Hi James,
What an exciting exercise. I am sure your students are having a lot of fun with this assignment and learning at the same time.
Patricia Scales
In my Social Media Class I have given an assignment to create a board game out of the curriculum. It involves individual and small group participation while evaluating existing board games, formats, rules and interactive components while making a final decision on the "style" of board game to be produced. It is going extremely well in class and creates a generous amount of interaction and excitement. The final format selection is based on the board game "Life". We are currently generating the rules, questions and steps involved in progressing through the game itself.
I teach Algebra, so just the solution of an equation is an analytical process. I start by explaining the analogy that the equation is like a druggist's scale, the old fashioned kind. To weigh a drug, there must be a known weight on the other side. So if the drug is on the left, then the weight is on the right. If more drug is needed, then more weight of the amount needed is added to the right. If less drug needed, some weight is removed from the right. After each step, the scale must be balanced, or equal weight on both sides.
In this way, the students realize that the equal sign in the equation is like the balance point of the scale, and that anything they do to one side of the equation, they have to do to the other side. We then proceed to solve the equation, say for x. We want to get the x isolated on one side, and a number, or answer on the other side. Students are asked to tell me what to do next; For example, if the equation is
4x+1=21, the students respond that I should subtract 1 from both sides, to get rid of the 1 on the left side;
4x = 20 results. Then they say to divide both sides by 4 to get rid of the 4 times the x resulting in
x=5, the answer.
This analogy seems to work with almost all students.
Hi Teresa,
This is an exciting exercise to get students to utilize their analytical/critical thinking skills. These are the types of things students will encounter in the real world.
Patricia Scales
I teach Interior Design where the students work on projects that require both analytical and critical thinking. Typically they work on projects which involve planning and designing commercial and residential spaces from the programming phase to the presentation. Each project has a design problem that must be solved, and the student uses analytical thinking activities to come up with the best solution. For example, the project may require space planning for a corporte office or restaurant, working on the spatial organization, arranging furnishings to meet the requirements requires the student to participate in analytical thinking activities.
Hi Kris,
Nice break from the norm. Students like having another teaching aid other than just plain old lecture. Students enjoy field trips, guest speakers, simulations, scenarios, case studies, hands-on activities, etc.
Patricia Scales
During a review of prerequisite material, instead of lecturing on the same information, I have the class break into groups and outline what they learned from the material and then we discuss the results of each group. The students prefer this to a lecture format.
Hi Christopher,
This is a fine way of taking a recipe to a whole different level so that students can think about things from an analytical/critical perspective.
Patricia Scales
Hi Tasia,
Wow! This is a great way to get students to think critically focusing heavily on one topic only. I am sure your students become extremely knowledgeale with the topic and their critical/analytical skills are sharpened.
Patricia Scales
I like students to understand and look for the ratios that exist of ingredients of common preparations vs. just the recipes amounts and quantities
At the beginning of our Critical Thinking course, students choose a social problem (homelessness, legalization of marijuana, immigration reform, etc) that they then use as a focus for each of their papers.
By the end of the term, they have spent 10 weeks critically analyzing the topic from a variety of viewpoints by writing papers discussing cause and effect with the social problem, comparing opposing viewpoints on the problem etc.
Instead of having a passive concept or belief of the problem, they develop a critical, well-rounded understanding the social problem as a whole.
Hi Robbi,
This is a great exercise to test students analytical skills. It also acts as a great discussion exercise.
Patricia Scales
When learning about the different chemical leaveners in the P&B program, students will produce the same exact recipe but each time with a different leavener. We are then able to individually evaluate each product to see the differences
Hi Sherri,
Great ways to promote analytical and critical thinking. I have an accounting instructor that will bring in play money and use the money to help students really visualize the analytical and critical sides of accounting.
Patricia Scales
Accounting is a very analytical and critical thinking subject to begin with. If you do not follow the analytical procedures, the accounts (the money!!) does not balance. Then the problem solving begins.
I use interactive games, board activities, etc. to teach the accounting cycle. The cycle must be followed perfectly...so the students have to know it. They have to be able to complete it manually and on a spreadsheet.
Hi Scott,
It is important for students to understand the why behind everything that they do. When students understand the why, they have a better understanding as to what is going on.
Patricia Scales
When the students are learning to perform tests for proper operation, I will ask questins that require the student to tell me why the test is impotant to know and what symptom would cause the student to perform the test. This line of questioning puts value on what they are learning and helps them understand why it is important to learn.
Hi Trevor,
Great exercise to encourage your students to put on their thinking caps. Students like competing and learning at the same time.
Patricia Scales
I draw multiple gauge problems on the board, then the students are broken into two teams. They must individually write down as many possible diagnoses for the problem, then a group representative collects their papers and writes all the answers on the board. I then cross off the incorrect answers as well as the answers that the teams have in common. Whoever thinks outside the box the most ends up winning.
Hi TIMOTHY,
This is knowledge that the student must know in order to be successful in the work place. You are getting your students ready for their career.
Patricia Scales
