructors can be thoughtful and purposeful about creating learning objectives that promote lower and higher-level critical thinking skills, and about using technology to implement activities that support these learning objectives. Below are some additional resources about critical thinking. Additional ResourcesCarmichael, E., & Farrell, H. (2012). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Online Resources in Developing Student Critical Thinking: Review of Literature and Case Study of a Critical Thinking Online Site. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice , 9 (1), 4. Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Pearson’s Research Reports , 6 , 40-41. Landers, H (n.d.). Using Peer Teaching In The Classroom. Retrieved electronically from https://tilt.colostate.edu/TipsAndGuides/Tip/180 Lynch, C. L., & Wolcott, S. K. (2001). Helping your students develop critical thinking skills (IDEA Paper# 37. In Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center. Mandernach, B. J. (2006). Thinking critically about critical thinking: Integrating online tools to Promote Critical Thinking. Insight: A collection of faculty scholarship , 1 , 41-50. Yang, Y. T. C., & Wu, W. C. I. (2012). Digital storytelling for enhancing student academic achievement, critical thinking, and learning motivation: A year-long experimental study. Computers & Education , 59 (2), 339-352. Insight Assessment: Measuring Thinking Worldwide http://www.insightassessment.com/ Michigan State University’s Office of Faculty & Organizational Development, Critical Thinking: http://fod.msu.edu/oir/critical-thinking The Critical Thinking Community http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766 Related PostsFocus on Teaching and Learning Highlights Active Learning Behind the Scenes of a DL Video Documenting the Course Development Process The Benefits of Using Digital Badges in an Online Course 9 responses to “ Using Technology To Develop Students’ Critical Thinking Skills ”This is a great site for my students to learn how to develop critical thinking skills, especially in the STEM fields. Great tools to help all learners at all levels… not everyone learns at the same rate. Thanks for sharing the article. Is there any way to find tools which help in developing critical thinking skills to students? Technology needs to be advance to develop the below factors: Understand the links between ideas. Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas. Recognize, build and appraise arguments. Excellent share! Can I know few tools which help in developing critical thinking skills to students? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!
Brilliant post. Will be sharing this on our Twitter (@refthinking). I would love to chat to you about our tool, the Thinking Kit. It has been specifically designed to help students develop critical thinking skills whilst they also learn about the topics they ‘need’ to. Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Insert/edit linkEnter the destination URL Or link to existing content Critical Thinking: Facilitating and Assessing the 21st Century Skills in EducationSo many times we hear our students say, “Why am I learning this?” I believe that Critical Thinking is the spark that begins the process of authentic learning. Before going further, we must first develop an idea of what learning is… and what learning is not. So many times we hear our students say, “Why am I learning this?” The reason they ask is because they have not really experienced the full spectrum of learning, and because of this are actually not learning to a full rewarding extent! We might say they are being exposed to surface learning and not authentic (real) learning. The act of authentic learning is actually an exciting and engaging concept. It allows students to see real meaning and begin to construct their own knowledge. Critical Thinking is core to learning. It is rewarding, engaging, and life long. Without critical thinking students are left to a universe of concepts and memorization. Yes… over twelve years of mediocrity! When educators employ critical thinking in their classrooms, a whole new world of understanding is opened up. What are some reasons to facilitate critical thinking with our students? Let me begin: Ten Reasons For Student Critical Thinking in the classroom
I am excited by the spark that critical thinking ignites to support real and authentic learning in the classroom. I often wonder how much time students spend in the process of critical thinking in the classroom. I ask you to reflect on your typical school day. Are your students spending time in area of surface learning , or are they plunging into the engaging culture of deeper (real) learning? At the same time … how are you assessing your students? So many times as educators, we are bound by the standards, and we forget the importance of promoting that critical thinking process that makes our standards come alive with understanding. A culture of critical thinking is not automatic, though with intentional planning it can become a reality. Like the other 21st century skills, it must be built and continuously facilitated. Let’s take a look at how, we as educators, can do this. Ten Ways to Facilitate Student Critical Thinking in the Classroom and School
I keep talking about the idea of surface learning and deeper learning. This can best be seen in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Often we start with Remembering. This might be essential in providing students the map to the further areas of Bloom’s. Of course, we then find the idea of Understanding. This is where I believe critical thinking begins. Sometimes we need to critically think in order to understand. In fact, you might be this doing right now. I believe that too much time might be spent in Remembering, which is why students get a false idea of what learning really is. As we look at the rest of Bloom’s ( Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create) we can see the deeper learning take place. and even steps toward the transfer and internalization of the learning. Some educators even tip Bloom’s upside down, stating that the Creating at the top will build an understanding. This must be done with careful facilitation and intentional scaffold to make sure there is some surface learning. After-all, Critical Thinking will need this to build on. I have been mentioning rubrics and assessment tools through out this post. To me, these are essential in building that culture of critical thinking in the classroom. I want to provide you with some great resources that will give your some powerful tools to assess the skill of Critical Thinking. Keep in mind that students can also self assess and journal using prompts from a Critical Thinking Rubric. Seven Resources to Help with Assessment and Facilitation of Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking “I Can Statements”As you can see, I believe that Critical Thinking is key to PBL, STEM, and Deeper Learning. It improves Communication and Collaboration, while promoting Creativity. I believe every student should have these following “I Can Statements” as part of their learning experience. Feel free to copy and use in your classroom. Perhaps this is a great starting place as you promote collaborative and powerful learning culture!
cross-posted at 21centuryedtech.wordpress.com Michael Gorman oversees one-to-one laptop programs and digital professional development for Southwest Allen County Schools near Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a consultant for Discovery Education, ISTE, My Big Campus, and November Learning and is on the National Faculty for The Buck Institute for Education. His awards include district Teacher of the Year, Indiana STEM Educator of the Year and Microsoft’s 365 Global Education Hero. Read more at 21centuryedtech.wordpress.com . Tech & Learning NewsletterTools and ideas to transform education. Sign up below. Gamification: Pros and Some Cons, According to Research What To Consider When Implementing Edtech Kodable: How to Use It to Teach Coding Most PopularThe Importance of Critical Thinking Skills for StudentsLink Copied Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Brains at Work! If you’re moving toward the end of your high school career, you’ve likely heard a lot about college life and how different it is from high school. Classes are more intense, professors are stricter, and the curriculum is more complicated. All in all, it’s very different compared to high school. Different doesn’t have to mean scary, though. If you’re nervous about beginning college and you’re worried about how you’ll learn in a place so different from high school, there are steps you can take to help you thrive in your college career. If you’re wondering how to get accepted into college and how to succeed as a freshman in such a new environment, the answer is simple: harness the power of critical thinking skills for students. What is critical thinking?Critical thinking entails using reasoning and the questioning of assumptions to address problems, assess information, identify biases, and more. It's a skillset crucial for students navigating their academic journey and beyond, including how to get accepted into college . At its crux, critical thinking for students has everything to do with self-discipline and making active decisions to 'think outside the box,' allowing individuals to think beyond a concept alone in order to understand it better. Critical thinking skills for students is a concept highly encouraged in any and every educational setting, and with good reason. Possessing strong critical thinking skills will make you a better student and, frankly, help you gain valuable life skills. Not only will you be more efficient in gathering knowledge and processing information, but you will also enhance your ability to analyse and comprehend it. Importance of critical thinking for studentsDeveloping critical thinking skills for students is essential for success at all academic levels, particularly in college. It introduces reflection and perspective while encouraging you to question what you’re learning! Even if you’ve seen solid facts. Asking questions, considering other perspectives, and self-reflection cultivate resilient students with endless potential for learning, retention, and personal growth.A well-developed set of critical thinking skills for students will help them excel in many areas. Here are some critical thinking examples for students: 1. Decision-makingIf you’re thinking critically, you’re not making impulse decisions or snap judgments; you’re taking the time to weigh the pros and cons. You’re making informed decisions. Critical thinking skills for students can make all the difference. 2. Problem-solvingStudents with critical thinking skills are more effective in problem-solving. This reflective thinking process helps you use your own experiences to ideate innovations, solutions, and decisions. 3. CommunicationStrong communication skills are a vital aspect of critical thinking for students, helping with their overall critical thinking abilities. How can you learn without asking questions? Critical thinking for students is what helps them produce the questions they may not have ever thought to ask. As a critical thinker, you’ll get better at expressing your ideas concisely and logically, facilitating thoughtful discussion, and learning from your teachers and peers. 4. Analytical skillsDeveloping analytical skills is a key component of strong critical thinking skills for students. It goes beyond study tips on reviewing data or learning a concept. It’s about the “Who? What? Where? Why? When? How?” When you’re thinking critically, these questions will come naturally, and you’ll be an expert learner because of it. How can students develop critical thinking skillsAlthough critical thinking skills for students is an important and necessary process, it isn’t necessarily difficult to develop these observational skills. All it takes is a conscious effort and a little bit of practice. Here are a few tips to get you started: 1. Never stop asking questionsThis is the best way to learn critical thinking skills for students. As stated earlier, ask questions—even if you’re presented with facts to begin with. When you’re examining a problem or learning a concept, ask as many questions as you can. Not only will you be better acquainted with what you’re learning, but it’ll soon become second nature to follow this process in every class you take and help you improve your GPA . 2. Practice active listeningAs important as asking questions is, it is equally vital to be a good listener to your peers. It is astounding how much we can learn from each other in a collaborative environment! Diverse perspectives are key to fostering critical thinking skills for students. Keep an open mind and view every discussion as an opportunity to learn. 3. Dive into your creativityAlthough a college environment is vastly different from high school classrooms, one thing remains constant through all levels of education: the importance of creativity. Creativity is a guiding factor through all facets of critical thinking skills for students. It fosters collaborative discussion, innovative solutions, and thoughtful analyses. 4. Engage in debates and discussionsParticipating in debates and discussions helps you articulate your thoughts clearly and consider opposing viewpoints. It challenges the critical thinking skills of students about the evidence presented, decoding arguments, and constructing logical reasoning. Look for debates and discussion opportunities in class, online forums, or extracurricular activities. 5. Look out for diverse sources of informationIn today's digital age, information is easily available from a variety of sources. Make it a habit to explore different opinions, perspectives, and sources of information. This not only broadens one's understanding of a subject but also helps in distinguishing between reliable and biased sources, honing the critical thinking skills of students. Unlock the power of critical thinking skills while enjoying a seamless student living experience!Book through amber today! 6. Practice problem-solvingTry engaging in challenging problems, riddles or puzzles that require critical thinking skills for students to solve. Whether it's solving mathematical equations, tackling complex scenarios in literature, or analysing data in science experiments, regular practice of problem-solving tasks sharpens your analytical skills. It enhances your ability to think critically under pressure. Nurturing critical thinking skills helps students with the tools to navigate the complexities of academia and beyond. By learning active listening, curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving, students can create a sturdy foundation for lifelong learning. By building upon all these skills, you’ll be an expert critical thinker in no time—and you’ll be ready to conquer all that college has to offer! Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat questions should i ask to be a better critical thinker, how can i sharpen critical thinking skills for students, how do i avoid bias, can i use my critical thinking skills outside of school, will critical thinking skills help students in their future careers. Your ideal student home & a flight ticket awaits Follow us on : Related PostsHow to Thrift Shop: 5 Essential Thrifting TipsThe Difference Between GI And Gen-Z: The Entire Timeline25 Amazing Hobbies For Students To Develop In 2024amber © 2024. 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Free Attendance Questions Slideshow ✨ 10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical ThinkersHelp students dig deeper! For more tips, check out Mentoring Minds’ Critical Thinking Strategies Guide —a flip chart packed with question stems and lesson ideas to help teach kids to become better critical and creative thinkers. Getting students to dig deeper and answer questions using higher-level thinking can be a challenge. Here are our favorite tips for teaching critical thinking skills, adapted from Mentoring Minds’ Critical Thinking Strategies Guide, that help kids solve problems by going beyond the obvious response. 1. Slow down the pace.It’s easy to fall into a routine of calling on one of the first kids who raises a hand. But if you wait even just 3 to 5 seconds after asking a question, you’ll probably find the pool of students willing to give an answer grows significantly. Plus, it helps the speedy kids learn that the first answer that pops into their head isn’t always the best. There are times you may even want to wait up to a minute or longer if the question is particularly complex or time-consuming. To avoid an awkward pause, you can let kids know that they have 10 seconds to think before answering the question or that you need to see 10 hands raised from volunteers before you hear a response. 2. Pose a Question of the Day.Put a new spin on bell ringers by asking a Question of the Day. Use a questioning stem (e.g., create a riddle that uses the mathematics term “multiply” in one of the clues or write a letter to a classmate recommending this book) and put it on the board. Students can write answers in their critical-thinking journals. Then have a class discussion at the end of the day. 3. Make a response box.Write a random critical-thinking question on the board, (e.g., Is there a better way to work out this problem? Explain your thinking.). Give students a specified amount of time to provide a written response and put it in the response box. Pull out entries one by one and read them aloud to the class. Alternatively, you can give a prize—like a homework pass or free time—to the student with the first appropriate response whose name is drawn from the box or to everyone who submitted appropriate answers. 4. Take a side.First, read a statement that has two opposing views (e.g., Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?). Ask kids who agree to stand on one side of the room and those who disagree to stand on the other side. Then have kids talk about why they chose each side. They can switch sides if they change their minds during the discussion. 5. Ask “why?” five times.When you encounter a problem in class, you can help the class come up with a solution by using the Why? Five Times strategy. Ask the first why question (e.g., Why didn’t the class do well on the spelling test?), and after a response is given, ask why four more times (e.g., Why didn’t students study for the test?, Why didn’t students have time to study for the test?, etc.). The idea is that after the fifth question is asked, the problem will be solved. 6. Role-play.Come up with an imaginary scenario and have kids work through the steps to solve a problem as a class. First, identify the problem and write it as a question (e.g., Why didn’t the science experiment work as planned?). Then brainstorm ideas to solve it and choose the best one to write as a solution statement. Finally, create an action plan to carry out the solution. 7. Go “hitchhiking.”Practice creative thinking by collaborating on a storyboard. Write a problem on an index card and pin it on the top of a bulletin board. Then put different headings on index cards and pin them below the main card. Have kids brainstorm ideas that develop each of the heading cards and let kids pin them on the board. Encourage kids to “go hitchhiking” by building onto their classmates’ ideas. 8. Turn around.A great way to focus on the positive in not-so-positive situations is the Turn Around thinking strategy. If a student forgets to bring his homework to school, you can ask, “What good can come of this?” The student can answer with ideas like, “I will change my routine before I go to bed.” 9. Put your pocket chart to good use.Choose six completed questioning stems from different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and put them in a pocket chart. Choose some strips as mandatory and let kids pick two from the higher levels to answer aloud or in a journal. 10. Hold a Q&A session.One way you can figure out how well kids are grasping critical-thinking skills is by holding question-and-answer sessions. Ask a variety of questions one-on-one or in small groups and take note of the levels of thought individual students use regularly and avoid over time. You can review your notes to help build more higher-order-thinking questions into your lessons. FREE E-BOOK! How to Build a 36-Week Character Education Program . S upport social-emotional learning through a critical thinking lens with 36 projects and activities plus tips, research, and more!You Might Also Like5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them. Continue Reading Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256
4 Strategies for Sparking Critical Thinking in Young StudentsFostering investigative conversation in grades K–2 isn’t easy, but it can be a great vehicle to promote critical thinking. In the middle of class, a kindergartner spotted an ant and asked the teacher, “Why do ants come into the classroom?” Fairly quickly, educational consultant Cecilia Cabrera Martirena writes , students started sharing their theories: Maybe the ants were cold, or looking for food, or lonely. Their teacher started a KWL chart to organize what students already knew, what they wanted to know, and, later, what they had learned. “As many of the learners didn’t read or write yet, the KWL was created with drawings and one or two words,” Cabrera Martirena writes. “Then, as a group, they decided how they could gather information to answer that first question, and some possible research routes were designed.” As early elementary teachers know, young learners are able to engage in critical thinking and participate in nuanced conversations, with appropriate supports. What can teachers do to foster these discussions? Elementary teacher Jennifer Orr considered a few ideas in an article for ASCD . “An interesting question and the discussion that follows can open up paths of critical thinking for students at any age,” Orr says. “With a few thoughtful prompts and a lot of noticing and modeling, we as educators can help young students engage in these types of academic conversations in ways that deepen their learning and develop their critical thinking skills.” While this may not be an “easy process,” Orr writes—for the kids or the teacher—the payoff is students who from a young age are able to communicate new ideas and questions; listen and truly hear the thoughts of others; respectfully agree, disagree, or build off of their peers’ opinions; and revise their thinking. 4 Strategies for Kick-Starting Powerful Conversations1. Encourage Friendly Debate: For many elementary-aged children, it doesn’t take much provoking for them to share their opinions, especially if they disagree with each other. Working with open-ended prompts that “engage their interest and pique their curiosity” is one key to sparking organic engagement, Orr writes. Look for prompts that allow them to take a stance, arguing for or against something they feel strongly about. For example, Orr says, you could try telling first graders that a square is a rectangle to start a debate. Early childhood educator Sarah Griffin proposes some great math talk questions that can yield similar results:
Using pictures can inspire interesting math discussions as well, writes K–6 math coach Kristen Acosta . Explore counting, addition, and subtraction by introducing kids to pictures “that have missing pieces or spaces” or “pictures where the objects are scattered.” For example, try showing students a photo of a carton of eggs with a few eggs missing. Ask questions like, “what do you notice?” and “what do you wonder?” and see how opinions differ. 2. Put Your Students in the Question: Centering students’ viewpoints in a question or discussion prompt can foster deeper thinking, Orr writes. During a unit in which kids learned about ladybugs, she asked her third graders, “What are four living and four nonliving things you would need and want if you were designing your own ecosystem?” This not only required students to analyze the components of an ecosystem but also made the lesson personal by inviting them to dream one up from scratch. Educator Todd Finley has a list of interesting writing prompts for different grades that can instead be used to kick off classroom discussions. Examples for early elementary students include:
3. Open Several Doors: While some students take to classroom discussions like a duck to water, others may prefer to stay on dry land. Offering low-stakes opportunities for students to dip a toe into the conversation can be a great way to ensure that everyone in the room can be heard. Try introducing hand signals that indicate agreement, disagreement, and more. Since everyone can indicate their opinion silently, this supports students who are reluctant to speak, and can help get the conversation started. Similarly, elementary school teacher Raquel Linares uses participation cards —a set of different colored index cards, each labeled with a phrase like “I agree,” “I disagree,” or “I don’t know how to respond.” “We use them to assess students’ understanding, but we also use them to give students a voice,” Linares says. “We obviously cannot have 24 scholars speaking at the same time, but we want everyone to feel their ideas matter. Even if I am very shy and I don’t feel comfortable, my voice is still heard.” Once the students have held up the appropriate card, the discussion gets going. 4. Provide Discussion Sentence Starters: Young students often want to add their contribution without connecting it to what their peers have said, writes district-level literacy leader Gwen Blumberg . Keeping an ear out for what students are saying to each other is an important starting point when trying to “lift the level of talk” in your classroom. Are kids “putting thoughts into words and able to keep a conversation going?” she asks. Introducing sentence starters like “I agree…” or “I feel differently…” can help demonstrate for students how they can connect what their classmate is saying to what they would like to say, which grows the conversation, Blumberg says. Phrases like “I’d like to add…” help students “build a bridge from someone else’s idea to their own.” Additionally, “noticing and naming the positive things students are doing, both in their conversation skills and in the thinking they are demonstrating,” Orr writes, can shine a light for the class on what success looks like. Celebrating when students use these sentence stems correctly, for example, helps reinforce these behaviors. “Students’ ability to clearly communicate with others in conversation is a critical literacy skill,” Blumberg writes, and teachers in grades K–2 can get students started on the path to developing this skill by harnessing their natural curiosity and modeling conversation moves. How it works Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance. Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems. We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change. Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement. Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys. Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise. Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders. Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching. Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees. See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce. Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours. Daring Leadership Institute: a groundbreaking partnership that amplifies Brené Brown's empirically based, courage-building curriculum with BetterUp’s human transformation platform.
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The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today. Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more. Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion. Join us and create impactful change. Read the buzz about BetterUp. Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce. For Business For Individuals How to develop critical thinking skillsJump to section What are critical thinking skills?How to develop critical thinking skills: 12 tips, how to practice critical thinking skills at work, become your own best critic. A client requests a tight deadline on an intense project. Your childcare provider calls in sick on a day full of meetings. Payment from a contract gig is a month behind. Your day-to-day will always have challenges, big and small. And no matter the size and urgency, they all ask you to use critical thinking to analyze the situation and arrive at the right solution. Critical thinking includes a wide set of soft skills that encourage continuous learning, resilience , and self-reflection. The more you add to your professional toolbelt, the more equipped you’ll be to tackle whatever challenge presents itself. Here’s how to develop critical thinking, with examples explaining how to use it. Critical thinking skills are the skills you use to analyze information, imagine scenarios holistically, and create rational solutions. It’s a type of emotional intelligence that stimulates effective problem-solving and decision-making . When you fine-tune your critical thinking skills, you seek beyond face-value observations and knee-jerk reactions. Instead, you harvest deeper insights and string together ideas and concepts in logical, sometimes out-of-the-box , ways. Imagine a team working on a marketing strategy for a new set of services. That team might use critical thinking to balance goals and key performance indicators , like new customer acquisition costs, average monthly sales, and net profit margins. They understand the connections between overlapping factors to build a strategy that stays within budget and attracts new sales. Looking for ways to improve critical thinking skills? Start by brushing up on the following soft skills that fall under this umbrella:
There’s no magic method to change your thinking processes. Improvement happens with small, intentional changes to your everyday habits until a more critical approach to thinking is automatic. Here are 12 tips for building stronger self-awareness and learning how to improve critical thinking: 1. Be cautiousThere’s nothing wrong with a little bit of skepticism. One of the core principles of critical thinking is asking questions and dissecting the available information. You might surprise yourself at what you find when you stop to think before taking action. Before making a decision, use evidence, logic, and deductive reasoning to support your own opinions or challenge ideas. It helps you and your team avoid falling prey to bad information or resistance to change . 2. Ask open-ended questions“Yes” or “no” questions invite agreement rather than reflection. Instead, ask open-ended questions that force you to engage in analysis and rumination. Digging deeper can help you identify potential biases, uncover assumptions, and arrive at new hypotheses and possible solutions. 3. Do your researchNo matter your proficiency, you can always learn more. Turning to different points of view and information is a great way to develop a comprehensive understanding of a topic and make informed decisions. You’ll prioritize reliable information rather than fall into emotional or automatic decision-making. 4. Consider several opinionsYou might spend so much time on your work that it’s easy to get stuck in your own perspective, especially if you work independently on a remote team . Make an effort to reach out to colleagues to hear different ideas and thought patterns. Their input might surprise you. If or when you disagree, remember that you and your team share a common goal. Divergent opinions are constructive, so shift the focus to finding solutions rather than defending disagreements. 5. Learn to be quietActive listening is the intentional practice of concentrating on a conversation partner instead of your own thoughts. It’s about paying attention to detail and letting people know you value their opinions, which can open your mind to new perspectives and thought processes. If you’re brainstorming with your team or having a 1:1 with a coworker , listen, ask clarifying questions, and work to understand other peoples’ viewpoints. Listening to your team will help you find fallacies in arguments to improve possible solutions. 6. Schedule reflectionWhether waking up at 5 am or using a procrastination hack, scheduling time to think puts you in a growth mindset . Your mind has natural cognitive biases to help you simplify decision-making, but squashing them is key to thinking critically and finding new solutions besides the ones you might gravitate toward. Creating time and calm space in your day gives you the chance to step back and visualize the biases that impact your decision-making. 7. Cultivate curiosityWith so many demands and job responsibilities, it’s easy to seek solace in routine. But getting out of your comfort zone helps spark critical thinking and find more solutions than you usually might. If curiosity doesn’t come naturally to you, cultivate a thirst for knowledge by reskilling and upskilling . Not only will you add a new skill to your resume , but expanding the limits of your professional knowledge might motivate you to ask more questions. You don’t have to develop critical thinking skills exclusively in the office. Whether on your break or finding a hobby to do after work, playing strategic games or filling out crosswords can prime your brain for problem-solving. 9. Write it downRecording your thoughts with pen and paper can lead to stronger brain activity than typing them out on a keyboard. If you’re stuck and want to think more critically about a problem, writing your ideas can help you process information more deeply. The act of recording ideas on paper can also improve your memory . Ideas are more likely to linger in the background of your mind, leading to deeper thinking that informs your decision-making process. 10. Speak upTake opportunities to share your opinion, even if it intimidates you. Whether at a networking event with new people or a meeting with close colleagues, try to engage with people who challenge or help you develop your ideas. Having conversations that force you to support your position encourages you to refine your argument and think critically. 11. Stay humbleIdeas and concepts aren’t the same as real-life actions. There may be such a thing as negative outcomes, but there’s no such thing as a bad idea. At the brainstorming stage , don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes the best solutions come from off-the-wall, unorthodox decisions. Sit in your creativity , let ideas flow, and don’t be afraid to share them with your colleagues. Putting yourself in a creative mindset helps you see situations from new perspectives and arrive at innovative conclusions. 12. Embrace discomfortGet comfortable feeling uncomfortable . It isn’t easy when others challenge your ideas, but sometimes, it’s the only way to see new perspectives and think critically. By willingly stepping into unfamiliar territory, you foster the resilience and flexibility you need to become a better thinker. You’ll learn how to pick yourself up from failure and approach problems from fresh angles. Thinking critically is easier said than done. To help you understand its impact (and how to use it), here are two scenarios that require critical thinking skills and provide teachable moments. Scenario #1: Unexpected delays and budgetImagine your team is working on producing an event. Unexpectedly, a vendor explains they’ll be a week behind on delivering materials. Then another vendor sends a quote that’s more than you can afford. Unless you develop a creative solution, the team will have to push back deadlines and go over budget, potentially costing the client’s trust. Here’s how you could approach the situation with creative thinking:
Scenario #2: Differing opinionsA conflict arises between two team members on the best approach for a new strategy for a gaming app. One believes that small tweaks to the current content are necessary to maintain user engagement and stay within budget. The other believes a bold revamp is needed to encourage new followers and stronger sales revenue. Here’s how critical thinking could help this conflict:
You can’t think your problems away. But you can equip yourself with skills that help you move through your biggest challenges and find innovative solutions. Learning how to develop critical thinking is the start of honing an adaptable growth mindset. Now that you have resources to increase critical thinking skills in your professional development, you can identify whether you embrace change or routine, are open or resistant to feedback, or turn to research or emotion will build self-awareness. From there, tweak and incorporate techniques to be a critical thinker when life presents you with a problem. Cultivate your creativityFoster creativity and continuous learning with guidance from our certified Coaches. Elizabeth Perry, ACCElizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach. 6 ways to leverage AI for hyper-personalized corporate learningCan dreams help you solve problems 6 ways to try, how divergent thinking can drive your creativity, what is lateral thinking 7 techniques to encourage creative ideas, what’s convergent thinking how to be a better problem-solver, 17 memorization techniques to sharpen your memory & recall, 8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems, critical thinking is the one skillset you can't afford not to master, how to be optimistic, betterup named a 2019 “cool vendor” in human capital management: enhancing employee experience by gartnerup your game: a new model for leadership, 7 critical teamwork skills and how to develop them, what is creative thinking and how can i improve, 6 big picture thinking strategies that you'll actually use, what are analytical skills examples and how to level up, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research.. 3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702
Bob Jones University Helping Your Students Develop Critical Thinking SkillsToday’s generation, the 21st-century learner, is expected to be able to think outside the box. It is no longer enough to just memorize facts, dates, terms or formulas. Students today need to learn how to apply what they are learning and dig deep to know the “who, what, where, when and how” of the information. Critical thinking is all about making connections; identifying what information is important and relevant; and evaluating and reflecting on ideas, values and beliefs. Why is critical thinking important?First of all, critical thinking promotes good thinking skills. In today’s world we need to be able to have the skill to analyze information and solve problems. Second, it enhances language and presentation skills. Students are better able to express ideas if they know how to make connections, and are able to evaluate and reflect on ideas. Third, it promotes creativity. By teaching the students critical thinking they are then able to come up with new and different ideas and be able to adapt and modify them if necessary. Finally, critical thinking is the foundation of science and important to our society today. Science is dependent on theories and experimentation. This, of course, requires the ability to question, analyze and solve problems. We hear a lot today about “fake news.” The media is full of information that is either false, biased or prejudiced. A good citizen needs to be able to be informed and make proper judgments to sort through that and be able to make an informed decision. How can I encourage critical thinking in my classroom?Ask open-ended questions. . Start with asking open-ended questions. Instead of answering a question outright, help your students think critically by asking questions in return. For example: “What ideas do you have? What do you think is happening here? Tell me why you think that? How would you solve this problem?” Don’t solve students’ problems for them.Next, don’t solve all their problems immediately. Sometimes it is just easier and faster to solve a problem or do it yourself. Instead, scaffold. Ask questions that will help the student to solve their own problems. Build upon what they know and guide them to greater heights. Math is a good example of this. Don’t tell the student what they did incorrectly. Encourage them to talk through the problem and show you what they did and why they did it. Many times they find their own mistakes and come up with the right answer themselves. Help st udents to develop a hypothesis.Students have lots of ideas of what they want to do and how they want to do it. Encourage them to think through what they do. Ask questions like, “If we do this, what do you think will happen?” or “Let’s predict what we think will happen next.” Help them to think in new and different ways. It’s OK for students to think differently than we do, but help them to develop their problem-solving skills by asking, “What other ideas could we try?” Facilitate collaboration.Collaboration is a key term in this area. Life is all about making connections and collaborating with others. Organize your students into small groups to work on projects together. This encourages them to be successful by working together toward a common goal. Use objectives from the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.Last, but certainly not least, we as teachers need to teach and use objectives from the higher level thinking skills promoted by Bloom’s Taxonomy. Think of the objectives in your lesson plans. Are you using higher level verbs such as design , compose , create or conclude which engage students in analysis, synthesis and evaluation? Or are you sticking with the easier verbs like define , label , list or discuss which are focused on knowledge or comprehension? Knowledge and comprehension are very important but are just the first two rungs of the ladder towards success in critical thinking. Push your students to climb higher by using higher level verbs in your objectives. Students today are not satisfied with “because I said so.” They are more curious and want to know the reason why. We as educators need to build upon that curiosity. As Christians, we also need to teach them to know why they believe what they believe; not just because that is what they have learned all their lives. How does the information they are learning apply to their lives? This requires critical thinking skills. Related PostsEducational Theory in PreachingHelping Kids Who Struggle Socially: What’s a Teacher to Do?Recent posts.
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How to Improve Student Critical Thinking Skills
Home Educators Blog Why are Student Critical Thinking Skills So Essential?There are many skills that are essential for students to have in order to better themselves and their learning. Many of these skills should be taught at an early age and practiced as they grow and develop. Skills such as problem-solving , collaboration , and critical thinking are vital to students inside and outside the classroom. Critical thinking skills are especially important for students to develop. Students need critical thinking skills in many situations such as trying to solve a math problem, figuring out the best way to go from their house to work, or solving any type of puzzle. These skills are essential to help students learn:
So, how do you know if critical thinking is happening in your classroom? Some of the most obvious ways you will know if your students have acquired this skill would be the following observable actions.
Discussions/DebateClass discussions are an important method in developing students’ critical thinking skills. Providing students with a safe forum in which to express their thoughts and ideas empowers them to think deeply about issues and vocalize their thoughts. For example, an English teacher might provide pre-reading exercises for students to complete for homework. These questions can then be used as a springboard to generate a group discussion . To challenge the students more, the questions could be controversial in nature to allow for passionate students to think critically on an issue as they express their ideas. For instance, before teaching Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the teacher may ask questions like:
While these questions ultimately are relevant to the text, before reading the novel, students must interpret these questions from a personal standpoint and evaluate their own feelings and philosophies. Once the students complete the questions, there can be a class discussion or debate on each topic. For the discussion to succeed, the teacher must be an impartial facilitator to their discussion, often playing the proverbial “devil’s advocate” to keep the conversation dynamic and engaging. This discussion approach allows students to not only voice their opinions but also to hear the opinions of their classmates and further assess their own understanding of the topics. This method allows for critical thinking both before the exercise as students complete the questions and then during the exercise as they debate their classmates in a group dynamic. In addition, the questions posed for the group discussion lead directly to another tool for developing critical thinking skills: making real-world connections. Real-World ConnectionsIt is imperative as a teacher to push students to make real-world and personal connections to the material being covered. If students make these connections, they are more invested in the subject matter and more inclined to analyze and think critically about their work. As an example, a teacher may take a text written 80 years ago and ask the students to modernize the work; they can keep the same themes and conflicts yet bring the work to a modern-day setting. This exercise allows students to better relate to the text and understand how they might react if put into the same situations as many characters. Another example is asking students to identify specific mathematical topics in areas in their lives that do not include the classroom. Something such as slope can be identified with how students can go from one floor of the school building to the next. Geometric figures are demonstrated with any building that exists. Specific mathematical or physical laws can happen at any point of their lives. When students are able to identify these instances, it helps them to make a better connection to the learning. These connections force students to examine and analyze on a more critical level because suddenly the material is much more relatable. These real-world connections challenge students to develop the vital critical thinking skills. Has the Pandemic Affected Student Critical Thinking Skills?After navigating through two years of the pandemic, students need to develop critical thinking skills now more than ever. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that there is no substitute for in-person classroom instruction. As a result of online learning, many students lost the ability to think critically as many of the assignments didn’t allow for that type of learning. In many ways, students forgot how to be students, and teachers forgot how to be teachers. With the height of the pandemic now behind us, it is imperative that we rebuild critical thinking skills and again teach students how to approach material in an analytical sense. How to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in StudentsTeachers can challenge their students to discover information about the topic being discussed and gain pre-knowledge as mentioned in the example above. Suppose students can access knowledge prior to the lesson or learning new content. In that case, it can help them to develop the necessary skills for the lesson as well as give them the confidence to learn and practice the newest material. This helps to develop their critical thinking as well as have a better connection to the content. There are many ways that teachers can help develop student critical thinking skills. Safe Learning EnvironmentsOne of the ways is to create a safe learning place in which students feel comfortable to ask questions. When students ask questions, it helps them to better understand the content and analyze the information better. Active ParticipationAnother way that students can develop their critical thinking skills is to be active participants in the lesson and help to collaborate. If a teacher can create an atmosphere where the students work together, participate in the learning , and learn from one another, then students can begin to develop these skills. Connections with Previous KnowledgeStudents can use prior knowledge from previously learned material to make connections to the present topics. If students can build off what they already know and apply it to what they are currently learning, it can help them to see the connections as well as analyze the newest information. Students, also, can work backwards to solve problems. Students can take the question, example, and the answer and work backwards to discover how to go from the start to the end. Mistakes and Learning from ThemAlthough some teachers do not like to give the answers to students, this process can actually help them to evaluate the problem better and to learn how to solve it moving forward. One last way students can help develop their critical thinking skills is to take chances, use the guess-and-check method when in doubt, and just try to discover a possible solution. So often, students want to be right, and they want to know that they are right; this happens often at the secondary level . Many of these students are scared to fail and do not want to take risks. Teaching students that it is okay to explore and make mistakes can help them improve their critical thinking skills and confidence. Life is about discovering and exploring and when the students understand that those are important skills to have in life, it can help them to analyze better within the classroom setting. Instructional StrategiesThink about the instructional strategies that you use most often — I am referring to your “go to” tools in your toolbox of instructional strategies. Do these strategies develop deeper learning competencies in your students? For instance, do your students have opportunities to use student choice and voice when working on assignments? Students should be able to create their own projects, define goals , develop their learning plan, and communicate their achievements to a broader audience. When students can make choices and direct their own learning, they become more dedicated and engaged students. An instructional strategy that develops deeper learning competencies (especially critical thinking) is project-based learning . Student critical thinking skills are many of the important skills they should develop to help them in different aspects of their lives. Through being challenged and encouraged to take different approaches, students can begin to learn and develop these skills. Through learning how these skills can be applied in the classroom as well as the real-world, it helps them to understand better. This not only helps them within the classroom setting but also for life after school. Looking to advance your education and impact as a teacher? Check out our educator’s blog and 190+ available masters, doctorates, endorsements, and certifications to advance your career today!
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With the sheer volume of information that we’re bombarded with on a daily basis – and with the pervasiveness of fake news and social media bubbles – the ability to look at evidence, evaluate the trustworthiness of a source, and think critically is becoming more important than ever. This is why, for me, critical thinking is one of the most vital skills to cultivate for future success. Critical thinking isn’t about being constantly negative or critical of everything. It’s about objectivity and having an open, inquisitive mind. To think critically is to analyze issues based on hard evidence (as opposed to personal opinions, biases, etc.) in order to build a thorough understanding of what’s really going on. And from this place of thorough understanding, you can make better decisions and solve problems more effectively. To put it another way, critical thinking means arriving at your own carefully considered conclusions instead of taking information at face value. Here are 13 ways you can cultivate this precious skill: 1. Always vet new information with a cautious eye. Whether it’s an article someone has shared online or data that’s related to your job, always vet the information you're presented with. Good questions to ask here include, "Is this information complete and up to date?” “What evidence is being presented to support the argument?” and “Whose voice is missing here?” 2. Look at where the information has come from. Is the source trustworthy? What is their motivation for presenting this information? For example, are they trying to sell you something or get you to take a certain action (like vote for them)? Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024. 3. Consider more than one point of view. Everyone has their own opinions and motivations – even highly intelligent people making reasonable-sounding arguments have personal opinions and biases that shape their thinking. So, when someone presents you with information, consider whether there are other sides to the story. 4. Practice active listening. Listen carefully to what others are telling you, and try to build a clear picture of their perspective. Empathy is a really useful skill here since putting yourself in another person's shoes can help you understand where they're coming from and what they might want. Try to listen without judgment – remember, critical thinking is about keeping an open mind. 5. Gather additional information where needed. Whenever you identify gaps in the information or data, do your own research to fill those gaps. The next few steps will help you do this objectively… 6. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers, so channel your inner child and ask lots of "who," "what," and "why" questions. 7. Find your own reputable sources of information, such as established news sites, nonprofit organizations, and education institutes. Try to avoid anonymous sources or sources with an ax to grind or a product to sell. Also, be sure to check when the information was published. An older source may be unintentionally offering up wrong information just because events have moved on since it was published; corroborate the info with a more recent source. 8. Try not to get your news from social media. And if you do see something on social media that grabs your interest, check the accuracy of the story (via reputable sources of information, as above) before you share it. 9. Learn to spot fake news. It's not always easy to spot false or misleading content, but a good rule of thumb is to look at the language, emotion, and tone of the piece. Is it using emotionally charged language, for instance, and trying to get you to feel a certain way? Also, look at the sources of facts, figures, images, and quotes. A legit news story will clearly state its sources. 10. Learn to spot biased information. Like fake news, biased information may seek to appeal more to your emotions than logic and/or present a limited view of the topic. So ask yourself, “Is there more to this topic than what’s being presented here?” Do your own reading around the topic to establish the full picture. 11. Question your own biases, too. Everyone has biases, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. The trick is to think objectively about your likes and dislikes, preferences, and beliefs, and consider how these might affect your thinking. 12. Form your own opinions. Remember, critical thinking is about thinking independently. So once you’ve assessed all the information, form your own conclusions about it. 13. Continue to work on your critical thinking skills. I recommend looking at online learning platforms such as Udemy and Coursera for courses on general critical thinking skills, as well as courses on specific subjects like cognitive biases. Read more about critical thinking and other essential skills in my new book, Future Skills: The 20 Skills & Competencies Everyone Needs To Succeed In A Digital World . Written for anyone who wants to surf the wave of digital transformation – rather than be drowned by it – the book explores why these vital future skills matter and how to develop them.
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Home > Graduate Research and Creative Practice > Culminating Experience Projects > 456 Culminating Experience ProjectsThe importance of critical thinking skills in secondary classrooms. Clinton T. Sterkenburg , Grand Valley State University Follow Date ApprovedGraduate degree type, degree name. Education-Instruction and Curriculum: Secondary Education (M.Ed.) Degree ProgramCollege of Education First AdvisorSherie Klee Academic YearAccording to research, many students lack effective critical thinking skills. The ability to think critically is crucial for individuals to be successful and responsible. Many students have difficulties understanding this important skill and especially lack the ability to initiate and apply the process. Although a difficult task, educators have the responsibility to teach critical skills to students and to discern when certain instructional methods or activities are not helping students. Each student is different, and their needs must be considered, this correlates with how they learn and process information. Research has shown that traditional teaching methods that require students to regurgitate information do not prove helpful in teaching students to apply and understand the critical thinking process. Therefore, effective teachers expand upon traditional teaching methods and differentiate instructional and activity design for imparting critical thinking skills to students. This project presents some of the possible reasons students have difficulties thinking critically and provides examples of instructional and lesson design methods that are proven to help students understand critical thinking. The goal of this project is to provide a guide for secondary teachers to address the lack of critical thinking skills in many students. The ability to think critically will greatly benefit students and help them become productive members of society. ScholarWorks CitationSterkenburg, Clinton T., "The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills in Secondary Classrooms" (2024). Culminating Experience Projects . 456. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/456 Since August 05, 2024 Included inCurriculum and Instruction Commons , Secondary Education Commons Advanced Search
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Critical and Creative Thinking: An Essential Skill for Every StudentFriday 9th august 2024. One of the most valuable skills in life is the ability to think independently, clearly, and rationally when analysing a problem and making logical connections between ideas. Creative and critical thinking are key abilities for students, helping them understand, apply and question information. Critical and creative thinking skills are among the most valuable skills a person can have. The sooner we begin teaching young people skills to think about relationships, work, and culture, the better prepared they will be to navigate life’s challenges. In a world filled with ups, downs, and misinformation, cultivating critical and creative thinking capability empowers young individuals to make wise decisions and solve problems effectively. What is creative thinking?Creative thinking is the ability to generate valuable and original ideas, possibilities and actions to solve a problem. Creative thinkers use their imagination to innovate not only a large number of ideas but also a variety and range of them. They experiment, consider ideas from multiple perspectives, and test different solutions. These kinds of thinkers will step out of their comfort zone and take risks to try their original ideas. What is critical thinking?Critical thinking is often confused with intelligence, but they are different. While everyone is born with different kinds of intelligence, critical thinking is a skill that can be taught and practised. Critical thinking involves cognitive skills that help us think logically toward goals, and a mindset to use those skills effectively. Critical thinkers are open-minded, seeking evidence for their beliefs and spotting flawed arguments. They also work to overcome biases like hindsight or confirmation bias. Creative thinking vs critical thinkingThe main difference between critical and creative thinking is where they place their emphasis: critical thinking is about examining existing ideas and concepts, and creative thinking is more focused on generating new ones. While distinct processes, the two work in a complementary fashion, allowing students to identify problems or holes, and also craft innovative solutions. Being able to think both critically and creatively improves the ability to navigate complex situations and make meaningful decisions. What are the characteristics of critical and creative thinking?The benefits of developing critical and creative thinking skills are varied, and can play a positive role in all areas of life. To be a good critical and creative thinker, students should practise several key skills:
How to develop critical and creative thinking skills in studentsTo enhance your critical thinking and creative thinking together, students must immerse themselves in subject-specific environments rich in content. Each subject requires a unique approach to critical thinking, so this immersion helps develop tailored abilities for each area of study. During this process, it’s important to maintain objectivity in decision-making. Utilise foresight to pause and carefully consider the implications of your decisions. Taking time for students to reflect on the learning experience and creating an environment for students to feel comfortable to ask questions also helps develop these skills. Teachers will use various strategies for developing critical and creative thinking to support students in acquiring and applying these skills. Join us at St Francis Xavier CollegeAt St Francis Xavier College, we strive for our students to use critical and creative thinking techniques in their studies. We want to prepare them not only for the classroom but also how to be successful in their future careers and overall life. Check out our other news articles for subject ideas and study tips, and get in touch to learn more. AcknowledgementsSt Francis Xavier College acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians. We are proud and fortunate to live and serve on the land of the Bunurong people. We recognise their intelligence, care and stewardship of this land for many generations. We pay respect to their elders, past, present and emerging. We commit ourselves to moving forward in a spirit of reconciliation. InformationChild Safety and Policies Australian Democratic Principles DOSCEL Beaconsfield Campus4 Beaconsfield Avenue, Beaconsfield 3807 Ph: 03 9707 3111 [email protected] Berwick Campus75 Ridgemont Drive, Berwick 3806 Ph: 03 9707 3111 [email protected] Officer Campus21 Majestic Drive, Officer 3809 Ph: 03 9707 3111 [email protected] Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education How to Help Students Think in Morally Complex WaysConsider this moment in history from a teenager’s perspective. The world inflamed by wars, hatred, and conflict. Social media platforms that encourage individuals to affirm one correct answer to every problem and assume a posture of aggressive self-righteousness in response to every challenge. No one believes anything can really change, and time seems to be running out. What’s missing from this dire picture is what psychologist Darcia Narvaez calls “ moral complexity ,” or mature moral functioning. This includes practicing emotional regulation to allay reactivity and avoid impulsive judgments; holding multiple, often competing viewpoints in mind while deliberating between them; and, over time, developing head-and-heart expertise through ethical engagement with a specific community or cause. In other words, being a complex moral agent means being resilient, flexible, pragmatic, and kind. As Narvaez notes, citizenship scholars agree that the skills needed in the 21st century include “critical thinking, cooperation, tolerance, conflict resolution,” and “the skills of a positive, mature moral functioning.” Practiced collectively, these skills could change our world for the better. Yet it goes without saying that there aren’t enough adult exemplars of these skills visible today. In countless ways, adolescents are led to believe that what’s on offer is what moral maturity looks like. So the cycle repeats, cynicism deepens, and little does change. Can educators help change that situation? Yes, but the first step is to take students seriously as moral agents. Learning to “stay human”Young people are naturally interested in the future they will inherit. For several years at the Millennium School of San Francisco, I co-led an eighth-grade capstone project in which students chose real-world problems to research and ultimately offer some contribution to addressing. We spent about seven weeks developing topics before culminating presentations, where family members, teachers, and fellow students got to see eighth graders share their work and raise awareness about important social issues. Some version of a capstone project can fit within eighth or ninth grade English, Social Studies, or STEM classes, and encouraging students to think in interdisciplinary terms helps broaden opportunities for engagement. In my capstone classes, we started by watching Michael Franti’s terrific documentary, Stay Human . In the film, Franti, a long-time musician and activist, travels the world and profiles ordinary people struggling with poverty, systemic racism, and environmental devastation. For students, this global survey builds empathy and makes distant others feel more relatable. The throughline that unifies each story is the search for hope and resilience amid the world’s many diverse challenges. Yet Franti himself wrestles with his own inner tension between optimism and cynicism, which presents students with an all-too-human model of moral maturity. As we watched, I periodically paused the film to ask students to reflect on their own identities, values, and how they connect to the people Franti interviews. As an English and humanities teacher, I find journaling one of the best ways to prompt thinking beyond immediate assumptions. In the context of any class in any discipline, it’s also a great way to explore and clarify the moral dilemmas we all face every day. According to Narvaez, “moral self-reflection is similar to moral imagination but turned inward.” For example, encountering the history of Apartheid in South Africa, as students do in Stay Human , can prompt them to reflect on how racism still affects their own neighborhoods, as well as what solutions might be possible today. Ideally, Narvaez writes, this kind of thinking and writing evokes “a self-critical attitude that seeks to avoid self-deception and distortions of facts and events,” so that a truer picture of reality emerges. Looking inward to look outwardAt their best moments, students are clearly capable of this kind of self-reflection. And as with other skills, it helps to have regular chances to practice. Daily journal prompts encourage writing proficiency and the development of metacognitive skills , all of which contribute to moral maturity. I want to share one particular journal prompt I used, which Lindsay Berk and the late great Stephen Lessard developed in earlier iterations of the capstone class we taught:
This came soon after we started watching Stay Human , in response to Michael Franti posing these same questions to himself. As an opening mindfulness practice at the start of class, students wrote silently in their journals then shared out with their peers. The movement from individual writing to organized sharing and listening works well with middle and high school students, and making this an everyday routine fosters a classroom culture where self-reflection and group deliberation are respected and valued. I remember a class in the fall of 2021, soon after my school resumed full in-person learning, when the prompt above took us in an unexpected direction. After their share-out, I usually call on a few students to reflect back something they heard at their tables, then we move into a wider discussion or the next activity. But that day students quickly fell into a debate about the meaning of our two key terms. We used Google to establish some definitions: Optimism is “hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something,” while cynicism is “an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest.” To provide a further common reference point, I drew a glass on the whiteboard with a water line at the midpoint. After apologizing for my poor drawing skills, I asked if they saw the glass as half empty or half full. Again, the room was divided. Several students pointed out that optimism is often unrealistic, and they identified as more cynical because its definition seems closer to reality. In their view, the glass wasn’t full; that’s what mattered. With this distinction in mind, I asked students if a cynical outlook makes hope for the future futile, and some said yes. To push this line of reasoning further, I picked up a globe and asked them to think of another real-world example: global warming. “We know our species is in peril,” I said to dramatize the dilemma. “Scientists offer different estimates of how long we have, and what we can do, to limit the worst effects of human-caused climate change. So, do you take the optimistic view that we can and should do something to try and save our natural habitat, or do you take the cynical view that nothing can be done because people are too self-centered to make the effort worthwhile?” At this point, just about every student said they were willing to do something to limit climate change, but they didn’t trust the rest of humanity to join in. Earlier, I’d introduced the terms egoism and altruism, and a lively discussion sprung up about whether it’s possible to do good for others without trying to benefit oneself. As we moved into our next discussion, this same question resurfaced in the context of global warming. Greater Good Educators Program (Winter/Spring): Bridging for BelongingExplore the science of empathy, humility, forgiveness, and hope to develop skills for bridging differences in schools Conceived at Phillips Exeter Academy, the Harkness method makes the whole classroom into a student-centered space for listening and discussion. Typically the teacher or another student tracks participation using a variety of data gathering devices, which they share with the class during a debrief following the discussion. The purpose of Harkness is to promote student leadership and peer learning as well as accountability and self-reflection, so that one’s participation in discussions grows more thoughtful over time. On that particular day, I sat outside the circle and let students talk freely. Speaking politely through their masks of different shapes and colors, these pandemic-era eighth graders seemed to have a genuine thirst for moral knowledge. They clearly wanted to know what was true, and within the Harkness container, they engaged each other respectfully. Instead of jumping toward judgment and yelling at each other, as can happen with adolescents in less structured contexts, this group had practiced well enough to regulate their emotions and deliberate carefully. Think of the contrast here to the discussions that happen on cable news, talk radio, and social media. As Narvaez notes, “truncated moral metacognition occurs when a person follows an ill-informed gut reaction” and takes that as their final conclusion “with little reflection, commitment, or responsibility.” Too many adults follow that pattern, and they consciously or unconsciously model it for the young. Yet Harkness and other deliberative discussion frameworks create a form of community dialogue that builds moral metacognition and encourages deeper reflection. Particularly for adolescents, doing so collaboratively with peers is one of the best means of inching toward moral maturity. Over the years of discussions that followed watching Stay Human , students often said they came away from it feeling less cynical. They got to work on capstone projects related to climate change and the environment, antiracism, food justice, political polarization, and many other topics. By beginning to study and ground themselves in these issues and the communities they affect, these eighth graders learned to think in morally complex ways. I hope they also touched on a formative experience that will shape their actions for many years to come. As Narvaez emphasizes, the skills of moral maturity “can be marshaled for moral innovation and moral actions that transform lives for the better, increasing flourishing among the underprivileged, and improving equality and well-being of society as a whole.” About the AuthorMichael FisherMichael Fisher, Ph.D. , teaches English at Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, C.A. He has taught writing and humanities to middle school through college students since 2010 with an emphasis on making students’ voices and choices central to the learning process. You May Also EnjoyFour Ways to Help Students Cultivate IntegrityHow to Talk about Ethical Issues in the ClassroomOne Skill That Can Help Students Bridge Political DividesHow to Help Students Focus on Learning Instead of Their GradesFive Steps to Get Students Thinking About EthicsFour Ways Teachers Can Help Students Develop a ConscienceHome » Articles » Parenting » Kids » 5 Ways to Improve Critical Thinking Skills 5 Ways to Improve Critical Thinking SkillsSeveral months ago, my family and I stayed in a yurt while on vacation. If you don’t know what that is, imagine a cross between a large hotel room and a tent. In other words, it was glorified camping. It was fun, or at least interesting. The yurt was on property owned by a college professor, who we had the pleasure to talk to each day. When we asked her about her students, she said over the last couple of decades, students have lost critical thinking skills. But critical thinking skills are essential for kids to thrive and to make the world a better place. We have to instill them in our kids. Something a friend of mine uses for this is the Go Bible . It’s easy to read with lots of applications and poses questions to kids about everyday scenarios. Great exercises and tools like that can help kids formulate their thoughts and make better decisions. Here are 5 more ways to improve critical thinking skills. 1. Encourage curiosity.Encourage your kids to explore and learn new things . It will teach them to have an open mind and gather facts before arriving at a conclusion. According to research by Harvard Business Review, curiosity “encourages [people] to put themselves in one another’s shoes and take an interest in one another’s ideas rather than focus only on their own perspective.” 2. Carve out time for free play.In his book The Anxious Generation , Jonathan Haidt argues that giving kids more free play helps kids learn to resolve problems, think creatively, and even reduce bad behavior. Free play has disappeared over the last few decades, and our kids’ ability to self direct and solve relational problems has taken a hit. So, take them to a park, back away, and let them play. 3. Ask open ended questions.Asking your kids open ended questions helps their problem-solving and encourages their vocabulary as they formulate words. Questions like these challenge kids and give them an open road to produce their own original thoughts. If you have trouble thinking of questions, find tools that can give you ideas, like the Go Bible that my friend uses. 4. Play strategy games.My dad taught me to play chess when I was six. It trained me to think a couple moves ahead and about the consequences of my actions. Playing strategy games with your kids is a great way to sharpen your kids’ brains to problem-solve, evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate cause and effect. 5. Let them solve their own problems.It’s hard to watch our kids experience pain. If you are like me, it gives you a terrible bout of stress. That’s probably why I swoop in and solve the problem for them—it gives me relief. But that robs them of an opportunity to grow stronger and learn critical thinking skills. I love the scene in Finding Nemo where the dad turtle lets his son struggle to figure out how to get back to him after getting momentarily separated. I need to be more like that. When your kids run into a problem, let them figure it out, unless it’s an emergency. Sound off: What are some other things we can do to improve our kids’ critical thinking skills? Huddle Up QuestionHuddle up with your kids and ask, “What’s one thing you’d like to learn more about?” More Resources5 Ways to Combat Kids’ Shortening Attention SpansThe Worst Places Teens Go to Find Answers to Life3 Skills Kids Gain When They Take RisksQUICK LINKS
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The Skills Employers Seek MostEvery class, job, internship, leadership position, etc. that you participate in throughout your Boston College education is preparing you for a meaningful personal and professional life ahead. The ability to recognize and articulate how these experiences are helping you develop the skills employers are seeking will help you in all stages of the career development process. Learn the Core CompetenciesThe following are the skills/competencies employers are most seeking in their entry-level candidates. Career & Self-DevelopmentProactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization. CommunicationClearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization both in writing and orally. Critical ThinkingIdentify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information. How to develop this competency
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Equity & InclusionDemonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different cultures and backgrounds. Engage in anti-oppressive practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism and inequity. Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals. ProfessionalismKnowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities. Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. Service to OthersWith an eye toward justice, continually reflect on what the world needs you to be. Apply your unique talents and skills gained while at Boston College to help address the world's most urgent problems.
Reflect on Your Career ReadinessConnect all of your jobs, internships, campus involvement, and academics to the skills employers are seeking to help you discern your interests and prepare for your search. Utilize our worksheet to help guide your reflection. Download PDF It's a Lifelong ProcessCareer management is an ongoing lifelong process. BC alumni offer advice for navigating and managing your career throughout your time at BC and beyond. By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Lift students’ critical thinking skills with digital connectivity pushThe critical thinking skills of students could be improved with strong digital connectivity amid technological advancements in education, according to think tank Stratbase ADR Institute. This photo shows Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. (standing, 3rd from left), other officials, and students watching a multi-media presentation during the inauguration of the modern computer laboratory at the Angeles City National Trade School on August 6, 2024. | PHOTO: Angeles City government MANILA, Philippines — Strong digital connectivity could help students develop their critical thinking skills as technological advancements in education offer more learning opportunities, especially in the areas of math, science, and reading. Stratbase ADR Institute pointed this out, emphasizing that Filipino students should improve their critical thinking so they can better analyze the credibility of information, make sound decisions, and solve problems. According to Victor Andres Manhit, “[t]echnological advances have allowed foundation subjects like math, science, and reading to be taught more effectively, with interactive e-learning modules enriched with a multi-media learning experience.” The think tank president also noted that “the conventional classroom methods can now be complemented by the rich content and digital skills that could be acquired through exposure to the online world – of course with proper guidance and precaution from mentors.” READ: PH students still among lowest scorers in reading, math, science – Pisa For these reasons, the group said, the government should prioritize strengthening the digital connectivity in the country so that learning institutions will be equipped to improve students’ critical thinking skills. Manhit said the lack of critical thinking skills among Filipino students must be addressed, especially with the country’s recent poor performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) where the Philippines ranked sixth to last in reading and mathematics while it ranked third to the last among 81 countries in the science category. Improving Pisa and digital literacy can be achieved through efficient internet connectivity and close coordination of the government with private sectors, Manhit stressed. READ: Nat’l Fiber Backbone launched, starting with Laoag-QC phase In his third State of the Nation Address last July 22, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lamented that as of 2022, only 77 percent or 20.6 million households nationwide have connected to the internet – which, he said, is “much too low.” He then highlighted the implementation of the first phase of the National Fiber Backbone program. The phase two and three of the program began this year and are expected to be completed in 2026. Subscribe to our daily newsletter The National Fiber Backbone program, with the first phase covering 1,245 kilometers from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte to Quezon City, is expected to increase the internet penetration rate in the country from the current 33 percent to 65 percent, or 70 million out of 115 million Filipinos. Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER© copyright 1997-2024 inquirer.net | all rights reserved. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link. 10 Hidden Cognitive Skills Good Students Have Been Using All Along10 unexpected skills students develop in school. Discover the hidden superpowers of students! This web story uncovers 10 essential cognitive skills kids develop while navigating school life, from critical thinking to creativity. Learn how these abilities shape future success. Image Source: TNN Critical ThinkingFrom analyzing complex texts to debating different perspectives, students constantly engage in critical thinking. Whether it's questioning the validity of an argument in a history class or evaluating evidence in a science experiment, this skill is fundamental. Problem-SolvingTackling homework, group projects, or standardized tests demands problem-solving abilities. Students learn to break down complex issues, identify potential solutions, and implement strategies to overcome challenges. Time ManagementJuggling schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and social life requires exceptional time management skills. Students develop the ability to prioritize tasks, set deadlines, and optimize their schedules. AdaptabilityThe school environment is constantly changing. Students must adapt to new teachers, curriculum changes, and unexpected challenges. This flexibility helps them thrive in various situations. Whether it's writing a creative story, designing a science experiment, or coming up with innovative solutions to problems, students use creativity daily. This skill fosters innovation and original thinking. You may also likeMemory and recall. Memorizing facts, formulas, and historical dates is a core part of student life. These skills strengthen memory and recall abilities, essential for academic success and beyond. CommunicationStudents interact with peers, teachers, and administrators regularly. Effective communication, both verbal and written, is crucial for building relationships and conveying ideas clearly. CollaborationGroup projects and class discussions teach students the importance of collaboration. They learn to work together, share ideas, and reach common goals. Emotional IntelligenceNavigating social interactions, dealing with stress, and managing emotions are essential life skills. Students develop emotional intelligence as they build relationships and cope with academic pressures. Self-RegulationStudents learn to control their impulses, focus attention, and manage their behavior. These self-regulation skills are fundamental for academic success and personal growth. Thanks For Reading! Next: 10 Effortless Strategies for Students to Enhance Their Public Speaking Skills |
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Students grappled with ideas and their beliefs and employed deep critical-thinking skills to develop arguments for their claims. Embedding critical-thinking skills in curriculum that students care ...
Teach Reasoning Skills. Reasoning skills are another key component of critical thinking, involving the abilities to think logically, evaluate evidence, identify assumptions, and analyze arguments. Students who learn how to use reasoning skills will be better equipped to make informed decisions, form and defend opinions, and solve problems.
Try not to jump to help too fast - let the students work through a productive struggle. Build in opportunities for students to find connections in learning. Encouraging students to make connections to a real-life situation and identify patterns is a great way to practice their critical thinking skills. The use of real-world scenarios will ...
These seven strategies can help students cultivate their critical thinking skills. (These strategies can be modified for all students with the aid of a qualified educator.) 1. Encourage Questioning. One of the fundamental pillars of critical thinking is curiosity. Encourage students to ask questions about the subject matter and challenge ...
The kind of thinking which seeks to explore questions about existing knowledge for issues which are not clearly defined and for which there are no clear-cut answers. . In order to display critical thinking, students need to develop skills in. ♦ interpreting: understanding the significance of data and to clarify its meaning.
In a time where deliberately false information is continually introduced into public discourse, and quickly spread through social media shares and likes, it is more important than ever for young people to develop their critical thinking. That skill, says Georgetown professor William T. Gormley, consists of three elements: a capacity to spot ...
Critical thinking has the power to launch students on unforgettable learning experiences while helping them develop new habits of thought, reflection, and inquiry. Developing these skills prepares ...
Critical thinking is the art of making clear, reasoned judgements based on interpreting, understanding, applying and synthesising evidence gathered from observation, reading and experimentation. Essential Study Skills: The Complete Guide to Success at University (4th ed.) London: SAGE, p94. Being critical does not just mean finding fault.
The information environments we move through in our daily lives are fundamentally communal experiences - and the critical thinking skills most likely to help us are primarily about who or what to trust, how to ask for help, and what it means to formulate the best possible questions. Misinformation, disinformation and fake news are the dark side ...
This paper builds and presents some of the findings of an international practice-engaged OECD project looking at how teachers could help their students develop two higher order skills: creativity and critical thinking (Vincent-Lancrin et al., 2019), with a focus on critical thinking. In a first section, I do a review of the origins and recent ...
Critical thinking is that process, that orientation, and in the finest cases, that way of living. This guide focuses on the essence of critical thinking concepts. For teachers it provides a shared concept of critical thinking. For students it introduces critical thinking and provides strategies for developing one's own critical thinking.
The cognitive skills at the foundation of critical thinking are analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explanation, inference, and self-regulation. When students think critically, they actively engage in these processes: To create environments that engage students in these processes, instructors need to ask questions, encourage the expression of ...
Then try these critical thinking activities and games. Finally, try to incorporate some of these 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students into your lessons. They'll help your students develop the skills they need to navigate a world full of conflicting facts and provocative opinions. One of These Things Is Not Like the Other
Ten Ways to Facilitate Student Critical Thinking in the Classroom and School. Design Critical Thinking Activities. (This might include mind mapping, making thinking visible, Socratic discussions, meta-cognitive mind stretches, Build an inquiry wall with students and talk about the process of thinking". Provide time for students to collaborate.
Importance of critical thinking for students 1. Decision-making 2. Problem-solving 3. Communication 4. Analytical skills How can students develop critical thinking skills 1. Never stop asking questions 2. Practice active listening 3. Dive into your creativity 4. Engage in debates and discussions 5.
Although students can respond to a perspective-taking exercise in a variety of ways, I argue that instructors ought to prioritize the development of students' critical thinking skills rather than directing them toward particular transformative beliefs. In Part 3, I apply this theoretical account of perspective-taking to higher education.
Getting students to dig deeper and answer questions using higher-level thinking can be a challenge. Here are our favorite tips for teaching critical thinking skills, adapted from Mentoring Minds' Critical Thinking Strategies Guide, that help kids solve problems by going beyond the obvious response. 1. Slow down the pace.
Additionally, "noticing and naming the positive things students are doing, both in their conversation skills and in the thinking they are demonstrating," Orr writes, can shine a light for the class on what success looks like. Celebrating when students use these sentence stems correctly, for example, helps reinforce these behaviors.
Whether at a networking event with new people or a meeting with close colleagues, try to engage with people who challenge or help you develop your ideas. Having conversations that force you to support your position encourages you to refine your argument and think critically. 11. Stay humble.
According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are [ 1 ]: Universal. Crucial for the economy. Essential for improving language and presentation skills. Very helpful in promoting creativity. Important for self-reflection.
First of all, critical thinking promotes good thinking skills. In today's world we need to be able to have the skill to analyze information and solve problems. Second, it enhances language and presentation skills. Students are better able to express ideas if they know how to make connections, and are able to evaluate and reflect on ideas.
Discussions/Debate. Class discussions are an important method in developing students' critical thinking skills. Providing students with a safe forum in which to express their thoughts and ideas empowers them to think deeply about issues and vocalize their thoughts. For example, an English teacher might provide pre-reading exercises for ...
6. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers, so channel your inner child and ask lots of "who," "what," and "why" questions. 7. Find your own reputable ...
According to research, many students lack effective critical thinking skills. The ability to think critically is crucial for individuals to be successful and responsible. Many students have difficulties understanding this important skill and especially lack the ability to initiate and apply the process. Although a difficult task, educators have the responsibility to teach critical skills to ...
Critical thinking involves cognitive skills that help us think logically toward goals, and a mindset to use those skills effectively. ... The benefits of developing critical and creative thinking skills are varied, and can play a positive role in all areas of life. To be a good critical and creative thinker, students should practise several key ...
Educators can help young people develop the emotional and cognitive skills to address difficult moral conflicts. ... pragmatic, and kind. As Narvaez notes, citizenship scholars agree that the skills needed in the 21st century include "critical thinking, cooperation, tolerance, conflict resolution," and "the skills of a positive, mature ...
But critical thinking skills are essential for kids to thrive and to make the world a better place. We have to instill them in our kids. Something a friend of mine uses for this is the Go Bible. It's easy to read with lots of applications and poses questions to kids about everyday scenarios. Great exercises and tools like that can help kids ...
Develop plans and goals for one's future career. Professionally advocate for oneself and others. Display curiosity; seek out opportunities to learn. Assume duties or positions that will help one progress professionally. Establish, maintain, and/or leverage relationships with people who can help one professionally.
MANILA, Philippines — Strong digital connectivity could help students develop their critical thinking skills as technological advancements in education offer more learning opportunities,
Discover the hidden superpowers of students! This web story uncovers 10 essential cognitive skills kids develop while navigating school life, from critical thinking to creativity. Learn how these ...