1. Hollie Keesee
CI 350
21st century group project
Narration for Critical Thinking Pillar
Our group project was on the 21st century pillar, Critical Thinking. Critical thinking is the intellectually
disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or
evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning,
or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal
intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency,
relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.
After this, we showed an image that depicted the different ways to get students to think about critical
thinking and let the chart explain itself.
We then discussed the importance of critical thinking in education. Here we talked about how instead of
having students memorize test material that they won’t use down the road, it is far more beneficial to
have them learn by thinking critically. Instead of making them learn a certain set of facts or rules, we
should focus on making sure they learn as much about the topic as they can. We also discussed the
problem with standardized testing and how teachers only teach to that test, instead of teaching a
broader range of topics. We also brought up the importance of teaching students to ask why, instead of
just accepting an answer. Essentially, if your question doesn’t lead to another question, what’s the
point? Furthermore, we discussed the topic of allowing students to work together to figure something
out and to learn. For instance, Socratic discussions are perfect for this! Because it requires participants
to ask one another questions that test logic and sets a goal that requires a greater understanding or
clarity of a topic. The Socratic discussion allows students to challenge one another intellectually, while
the teachers serve as a mediator that observes, offers prompts when a lull begins to occur or letting
students keep the discussion moving. Finally, we talked about how students need to want to learn the
material. Teacher get so consumed with teaching to a test, that they often times may say “We don’t
have time to learn about this, because it won’t be on the test” Whenever a student asks a question that
he or she is truly interested in.
When applying critical thinking into the classroom, the goal of the teacher should be to engage students
into assignments and to stray away from activities such as tests, worksheets and anything that requires
memorization. Teachers should promote problem solving skills and allow students to explore a topic by
thinking outside the box. Get your students to start thinking about thinking.
Then on our slide we have some technological tools that can be used to accomplish this. This is on the
slide.

2. Out next slide talked about a specific example of using Critical thinking in the classroom. This is on the
slide.