This presentation share various ways to help students develop their critical thinking skills.

1. “It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not
to fill the minds of students with facts... it is to teach them
to think.”
Robert M. Hutchins
Developing Critical Thinkers

2. Developing Critical Thinkers
Presenter Deborah Bowles
bowlesdm@pgcc.edu ext. 0250
The Thinker
by Rodin

3. Developing Critical Thinkers
Overview
 Definition of Critical Thinking
 Ways to Develop Critical Thinking

4. Developing Critical Thinkers
Objectives
 understand what it means to be a
critical thinker
 have several ways to help students
develop their critical thinking

5. Developing Critical Thinkers
Definition - Critical thinking is
systematically processing information to
understand ideas and make better
decisions.

6. Developing Critical Thinkers
Ways to Develop Critical Thinking
 Incorporate the Learning Process

7. Developing Critical Thinkers
See if you can figure this out.
He rec om est hebr ide.

8. Developing Critical Thinkers
See if you can figure this out.
He rec om est hebr ide.
Here comes the bride.

9. Developing Critical Thinkers
See if you can figure this out.
Ho meo nth era nge.

10. Developing Critical Thinkers
See if you can figure this out.
Ho meo nth era nge.
Home on the range.

11. Developing Critical Thinkers
How could you connect this idea of
repetition or looking for patterns to
your area?

12. Three-Step Process
1. Individual Work
2. Small-Group or Partner Activity
3. Whole-Group Feedback

13. Developing Critical Thinkers
You have 1 minute to write your answer to
this question.
What do you think of when I say,
immigration?

14. You have 1 minute to answer the question.
What do you think of when I say, immigration?

15. Developing Critical Thinkers
Now with someone in a private chat,
discuss your answer.
What do you think of when I say,
immigration?

16. You have 1 minute to discuss your response.
What do you think of when I say, immigration?

17. Developing Critical Thinkers
As a whole group, let’s hear some of
your responses.

18. Three-Step Process
1. Individual Work - Think
2. Small-Group or Partner Activity - Pair
3. Whole-Group Feedback - Share

19. Developing Critical Thinkers
Ways to Develop Critical Thinking
 Incorporate the Learning Process
 Ask High Level Questions

20. Incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy

21. Ask Questions
 Who?
 What?
 When?
 Where?
 Why?
 How?

22. Note-Taking Options
? – by anything you don’t understand
* - by anything you think is important
! – by anything that causes an emotion

23. Developing Critical Thinkers
Listen as I read
the poem, The
New Colossus, by
Emma Lazarus

24. The New Colossus
by Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
with conquering limbs astride from land to
land; Here at our sea-washed sunset gates
shall stand a mighty woman with a torch,
whose flame is the imprisoned lightening,
and her name Mother of Exiles. From her
beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome;
her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor
that twin-cities frame.

25. The New Colossus
by Emma Lazarus
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!”
cries she with silent lips. “Give me your
tired, your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free, the wretched
refuse of your teeming shore. Send these,
the homeless, tempest-tossed to me-
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

26. Turn your notes into questions.

27. Developing Critical Thinkers
Write your questions in the Chat

28. Developing Critical Thinkers
Ways to Develop Critical Thinking
 Incorporate the Learning Process
 Ask High Level Questions
 Create High Level Projects

29. Incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy

30. Developing Critical Thinkers
Ways to Develop Critical Thinking
 Incorporate the Learning Process
 Ask High Level Questions
 Create High Level Projects

31. Developing Critical Thinkers
https://padlet.com/bowlesdm/f9zvvzxs6clj

32. Developing Critical Thinkers
References
Carr, K. (2001) How can we teach critical thinking?
Roberts, A. (2010) The Thinking Student’s Guide to
College
Smilkstein, Rita (2011), We’re Born to Learn, Corwin,
A SAGE Company.
From There to Here (2000), Perfection Learning.

33. Questions/Comments
Deborah Bowles, Ext. 0250
Coordinator of Professional and
Organizational Development
bowlesdm@pgcc.edu
Accokeek Hall Room 324