Critical thinking

When searching for a definition of critical thinking that would apply well to a classroom setting and the instructional design of a teacher, I was discovering that the meaning of this term is as diverse as the students in the classroom.  My favorite definition so far is over-simplified - "thinking to produce judgment" - clear, concise, to the point.  But the skill itself is at the highest levels of Webb's DOK - analyzing, synthesizing, supporting a claim.




Since learning is largely social, one of the best ways to get students to think critically about the judgments that they are making is to hear the alternative judgments that others are making and support the viewpoint with evidence.  Some great discussion techniques for the classroom include:

• Think, Pair, Share

• Four Corners

• Socratic Seminar

• Fishbowl

• De Bono's 6 Thinking Hats

Sometimes students who are not normally active participants in the in-class discussion can feel more successful with an online discussion, such as in Google Classroom.  Another website I ran across recently which allows students to participate in a discussion, make a claim and support it is Kialo.  According to Common Sense Education's review of the site, "It's a good platform to teach the importance of reasoned, respectful arguments when trying to persuade others."  It can be used to participate in public or private discussions through the teacher platform.  As we help students learn how to build an argument, it can also serve as ideas for good questions to get the students motivated to discuss.  

Students are participating in discussions online through social media, so hopefully as teachers we can use a site like this to guide them to be better 21st century digital citizens.