Critical Thinking Workshop

Aim:

To encourage students to become Critical Thinkers - Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned,

and improved upon, and polished with practice.

Objectives: At the end of the activity students should be able to;

To understand why critical thinking is important

To understand what critical thinking means and identify differing critical thinking models

To use a critical thinking model to identify key terms and arguments from an example paper

Materials:

Power Point Presentation – trainer PC and projector/smartboard.

Diagrams showing two different Critical Thinking models.

Activity Material (Essay Extract and blank paper for students to write on).

Student Handout.

Workshop Evaluation Form

Participants: Variable depending on situation: 4 - 20.

Objective Methods Time Resources

Introduction Tutor to introduce themselves and give overview of the

workshop (aim & Objectives).

5 minutes Power Point Presentation

Explain what Critical

Thinking is and why it

is important.

• Tutor asks the students what they think Critical Thinking is

and why they think it is important.

Use example of Flat.

• Tutor then uses the Power Point Slides to Explain – see power

point notes.

10 minutes Power Point Presentation

Examples of Critical

Thinking Models

• Tutor to explain using Power Point Slide 4 minutes Hand out to students diagrams showing two

different Critical Thinking Models

Activity – students to

practice using one of

the models on an

essay extract.

Students to Feedback

on Activity

• Tutor to have website on screen and explain activity, handout

copies of essay extract. Students have to use one of the Critical

Thinking models and apply it to the essay extract. Students can

choose whether they would work in a team. Answers to be

given, taking turns, around the groups and to be typed into the

online activity – answers explained and matched back to correct

answers which appear online.

• Tutor to encourage feedback using a selection of Feedback

Questions.

20 minutes

5 minutes

One copy of the essay extract per

student/team.

Blank paper for students to write on.

Close • Tutor to sum up the workshop and provide the students with

good reasons for practicing Critical Thinking. Provide critical

thinking handout – explain that this is for future reference and

definitions of essay/critical thinking terms are included.

2 minutes Power Point Slide listing benefits of Critical

Thinking.

Critical thinking handout.

Evaluation Tutor to distribute evaluation form. 5 minutes Workshop Evaluation Form

Thank you and close Total 51 minutes

Background Information

Why is Critical thinking important?

Critical Thinking is relevant to all aspects of learning at degree level. It can be used in a wide range of situations, from identifying and

correcting problems in academic work, to solving problems in everyday life. The ability to recognise an argument, evaluate and provide a

critique of arguments in order to formulate your own stance is an essential skill that all university students require. What’s more many

lecturers believe that the use of Critical Thinking can greatly improve a student’s grades.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the attempt to ask and answer questions systematically. This means asking the most useful questions in the most productive

sequence in order to yield a coherent and credible ‘story’.

Instead of accepting ‘at face value’ what you read or hear, critical thinkers look for evidence and for good reasons before believing something

to be true.

Whatever you are studying, critical thinking is the key to learning as it helps you to develop an argument through imagining and exploring the

alternatives. The common question words: what, who, where, when, how, and why will help you to get started; along with the phrases: what

if, what next, and so what.

The handout provided in this session brings to attention a few other related areas. It provides another example of a critical thinking model

How do I become a critical thinker?

Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned, and improved upon, and polished with practice.

Trainer Notes for Power Point Slides Slide 2: Explain that presentation will be followed by a related workshop activity. Slide 3: Ask the students – “What is Critical Thinking” Before showing slide 2

(to show it is not something to fear, or about criticising or changing

the way you think - “free up your thoughts”

What was your experience at school?

Slide 5: Discuss the decision making process involved when choosing a flat.

A critical process is involved here. You would take all points into

consideration, location, size, condition, furnished, proximity to

transport links?

You critically evaluate on a daily basis – developing these skills in a

certain way for university study.

Slide 6: Link back to Flat example.

Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned, improved upon and

requires discipline.

To help you require the discipline – here are some Critical Thinking

Models.

Slide 8 & 9: Click image on slide 9 for link.....

http://www.tasteofmedicine.com/virtuallythere/application.html

Activity - Tutor to have website on screen and explain activity, hand

out copies of essay extract. Students have to use one of the Critical

Thinking models and apply it to the essay extract. Students can

choose whether they would work in a team. Answers to be given,

taking turns, around the groups and to be typed into the online

activity – answers explained and matched back to correct answers

which appear online.

• Tutor to encourage feedback using a selection of Feedback

Questions.

If you haven’t used a model before what are the benefits to you of

using one?

How have you addressed this in the past? Why? How would you

address it now after studying/experiencing this? Why?

How can you transfer this learning into different contexts?

Slide 10: • Acquiring critical thinking skills helps you to develop more

reasoned arguments and draw conclusions to be used in your assignments, projects and examinations.

• Critical Thinking helps to ensure that you make the correct judgements backed up with the understanding of the evidence and should ensure that you don’t jump to the wrong conclusions!