Learning
Guide
B
Supporting Student Development of Competencies:
Think Critically
This learning guide shares several strategies and ideas related to
supporting student development of the competency “Think
Critically.” Some of the strategies and ideas shared are ones you
may have already used with your students. The shift is to
become intentional about highlighting/discussing how these
“tried and true” strategies support the development of one or
more competencies.
This learning guide is designed for use by
professional learning communities, leaders,
learning coaches and teachers, or as a self-paced
study to explore practical strategies to support student
development of Alberta’s competencies across the
curriculum and in every classroom.
Use this Learning Guide after viewing Introduction to
Critical Thinking by Garfield Gini-Newman, Think
Critically and Alberta Education’s competency
indicators for Think Critically.
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.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion:
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What Graphic Organizers can facilitate critical thinking and
analysis?
Review the learner outcomes in the Programs of Study for
your grade level/subject. Highlight the words found under
Key Strategies/Ideas. How can you become more intentional
about using subject content to teach the skills?
As a staff or as an individual, use the “Six Hats Protocol” (a
protocol that supports the development of critical thinking),
respond to the following questions: What do I need to
consider when planning for student development of
competencies? How might you use this protocol with your
students to support the development of critical thinking?
What other strategies have you used to support student
development of the competency “Think Critically”?
For more information:
The Critical Thinking Consortium
Critical Thinking with Garfield Gini-Newman, ERLC
iPads in Bloom: Linking iPads and Bloom's Taxonomy
A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy:
http://www.celt.iastate.edu/pdfsdocs/teaching/RevisedBloomsHandout.pdf
Graphic Organizers, Alberta Education
Protocols Expeditionary Learning, NY State