Developing our students’ skills in deeply reading, evaluating, and formulating strong arguments is often cited as a core purpose of and outcome from higher education. Employers consistently rate critical thinking and problem solving as a highly desired “soft skill.” Yet how well are we really doing this in our classrooms? How far up Bloom’s taxonomy do our assignments and assessments ask students to go? What can instructors do to help students move beyond simply regurgitating information toward applying concepts in analysis, evaluation, or creation of original work?
Participants in this FLC, which met during AY 2023-24, investigated models of critical thinking, as well as various methods and strategies designed to promote it in the scholarly literature. These included communities of practice, tutorials modeling CT, interactive media, team‐based learning, problem-based learning, reflection, discussion, open‐ended questions, and many more. Individual members implemented one or more strategies for developing students’ critical thinking in their classes.
Members:
Bindu Abraham (CHEM)
Nicki Belfiore, Facilitator (SOWK)
Janet Gross, Facilitator (ENGL)
Tomoko Hoogenboom (MLLI)
Keyimu Kalibinuer (ECON)
Dann Malihom (SAPH)
David Mitch (ECON)
Mina Seat (MLLI)
Samples of Work:
Slides from the End of Year Celebration