Critical Thinking Exercise: Learning How to Think, Not What to Think

Keywords: Critical thinking, metacognition, experiential exercise, blogging

Abstract: Critical thinking continues to be a top skill employers are looking for in college graduates. However, if not practiced and reinforced, critical thinking may not transfer across contexts. In this two-part exercise (online or face-to-face), students will assess credibility of sources, recognize and examine biases, assumptions and inferences, evaluate arguments, and generate alternative hypotheses based on logic and facts. Our goal in this exercise is to reinforce critical thinking skills by emphasizing how to think, not what to think. Students gain insights into their own cognitive processes (i.e. metacognition).