Critical thinking is a high priority outcome of higher education. It is crucial in independent thinking and problem solving.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking can be defined as being able to examine an issue by breaking it down. Evaluating it in a conscious manner, while providing arguments/evidence.
Asking questions and using the answers to understand the world around us is what drives critical thinking.
How do we assess critical thinking?
Assessments are the most common way of assessing and evaluating a student’s critical thinking. Answering critically speaks to a high level of understanding of the topic.
Well, how do we detect essence of critical thinking in student’s answers?
Question Stems
- How does … affect …?
- Explain why/how …?
- Why is … happening?
These are some ways you can phrase questions to illicit a response involving critical thinking.
You can use AI like ChatGPT or UseMemo.ai to generate such questions to be given as formative or summative assessments.
During Grading
By giving a marking rubrics, an AI is able to act as an assistant to detect instances of critical thinking. Tools like Class Companion give teachers the ability to automate grading according to their rubrics, using AI.
So why use AI?
I think of AI as an assistant rather than an overlord. It enhances the work we do, not replace them.
Using AI to create questions and grade them saves us time as educators. We can use the extra time to provide more personalised in person teaching! That’s what separates us from a machine.
