Nurturing Critical Thinkers
It's springtime! 💐 The trees are growing leaves and blossoming flowers. Nurturing trees with mulch, fertilizer, and extra water helps them grow. The same is true for people. We need nutrients and water to grow, but additionally, we need stimulation to keep our minds growing and flourishing. Being expected to think critically stimulates our minds and creates growth, and the ability to think critically is indispensable in our information-rich world. Critical thinking is widely recognized as a cornerstone of higher education, empowering students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information effectively. As educators, fostering critical thinking skills among students is a fundamental responsibility. This blog post explores effective strategies for teaching critical thinking in higher education classes. One seminal study by Paul and Elder (2008) underscores the importance of explicit instruction in critical thinking. The authors advocate for a structured approach that teaches stude