Session #1 – John Eigenauer

Teaching Critical Thinking

This workshop provides participants with specific tools for teaching critical thinking skills while covering course content. Participants will understand fundamentals about the human brain regarding dispositions toward critical thought, bias, use of evidence, and heuristic thinking, as well as the state of critical thinking in colleges and critical thinking scholarship. Learn how to apply precise pedagogical methods that help students at all levels improve their critical thinking skills.

Activities

Participate in exercises proven to enhance critical thinking, create exercises and exams that enhance and measure critical-thinking skills, and create and use rubrics that provide viable measurements of critical thinking.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Understand fundamentals of the human brain regarding dispositions toward critical thought, bias, use of evidence, and heuristic thinking.
• Understand the state of critical thinking in colleges.
• Understand the state of scholarship regarding critical thinking: what works and what doesn’t.
• Ability to apply precise pedagogical methods to help students at any level improve their critical thinking.