5 ways to improve your critical thinking ted ed

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10 Great TED Ed Lessons on Critical Thinking

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: April 30, 2024

In today’s fast-paced world, where information comes at us from all directions, the ability to think critically has never been more vital. Whether it’s navigating social media, making sense of news headlines, or simply deciding what to believe, critical thinking skills are your north star.

That’s why I’ve curated this essential list of TED Ed lessons aimed at honing your mental acumen. From understanding the subtle art of problem-solving to grasping how misinformation spreads, this collection covers a gamut of topics that promise to equip you with the tools needed to dissect, analyze, and ultimately make better decisions.

TED Ed Lessons on Critical thinking

Here are some amazing TED Ed lessons on critical thinking to use with your students in class:

1. 5 tips to improve your critical thinking – Samantha Agoos

This lesson offers a practical guide to making better decisions through critical thinking. Samantha Agoos outlines a 5-step process that can help anyone tackle complex problems. This is an ideal lesson for educators aiming to instill decision-making skills in students. It covers everything from gathering information to evaluating options and helps guide learners in making more informed choices.

2. The Boltzmann brain paradox – Fabio Pacucci

This lesson delves into a complex but fascinating thought experiment known as the Boltzmann brain paradox. It challenges our understanding of reality and existence by questioning how we know we’re not just artificially created brains with manufactured memories. This one’s a bit heavier but it’s a fantastic way to get students thinking deeply about the nature of existence, and it would be great for a lesson on metaphysics or epistemology.

3. Can you outsmart the college admissions fallacy? – Elizabeth Cox

Elizabeth Cox digs into the controversial subject of single-sex education policies, using a real-life case from 1990 involving Virginia Military Institute. The lesson focuses on identifying circular reasoning, a logical fallacy that can often go unnoticed. By applying critical thinking, students can learn to recognize flawed arguments, a skill that’s not only important for academics but for life in general.

4. Can you solve the fortress riddle? – Henri Picciotto

This lesson throws you into a real dilemma, challenging your tactical and strategic skills to save a kingdom and its unique herd of tiny dino creatures. The focus is on problem-solving and decision-making under pressure. It’s an engaging way to help students think critically about strategies and consequences. Plus, who can resist tiny dinos?

5. Can you solve the private eye riddle? – Henri Picciotto

In this mystery-themed lesson, learners step into the shoes of Numberland’s top detective to solve a bizarre series of crimes. Henri Picciotto engages students in a mental workout to solve the puzzle, honing their deductive reasoning skills. This lesson brings critical thinking into the realm of mystery-solving, offering a more narrative-driven approach to sharpen the intellect.

6. Ethical dilemma: Who should you believe? – Alex Worsnip

This lesson throws you into a high-stakes ethical quandary involving a shocking accusation against your spouse. It introduces the concept of ethical decision-making in a gripping, real-world scenario. The lesson aims to help students grapple with ambiguity and uncertainty, forcing them to weigh evidence and question their own biases.

7. Can you outsmart the slippery slope fallacy? – Elizabeth Cox

This lesson takes us back to the 1950s and the birth of the “domino theory” in the context of the Vietnam War. Elizabeth Cox exposes the flaws in this type of argument by teaching students how to identify the “slippery slope fallacy.” It’s a powerful example of how faulty logic can shape entire political strategies. For me, this lesson is a must-watch for anyone interested in critical thinking as it relates to historical events and public policy.

8. Why people fall for misinformation – Joseph Isaac

Ever wondered how fake news or misinformation can spread like wildfire? Joseph Isaac explores this question by examining the widespread acceptance of a flawed concept: the taste map. This lesson tackles the psychology behind why people believe things that are factually incorrect, highlighting the role of authority figures and public platforms. It’s an eye-opener, and I think it’s particularly relevant today when misinformation can have dire consequences.

9. How do you know what’s true? – Sheila Marie Orfan

Ever find yourself in a situation where everyone’s story seems valid, but they can’t all be true? Sheila Marie Orfano delves into this intriguing phenomenon known as the Rashomon effect. It’s named after a situation where multiple witnesses to a crime provide conflicting but equally plausible accounts. This lesson probes the complexities of truth and perception. It challenges students to consider how bias and perspective can cloud what we consider to be “true.” Sheila’s take on this

10. This tool will help improve your critical thinking – Erick Wilberding

Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Erick Wilberding explores this idea by introducing the Socratic Method, a technique of asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking. The lesson doesn’t just inform; it encourages students to ask questions relentlessly, just like Socrates, who was more feared for his questions than his answers. This, to me, is a foundational skill that can be applied not just academically but in everyday decision-making as well.

Final thoughts

There you have it—a curated set of TED Ed lessons designed to boost your critical thinking muscles. These lessons are both informational and transformational. They provoke us to question our own reasoning, confront our biases, and better understand the mechanisms that influence our thoughts and actions. I’ve always believed that the classroom—whether physical or virtual—is a breeding ground for not just knowledge, but wisdom. And if you’re an educator, a student, or simply a lifelong learner, these lessons are your stepping stones to a more aware and thoughtful existence.

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Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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5 TED-Ed Lessons to help you teach critical-thinking skills

Use or revise these engaging customized lessons to help your students "dig deep".

We all know that critical thinking is a very important skill, but how do you teach students to go beyond the obvious response and use reason?

In a new study from MindEdge Learning, more than half of the college students and recent graduates said they were very confident in their critical-thinking skills; however, 52 percent of them could not pass a basic, nine-question test of their digital literacy and critical-thinking skills. Perhaps more troubling, the amount of respondents who answered eight or nine questions correctly dropped from 24 percent last year to 19 percent this year.

For teachers looking for new ways to improve critical-thinking skills, here are the five most-popular TED-Ed Lessons on the topic.

1. 5 tips to improve your critical thinking Every day, a sea of decisions stretches before us, and it’s impossible to make a perfect choice every time. But there are many ways to improve our chances—and one particularly effective technique is critical thinking. Samantha Agoos describes a five-step process that may help you with any number of problems.

2. How art can help you analyze Can art save lives? Not exactly, but our most prized professionals (doctors, nurses, police officers) can learn real-world skills through art analysis. Studying art like René Magritte’s Time Transfixed can enhance communication and analytical skills, with an emphasis on both the seen and unseen. Amy E. Herman explains why art historical training can prepare you for real world investigation.

3. The psychology behind irrational decisions Often people make decisions that are not “rational” from a purely economical point of view—meaning that they don’t necessarily lead to the best result. Why is that? Are we just bad at dealing with numbers and odds? Or is there a psychological mechanism behind it? Sara Garofalo explains heuristics, problem-solving approaches based on previous experience and intuition rather than analysis.

4. How miscommunication happens (and how to avoid it) Have you ever talked with a friend about a problem, only to realize that he just doesn’t seem to grasp why the issue is so important to you? Have you ever presented an idea to a group, and it’s met with utter confusion? What’s going on here? Katherine Hampsten describes why miscommunication occurs so frequently, and how we can minimize frustration while expressing ourselves better.

5. Rethinking thinking Every day, we meet people and process our interactions—making inferences and developing beliefs about the world around us. In this lesson, Trevor Maber introduces us to the idea of a “ladder of inference” and a process for rethinking the way we interact.

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5 tips to improve your critical thinking - Samantha Agoos

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Every day, a sea of decisions stretches before us, and it’s impossible to make a perfect choice every time. But there are many ways to improve our chances — and one particularly effective technique is critical thinking. Samantha Agoos describes a 5-step process that may help you with any number of problems.

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Meet The Creators

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How can we apply critical thinking skills to protect our environment while enhancing the lives of...

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