how to teach critical thinking in the classroom

The Will to Teach

Critical Thinking in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, teaching students the skill of critical thinking has become a priority. This powerful tool empowers students to evaluate information, make reasoned judgments, and approach problems from a fresh perspective. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of critical thinking and provide effective strategies to nurture this skill in your students.

Why is Fostering Critical Thinking Important?

Strategies to cultivate critical thinking, real-world example, concluding thoughts.

Critical thinking is a key skill that goes far beyond the four walls of a classroom. It equips students to better understand and interact with the world around them. Here are some reasons why fostering critical thinking is important:

Making Informed Decisions: Critical thinking enables students to evaluate the pros and cons of a situation, helping them make informed and rational decisions.
Developing Analytical Skills: Critical thinking involves analyzing information from different angles, which enhances analytical skills.
Promoting Independence: Critical thinking fosters independence by encouraging students to form their own opinions based on their analysis, rather than relying on others.

how to teach critical thinking in the classroom

Creating an environment that encourages critical thinking can be accomplished in various ways. Here are some effective strategies:

Socratic Questioning: This method involves asking thought-provoking questions that encourage students to think deeply about a topic. For example, instead of asking, “What is the capital of France?” you might ask, “Why do you think Paris became the capital of France?”
Debates and Discussions: Debates and open-ended discussions allow students to explore different viewpoints and challenge their own beliefs. For example, a debate on a current event can engage students in critical analysis of the situation.
Teaching Metacognition: Teaching students to think about their own thinking can enhance their critical thinking skills. This can be achieved through activities such as reflective writing or journaling.
Problem-Solving Activities: As with developing problem-solving skills , activities that require students to find solutions to complex problems can also foster critical thinking.

As a school leader, I’ve seen the transformative power of critical thinking. During a school competition, I observed a team of students tasked with proposing a solution to reduce our school’s environmental impact. Instead of jumping to obvious solutions, they critically evaluated multiple options, considering the feasibility, cost, and potential impact of each. They ultimately proposed a comprehensive plan that involved water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency measures. This demonstrated their ability to critically analyze a problem and develop an effective solution.

Critical thinking is an essential skill for students in the 21st century. It equips them to understand and navigate the world in a thoughtful and informed manner. As a teacher, incorporating strategies to foster critical thinking in your classroom can make a lasting impact on your students’ educational journey and life beyond school.

1. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment.

2. Why is critical thinking important for students? Critical thinking helps students make informed decisions, develop analytical skills, and promotes independence.

3. What are some strategies to cultivate critical thinking in students? Strategies can include Socratic questioning, debates and discussions, teaching metacognition, and problem-solving activities.

4. How can I assess my students’ critical thinking skills? You can assess critical thinking skills through essays, presentations, discussions, and problem-solving tasks that require thoughtful analysis.

5. Can critical thinking be taught? Yes, critical thinking can be taught and nurtured through specific teaching strategies and a supportive learning environment.

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Classroom Q&A

With 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:

Why did you choose to do it that way?
When you find something tricky, what helps you?
How do you know when you have really learned something?

‘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 Expressionism: In this expanded response to reading from a critical stance, students are encouraged to respond through forms of artistic interpretations, dramatizations, singing, sketching, designing projects, or other multimodal responses. For example, students might read an article and then create a podcast about it or read a story and then act it out.
Transmediations: This activity requires students to take an article or story and transform it into something new. For example, they might turn a news article into a cartoon or turn a story into a poem. Alternatively, students may rewrite a story by changing some of its elements, such as the setting or time period.
Words Into Action: In this type of activity, students are encouraged to take action and bring about change. Students might read an article about endangered orangutans and the effects of habitat loss caused by deforestation and be inspired to check the labels on products for palm oil. They might then write a letter asking companies how they make sure the palm oil they use doesn’t hurt rain forests.
Socratic Seminars: In this student-led discussion strategy, students pose thought-provoking questions to each other about a topic. They listen closely to each other’s comments and think critically about different perspectives.
Classroom Debates: Aside from sparking a lively conversation, classroom debates naturally embed critical-thinking skills by asking students to formulate and support their own opinions and consider and respond to opposing viewpoints.

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:

Facilitate conversation about why it is important to think critically at school and in other contexts of life. Ideally, every student will have a contribution to make to the discussion over time.
Begin teaching thinking skills early in the school year and as a daily part of class.
As this instruction begins, introduce students to the concept of brain plasticity and how their brilliant brains change during thinking and learning. This can be highly motivational for students who do not yet believe they are good thinkers!
Explicitly teach students how to use the thinking skills.
Facilitate student understanding of how the thinking skills they are learning relate to their lives at school and in other contexts.

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:

… from the point of view of the Native Americans?
… from the point of view of the settlers?
How do you think your life might change over time as a result?
Can you relate this quote to anything else in history?

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:

When U.S.A. invaded Mexico for land and won, Mexico ended up losing income from the settlements of Jose de Escandon. The U.S.A. thought that they were gaining possible tradable land, while Mexico thought that they were losing precious land and resources.
Whenever Texas joined the states, their GDP skyrocketed. Then they went to war and spent money on supplies. When the war was resolving, Texas sold some of their land to New Mexico for $10 million. This allowed Texas to pay off their debt to the U.S., improving their relationship.
A detail that converged into the Mexican-American War was that Mexico and the U.S. disagreed on the Texas border. With the resulting treaty, Texas ended up gaining more land and economic resources.
Texas gained land from Mexico since both countries disagreed on borders. Texas sold land to New Mexico, which made Texas more economically structured and allowed them to pay off their debt.

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 .

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Strategies to Increase Critical Thinking Skills in students

Matthew Joseph 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.

[scroll down to keep reading]

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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How To Promote Critical Thinking In Your Classroom

Promoting Thinking

November 25, 2006, by The Critical Thinking Co. Staff

Modeling of critical thinking skills by instructors is crucial for teaching critical thinking successfully. By making your own thought processes explicit in class - explaining your reasoning, evaluating evidence for a claim, probing the credibility of a source, or even describing what has puzzled or confused you - you provide a powerful example to students, particularly if you invite them to join in; e.g., "Can you see where we're headed with this?" "I can't think of other explanations; can you?" "This idea/principle struck me as difficult or confusing at first, but here's how I figured it out." You can encourage students to emulate this by using them in demonstrations, asking them to "think out loud" in order for classmates to observe how they reason through a problem.

Develop the habit of asking questions that require students to think critically, and tell students that you really expect them to give answers! In particular, Socratic questioning encourages students to develop and clarify their thinking: e.g., "Would your answer hold in all cases?" "How would you respond to a counter-example or counter-argument?" "Explain how you arrived at that answer?"

This is another skill that students can learn from your example, and can use in working with each other. Providing regular opportunities for pair or small group discussions after major points or demonstrations during lectures is also important: this allows students to process the new material, connect it to previously learned topics, and practice asking questions that promote further critical thinking. Obviously, conveying genuine respect for student input is essential. Communicating the message that you value and support student contributions and efforts to think critically increases confidence, and motivates students to continue building their thinking skills. An essential component of this process is the creation of a climate where students feel comfortable with exploring the process of reasoning through a problem without being "punished" for getting the wrong answer.

Researchers have found consistently that interaction among students, in the form of well-structured group discussions plays a central role in stimulating critical thinking. Discussing course material and its applications allows students to formulate and test hypotheses, practice asking thought-provoking questions, hear other perspectives, analyze claims, evaluate evidence, and explain and justify their reasoning. As they become more sophisticated and fluent in thinking critically, students can observe and critique each others' reasoning skills.

Developing Critical Thinking

Posted January 10, 2018
By Iman Rastegari

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 weakness in other arguments, a passion for good evidence, and a capacity to reflect on your own views and values with an eye to possibly change them. But are educators making the development of these skills a priority?

"Some teachers embrace critical thinking pedagogy with enthusiasm and they make it a high priority in their classrooms; other teachers do not," says Gormley, author of the recent Harvard Education Press release The Critical Advantage: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in School . "So if you are to assess the extent of critical-thinking instruction in U.S. classrooms, you’d find some very wide variations." Which is unfortunate, he says, since developing critical-thinking skills is vital not only to students' readiness for college and career, but to their civic readiness, as well.

"It's important to recognize that critical thinking is not just something that takes place in the classroom or in the workplace, it's something that takes place — and should take place — in our daily lives," says Gormley.

In this edition of the Harvard EdCast, Gormley looks at the value of teaching critical thinking, and explores how it can be an important solution to some of the problems that we face, including "fake news."

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iT unes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber and co-produced by Jill Anderson, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.

An education podcast that keeps the focus simple: what makes a difference for learners, educators, parents, and communities

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A Critical Thinking Framework for Elementary Students

Guiding young students to engage in critical thinking fosters their ability to create and engage with knowledge.

Photo of elementary students working together

Critical thinking is using analysis and evaluation to make a judgment. Analysis, evaluation, and judgment are not discrete skills; rather, they emerge from the accumulation of knowledge. The accumulation of knowledge does not mean students sit at desks mindlessly reciting memorized information, like in 19th century grammar schools. Our goal is not for learners to regurgitate facts by rote without demonstrating their understanding of the connections, structures, and deeper ideas embedded in the content they are learning. To foster critical thinking in school, especially for our youngest learners, we need a pedagogy that centers knowledge and also honors the ability of children to engage with knowledge.

This chapter outlines the Critical Thinking Framework: five instructional approaches educators can incorporate into their instruction to nurture deeper thinking. These approaches can also guide intellectual preparation protocols and unit unpackings to prepare rigorous, engaging instruction for elementary students. Some of these approaches, such as reason with evidence, will seem similar to other “contentless” programs professing to teach critical thinking skills. But others, such as say it in your own words or look for structure, are targeted at ensuring learners soundly understand content so that they can engage in complex thinking. You will likely notice that every single one of these approaches requires students to talk—to themselves, to a partner, or to the whole class. Dialogue, specifically in the context of teacher-led discussions, is essential for students to analyze, evaluate, and judge (i.e., do critical thinking ).

The Critical Thinking Framework

book cover, Critical Thinking in the Elementary Classroom

Say it in your own words : Students articulate ideas in their own words. They use unique phrasing and do not parrot the explanations of others. When learning new material, students who pause to explain concepts in their own words (to themselves or others) demonstrate an overall better understanding than students who do not (Nokes-Malach et al., 2013). However, it’s not enough for us to pause frequently and ask students to explain, especially if they are only being asked to repeat procedures. Explanations should be effortful and require students to make connections to prior knowledge and concepts as well as to revise misconceptions (Richey & Nokes-Malach, 2015).

Break it down : Students break down the components, steps, or smaller ideas within a bigger idea or procedure. In addition to expressing concepts in their own words, students should look at new concepts in terms of parts and wholes. For instance, when learning a new type of problem or task, students can explain the steps another student took to arrive at their answer, which promotes an understanding that transfers to other tasks with a similar underlying structure. Asking students to explain the components and rationale behind procedural steps can also lead to more flexible problem solving overall (Rittle-Johnson, 2006). By breaking down ideas into component parts, students are also better equipped to monitor the soundness of their own understanding as well as to see similar patterns (i.e., regularity) among differing tasks. For example, in writing, lessons can help students see how varying subordinating conjunction phrases at the start of sentences can support the flow and readability of a paragraph. In math, a solution can be broken down into smaller steps.

Look for structure : Students look beyond shallow surface characteristics to see deep structures and underlying principles. Learners struggle to see regularity in similar problems that have small differences (Reed et al., 1985). Even when students are taught how to complete one kind of task, they struggle to transfer their understanding to a new task where some of the superficial characteristics have been changed. This is because students, especially students who are novices in a domain, tend to emphasize the surface structure of a task rather than deep structure (Chi & Van Lehn, 2012).

By prompting students to notice deep structures—such as the characteristics of a genre or the needs of animals—rather than surface structures, teachers foster the development of comprehensive schemata in students’ long-term memories, which they are more likely to then apply to novel situations. Teachers should monitor for student understanding of deep structures across several tasks and examples.

Notice gaps or inconsistencies in ideas : Students ask questions about gaps and inconsistencies in material, arguments, and their own thinking . When students engage in explanations of material, they are more likely to notice when they misunderstand material or to detect a conflict with their prior knowledge (Richey & Nokes-Malach, 2015). In a classroom, analyzing conflicting ideas and interpretations allows students to revise misconceptions and refine mental models. Noticing gaps and inconsistencies in information also helps students to evaluate the persuasiveness of arguments and to ask relevant questions.

Reason with evidence : Students construct arguments with evidence and evaluate the evidence in others’ reasoning. Reasoning with evidence matters in every subject, but what counts for evidence in a mathematical proof differs from what is required in an English essay. Students should learn the rules and conventions for evidence across a wide range of disciplines in school. The habits of looking for and weighing evidence also intersect with some of the other critical thinking approaches discussed above. Noticing regularity in reasoning and structure helps learners find evidence efficiently, while attending to gaps and inconsistencies in information encourages caution before reaching hasty conclusions.

Countering Two Critiques

Some readers may be wondering how the Critical Thinking Framework differs from other general skills curricula. The framework differs in that it demands application in the context of students’ content knowledge, rather than in isolation. It is a pedagogical tool to help students make sense of the content they are learning. Students should never sit through a lesson where they are told to “say things in their own words” when there is nothing to say anything about. While a contentless lesson could help on the margins, it will not be as relevant or transferable. Specific content matters. A checklist of “critical thinking skills” cannot replace deep subject knowledge. The framework should not be blindly applied to all subjects without context because results will look quite different in an ELA or science class.

Other readers may be thinking about high-stakes tests: how does the Critical Thinking Framework fit in with an overwhelming emphasis on assessments aligned to national or state standards? This is a valid concern and an important point to address. For teachers, schools, and districts locked into an accountability system that values performance on state tests but does not communicate content expectations beyond general standards, the arguments I make may seem beside the point. Sure, knowledge matters, but the curriculum demands that students know how to quickly identify the main idea of a paragraph, even if they don’t have any background knowledge about the topic of the paragraph.

It is crucial that elementary practitioners be connected to both evolving research on learning and the limiting realities we teach within. Unfortunately, I can provide no easy answers beyond saying that teaching is a balancing act. The tension, while real and relevant to teachers’ daily lives, should not cloud our vision for what children need from their school experiences.

I also argue it is easier to incorporate the demands of our current standardized testing environment into a curriculum rich with history, science, art, geography, languages, and novels than the reverse. The Critical Thinking Framework presents ways to approach all kinds of knowledge in a way that presses students toward deeper processing of the content they are learning. If we can raise the bar for student work and thinking in our classrooms, the question of how students perform on standardized tests will become secondary to helping them achieve much loftier and important goals. The choice of whether to emphasize excellent curriculum or high-stakes tests, insofar as it is a choice at all, should never be existential or a zero-sum game.

Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom: Strategies and Activities

ritical thinking is a valuable skill that empowers students to analyze information, think deeply, and make reasoned judgments. By promoting critical thinking in the classroom, educators can foster intellectual curiosity, enhance problem-solving abilities, and prepare students for success in an ever-evolving world. This article explores effective strategies and engaging activities to promote critical thinking among students.

1. Ask Thought-Provoking Questions

Encourage critical thinking by asking open-ended and thought-provoking questions that stimulate students' analytical thinking. For example, in a history class, instead of asking "When did World War II start?" you could ask "What were the underlying causes of World War II and how did they contribute to its outbreak?" This prompts students to go beyond simple factual recall and encourages them to analyze historical events, evaluate multiple factors, and develop a deeper understanding of the topic. Instead of seeking one correct answer, focus on guiding students to explore different perspectives, evaluate evidence, and justify their reasoning. Engage students in discussions that require them to analyze, compare, and synthesize information.

2. Provide Real-World Examples

Connect classroom learning to real-world applications by providing relevant examples and case studies. By presenting authentic scenarios, students can apply critical thinking skills to analyze and solve complex problems. Encourage students to think critically about the implications of their decisions and consider the broader impact of their choices.

3. Foster Collaboration and Debate

Promote collaborative learning environments where students can engage in respectful debates and discussions. Encourage students to express diverse opinions, support their arguments with evidence, and listen actively to others' viewpoints. Through collaborative activities, students can learn to evaluate different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and develop their critical thinking skills.

4. Encourage Reflection and Metacognition

Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their thinking processes and metacognition. Ask students to evaluate their own problem-solving strategies, analyze their decision-making processes, and assess the effectiveness of their critical thinking skills. By promoting self-awareness and reflection, students can enhance their critical thinking abilities and become more independent learners.

5. Incorporate Problem-Based Learning

Integrate problem-based learning activities that require students to apply critical thinking skills to solve complex problems. For example, in a science class, present a real-world scenario where students need to design an experiment to test the effectiveness of different fertilizers on plant growth. This activity prompts students to analyze information about fertilizers, evaluate different options, and develop a well-reasoned experimental design. By engaging in hands-on problem-solving experiences like this, students can develop their critical thinking abilities while also building their content knowledge.

Promoting critical thinking in the classroom is essential for developing students' analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and intellectual curiosity. By incorporating strategies such as asking thought-provoking questions, providing real-world examples, fostering collaboration and debate, encouraging reflection and metacognition, and incorporating problem-based learning, educators can create an environment that nurtures critical thinking skills. By equipping students with this valuable skill set, we empower them to navigate complex challenges and become lifelong learners.

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25 Of The Best Resources For Teaching Critical Thinking

by TeachThought Staff

As an organization, critical thinking is at the core of what we do, from essays and lists to models and teacher training.

For this post, we’ve gathered various critical thinking resources. As you’ll notice, conversation is a fundamental part of critical thinking. Why? The ability to identify a line of reasoning, analyze, evaluate, and respond to it accurately and thoughtfully is among the most common opportunities for critical thinking for students in everyday life. Who is saying what? What’s valid and what’s not? How should I respond?

This varied and purposely broad collection includes resources for teaching critical thinking, from books and videos to graphics and models, rubrics, and taxonomies to presentations and debate communities.

See also 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

1. The TeachThought Taxonomy for Understanding , a taxonomy of thinking tasks broken up into 6 categories, with 6 tasks per category

2. 60 Critical Thinking Strategies For Learning by Terry Heick

3. It’s difficult to create a collection of critical thinking resources without talking about failures in thinking, so here’s A Logical Fallacies Primer via Wikipedia .

4. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Test (this link keeps moving around so I’ve removed it for now; if you can’t find it, let me know ).

5. 6 Hats Thinking is a model for divergent thinking.

6. 6 Strategies for Teac h ing With Bloom’s Taxonomy

7. An Intro To Critical Thinking , a 10-minute video from wireless philosophy that takes given premises, and walks the viewer through valid and erroneous conclusions

8. Why Questions Are More Important Than Answers by Terry Heick

9. 20 Types Of Questions For Teaching Critical Thinking

10. A Collection Of Bloom’s Taxonomy Posters

11. 6 Facets of Understanding by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

12. A Comprehensive Visual Codex Of Cognitive Biases

13. Helping Students Ask Better Questions

14. Examples Of Socratic Seminar-Style Questions (including stems) from changingminds.org

15. 20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning , a 4-step process to guide learning through inquiry and thought

16. Socratic Seminar Guidelines by Grant Wiggins

17. How To Bring Socratic Seminars Into Your Classroom , a 7-minute video by the Teaching Channel

18. How To Teach With The Socratic Seminar Paideia Style, a PDF document by the Paideia that overviews

19. Using The QFT Model To Guide Inquiry & Thought

20. Create Debate , a website that hosts debates

20. Intelligence Squared is a Oxford-style debate ‘show’ hosted by NPR

21. Ways To Help Students Think For Themselves by Terry Heick

22. A Rubric To Assess Critical Thinking (they have several free rubrics, but you have to register for a free account to gain access)

23. 25 Critical Thinking Apps For Extended Student Thought

24. Debate.org is a ‘debate’ community that promotes topic-driven discussion and critical thought

25. A Collection Of Research On Critical Thinking by criticalthinking.org

About The Author

Teachthought staff.

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How to Teach Critical Thinking

Last Updated: September 28, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Jai Flicker . Jai Flicker is an Academic Tutor and the CEO and Founder of Lifeworks Learning Center, a San Francisco Bay Area-based business focused on providing tutoring, parental support, test preparation, college essay writing help, and psychoeducational evaluations to help students transform their attitude toward learning. Jai has over 20 years of experience in the education management industry. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 11 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 294,713 times.

If you want to teach your students critical thinking, give them opportunities to brainstorm and analyze things. Classroom discussions are a great way to encourage open-mindedness and creativity. Teach students to ask "why?" as much as possible and recognize patterns. An important part of critical thinking is also recognizing good and bad sources of information.

Encouraging Students to Have an Open Mind

Step 1 Start a class discussion by asking an open-ended question.

For example, ask students an open-ended question like, "What would be a good way to get more people to recycle in the school?"
Whether or not it's realistic, offer praise for an inventive answer like, "we could start to make a giant sculpture out of recyclable things in the middle of the school. Everyone will want to add to it, and at the end of the year we can take pictures and then break it down to bring to the recycling plant."

Step 2 Give students time to think things through.

Try including a brief creative exercise in the beginning of class to help get their minds working. For example, you could ask students to identify 5 uses for a shoe besides wearing it.

Step 3 Make a list naming the pros of two conflicting ideas.

For instance, make columns to name the good things about both a camping trip and a city excursion, then have students think about a happy medium between the two.

Helping Students Make Connections

Step 1 Ask your students to look for patterns and connections.

For instance, environmental themes may come up in science, history, literature, and art lessons.
If you are teaching geometry, then you might ask if they have ever seen a building that resembles the shapes you are teaching about. You could even show them some images yourself.

Step 2 Show students a vague picture to get them thinking about their own assumptions.

Explain to your students how the clues and their own personal influences form their final conclusions about the picture.
For instance, show students a picture of a man and woman shaking hands in front of a home with a "For Sale" sign in front of it. Have students explain what they think is happening in the picture, and slowly break down the things that made them reach that conclusion.

"To take a train."
"To get to the city."
"To meet his friend."
"Because he missed him."
"Because he was lonely."
On a more advanced level, students will benefit from interrogating their research and work to determine its relevance.

Teaching Students About Reliable Information

Step 1 Teach students the difference between opinions and factual statements.

For instance, if a student says that there are fewer libraries than there used to be, have them provide some actual statistics about libraries to support their statement.

Step 2 Remind students to be open to conflicting views.

Encourage students to ask the simple question, "Who is sharing this information, and why?"
For instance, an advertisement for a low calorie food product may be disguised as a special interest television segment about how to lose weight on a budget.

The date it was published, whether or not it has been updated, and how current the information is. Tell students where to find this information on the website.
What the author's qualifications are. For instance, a medical article should be written by a doctor or other medical professional.
If there is supporting evidence to back up what the writer says. Sources should always have information to back them up, especially when the source is something your students find on the internet.

Step 5 Encourage students to question the sources of their information.

For example, if your students are reviewing the political viewpoint of a senator in the USA, ask your students to look up donations provided to that senator from any special interest groups. This may provide your students with insight into the reasons for the senator’s views.

How Do You Improve Critical Thinking Skills?

Expert Q&A

↑ http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/thinking-skills-learning-styles/think-about-it-critical-thinking
↑ Jai Flicker. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/10-tips-for-teaching-kids-to-be-awesome-critical-thinkers/
↑ https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/11/06/three-tools-for-teaching-critical-thinking-and-problem-solving-skills/
↑ http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/lessonplan-07.html
↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503129818/study-finds-students-have-dismaying-inability-to-tell-fake-news-from-real
↑ http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2017/05/fake-news.aspx

About This Article

To teach critical thinking, start class discussions by asking open-ended questions, like "What does the author mean?" Alternatively, have your students make lists of pros and cons so they can see that two conflicting ideas can both have merit. You can also encourage your students to think more deeply about their own reasoning by asking them “Why?” 5 times as they explain an answer to you. Finally, teach students to figure out whether information, especially from online sources, is reliable by checking to see if it comes from a trusted source and is backed by evidence. For more from our reviewer on how to help students make connections that lead to more critical thinking, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

52 Critical Thinking Flashcards for Problem Solving

Critical thinking activities encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to develop informed opinions and make reasoned decisions. Engaging in such exercises cultivates intellectual agility, fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues and honing problem-solving skills for navigating an increasingly intricate world. Through critical thinking, individuals empower themselves to challenge assumptions, uncover biases, and constructively contribute to discourse, thereby enriching both personal growth and societal progress.

Critical thinking serves as the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, enabling individuals to dissect challenges, explore diverse perspectives, and devise innovative solutions grounded in logic and evidence. For engaging problem solving activities, read our article problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a 21st-century skill that enables a person to think rationally and logically in order to reach a plausible conclusion. A critical thinker assesses facts and figures and data objectively and determines what to believe and what not to believe. Critical thinking skills empower a person to decipher complex problems and make impartial and better decisions based on effective information.

Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

Acquiring critical thinking skills was never as valuable as it is today because of the prevalence of the modern knowledge economy. Today, information and technology are the driving forces behind the global economy. To keep pace with ever-changing technology and new inventions, one has to be flexible enough to embrace changes swiftly.

Read our article: How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples

Today critical thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills by the companies. In fact, critical thinking skills are paramount not only for active learning and academic achievement but also for the professional career of the students. The lack of critical thinking skills catalyzes memorization of the topics without a deeper insight, egocentrism, closed-mindedness, reduced student interest in the classroom and not being able to make timely and better decisions.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills in Education

Certain strategies are more eloquent than others in teaching students how to think critically. Encouraging critical thinking in the class is indispensable for the learning and growth of the students. In this way, we can raise a generation of innovators and thinkers rather than followers. Some of the benefits offered by thinking critically in the classroom are given below:

It allows a student to decipher problems and think through the situations in a disciplined and systematic manner
Through a critical thinking ability, a student can comprehend the logical correlation between distinct ideas
The student is able to rethink and re-justify his beliefs and ideas based on facts and figures
Critical thinking skills make the students curious about things around them
A student who is a critical thinker is creative and always strives to come up with out of the box solutions to intricate problems
Critical thinking skills assist in the enhanced student learning experience in the classroom and prepares the students for lifelong learning and success
The critical thinking process is the foundation of new discoveries and inventions in the world of science and technology
The ability to think critically allows the students to think intellectually and enhances their presentation skills, hence they can convey their ideas and thoughts in a logical and convincing manner
Critical thinking skills make students a terrific communicator because they have logical reasons behind their ideas

Critical Thinking Lessons and Activities

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

We have compiled a list of 11 activities that will facilitate you to promote critical thinking abilities in the students. We have also covered problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest in our another article. Click here to read it.

1. Worst Case Scenario

Divide students into teams and introduce each team with a hypothetical challenging scenario. Allocate minimum resources and time to each team and ask them to reach a viable conclusion using those resources. The scenarios can include situations like stranded on an island or stuck in a forest. Students will come up with creative solutions to come out from the imaginary problematic situation they are encountering. Besides encouraging students to think critically, this activity will enhance teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills of the students.

Read our article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

2. If You Build It

It is a very flexible game that allows students to think creatively. To start this activity, divide students into groups. Give each group a limited amount of resources such as pipe cleaners, blocks, and marshmallows etc. Every group is supposed to use these resources and construct a certain item such as building, tower or a bridge in a limited time. You can use a variety of materials in the classroom to challenge the students. This activity is helpful in promoting teamwork and creative skills among the students.

It is also one of the classics which can be used in the classroom to encourage critical thinking. Print pictures of objects, animals or concepts and start by telling a unique story about the printed picture. The next student is supposed to continue the story and pass the picture to the other student and so on.

4. Keeping it Real

In this activity, you can ask students to identify a real-world problem in their schools, community or city. After the problem is recognized, students should work in teams to come up with the best possible outcome of that problem.

5. Save the Egg

Make groups of three or four in the class. Ask them to drop an egg from a certain height and think of creative ideas to save the egg from breaking. Students can come up with diverse ideas to conserve the egg like a soft-landing material or any other device. Remember that this activity can get chaotic, so select the area in the school that can be cleaned easily afterward and where there are no chances of damaging the school property.

6. Start a Debate

In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science. Encourage students to participate in the debate by expressing their views and ideas on the topic. Conclude the debate with a viable solution or fresh ideas generated during the activity through brainstorming.

7. Create and Invent

This project-based learning activity is best for teaching in the engineering class. Divide students into groups. Present a problem to the students and ask them to build a model or simulate a product using computer animations or graphics that will solve the problem. After students are done with building models, each group is supposed to explain their proposed product to the rest of the class. The primary objective of this activity is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills among the students.

8. Select from Alternatives

This activity can be used in computer science, engineering or any of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) classes. Introduce a variety of alternatives such as different formulas for solving the same problem, different computer codes, product designs or distinct explanations of the same topic.

Form groups in the class and ask them to select the best alternative. Each group will then explain its chosen alternative to the rest of the class with reasonable justification of its preference. During the process, the rest of the class can participate by asking questions from the group. This activity is very helpful in nurturing logical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

9. Reading and Critiquing

Present an article from a journal related to any topic that you are teaching. Ask the students to read the article critically and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the article. Students can write about what they think about the article, any misleading statement or biases of the author and critique it by using their own judgments.

In this way, students can challenge the fallacies and rationality of judgments in the article. Hence, they can use their own thinking to come up with novel ideas pertaining to the topic.

10. Think Pair Share

In this activity, students will come up with their own questions. Make pairs or groups in the class and ask the students to discuss the questions together. The activity will be useful if the teacher gives students a topic on which the question should be based.

For example, if the teacher is teaching biology, the questions of the students can be based on reverse osmosis, human heart, respiratory system and so on. This activity drives student engagement and supports higher-order thinking skills among students.

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

Silence is a great way to slow down thinking and promote deep reflection on any subject. Present a driving question to the students and divide them into groups. The students will discuss the question with their teammates and brainstorm their ideas on a big paper. After reflection and discussion, students can write their findings in silence. This is a great learning activity for students who are introverts and love to ruminate silently rather than thinking aloud.

Finally, for students with critical thinking, you can go to GS-JJ.co m to customize exclusive rewards, which not only enlivens the classroom, but also promotes the development and training of students for critical thinking.

Read our next article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

Critical Thinking: Facilitating and Assessing the 21st Century Skills in Education

So many times we hear our students say, “Why am I learning this?”

Illustration of varied colorful figures with varied word balloons

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

Allows for necessary inquiry that makes learning exciting
Provides a method to go beyond memorization to promote understanding.
Allows students to visualize thoughts, concepts, theories, models & possibilities.
Promotes curriculum standards, trans-disciplinary ideas & real world connections.
Encourages a classroom culture of collaboration that promotes deeper thinking.
Builds skills of problem solving, making implications, & determining consequences.
Facilitates goal setting, promotion of process, and perseverance to achieve.
Teaches self reflection and critique, and the ability to listen to others’ thoughts.
Encourages point of view while developing persuasive skills.
Guides interpretation while developing a skill to infer and draw conclusions.

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

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. (Collaboration can be the button that starts critical thinking. It provides group thinking that builds on the standards. Have students work together while solving multi-step and higher order thinking problems. Sometimes this might mean slow down to increase the learning.)
Provide students with a Critical Thinking rubric. (Have them look at the rubric before a critical thinking activity, and once again when they are finished)
Make assessment of Critical Thinking an ongoing effort. (While the teacher can assess, have students assess themselves. Self assessment can be powerful)
Concentrate on specific indicators in a rubric. (There are various indicators such as; provides inquiry, answers questions, builds an argument etc. Concentrate on just one indicator while doing a lesson. There can even be an exit ticket reflection)
Integrate the idea of Critical Thinking in any lesson. ( Do not teach this skill in isolation. How does is work with a lesson, stem activity, project built, etc. What does Critical Thinking look like in the online or blended environment? Think of online discussions.)
Post a Critical Thinking Poster in the room. (This poster could be a copy of a rubric or even a list of “I Can Statements”. Point it out before a critical thinking activity.
Make Critical Thinking part of your formative and summative assessment. (Move around the room, talk to groups and students, stop the whole group to make adjustments.)
Point out Critical Thinking found in the content standards. (Be aware that content standards often have words like; infer, debate, conclude, solve, prioritize, compare and contrast, hypothesize, and research. Critical Thinking has always been part of the standards. Show your students Bloom’s Taxonomy and post in the room. Where are they in their learning?
Plan for a school wide emphasis. (A culture that builds Critical Thinking is usually bigger then one classroom. Develop school-wide vocabulary, posters, and initiatives.)

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

Habits of Mind – I think this is an awesome place to help teachers facilitate and assess critical thinking and more. Check out the free resources page which even has some wonderful posters. One of my favorites is the rubrics found on this research page . Decide on spending some time because there are a lot of great resources.
PBLWorks – The number one place for PBL in the world is at PBLWorks. You may know it as the BUCK Institute or BIE. I am fortunate to be part of their National Faculty which is probably why I rank it as number one. I encourage you to visit their site for everything PBL. This link brings you to the resource area where you will discover some amazing rubrics to facilitate Critical Thinking. You will find rubrics for grade bands K-2, 3-5, and 6-12. This really is a great place to start. You will need to sign up to be a member of PBLWorks. This is a wonderful idea, after-all it is free!
Microsoft Innovative Learning – This website contains some powerful rubrics for assessing the 21st Century skills. The link will bring you to a PDF file with Critical Thinking rubrics you can use tomorrow for any grade level. Check out this two page document defining the 4 C’s and a movie giving you even more of an explanation.
New Tech School – This amazing PBL group of schools provide some wonderful Learning Rubrics in their free area. Here you will find an interesting collection of rubrics that assesses student learning in multiple areas. These are sure to get you off and started.
Foundation for Critical Thinking – Check out this amazing page to help give you descriptors.
Project Zero – While it is not necessarily assessment based, you will find some powerful routines for making thinking visible . As you conduct these types of activities you will find yourself doing some wonderful formative assessment of critical thinking.
Education Week – Take a look at this resource that provides some great reasoning and some interesting links that provide a glimpse of critical thinking in the classroom.

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!

I can not only answer questions, but can also think of new questions to ask
I can take time to see what I am thinking to promote even better understanding
I can attempt to see other peoples’ thinking while explaining my own
I can look at a problem and determine needed steps to find a solution
I can use proper collaboration skills to work with others productively to build solutions
I can set a goal, design a plan, and persevere to accomplish the goal.
I can map out strategies and processes that shows the action involved in a task.
I can define and show my understanding of a concept, model, theory, or process.
I can take time to reflect and productively critique my work and the work of others
I can understand, observe, draw inferences, hypothesize and see implications.

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 .

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Thinking Classrooms: How To Promote Critical Thinking In Class

The Thinking Classroom is an approach to teaching that prioritizes the development of students’ critical thinking skills. In this type of classroom, the teacher acts as a facilitator rather than a traditional lecturer. Students are encouraged to actively engage with the material and collaborate with their peers.

The key to a Thinking Classroom is to focus on the process of learning rather than simply the acquisition of knowledge. This means that teachers must create opportunities for students to think critically, solve problems, and reflect on their learning.

We’ve rounded up the 14 practices of a Thinking Classroom below.

What are the 14 Practices of a Thinking Classroom?

The fourteen principles of a Thinking Classroom are designed to promote a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Here’s a summary of each principle to help teachers create an engaging and effective learning environment:

1. Classroom Culture of Thinking

Create a classroom culture that values thinking, learning, and intellectual development. Start with thinking tasks that are separate from your curriculum. This eases the transition to everyday thinking classroom activities. It’s hard for students to think deeper and for longer periods, so this transition should be gradual. You can start with non-curricular tasks as an ice breaker at the beginning of the school year.

2. Opportunities to Think in Groups

Provide opportunities for students to think and engage in meaningful group learning experiences. The Thinking Classroom practices emphasize “visibly random groups” that change frequently. This reduces social anxiety in the group and decreases communication barriers.

3. Vertical and Non-permanant Workspaces

You may have noticed that the traditional method of having students sit at their desks and take notes is only sometimes the best way to promote active thinking in your classroom. Recent research has shown that students are more engaged and productive when standing and working on vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPSs) like whiteboards, blackboards, or windows. The fact that the surface is non-permanent encourages risk-taking and experimentation, while the vertical orientation prevents students from disengaging.

4. Room Layout

Research has shown that traditional, front-facing classrooms promote passive learning. At the same time, a more flexible, de-fronted setup—where students are free to face any direction—can be much more effective in promoting active thinking and engagement. So when designing your classroom layout, it’s essential to consider how the physical space can support the learning you want to see.

5. Answer Questions that Promote Thinking

You answer hundreds of questions each day in class. But not all of the questions encourage your students to keep thinking. Here are the common types:

Proximity questions: Questions students ask because you’re close by and convenient.
Stop-thinking questions: Questions students ask so they can mark a task complete. (i.e., Is this right?)
Keep-thinking questions: Questions that help them along, so they can continue working through a task.

Answer only questions that keep students thinking.

6. Give Tasks in the Right Manner

Give tasks early in class while students are standing around a teacher. Give verbal tasks, and avoid visual cues that promote passive learning. This differs from the traditional manner of giving examples from the textbook or a worksheet.

7. Homework

Stop giving homework and instead give students opportunities to check their understanding. Make it optional so students can freely engage with authentic practice.

8. Promote Student Autonomy

As step 5 outlines, don’t solve problems for students. Let them struggle so they build confidence in their independence. This may mean asking a peer for help or looking around the room for a hint. When students are on their own, they take ownership of their learning.

9. Give Support So Students Can Learn at Their Own Pace

Encourage students to learn at their own pace by creating hints, extensions, and practice that meets them where they are in their learning. This is different from the typical guided practice that occurs in most classrooms.

10. Consolidate Lessons

Consolidation is crucial to help students combine different parts of a task or activity and ultimately form a more comprehensive understanding of the concept taught. Traditionally, teachers have relied on methods like showing, telling, or explaining to help students achieve their learning objectives.

In a thinking classroom, consolidation takes a different approach. Instead of relying on teacher-led instruction, consolidation works upward from the basic foundation of a concept. By drawing on the student work produced during their thinking on a common set of tasks, teachers can help students develop a deeper understanding of the concept.

To facilitate this process, teachers should provide open-ended questions, encourage peer-to-peer discussions, or engage in activities that allow students to explore and experiment with the concept taught.

11. Give Students Autonomy Over Notes

Only one in five students review their notes again after taking them in class. Give students the option of choosing which notes to take while learning. They are more likely to refer back to notes later.

12. Evaluate Values That Matter Most

If you want your students to participate, take risks, and persevere in the classroom, you should incorporate these values into evaluations. Assessment should go beyond curriculum knowledge.

13. Bring Students into Formative Assessment

Your students need to understand where they are and where they need to be with their learning. This means that they need to be a partner in formative assessment . Like students taking the lead over homework, they need to take the lead on owning their success in formative assessment.

14. Assessment Needs to Connect to an Outcome

Use assessments that measure and value thinking and understanding, not just rote memorization. This may look like standards-based grading. Students need to understand what they know and don’t know after they complete an assessment.

By implementing these principles, teachers can create a dynamic and engaging classroom that promotes deep learning and helps students develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

TeacherMade helps teachers infuse technology into their Thinking Classrooms.

TeacherMade does more than convert PDFs into online activities. Teachers use TeacherMade to promote critical thinking skills. You can incorporate the Thinking Classroom practices with TeacherMade:

Every TeacherMade assignment is a non-permanent surface. Students can complete assignments again and again until they have reached mastery.
Create a culture of practice rather than homework and worksheets. With TeacherMade, you can choose to grade or not grade assignments. Students can complete practice as many times as they need.
TeacherMade supports asynchronous learning so that students can learn at their own pace.
Students are more involved with formative assessment when they receive instant feedback via auto-grading.
You can leave feedback, hints, and notes so that students fully understand their assessment results.

Grades 6-12
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What Is Critical Thinking and Why Do We Need To Teach It?

Question the world and sort out fact from opinion.

The world is full of information (and misinformation) from books, TV, magazines, newspapers, online articles, social media, and more. Everyone has their own opinions, and these opinions are frequently presented as facts. Making informed choices is more important than ever, and that takes strong critical thinking skills. But what exactly is critical thinking? Why should we teach it to our students? Read on to find out.

What is critical thinking?

Critical Thinking Skills infographic detailing observation, analysis, inference, communication, and problem solving

Source: Indeed

Critical thinking is the ability to examine a subject and develop an informed opinion about it. It’s about asking questions, then looking closely at the answers to form conclusions that are backed by provable facts, not just “gut feelings” and opinion. These skills allow us to confidently navigate a world full of persuasive advertisements, opinions presented as facts, and confusing and contradictory information.

The Foundation for Critical Thinking says, “Critical thinking can be seen as having two components: 1) a set of information and belief-generating and processing skills, and 2) the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behavior.”

In other words, good critical thinkers know how to analyze and evaluate information, breaking it down to separate fact from opinion. After a thorough analysis, they feel confident forming their own opinions on a subject. And what’s more, critical thinkers use these skills regularly in their daily lives. Rather than jumping to conclusions or being guided by initial reactions, they’ve formed the habit of applying their critical thinking skills to all new information and topics.

Why is critical thinking so important?

education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think. -Albert Einstein

Imagine you’re shopping for a new car. It’s a big purchase, so you want to do your research thoroughly. There’s a lot of information out there, and it’s up to you to sort through it all.

You’ve seen TV commercials for a couple of car models that look really cool and have features you like, such as good gas mileage. Plus, your favorite celebrity drives that car!
The manufacturer’s website has a lot of information, like cost, MPG, and other details. It also mentions that this car has been ranked “best in its class.”
Your neighbor down the street used to have this kind of car, but he tells you that he eventually got rid of it because he didn’t think it was comfortable to drive. Plus, he heard that brand of car isn’t as good as it used to be.
Three independent organizations have done test-drives and published their findings online. They all agree that the car has good gas mileage and a sleek design. But they each have their own concerns or complaints about the car, including one that found it might not be safe in high winds.

So much information! It’s tempting to just go with your gut and buy the car that looks the coolest (or is the cheapest, or says it has the best gas mileage). Ultimately, though, you know you need to slow down and take your time, or you could wind up making a mistake that costs you thousands of dollars. You need to think critically to make an informed choice.

What does critical thinking look like?

Infographic of 8 scientifically proven strategies for critical thinking

Source: TeachThought

Let’s continue with the car analogy, and apply some critical thinking to the situation.

Critical thinkers know they can’t trust TV commercials to help them make smart choices, since every single one wants you to think their car is the best option.
The manufacturer’s website will have some details that are proven facts, but other statements that are hard to prove or clearly just opinions. Which information is factual, and even more important, relevant to your choice?
A neighbor’s stories are anecdotal, so they may or may not be useful. They’re the opinions and experiences of just one person and might not be representative of a whole. Can you find other people with similar experiences that point to a pattern?
The independent studies could be trustworthy, although it depends on who conducted them and why. Closer analysis might show that the most positive study was conducted by a company hired by the car manufacturer itself. Who conducted each study, and why?

Did you notice all the questions that started to pop up? That’s what critical thinking is about: asking the right questions, and knowing how to find and evaluate the answers to those questions.

Good critical thinkers do this sort of analysis every day, on all sorts of subjects. They seek out proven facts and trusted sources, weigh the options, and then make a choice and form their own opinions. It’s a process that becomes automatic over time; experienced critical thinkers question everything thoughtfully, with purpose. This helps them feel confident that their informed opinions and choices are the right ones for them.

Key Critical Thinking Skills

There’s no official list, but many people use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help lay out the skills kids should develop as they grow up.

A diagram showing Bloom's Taxonomy (Critical Thinking Skills)

Source: Vanderbilt University

Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom providing a base for more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require much critical thinking. These are skills like memorizing math facts, defining vocabulary words, or knowing the main characters and basic plot points of a story.

Higher skills on Bloom’s list incorporate more critical thinking.

True understanding is more than memorization or reciting facts. It’s the difference between a child reciting by rote “one times four is four, two times four is eight, three times four is twelve,” versus recognizing that multiplication is the same as adding a number to itself a certain number of times. When you understand a concept, you can explain how it works to someone else.

When you apply your knowledge, you take a concept you’ve already mastered and apply it to new situations. For instance, a student learning to read doesn’t need to memorize every word. Instead, they use their skills in sounding out letters to tackle each new word as they come across it.

When we analyze something, we don’t take it at face value. Analysis requires us to find facts that stand up to inquiry. We put aside personal feelings or beliefs, and instead identify and scrutinize primary sources for information. This is a complex skill, one we hone throughout our entire lives.

Evaluating means reflecting on analyzed information, selecting the most relevant and reliable facts to help us make choices or form opinions. True evaluation requires us to put aside our own biases and accept that there may be other valid points of view, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

Finally, critical thinkers are ready to create their own result. They can make a choice, form an opinion, cast a vote, write a thesis, debate a topic, and more. And they can do it with the confidence that comes from approaching the topic critically.

How do you teach critical thinking skills?

The best way to create a future generation of critical thinkers is to encourage them to ask lots of questions. Then, show them how to find the answers by choosing reliable primary sources. Require them to justify their opinions with provable facts, and help them identify bias in themselves and others. Try some of these resources to get started.

5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)

100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything
10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical Thinkers
Free Critical Thinking Poster, Rubric, and Assessment Ideas

More Critical Thinking Resources

The answer to “What is critical thinking?” is a complex one. These resources can help you dig more deeply into the concept and hone your own skills.

The Foundation for Critical Thinking
Cultivating a Critical Thinking Mindset (PDF)
Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Browne/Keeley, 2014)

Have more questions about what critical thinking is or how to teach it in your classroom? Join the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to ask for advice and share ideas!

Plus, 12 skills students can work on now to help them in careers later ..

What is critical thinking? It's the ability to thoughtfully question the world and sort out fact from opinion, and it's a key life skill.

Examples of critical thinking skills like correlation tick-tac-Toe, which teaches analysis skills and debates which teach evaluation skills.

Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them. Continue Reading

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11 Tips For Teaching Critical Thinking Skills In The Classroom

by Team Varthana
Posted on December 26, 2023
in Education

Critical thinking, often considered the cornerstone of education, empowers individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to make informed decisions. Fostering critical thinking in the classroom is essential for preparing students to face the multifaceted challenges of the modern world. As an educator, cultivating an environment that encourages critical thinking is a primary goal. This article provides practical and effective tips to help teachers enhance critical thinking skills in their students, shaping them into informed, analytical, and thoughtful learners.

Create a Supportive Learning Environment

The fundamental pillar of nurturing critical thinking skills is establishing a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Students must feel safe and encouraged to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of judgment or ridicule. Open dialogue, active listening, and respect for diverse perspectives should be actively promoted within the classroom. When students feel comfortable, acknowledged, and respected, they are more likely to engage in critical discussions and share their viewpoints, fostering an atmosphere conducive to critical thinking.

Ask Thought-Provoking Questions

A crucial technique to stimulate critical thinking is the art of questioning. Teachers should pose questions that necessitate students to think critically and independently. It is essential to avoid yes/no questions or those that have simple factual answers. Instead, educators should frame open-ended questions that provoke analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. Encourage students to substantiate their answers with evidence and reasoning, cultivating a habit of more profound thought and analysis.

11 Tips For Teaching Critical Thinking Skills

Promote Discussion and Debate

Engaging students in discussions and debates is an effective way to foster critical thinking. This encourages students to present evidence-based arguments, listen to opposing viewpoints, and construct counterarguments. Through this practice, students learn to analyze multiple perspectives and defend their own viewpoints using logical reasoning and evidence, thereby refining their critical thinking abilities.

Incorporate Real-World Examples

Connecting classroom content to real-life scenarios and examples is an excellent way to ignite critical thinking. When students can witness the practical application of what they are learning, it sparks their interest and curiosity. Encourage students to analyze these real-world examples, identify patterns, and draw conclusions based on their understanding. This practice helps students comprehend the relevance and significance of the knowledge they are acquiring.

Encourage Group Activities

Collaborative learning promotes critical thinking by providing a platform for students to share ideas and problem-solve together. Assigning group projects that require research, analysis, and synthesis of information encourages critical thinking. Each member brings a unique perspective, promoting diverse thinking and enhancing critical thought through collective efforts.

Also Read: 7 Tips for Teaching Financial Literacy to Children and Teenagers

Integrate Multimedia and Multisensory Learning

Integrating multimedia, videos, interactive simulations, or other interactive tools into the teaching process is an effective way to engage students. Different modalities of learning enhance critical thinking by providing diverse approaches to comprehend and analyze information. Encourage students to critique and evaluate the information presented in multimedia formats, fostering a well-rounded critical thinking experience.

Develop Information Literacy Skills

In the age of information, it’s crucial to teach students how to critically evaluate sources, assess credibility, and distinguish between reliable and biased information. Information literacy equips students with the ability to sift through vast amounts of data and determine what is trustworthy and relevant, a vital aspect of critical thinking. By honing these skills, students become adept at navigating the wealth of information available to them.

Assign Problem-Solving Tasks

Assigning problems that require students to apply knowledge, think critically, and devise solutions is an effective strategy. These problems can be related to the subject matter being taught or real-world challenges. Encourage students to brainstorm, analyze, and evaluate potential solutions, fostering their critical thinking abilities. Through this process, students learn to approach complex problems with a systematic and analytical mindset.

Foster a Growth Mindset

Promoting a growth mindset is paramount in enhancing critical thinking skills. Emphasize the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and perseverance. Encourage students to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and view setbacks as opportunities for growth. A growth mindset cultivates resilience and enhances critical thinking skills by instilling the belief that abilities can be honed and improved over time.

Also Read: Importance of Teaching Kindergarten Kids about Sustainability

Encourage Reflection and Metacognition

Incorporating reflective exercises where students can ponder their learning experiences is essential. Encourage students to assess their thought processes, identify effective strategies, and recognize areas for improvement. Metacognitive practices help students become more aware of their thinking and learning strategies, enabling them to become more strategic and effective learners.

Provide Constructive Feedback

Offering constructive and specific feedback on assignments is a powerful tool to enhance critical thinking. Highlight the strengths and areas for improvement in a student’s work. Encourage students to reflect on this feedback and revise their work accordingly. Constructive feedback enhances critical thinking by guiding students to evaluate their own performance and make informed adjustments, promoting continuous improvement.

Creating a nurturing and encouraging learning environment lays the foundation for fostering critical thinking. It’s within this environment that thought-provoking questions, discussions, and real-world examples find their potency, encouraging students to delve into the realms of analysis and evaluation.

Educators, through their dedication and tireless efforts, can mold a generation of critical thinkers, preparing them to confront the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century. As the torchbearers of knowledge and insight, teachers play a pivotal role in ensuring a brighter and more informed future for all. Through their guidance, students are equipped with the indispensable skill of critical thinking, forming the bedrock of progress and enlightenment in society.

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Critical thinking too often falls by the wayside in schools because there is a lack of consensus ... [+] about how to teach it, and even what critical thinking is.

One of the age-old goals of education is teaching students “how to think.” But what exactly does that mean? Doesn’t everyone already think on their own? Is thinking — in the abstract — even something you can teach or get better at?

These questions have new resonances in these fraught and sometimes frightening times. New communication technology and media sources seemingly overwhelm our powers of thinking, concentration, and self-control. There is a great deal of speculation that they’ve poisoned our political discourse, polarized democratic electorates, and been leveraged by would-be despots to misinform and gain political power.

Can learning how to think help us overcome these challenges? We at the Reboot Foundation, which I founded to advance critical thinking research and education, think very strongly that the answer is yes. And to that end, we’ve recently released a Teachers’ Guide to Critical Thinking . We worked with some top teachers in different subject areas and grade levels around the country to produce the guide.

We ask a lot of our teachers in the US. They must meet an array of state requirements; they face (often unreasonable) pressure to deliver test scores; they are overworked and underpaid. In many schools, as our survey found , they have little or no time to concentrate on deeper learning goals — like critical thinking skills — that are difficult to measure, but that, in the long run, may impact students’ lives much more than testable knowledge.

In addition to these time constraints and testing pressures, critical thinking too often falls by the wayside because it is not typically taught as a standalone academic subject. There is a lack of consensus about how to teach it and even what critical thinking is. And there aren’t a lot of high-quality materials available to give ideas for how to integrate critical thinking into teaching or advance professional development about it.

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That said, there is actually good reason for not teaching critical thinking as its own subject, and at Reboot we don’t advocate stand-alone critical thinking courses. Research shows that, while critical thinking can be taught, it can’t be taught on its own — at least not effectively. Daniel Willingham, cognitive scientist, writes that attempts to teach general thinking abilities through logical and spatial puzzles, for example, as parts of courses added on to the curriculum are generally unsuccessful. These skills don’t “transfer” to thinking in other domains, but generally remain tied to the logic games where they’re learned.

This might seem discouraging, but it also presents schools and teachers with a big opportunity. What’s needed is not necessarily new courses, but a critical thinking focus throughout the curriculum. Some of these changes can happen quickly with tweaks to existing curricula and the incorporation of deeper and more creative thinking exercises.

For example, in our article on teaching critical thinking in science , we advocate for science labs that afford students the opportunity to design their own experiments and test their own hypothesis about how to gain knowledge — rather than simply following recipes to duplicate results already known. Our sample lesson asks students to come up with their own model for describing the motion of coffee filters falling to the ground. Scientific education that fosters this kind of creativity can help the scientific method come alive for students. Instead of seeing it as a set of steps they must carry out or memorize, it becomes a way of thinking that they discover through doing. This also helps strengthen students' intrinsic motivation.

Similarly, in our article on teaching civics , we advise teachers to facilitate in-class debates where students are made responsible for researching topics like the death penalty, developing a knowledge base, and using it to argue for particular positions. Throughout the process, teachers should also give students the opportunity to reflect on their progress in articulating and refining their viewpoints, through explicit journaling projects or in-class discussions. The goal is to develop students’ abilities to reflect on their own learning and begin to develop interests self-consciously and intentionally that will stay with them when they leave the classroom.

Students come to school with natural curiosity and a love of learning, but too often, amid testing priorities and rote curricula, these attributes fall away. In order to best foster the development of natural curiosity into a genuine and abiding interest in learning and knowledge, schools need to give students room to pursue their own interests, develop their own views, and struggle with open-ended questions. They need, in other words, to prioritize critical thinking for teens .

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How To Teach Critical Thinking | Benefits & Approaches

Preeti has 20+ years of experience across training, academics, and learning design. She has taught students from grades 9 to 12 and adult learners and working professionals. She had been designing curriculum, course materials, eLearning materials for K12 and Higher Education learners for over 15 years.

Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.

How do we teach critical thinking?

There are many ways of teaching but some popular ones include productive interactions, open discussions, group work, and collectively dealing with real-life problems. Teachers can teach critical thinking by helping students to share their ideas, consider other students' perspectives, develop a sense of awareness, be responsive, and listen to others. Teaching critical thinking involves motivating students to build a "how to do it" attitude.

What is the role of critical thinking in education?

Critical thinking helps you to think in an analytic and rational way. It encourages students to make life decisions cautiously and after evaluating all aspects. Also, by using critical thinking skills in education, students can enhance their ability to solve problems and make effective decisions. Moreover, in education, critical thinking helps in valuing peer perspectives, better interaction within students, and approaching problems in a systematic manner.

What can enhance critical thinking in education?

Asking questions, reading books, being aware of surroundings, focusing the mind, active listening, and understanding different perspectives are some ways to enhance critical thinking skills. In the classroom, teachers can help students enhance their critical thinking skills using various approaches, such as the parking lot approach. Teachers can also help students use critical thinking skills by engaging students in more decision-making activities.

Critical thinking in education, how to teach critical thinking, learning transfer, lesson summary.

The first mention of critical thinking was documented in the teaching of Socrates, recorded by Plato. Critical thinking occurs when a person analyzes, evaluates, and interprets information and then applies ingenious thought to form a judgment. Critical thinkers typically are self-evaluators, problem solvers, clear analysts, open to others' ideas, cautious-they think before acting, open-minded, good listeners, and eager to take on challenges. A critical thinker is someone who thinks actively and interacts constantly with the world.

Critical thinking can be developed in students by helping them construct their thoughts after analyzing, interpreting, and examining information. However, this strategy was a shortcoming in earlier education systems. Previously, teachers and mentors believed that pure fact-based knowledge gained from books and lessons allowed students to excel in life. However, this approach has taken a major shift in today's education system. Information travels much faster nowadays with advancements in technology, thus changing the way that students learn and explore the world. However, misrepresentation, false information, and inaccurate data also travel at the same speed. This is where critical thinking plays a major role. Analyzing all information critically and then solving problems and making decisions is the main purpose of education, achieved well through critical thinking skills taught in the classroom.

A common question asked by educators, parents, and others is: can critical thinking be taught? Critical thinking in education or the classroom can be taught, and it aims to compel students to think in different dimensions. In addition, encouraging critical thinking in the classroom can increase student participation, make them consider hurdles as challenges, encourage them to get actively involved in classroom activities, and help them analyze the actions and events around them.

The inclusion of critical thinking can be incorporated into every aspect of classroom teaching, even starting at young ages in elementary classrooms. Teaching methods are now being designed to transform the students into well-pronounced thinkers and problem solvers. It is important to note that all subject areas benefit by applying critical thinking skills, whether it's literacy, math, or art.

Some popular ways of teaching critical thinking skills in education are:

Asking open-ended questions or any type of questions helps students to apply their knowledge, and this can also evolve into a great knowledge-transfer session.
Promoting decision-making is another good way of enhancing critical thinking skills in students. This facilitates students to apply varied strategies in different situations, after thinking about the pros and cons of the solutions.
Group activities and discussions help students to streamline thought processes and also consider every point of view before narrowing down on a perspective or decision.
Linking different ideas assists students to analyze different situations, which are separate from normal activities and may disrupt their routine. This strategy also helps them build potential solutions for new problems based on their past knowledge and apply their learnings to a new context.
Encouraging creativity motivates students to use the information and innovate something. Teachers can use art projects or activities for this approach. Innovation can be anything from a story to a game.
Brainstorming is an exceptional tool to help students build critical-thinking skills, and when combined with visual aspects it can bring about great critical thinkers.

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0:03 Critical Thinking in Education
1:15 Perspective Taking
2:50 Question/Answer Parking Lots
3:46 Learning Transfer Times
4:27 Lesson Summary

Teaching critical thinking in the classroom is an important skill, as it has several benefits, such as:

Students who are taught critical thinking in the classroom get an opportunity to better understand what they learn and control how they learn.
Using critical thinking while in the classroom help students become more attentive and engage with their peers in an effective manner.
Students also learn to form and ask challenging queries.
Students become more proactive while performing activities in the classroom and eagerly participate in interactive learning.
Students who practice critical thinking skills are better prepared for the future and learn how to handle different scenarios, whether at work or home.

Overall, critical thinking skills, when taught in the classroom, bring a positive effect to the students' lives whether it's in academics, at future employment, or with tackling family problems .

There are many strategies on how to develop critical thinking skill in students. Critical thinking can be taught by asking questions that make the students form their own beliefs on common topics. Promoting group discussions enable the students to listen to others and share their opinions. Imagination and creativity are the key to developing critical thinking skills in elementary classes. By making students write stories or poems, they trigger their creativity, which ultimately leads to critical thinking. Some other ways of teaching critical thinking involve engaging students in activities that require an innovative and attentive approach, while other ways encourage role-playing by assuming a role in a problematic situation that needs resolution. Brainstorming is also an excellent learning tool, especially when paired with visual elements, thus inspiring uniqueness in thoughts.

In sum, teachers must enable students to share their ideas, consider other students' perspectives, develop a sense of awareness, be responsive, and listen to others. Teachers also have to motivate students to build a "how to do it" attitude. Ultimately, the core idea of teaching and helping students develop critical thinking skills is to inspire them to nurture their own ideas and build their confidence.

Critical thinking helps students nurture their own ideas.

Perspective Taking

Perspective taking is an act of acknowledging the perspective of another person and understanding the alternative point of view. It helps to create a neutral path for thoughts and reshape the whole process of thinking.

Perspective taking is a vital attribute of critical thinking. If a person is encouraged to listen to the opinions of other people, the person gradually becomes more perceptive of others. Perspective taking liberalizes opinions and makes the mind more thoughtful as it absorbs a wide range of beliefs and thoughts. Over a period of time, perspective taking enhances the social attributes of a person. It is a practical skill that proves to be useful in different situations and leads to beneficial results, such as making decisions free from bias, developing neutral opinions, breaking social stereotypes, defining positive unbiased judgements, reducing favoritism, and resolving conflicts.

Various methods are used for implementing perspective taking in a classroom, such as reading, which helps in thinking from the perspective of the characters in the books. Interactive classes also teach perspective taking, as they provide a comfortable environment to share feelings. Group activities help the students in appreciating each other's thoughts, and a diverse environment adds dimension to confined thinking. The emphasis on the expression of ideas makes the students more vocal about their thoughts and open toward the ideas of others. A teacher's role is crucial in enabling perspective taking among students as they help students understand and respect each other's emotions.

The Question/Answer Parking Lots Approach

The question/answer parking lot approach is a strategy in which a teacher arranges a place for the students to anonymously write their ideas and ask questions about a given topic. Question/answer parking lots are quite useful in teaching critical-thinking skills to students as this approach motivates them to constantly question. It is important to include the student's thoughts in the day-to-day classroom activities for this approach to work. It enables teachers to filter the class environment and make the performances of students more effective. Further, it gives the students a passage to convey their thoughts on a specific topic in the classroom.

A wall of blank sticky notes can be used to create a question/answer parking lot.

This approach forces students to think in various dimensions, thus increasing their participation in classroom activities. Students start to analyze their circumstances and the factors that are needed to bring about an improvement in the circumstances. They begin to give attention to everyone in the classroom.

Typically, in this approach, a teacher identifies a spot for the parking lot and divides it into different sections such as questions, answers, and so on.

Let us consider an example of this approach.

A teacher may assign a section in the classroom as the parking lot-"Students may post questions on this parking lot, such as "Why do we need to study history?" and "How can the knowledge of history be applied in the future?".

Now, the students will read this in the parking lot and if any of them has a why, how, or when "question" in his or her mind, he or she will go to this section. In addition, if any student has an answer, then he or she will go to this section and post their answers. The teacher may observe that there are repetitive questions on the parking pot and may decide to reiterate the topic.

Alternatively, students who have suggestions for class rules, tasks, and activities may post these on the parking lot. The parking lot helps students to encourage and motivate one other. Additionally, students are nurtured in this way to find answers to questions and share with their peers.

Transfer of learning is a process of applying learned information, strategies, and skills to a new situation or context. It generalizes the way of thinking and encourages the universality of thoughts. It gives rise to a network that associates different problem-solving methods. These methods can efficiently be used for future problem-solving. Learning transfer makes decision-making clear and cognitive by providing people with opportunities to think in a multidimensional way.

Transfer of learning follows when the acquired knowledge transfers from the student's working memory to practical tasks. The student must then be able to retrieve the information and apply it to new learning. Learning transfer is more viable with visual and graphical modes of teaching. It helps students clear their minds and prevent dubious thoughts. Additionally, it engages them to talk about contexts in which they might apply what they are learning. Teachers should emphasize making the students capable of linking topics through activities; for example, students using a mathematics calculation in physics.

Critical thinking plays an important role in education. It helps students to think in an analytic and rational way. In addition, it encourages students to make life decisions and evaluate all aspects while solving problems. Critical thinking in the classroom helps students think in different dimensions. Critical thinkers are people who are self-evaluators, problem solvers, clear analysts, open to others' ideas, cautious-they think before acting-, open-minded, good listeners, and eager to take on challenges. A critical thinker is someone who thinks actively and interacts constantly with the world.

Critical thinking in education or the classroom can be taught and it aims to compel students to think in different dimensions. Critical thinking can be taught by asking questions that make the students form their own beliefs on common topics and promoting group discussions that enable the students to listen to others and share their opinions. It is important to note that all subject areas benefit by applying critical thinking skills, whether it's literacy, math, or art.

Imagination and creativity are the key to developing critical thinking skills in elementary classes. Some other ways to enhance critical thinking skills involve asking questions, reading books, observing the surroundings, focusing, active listening, and understanding varied perspectives. Teachers can teach critical thinking using productive interactions, open group discussions, problem-solving activities, and collectively dealing with real-life problems.

Perspective taking is acknowledging the different perspectives, that is, giving other people's points of view and equal valuation as a person's own. This approach enables the creation of an unbiased and neutral path for reshaping the entire critical thinking process. The question/answer parking lot approach helps in including students' thoughts in the daily classroom activities and enables teachers to filter the class environment, thus achieving enhanced performances from all students. Question/answer parking lots are quite useful in teaching critical-thinking skills to students as this approach motivates them to constantly question. Learning transfer helps in effective decision-making by enabling students to think in a multidimensional way. Learning transfer is a process of applying learned information, strategies, concept, and skills of one area to a new situation or area. Learning transfer helps students in building decision-making skills along with thinking in a multidimensional way.

Video Transcript

Perhaps more than anything else, we hope that our students become critical thinkers. Someone who can think critically can see the world from different points of view. A critical thinker isn't easily duped by false advertising, nor is she fooled by political machinations. A critical thinker is an active, engaged citizen who reads the world with an eye toward improving it. Someone with strong critical thinking skills sees how complicated the important questions can be. Critical thinkers are even able to have richer interpersonal relationships because of their ability to see the world from multiple perspectives.

Yet even though few would argue that it is important, critical thinking can be a challenge to teach. Critical thinking skills develop over time, and there is no one magical way to teach a student to think critically. In this lesson, we will look in depth at three effective strategies for helping students become critical thinkers. The strategies you will learn (perspective taking, question/answer parking lots, and learning transfer times) can be modified for any age group and can work in the context of any subject area. Experiment with these strategies as you plan lessons, and you might be surprised by how deeply and critically your students can think.

Have you ever tried looking at a question from a different person's point of view? Many of us do this all the time in our day-to-day life, not to mention in our work. In social situations, we ask ourselves, ''Why is my friend not calling me back? What might she be going through?'' At work, we might look at a problem or question from the point of view of a boss or an employee.

Turns out, learning to take different people's perspectives is at the heart of critical thinking, and exercises in perspective taking can be surprisingly easy to incorporate into your teaching. Here are some tricks for getting your students to take on other perspectives:

When social conflicts come up, as they do in so many classes, ask your students to take a break and write a journal entry from a different individual's point of view. Describe the situation from that person's point of view, and then reflect on how that perspective is different from their own.
Literacy and social studies are perfect places for perspective taking. Ask students to spend ten minutes imagining they are in the mind of a character from literature or history. This can be particularly meaningful if the character is very different from the student (a different ethnic background, race, gender, or physical ability, for instance). Give your students lots of opportunities to talk about what this is like.
Perspective taking can happen in math, science, and any other class as well. When you pose questions for your students, ask them to think about how they might answer differently if they were a different person. Give them a chance to discuss how who they are impacts how they see the world. This is a key aspect of critical thinking and engaged learning.

Question/Answer Parking Lots

A parking lot is a place where cars can stay while their drivers are doing other things. Similarly, a question/answer parking lot is a place where students' ideas can rest and percolate while the student is focusing on other tasks.

Designate a board or wall in your classroom to be your question/answer parking lot. When students have a question or answer in relation to their own or others' questions, encourage them to write them on post-it notes and stick them to your parking lot. Make a designated time over the course of each week to visit and discuss these questions and answers, but also encourage students to visit the parking lot often over the course of the week. This will enable them to observe how their own questions and thoughts have morphed, and it will also assist them in becoming better acquainted with their classmates' thought processes. Questions are a hallmark of critical thinking, and by having an open flow of questioning, you are showing that you believe there is nothing wrong with adopting a constant stance of wondering.

Learning Transfer Times

Did you ever wonder why students seem to learn a strategy in one context but they can't seem to apply it anywhere else? This is called learning transfer and it is another aspect of critical thinking. The ability to transfer learning comes with time, but you can facilitate it by designating a session each week as a special learning transfer time. Group your students in clusters of three to five and ask each group to consider one skill or concept you have worked on this week. Challenge them to come up with two or three real-life situations where this concept might be useful. Then have them draw a poster or create a comic to show how they would transfer their learning in real life and put what you have worked on to use.

Critical thinking is such a crucial component of education. Perspective taking activities, question/answer parking lots , and learning transfer times are a few good strategies for encouraging your students to think critically. The more they practice these important skills and strategies, the better equipped they will be to face an exciting and complicated world.

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Teaching Strategies

Published: Sep 1, 2022

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Discover Versatile and Effective Instructional Strategies

Every classroom is different, and every student is unique. Our teaching strategies can be easily adapted for your classroom context and are designed to nurture student’s individual strengths and learning styles. Whether you want to encourage group participation, help students connect emotionally with a subject, or spark more engagement through classroom activities, you'll find plenty of ideas in our library of proven instructional strategies.

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Constructivism Learning Theory & Philosophy of Education

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Constructivism is a learning theory that emphasizes the active role of learners in building their own understanding. Rather than passively receiving information, learners reflect on their experiences, create mental representations , and incorporate new knowledge into their schemas . This promotes deeper learning and understanding.

Constructivism is ‘an approach to learning that holds that people actively construct or make their own knowledge and that reality is determined by the experiences of the learner’ (Elliott et al., 2000, p. 256).

In elaborating on constructivists’ ideas, Arends (1998) states that constructivism believes in the personal construction of meaning by the learner through experience and that meaning is influenced by the interaction of prior knowledge and new events.

Constructivism Philosophy

Knowledge is constructed rather than innate, or passively absorbed.

Constructivism’s central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning.

This prior knowledge influences what new or modified knowledge an individual will construct from new learning experiences (Phillips, 1995).

Learning is an active process.

The second notion is that learning is an active rather than a passive process.

The passive view of teaching views the learner as ‘an empty vessel’ to be filled with knowledge, whereas constructivism states that learners construct meaning only through active engagement with the world (such as experiments or real-world problem-solving).

Information may be passively received, but understanding cannot be, for it must come from making meaningful connections between prior knowledge, new knowledge, and the processes involved in learning.

John Dewey valued real-life contexts and problems as an educational experience. He believed that if students only passively perceive a problem and do not experience its consequences in a meaningful, emotional, and reflective way, they are unlikely to adapt and revise their habits or construct new habits, or will only do so superficially.

All knowledge is socially constructed.

Learning is a social activity – it is something we do together, in interaction with each other, rather than an abstract concept (Dewey, 1938).

For example, Vygotsky (1978) believed that community plays a central role in the process of “making meaning.” For Vygotsky, the environment in which children grow up will influence how they think and what they think about.

Thus, all teaching and learning is a matter of sharing and negotiating socially constituted knowledge.

For example, Vygotsky (1978) states cognitive development stems from social interactions from guided learning within the zone of proximal development as children and their partners co-construct knowledge.

All knowledge is personal.

Each individual learner has a distinctive point of view, based on existing knowledge and values.

This means that same lesson, teaching or activity may result in different learning by each pupil, as their subjective interpretations differ.

This principle appears to contradict the view the knowledge is socially constructed.

Fox (2001, p. 30) argues:

Although individuals have their own personal history of learning, nevertheless they can share in common knowledge, and
Although education is a social process powerfully influenced by cultural factors, cultures are made up of sub-cultures, even to the point of being composed of sub-cultures of one.
Cultures and their knowledge base are constantly in a process of change and the knowledge stored by individuals is not a rigid copy of some socially constructed template. In learning a culture, each child changes that culture.

Learning exists in the mind.

The constructivist theory posits that knowledge can only exist within the human mind, and that it does not have to match any real-world reality (Driscoll, 2000).

Learners will be constantly trying to develop their own individual mental model of the real world from their perceptions of that world.

As they perceive each new experience, learners will continually update their own mental models to reflect the new information, and will, therefore, construct their own interpretation of reality.

Types of Constructivism

Typically, this continuum is divided into three broad categories: Cognitive constructivism, based on the work of Jean Piaget ; social constructivism, based on the work of Lev Vygotsky; and radical constructivism.

According to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center (2015, p.5):

Cognitive constructivism states knowledge is something that is actively constructed by learners based on their existing cognitive structures. Therefore, learning is relative to their stage of cognitive development.

Cognitivist teaching methods aim to assist students in assimilating new information to existing knowledge, and enabling them to make the appropriate modifications to their existing intellectual framework to accommodate that information.

According to social constructivism, learning is a collaborative process, and knowledge develops from individuals” interactions with their culture and society.

Social constructivism was developed by Lev Vygotsky (1978, p. 57), who suggested that:

Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level and, later on, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological).

The notion of radical constructivism was developed by Ernst von Glasersfeld (1974) and states that all knowledge is constructed rather than perceived through senses.

Learners construct new knowledge on the foundations of their existing knowledge. However, radical constructivism states that the knowledge individuals create tells us nothing about reality, and only helps us to function in your environment. Thus, knowledge is invented not discovered.

Radical constructivism also argues that there is no way to directly access an objective reality, and that knowledge can only be understood through the individual’s subjective interpretation of their experiences.

This theory asserts that individuals create their own understanding of reality, and that their knowledge is always incomplete and subjective.

The humanly constructed reality is all the time being modified and interacting to fit ontological reality, although it can never give a ‘true picture’ of it. (Ernest, 1994, p. 8)


Knowledge is created through social interactions and collaboration with others.	Knowledge is constructed through mental processes such as attention, perception, and memory.	Knowledge is constructed by the individual through their subjective experiences and interactions with the world.
The learner is an active participant in the construction of knowledge and learning is a social process.	The learner is an active problem-solver who constructs knowledge through mental processes.	The learner is the sole constructor of knowledge and meaning, and their reality is subjective and constantly evolving.
The teacher facilitates learning by providing opportunities for social interaction and collaboration.	The teacher provides information and resources for the learner to construct their own understanding.	The teacher encourages the learner to question and reflect on their experiences to construct their own knowledge.
Learning is a social process that involves collaboration, negotiation, and reflection.	Learning is an individual process that involves mental processes such as attention, perception, and memory.	Learning is an individual and subjective process that involves constructing meaning from one’s experiences.
Reality is socially constructed and subjective, and there is no one objective truth.	Reality is objective and exists independently of the learner, but the learner constructs their own understanding of it.	Reality is subjective and constantly evolving, and there is no one objective truth.
For example: Collaborative group work in a classroom setting.	For example: Solving a math problem using mental processes.	For example: Reflecting on personal experiences to construct meaning and understanding.

Constructivism Teaching Philosophy

Constructivist learning theory underpins a variety of student-centered teaching methods and techniques which contrast with traditional education, whereby knowledge is simply passively transmitted by teachers to students.

What is the role of the teacher in a constructivist classroom?

Constructivism is a way of teaching where instead of just telling students what to believe, teachers encourage them to think for themselves. This means that teachers need to believe that students are capable of thinking and coming up with their own ideas. Unfortunately, not all teachers believe this yet in America.

The primary responsibility of the teacher is to create a collaborative problem-solving environment where students become active participants in their own learning.

From this perspective, a teacher acts as a facilitator of learning rather than an instructor.

The teacher makes sure he/she understands the students” preexisting conceptions, and guides the activity to address them and then build on them (Oliver, 2000).

Scaffolding is a key feature of effective teaching, where the adult continually adjusts the level of his or her help in response to the learner’s level of performance.

In the classroom, scaffolding can include modeling a skill, providing hints or cues, and adapting material or activity (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

What are the features of a constructivist classroom?

A constructivist classroom emphasizes active learning, collaboration, viewing a concept or problem from multiple perspectives, reflection, student-centeredness, and authentic assessment to promote meaningful learning and help students construct their own understanding of the world.

Tam (2000) lists the following four basic characteristics of constructivist learning environments, which must be considered when implementing constructivist teaching strategies:

1) Knowledge will be shared between teachers and students. 2) Teachers and students will share authority. 3) The teacher’s role is one of a facilitator or guide. 4) Learning groups will consist of small numbers of heterogeneous students.

Traditional Classroom	Constructivist Classroom
Strict adherence to a fixed curriculum is highly valued.	Pursuit of student questions and interests is valued.
Learning is based on repetition.	Learning is interactive, building on what the student already knows.
Teacher-centered.	Student-centered.
Teachers disseminate information to students; students are recipients of knowledge (passive learning).	Teachers have a dialogue with students, helping students construct their own knowledge (active learning).
Teacher’s role is directive, rooted in authority.	Teacher’s role is interactive, rooted in negotiation.
Students work primarily alone (competitive).	Students work primarily in groups (cooperative) and learn from each other.

What are the pedagogical (i.e., teaching) goals of constructivist classrooms?

Honebein (1996) summarizes the seven pedagogical goals of constructivist learning environments:

To provide experience with the knowledge construction process (students determine how they will learn).
To provide experience in and appreciation for multiple perspectives (evaluation of alternative solutions).
To embed learning in realistic contexts (authentic tasks).
To encourage ownership and a voice in the learning process (student-centered learning).
To embed learning in social experience (collaboration).
To encourage the use of multiple modes of representation, (video, audio text, etc.)
To encourage awareness of the knowledge construction process (reflection, metacognition).

Brooks and Brooks (1993) list twelve descriptors of constructivist teaching behaviors:

Encourage and accept student autonomy and initiative. (p. 103)
Use raw data and primary sources, along with manipulative, interactive, and physical materials. (p. 104)
When framing tasks, use cognitive terminology such as “classify,” analyze,” “predict,” and “create.” (p. 104)
Allow student responses to drive lessons, shift instructional strategies, and alter content. (p. 105)
Inquire about students’ understandings of the concepts before sharing [your] own understandings of those concepts. (p. 107)
Encourage students to engage in dialogue, both with the teacher and with one another. (p. 108)
Encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging students to ask questions of each other. (p. 110)
Seek elaboration of students’ initial responses. (p. 111)
Engage students in experiences that might engender contradictions to their initial hypotheses and then encourage discussion. (p. 112)
Allow wait time after posing questions. (p. 114)
Provide time for students to construct relationships and create metaphors. (p. 115)
Nurture students’ natural curiosity through frequent use of the learning cycle model. (p. 116)

Critical Evaluation

Constructivism promotes a sense of personal agency as students have ownership of their learning and assessment.

The biggest disadvantage is its lack of structure. Some students require highly structured learning environments to be able to reach their potential.

It also removes grading in the traditional way and instead places more value on students evaluating their own progress, which may lead to students falling behind, as without standardized grading teachers may not know which students are struggling.

Summary Tables

Behaviourism	Constructivism
Emphasizes the role of the environment and external factors in behavior	Emphasizes the role of internal mental processes in learning and knowledge creation
Knowledge is gained through external stimuli and observable behaviors	Knowledge is actively constructed by the individual based on their experiences
Teachers are the authority figures who impart knowledge to students	Teachers are facilitators who guide students in constructing their own knowledge
Students are passive receivers of knowledge and respond to rewards/punishments	Students are active participants in constructing their own understanding and knowledge
Observable behavior and measurable outcomes	Internal mental processes, thinking, and reasoning
Evaluation is based on observable behavior and measurable outcomes	Evaluation is based on individual understanding and internal mental processes
Classical and operant conditioning, behavior modification, reinforcement	Problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, cognitive apprenticeship

Constructivism	Cognitivism
Emphasizes the active role of learners in constructing their own understanding	Emphasizes the role of internal mental processes in learning and the acquisition of knowledge
Knowledge is actively constructed by the learner based on their experiences	Knowledge is a product of internal mental processes and can be objectively measured and assessed
Teachers are facilitators who guide learners in constructing their own knowledge	Teachers are experts who provide knowledge to learners and guide them in developing their cognitive abilities
Students are active participants in constructing their own understanding	Students are receivers of knowledge from teachers and use their cognitive abilities to process information
Active construction of knowledge based on experiences	Internal mental processes and information processing
Evaluation is based on individual understanding and internal mental processes	Evaluation is based on objectively measurable outcomes and mastery of specific knowledge and skills
Problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, cognitive apprenticeship	Information processing theory, schema theory, metacognition

What is constructivism in the philosophy of education?

Constructivism in the philosophy of education is the belief that learners actively construct their own knowledge and understanding of the world through their experiences, interactions, and reflections.

It emphasizes the importance of learner-centered approaches, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning to facilitate meaningful and authentic learning experiences.

How would a constructivist teacher explain 1/3÷1/3?

They might engage students in hands-on activities, such as using manipulatives or visual representations, to explore the concept visually and tangibly.

The teacher would encourage discussions among students, allowing them to share their ideas and perspectives, and guide them toward discovering the relationship between dividing by a fraction and multiplying by its reciprocal.

Through guided questioning, the teacher would facilitate critical thinking and help students arrive at the understanding that dividing 1/3 by 1/3 is equivalent to multiplying by the reciprocal, resulting in a value of 1.

Arends, R. I. (1998). Resource handbook. Learning to teach (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Brooks, J., & Brooks, M. (1993). In search of understanding: the case for constructivist classrooms, ASCD. NDT Resource Center database .

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs . Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and Education . New York: Collier Books.

Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction . Boston: Allyn& Bacon

Elliott, S.N., Kratochwill, T.R., Littlefield Cook, J. & Travers, J. (2000). Educational psychology: Effective teaching, effective learning (3rd ed.) . Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill College.

Ernest, P. (1994). Varieties of constructivism: Their metaphors, epistemologies and pedagogical implications. Hiroshima Journal of Mathematics Education, 2 (1994), 2.

Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined . Oxford review of education, 27(1) , 23-35.

Honebein, P. C. (1996). Seven goals for the design of constructivist learning environments. Constructivist learning environments : Case studies in instructional design, 11-24.

Oliver, K. M. (2000). Methods for developing constructivism learning on the web. Educational Technology, 40 (6)

Phillips, D. C. (1995). The good, the bad, and the ugly: The many faces of constructivism . Educational researcher, 24 (7), 5-12.

Tam, M. (2000). Constructivism, Instructional Design, and Technology: Implications for Transforming Distance Learning. Educational Technology and Society, 3 (2).

Teaching Guide for GSIs. Learning: Theory and Research (2016). Retrieved from http://gsi.berkeley.edu/media/Learning.pdf

von Glasersfeld, E. V. (1974). Piaget and the radical constructivist epistemology . Epistemology and education , 1-24.

von Glasersfeld, E. (1994). A radical constructivist view of basic mathematical concepts. Constructing mathematical knowledge: Epistemology and mathematics education, 5-7.

Von Glasersfeld, E. (2013). Radical constructivism (Vol. 6). Routledge.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

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Higher Education

Enhancing STEM Education With Video Assessment

Imagine a classroom where every student’s unique learning style is catered to, where complex concepts are broken down with personalized feedback, and where even the most intricate STEM assignments are easily assessed from anywhere. This is what’s possible when combining video assessment technology with STEM education.

As the trends and best practices for teaching STEM evolve, so too must our tools and methods for ensuring students grasp these critical subjects. In this blog, we’ll explore how video assessment technology can enhance STEM education — making it more effective, interactive, and accessible than ever before.

Advancements in Classroom Technology

The integration of cutting-edge technology in STEM classrooms, such as robotics kits, 3D-printers, and advanced software, has revolutionized hands-on learning. But to maximize the potential of these technologies, you’ll need the right tools and educational approach. Video assessment enables students to work uninterrupted, capturing their learning process in real time. Teachers can then review these recordings to provide detailed feedback on complex procedures. This method allows educators to carefully evaluate student performance, ensuring that each step in a complicated task is understood and executed correctly. By using video assessment, students receive constructive feedback that helps them refine their skills and grasp intricate concepts more effectively.

Multimodal Learning

STEM educators have increasingly recognized the importance of catering to diverse learning styles. Multimodal learning, which incorporates various methods to deliver information, ensures that students can engage with material in ways that suit their individual preferences.

Video assessment plays a crucial role in this approach by allowing teachers to analyze how well students absorb information through different modalities. By reviewing students’ recorded performances, educators can identify the most effective teaching methods for each learner and adapt their strategies accordingly. Additionally, video assessment enables teachers to reflect on their own instructional techniques — ensuring they incorporate multiple learning methods in their lessons to enhance overall educational outcomes.

More Hybrid and Remote Learning

The rise of hybrid and remote learning has presented unique challenges in instructing and assessing STEM disciplines. Video assessment provides a viable solution to these challenges, allowing educators to deliver and evaluate complex coursework effectively from anywhere. Joshua Hardt, a Geology Professor at Odessa College, emphasizes the impact of video tools in his asynchronous online courses:

"We use GoReact as our video assessment and feedback tool, and it has improved the quality of my online courses as much as any other tool I've used. My students can ask questions right at the moment they have them while watching my lectures. This ability to communicate instantly helps them grasp complex concepts much more effectively."

Video assessment allows for continuous interaction between students and teachers, even in a remote setting. By reviewing recorded lab work or presentations, educators can provide timely and specific feedback, helping students understand and improve their performance. This approach fosters a more interactive and engaging learning environment, which is crucial for maintaining student interest and comprehension in an online format.

Supporting Lab Work and Presentations

STEM assignments often involve hands-on lab work or presentations that can be challenging to assess through traditional methods, especially in a remote setting. Video assessment bridges this gap by allowing students to record their experiments or presentations and submit them for evaluation. Teachers can then review these recordings in detail, offering precise feedback on each aspect of the assignment. This method not only supports the development of practical skills but also ensures that students receive personalized guidance to enhance their learning experience.

Fostering Problem-Solving and Critical-Thinking Skills

Developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills is a core objective of STEM education. Video assessment contributes to this goal by providing a platform for students to demonstrate their reasoning and analytical processes. Teachers can observe and evaluate how students approach and solve problems — offering insights into their thought processes and areas for improvement. By receiving targeted feedback, students can refine their problem-solving strategies and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Emphasis on Digital Literacy

Incorporating video assessment in STEM education also promotes digital literacy, an essential skill in today’s technology-driven world. By engaging with video assessment platforms, students become more comfortable interacting with digital tools — enhancing their overall technological proficiency. Reviewing videos together to share feedback provides an opportunity for students to navigate and use digital interfaces, which better prepares them for future academic and professional endeavors.

As STEM education continues to evolve, integrating video assessment technology like GoReact offers a powerful tool to enhance teaching and learning experiences. By supporting improvements in classroom technology, multimodal learning, hybrid and remote instruction, and fostering critical skills, GoReact provides a comprehensive solution for modern STEM education challenges. Educators like Joshua Hardt have seen significant benefits in their teaching practices, highlighting the transformative potential of video feedback in enriching STEM education:

“With GoReact, my students can leave video or audio questions if they don’t want to type, making it easier for them to engage with the material regardless of their situation. This flexibility is crucial for students in an asynchronous online course.”

Embracing video assessment not only improves educational outcomes but also prepares students for a future where digital literacy and technological competence are prerequisites for so many industries.

Learn more about how GoReact can enhance your institution’s STEM teaching practices to drive deeper learning and help students develop essential skills they need for successful careers.

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COMMENTS

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