PSYCH 105: CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH PROBLEMS ANALYSIS

The materials submitted by three instructors and the department chair were reviewed and it is clear from the review of these materials that this critical thinking course meets all of the requirements of this category. Furthermore, the psychology department is to be commended for the effort that they have made to address all of the criteria of the G.E. critical thinking course and for designing the various sections of this course in a coherent and systematic fashion.

SOC 180: CRITICAL THINKING ABOUT SOCIAL PROBLEMS

The information submitted for one section of this course was used for this review. The course aims to develop critical thinking skills “through a comparison of common sense and social scientific analyses of contemporary social problems.” Students are required to write 7 one-page critiques and 7 one-paragraph critiques. The evaluation of student performance includes 7 quizzes and a final exam. Selected examples of the critiques and exam responses submitted by students are included with the course syllabus and the GE questionnaire. Although the course addresses most of the GE objectives for the Basic Skills Category and the criteria for the critical thinking courses, it is not clear how the course addresses objective (2), “to understand and utilize quantitative data” or criteria (e), “to understand how cause is determined, including the limitations of correlational evidence.”

The approach used to promote critical thinking in this course is significantly different from the emphasis that is placed in the other critical thinking courses that, for example, emphasize “argument analysis” or “symbolic logic.” Yet, it does emphasize critical thinking in relation to social issues and everyday life. These highly divergent approaches pose a challenge in terms of reconciling their effectiveness in developing basic critical thinking skills that can be generalized or applied to different situations. It is proposed that the instructors who teach critical thinking collaboratively reassess how the various courses address the objectives of the GE Basic Skills Category and the criteria currently required for critical thinking courses.

CATEGORY COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The GE Committee has two concerns regarding the courses within this category, both of which relate to the applicable objectives and criteria for the Critical Thinking category. First, the Committee is concerned that some critical thinking courses are not being taught in the small class size format, as is required by the current objectives and criteria. Second, it is clear that not all of the courses are addressing all of the objectives that are listed for critical thinking courses.

The GE Committee recommends that the Critical Thinking Oversight Committee, or, if it no longer exists, an interdisciplinary committee consisting of faculty who teach these courses, conduct a review of these courses with regard to the two concerns mentioned above. This committee is requested to review the objectives and criteria for the Critical Thinking courses, and to suggest modifications to the objectives and criteria and/or the structure of the courses in order to bring the two in line. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies is requested to ensure that this process is completed and that a report is forwarded to the GE Committee by the end of the winter quarter, 2001.