One of the major issues I have had employers tell me about students they hire out of college, is that they lack critical thinking skills.  Because of this, I make it a focal point in all courses, to ensure I have students practice and realize the need for critical and deeper thinking.  My goals revolve around challenging students to get to that deeper thinking point, so that when they get into the workforce, they can function as their employers are expecting.   

Often we assume our students can think deeply, and in our desire to prove it, we challenge them in ways they are not used to. Just like any other task, we may need to ease into this so that we can coach students properly.  By gaining their interest and challenging them, we guide them to think beyond what might have been obvious, we allow them to ask better questions, we give them the opportunity to challenge themselves, not just respond.

This also means we must get out of our own comfort zone.  We have to answer questions and develop ideas, vs just delivering content from a text.   Giving additional opportunities to connect the ideas to the content and to future careers, we can build more active participation and thought.  

Relatable, open-ended questions 

Often due to various reasons, be it time or content, we ask questions that may be answered with a yes or no.   By adjusting our process, and instead of asking “Is the sky blue?”  we can ask, “ Tell me why you think the sky is blue. “  This ensures it is not just a response to a question, but a reaction and thoughts to an idea.  Instead of “Do you think this is a good idea?”  we can expand that to “ How can you relate this idea to your current or future position?” giving students more reason to think deeper into the concept to what they can actually use moving forward. 

By creating these open-ended and relatable questions, we are showing that the course material also can matter to them and their careers and/or lives.

When we ask questions, even relatable questions, our students often answer as quickly and with as little detail as they can get away with.  By adding additional questions, we can help students look for the root cause, deeper idea, and additional insight that we know is there, but we want to get them to see – without telling them.   So asking questions like “Why do you think that?”, or “ How will this impact your position or decision?” we can guide students to insights that will help them explore deeper ideas.  This also presents a model of not just taking the easy answer, building habits to look further into situations that come up. 

Questions that get students to think about why they think what they do can also improve overall understanding.    By asking “How did you decide which source was most credible?” our students gain more insight as to why some are, and why some are not.  In today’s world of AI use, this can be even more helpful.    

A favorite question of mine is “What is your process?”.   By asking this, I get students to recount exactly what they have done to reach their conclusion.   This also gives them, and me, the opportunity to see where the process might be flawed, and allow thoughts for adjustment.  I may also have them complete a process map to help them see the visual version.   This has been a great way for students to gain deeper insights into steps they actually take vs steps they think they take.  This is a strategy I use often to help students build and strengthen their own analytical skills. 

Make it a habit

Critical thinking shouldn’t be just one time, just one assignment.  If we don’t make it a habit for ourselves, how can we expect our students to?   Design your assignments or in-class discussions to specifically target and build ondeeper thinking.   In my courses I require all students to present various topics, while other students are required to ask relevant and thought-provoking questions.  Not only do they get to answer, but they get to ask.  This builds confidence, and the realization that their questions are important also.  This helps to solidify the deeper thinking ideas, and that those questions and ideas generated are worth exploring.  

If we act like it is ok just to lecture, students will be happy just to fill a seat.  If we are open to changing things up, having them ask questions, admitting we don’t know all the answers, and are willing to see and hear all ideas, we show them that deeper thinking isn’t just for them, and that just filling a seat is no longer going to be enough.  We show them that we are willing to look at all options, we are willing to look deeper, and we are willing to even adjust our opinions if information is given to support that.  This opens doors, this supports all of our outcomes, and it becomes something that will happen more often.  

By allowing and encouraging students to challenge their own assumptions, and ours, we can create an environment that fosters critical thinking.   Not every question may be answered correctly, but that is ok.   That doesn’t mean the answer is not well thought out and deeper thinking.   It means you have now opened a new door for discussion.  “That is not the correct answer, but you have brought up some excellent points to discuss, so lets explore that.”

Critical thinking should always be one of our required outcomes or learning objectives.  Employers want to see this in every industry, and we should be focused on preparing our students for that employer expectation.  When we achieve this, the content is enhanced, and so is the student.