The Effectiveness of Instruction in Critical Thinking

Studies have found only a small improvement in critical thinking skills in traditional stand-alone undergraduate critical thinking courses, moderate improvement when such courses involve computer-assisted tutoring or are combined with writing instruction and practice, and the largest improvements mainly in courses that focus on computer-assisted argument mapping. In addition, two recent meta-analyses suggest that the most effective method of improving critical thinking skills may be a unit of critical thinking instruction by a purpose-trained instructor in the context of subject-matter instruction with student discussion, engagement with a problem, and coaching.