Design Assignments For Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a catchall phase used to describe the ability of students to think for themselves, to reason well, and to approach problems and issues in a systematic and logical manner. The following resources offer suggestions for designing assignments that strengthen critical thinking.
Teaching critical thinking: Some lessons from cognitive science (Tim van Gelder, University of Melbourne)
Helping your students develop critical thinking skills (Kansas State's IDEA Center; IDEA Paper No. 37)
TLA Handouts on Teaching for Critical Thinking:
- Argument mapping
- Creating cognitive dissonance
- Scaffolding assignments
- Teaching for transfer
- Definitions of critical thinking
- Critical thinking resources
Additional Readings
Bean, J.C. (2001). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
DePaul Resources
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