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VOLUME XI, NUMBER 22

“ INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

 

Critical Thinking and Collaborative Learning

While most experts agree that critical thinking can
and should be taught, many disagree with how it is
being taught. Those who disagree contend that teachers
are teaching students to think critically as individuals,
while most problem solving in everyday life occurs in
groups. Experts point out that individuals who prob-
lem-solve quite well individually perform abysmally in
group situations, and that the sum of group thought is
usually less than the sum of individual thought—a
phenomenon referred to as “groupthink.” Also, in
recent years employers have begun to call attention to
the deficit in group problem solving skills which they
encounter in their college-trained employees. The
teaching of critical thinking is not enough. Educators
must also discover ways to teach meaningful critical
thinking skills. One method is the collaborative or
group learning method.

Through careful design of the classroom setting,
specific instruction in the evaluative method, and
precise structuring of assignments, students can solve
pertinent problems which require the development and
use of critical thinking skills. At the same time, stu-
dents will benefit from experience in collaboration.
Practical activities which require students to evaluate a
problem, by establishing group criteria and applying
thase criteria to problems, will foster the growth of
collaborative critical thinking abilities in students.

One successful method of organizing such an activity
includes three major steps. The first step includes
establishing groups and individual responsibilities
within groups. The instructor may select groups ina
varicty of ways (however, | have found that odd-
numbered groups of not more than five per group work
well), Each group, then, can select a group leader, a
presenter, and a secretary. The entire group is respon-
sible for determining the materials the secretary will
include in the group report. The group leader's respon-
sibilities include ensuring that all members contribute,
organizing the final report, and leading the group
discussion. The presenter is responsible for the oral
delivery of the final group report to the class. The
secretary is responsible for compiling, from the notes of
the group members, the final report under the direction

of the group leader and members. All group members
including leaders, presenters, and secretaries are
responsible for researching, note taking, setting criteria,
and evaluating the problem

Once students understand their group roles, the
instructor can make the assignment. Students should
have completed an appropriate reading assignment that
will force them to formulate criteria by which they will
evaluate a problem. Instruct students to keep a careful
record of these criteria, as well as the application of
specific elements of the problem. Explain that students
must make and justify judgments. Tell students that
their job is to determine whether particular outcomes
are good or bad, and why they are one or the other. To
keep the activity within a manageable time frame, allot
a specific amount of time for cach task. Inform students
of the time limits; i.e., they have 15 minutes for research,
ten minutes for compilation, etc. After students are
aware that they have a schedule for solving the prob-
lem, describe the problem. The following problems,
taken from different disciplines, have been used suc-
cessfully by four FCC] instructors:

European History: What caused the French
Revolution? What were the gains and losses
to cach segment of society? Do the gains
outweigh the losses? Do the gains justify the
violence that accompanied the Revolution?
Would it have been desirable to have pre-
vented the Revolution? If so, how could it
have been prevented? Compare the social,
economic, political, and ecclesiastical posi-
tions of each estate at the beginning with the
end of the Revolution. Each group will
establish a unique criterion for evaluating the
conditions of the estates.

Anita Morris, History

Economics: One of the most pressing
problems facing the government is the
federal budget deficit. There are many
proposed solutions to the problem. During

 

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin
— EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712