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Have We Demystified Critical Thinking?
Journal writing can enhance student learning, and students perceive journal writing as
a valuable technique. For example, Connor-Greene (2000) compared the test grades of
students who wrote 15, 5, or no journal entries. Both journal groups performed better
than the no-journal group, and there was no significant difference between the two jour-
nal entry groups. Students who wrote journals also reported that the technique helped
improve their understanding and application of the course material.
There are many different ways that instructors can employ this technique in their
courses. Students might turn in several entries throughout the semester that are graded
and returned with comments and suggestions. If you are concerned about the time it takes
to grade all of the entries, you can make the journal an effort-based assignment and grade
it on a credit/no credit basis (Bolin et al., 2005).
Instructors can also use media to develop students’ higher level skills. Feature films are
a popular and effective tool in psychology courses (e.g., Anderson, 1992; Boyatzis, 1994).
Students can apply course material to specific films (e.g., identify examples of positive and
negative reinforcement in Liar Liar, Grazer & Shadyac, 1997) or analyze a film’s represen-
tation of course material (e.g., have students consider whether Jack Nicholson accurately
portrays obsessive-compulsive disorder in As Good as It Gets, Ziskin & Brooks, 1997).
Students can also find and analyze examples of course material in other “real world” sources
(e.g., newspaper or magazine articles, Web sites, comic strips, advertisements, advice columns,
television shows, and music videos).
Complex Skills
Complex critical thinking skills include formal criticism, decision making, and collabo-
rating (Halonen, 1995). One way to target these and other critical thinking skills is to
use Structured Peer Review Exercises (SPREs). This activity involves having each stu-
dent (a) read another student’s draft of a paper, (b) complete a review form based on the
draft, and then (c) discuss the review with the student author. Although suitable for use
in any class, this activity is especially useful in classes where written communication is a
key objective.
Instructors can schedule SPREs as in-class activities. Ask students to bring a draft of a
paper and then pair them with another student. Tell reviewers that their goal is to help the
author produce a better final paper. To help with this task, have reviewers complete a Peer
Review Form (PRF; Serdikoff, 2006) that lists the required sections of the paper and type
of information that should be included in each, along with specific instructions for evalu-
ating the paper. At the end of the review exercise, reviewers should discuss the reviews with
the authors.
After the discussion, students give the completed PRFs and drafts to their partners so
that they can use the feedback while completing the final paper. The following week, stu-
dents submit the final paper along with the PRF and the reviewed draft. To increase the
probability that students use the feedback provided by this activity, they earn more points
when the reviewer’s comments prompt changes in the final paper than they earn when
comments go unaddressed. Similarly, students earn points based on the quality of the peer
reviews they provide.