A Review of Critical Thinking Education: Definitions, Assessments, and Teaching Practices

Despite widespread recognition of its importance, there is a notable lack of consensus regarding the conceptual definition of critical thinking. It is also widely recognized that teaching critical thinking skills is difficult. This literature review therefore seeks to achieve a better understanding of critical thinking: focusing on the ways in which critical thinking has been defined, on the ways in which teachers can foster critical thinking in their students through effective teaching and assessment practices for critical thinking, and on connections between critical thinking and creativity, from a variety of perspectives on the nature of critical thinking. Equipped with this information, faculty can apply instruction in critical thinking skills to their institution’s missions as a whole, and provide a more transformative educational experience for their students.