Hi David,
I agree! A lot of our students really lack the skill of problem solving. They want to give up to easily when they encounter personal problems especially.
Patricia Scales
Critical thinking skills are extremely important for a student to be succesful. Unfortunatly,many do not posess this skill,because they have never had to solve a problem on their own.As an instructor i believe we must challenge our students to use and develop these skills so that they are prepared and confident when they enter the workforce.
One activity that I use in my courses is the survival exercise created by the U.S. Army. I break students into small groups then set up the exercise (i.e. small plane crash in Northern Canada and what items have been salvaged from the plane).
I then ask each person to rank the items in order of importance for survival as individuals. I then have the groups select their own "scribe / leader" and agree upon a final list as a group.
The exercise is certainly a critical thinking activity, but also includes components of small group communication as well. I finally ask each student to write a brief essay on decision-making in a group. The students love it, it demonstrates key skills, allows them to gain confidence in critical thinking...and the get points for it.
In a clinical settimg I have my students evaluate the pt. before the ER MD sees them
Nothing can replace doing a task/role play, that it is best for students to be actively involved. They should be put into situations where they have to assess a question or situation, come up with solutions for problems and then evaluate the results to determine if their solution was effective.
Hi Sarah,
Wow, this is an in depth project, and I especially like how your have the students answer the various questions. Students need exposure with working in groups so that they are ready for teamwork in the workplace.
Patricia Scales
My students have a group project that uses both critical and analytical skills. First,they have to research a topic and then figure the best way to divy up the work so it is fair and equitable when they present it to the class. Simultaneously, they have to keep a daily journal on how group members affect them and how they affect group members: what strategies will they use the following day to motivate, help others or change the way they are working with in the group. After the Presentation portion of the project is over, they have a few days to assess journals and write a summation on what their group members taught them about thier own work ethic or new skills. EX: What did this individual teach you about yourself in being a member of a team? Possible answer: He taught me that I need to be more organized when I take on group work. What Professional skills did this person teach you? Possible answer: He taught me how to not only create Power Points but how to imbed a video in a slide!!!
Hi Tom,
The why is just as important as the reason. Students have a better understanding, if they understand the why.
Patricia Scales
Hi Jorge,
I love the questions you present to your students. Students really have to utilize their critical thinking to respond to these questions.
Patricia Scales
Hi Richard,
Students have to understand that in order to think critically, several skills are invovled, basic, logics, and reasoning. Common sense plays a large factor as well.
Patricia Scales
Hi Ron,
Students love it when they can use their technical devices to aid them in the learning process, especially when they can be used in the classroom.
Patricia Scales
I ask the students what the features and benefits of the vehcile repair are and what this will do for(benefit) the customer. Not just the reason for the repair, but the Why.
As I am teaching a subject I stop and ask questions that relate to the material but make them think and understand. I like to here explanations and the reasons behind the answers. I learned in a prior CEE, to pause and give all the students time to think befar answering.
Students in my international cuisine class are asked to answer three questions about the previous day's production: 1. What worked successfully, 2. What didn't not turn out as planned and what would they do differently when faced with a similar obstacle.
Each student is given an opportunity to submit their answers for class discussion. They are required to identify the cause of their successes as well decisions or attitudes that triggered their challenges
Culinary techniques do come up. But more often questions of how to increase productivity, teamwork, and leadership skills are the topics. Most discussions also address questions of self-confidence and even how to better trust one’s instincts as a cook. It often feels like culinary group therapy but it is very effective in helping them discern a path to continuous improvement on their own.
At every stage of learning, students need to supplement basic skills and learning with active reasoning skills and higher level critical thinking and then be given a chance to evaluate that which they have been taught in a way that allows and encourages deductive judgment themselves, reasoning information accurately, and coming to grips with the possibility some of what they were taught was perhaps inaccurate or biased.
Durning a nutrition excersise the students are put in pairs and use their smart phones or ipads to look up nutrient values.
Hi Gail,
Students need as much practice as possible so that they can become better critical thinkers.
Patricia Scales
Hi Collin,
I have a participation grade, and students like earning the points, therefore they are motivated to partake.
Patricia Scales
Hi Scott,
Everyone needs a Plan B, and our students need as much practice as possible to learn how to better think out of the box.
Patricia Scales
An example of critically thinking would involve deciding the core concepts that are being discussed: can the student explain how to use this concept or demonstrate it.
Having a student provide examples of core concepts reinforce the learning and required critical thinking.
