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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