Critical Thinking for Students

This page provides resources, handouts, and videos that support the colleges Critical Thinking (CT) initiatives.  Critical thinking skills help students as they face crucial decisions in education and in life.  Students develop critical thinking skills by exploring the thinking process to clarify understanding and make more intelligent decisions.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) offers the following CT student seminars (CT Monthly Schedule-Link): Student CT Sessions

Registration Link:  https://secure.harlingen.tstc.edu/Workshop/index.aspx

Introduction to Critical Thinking-Part I

Having Trouble organizing your thoughts?  Finding yourself cramming for tests and forgetting what you tested for?  Learn a process to help you improve the way you think!

CT Student Handout Link:  Introduction to Critical Thinking

Introduction to Critical Thinking Standards-Part II

Universal intellectual standards must be applied to thinking whenever one is interested in checking the quality of reasoning about a problem, issue, or situation.  To think critically entails having command of these standards.  The goal of this session is for students to understand how to use these standards and infuse them into their thinking, forming part of their inner voice, which guides them to improved thinking and better reasoning.

CT Student Handout Link:  Introduction to Critical Thinking Standards

Using Critical Thinking to Ask Questions-Part III

It is not possible to be a good thinker and a poor questioner.  Every topic stays “alive” only on the extent that fresh questions are generated and taken seriously as the driving force to our thinking.  This session introduces the art of questions using critical thinking.  Being skilled at questioning makes us skilled productive thinkers, provides deep learning and effective living.

CT Student Handout Link:  Using Critical Thinking to Ask Questions

Making “rash decisions” and getting bad results?  Want to learn to make better decisions and get better results? Come learn how to use critical thinking to make better decisions.

CT Student Handout Link:  Making Decisions Using Critical Thinking

Putting It All Together-Part V

What type of intellectual standards can we apply to our thinking? How can we use CT when we are bombarded by media reports, consider ethics or when people begin to make statements and argue with us? This session presents a way to apply all elements of thought and the standards toward relevant purposes as we improve our

relevant purposes as we improve our critical thinking skills applications.

 

CT Student Handout Link:  Putting It All Together

 

The sites (links) listed below promote Critical Thinking:

Critical Thinking Community

http://www.criticalthinking.org/

Elements of Thought and Standards

http://www.criticalthinking.org/starting/Begin-CTModel.cfm

Elements of Though Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VPg_cGAfHk

Critical Thinking Standards Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNCOOUK-bMQ&feature=related