Legal reasoning employs weak sense critical thinking (pointing out inadequacies in the reasoning of others) rather than strong sense critical thinking (applying the same skills to one's own argument as well). The adversary model does not encourage lawyers to examine critically either the client's or their own arguments. The lawyer's task is to…

Metaphorically, the head and the heart represent different decision-making strategies. The disjunction between these two cultures is both sharp and unnecessary. The conflict between rationality and emotion is much broader than the tension between critical thinking and values analysis, but the assumptions responsible for the mutual awkwardness of…

One of the goals of higher education is to develop the students' ability to think critically. However, little research has been done to indicate the impact of college on students' critical thinking skills. A study conducted at a midwestern university measured the critical thinking capability of college seniors. Subjects, 37 volunteers derived from…

Describes a methodology for improving critical thinking skills in sociology classrooms. Includes a discussion of classroom behavior of teachers, student attitudes, curriculum materials, and evaluation techniques. Concludes that critical thinking skills can be enhanced, with remarkable results. (DH)

Training sessions for the development of active critical thinking skills with the aim of improving the quality of student decision making prepares them for a future in a rapidly changing society. (JD)

Ways in which instructional development activities can be transformed into eagerly awaited opportunities for personal and institutional growth are discussed. The teaching workshop conducted by an expert from another campus is discussed. (MLW)

Provides suggestions for changes that would move campuses toward the ideal of fostering growth of critical thinking skills. Recommendations are divided into the areas of campus atmosphere, classroom behavior, student attitudes, curriculum materials, and criterion-referenced evaluation instruments. (JDH)

Proposes that classrooms that encourage critical thinking possess distinguishing features that can assess whether critical thinking is a regular occurrence. Suggests that a critical thinking classroom commonly reflects the following attributes: frequent questions, developmental tension, fascination with the contingency of conclusions, and active…

Universities face enormous problems. Their survival depends on how they respond to persistent budgetary cuts from public sources, conflicting expectations from varying constituencies, and competitive pressures from competing training organizations. As they search for institutional arrangements that will be conducive to their success in the face of…

Assesses the academic merit of an innovative undergraduate program designed to teach students the importance of critical thinking skills and social science concepts. As a result of these tests, students did improve their knowledge of some critical thinking skills relative to control. (Author)

Argues that student evaluations of teachers (SETs) in their current format are fundamentally a student-controlled process, but that students are not adequately prepared for such control. Advocates greater teacher control in the SET process and presents sample evaluation criteria from an ideal process in which teachers interested in critical…

Reports on a study of faculty perceptions of critical thinking instruction in 6 disciplines in 39 higher education institutions. Finds that graduate programs in economics teach a different form of problem solving. Recommends that critical thinking skills be given priority in academic programs. (CFR)

Cognitive activity should become a more salient dimension in student evaluation forms; faculty must assume initiative in altering student evaluation forms toward greater awareness of the importance of stimulating critical thought as a criterion for judging quality of the teacher. (DS)