Guide
Learner Profile: Successful development of the Think Critically competency results in a learner who is able to engage
in in-depth thinking, question or analyze information, and make thoughtful decisions. This learner takes personal
responsibility for the ethical implications of his/her thoughts and actions and demonstrates respect, humility and an
open mind.
Key Strategies/Ideas:
It is important to routinely use critical thinking skills/vocabulary and to take
the time to unpack the meaning of these underlying concepts. Some examples
include:
Apply:
Model represent or demonstrate understanding in a new or
different way; Ask Questions create questions to facilitate
information gathering; Organize put things in order (sequencing),
arranging, classifying or categorizing; Apply apply procedures or
methods to test a hypothesis, theory or formula.
Analyze:
Identify Relationships look for trends or patterns, or identify and
organize component parts; Compare and Contrast identify how
elements are the same and how they are different; Cause and Effect
demonstrate underlying causal relationships and resulting effects;
Infer speculate or reach a conclusion based on known facts.
Synthesize:
Estimate make estimations and describe and justify estimation
strategies; Design design devices or experiments to determine
solutions to problems (often requires educated judgments about
information to propose new solutions).
Evaluate:
Evaluate Impact determine the effects of a plan or strategy;
Evaluate Information determine what constitutes credible
information and explain judgments; Justify and Defend formulate
and defend a position on a topic or issue.
Design learning activities that require more critical thought. Help students
coach one another to think more deeply; e.g., Have you thought of ?
Why did you ? What are the implications of ?
Help students recognize and use accurate connecting words; e.g., since,
due to, as a result of, compared to.
Acknowledgement:
This Professional Learning Guide was developed by the Edmonton
Regional Learning Consortium and funded through a grant from
Alberta Education to support implementation. It provided for free in
support of improved teaching and learning under the following
Creative Commons license.