One of the biggest threats to helping students developing critical thinking skills is the embrace of AI by corporations like LinkedIn, which are actually asking professionals to edit and rewrite (without compensation) generic articles composed by plagiarism machines. Don't be a sucker.

One of the challenges l think, is that many students still see engagement in formalised learning as acquiring facts / knowledge and therefore accepting at face value what is presented to them through the various modes of learning. These attitudes are also bound up in culture. Providing definitions of criticality and supporting examples is essential. However, students find this very challenging as it is a paradigm shift away from the 'norm' for them. Although criticality is known as a core element of learning at Level 7, l think it is something that should be encouraged and developed at the start of the HEI study journey, through the entire teaching and learning lifecycle.

Critical thinking, a deeply analytical and problem-solving ability, seems to be recently plagued by cognitive fatigue and personal biases/ preferences. Considering high mental stress levels caused by socio/political instability, so many learners' cognitive skills have been negatively impacted. Also, as a product of society, learners are more likely to internalise certain opinions, beliefs, ideologies, and attitudes that manifest as individual biases. Regardless of the fact that one might claim to be open-minded, unconscious prejudices might distort one’s pattern of thinking swaying the decision-making process.

Critical thinking in the university environment means the ability to analyze, evaluate & synthesize information in a systematic & reflective manner. It involves questioning assumptions, identifying biases & assessing evidence to form well-reasoned conclusions or solutions. This skill is crucial for students as it enables them to engage with diverse perspectives, tackle complex problems & make informed decisions in both academic & real-world contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of their fields of study & enhancing their overall intellectual growth.

The use of AI can lead to passive learning and hinders students' critical thinking. I stress to my students the importance of not accepting AI-generated solutions without question. Instead, I encourage them to delve deeper, asking "why" and "how," and to consider the broader implications of these solutions. This approach fosters richer classroom discussions, more innovative problem-solving, and a deeper appreciation for the complexity of the issues we explore.

Demonstrating critical thinking in the university environment can be exemplified through a research project that tackles a contemporary issue e.g. climate change. For instance, a student could begin by gathering a range of scholarly articles, government reports & media sources on the topic. They would then critically evaluate the credibility of each source, identifying any biases or gaps in the information. By synthesizing the findings, the student could formulate a unique argument or propose an innovative solution that addresses the complexities of climate change, ultimately presenting their work with clear reasoning, evidence-based conclusions & an acknowledgment of counterarguments.

As a former teacher of mine once advised me: invite them to think WITH you. I often think about and apply this piece of wisdom with my students.

I think it is important to let the students talk and ask questions. I usually let them create their own debate where one student has to respond to the other while I give little input and some tools to guide. It is amazing to see how this debate among students make them think and rethink their ideas while learning new ones. Sometimes I give two answers to the same question, showing two different points of view and let them agree with one at the time.

To overcome challenges in teaching critical thinking at the university level, instructors can implement active learning techniques e.g. group discussions & case studies, that engage students & promote diverse perspectives. Creating a supportive classroom environment that encourages questioning & providing consistent feedback on assignments can help students develop & refine their critical thinking skills over time.

In my lectures I often talk about how immigrants from different cultures are exposed to different situations and therefore have a different perspective. It is important to show American students that they have to understand the world from a multifaceted perspective. Critical thinking is all about being curious and open to change opinions and reflect on ideas.

The foundation of critical thinking is deep knowledge and understanding of a given issue and its many related topics. Without good and solid knowledge about what one wishes to think critically about, "critical thinking" becomes closer to an opinion rather than an actual critical analysis.

Unless critical thinking is structured explicitly and consistently throughout assessment criteria, top to bottom, it’s all too easy to see it only as part of ‘stretch and challenge’. It has to be a fundamental requirement in assessment, not a component that typically serves to differentiate higher and lower achieving students. And to do this, critical thinking must be embedded from Early Years - easy! Little kids question everything! Let them go wild with their questions, not constrain them to the particular parameters of whatever ‘stage’ or ‘phase’ their age places them in.

I teach Organizational Behavior mainly to 3rd year students who are completing two degrees simultaneously usually involved in our Co-Op program also. They have been well weeded out and are razer sharp. Their degrees are usually in Business and Finance or Business and an IT specialty. They take very few classes like mine. In other classes the exams may be prepared by selecting multiple choice or true/false questions that come to the Professor with the text book. They're easily marked by running the exams through a machine. That's what they desparately want, but they've proven they can memorize texts. The knowledge is only valuable if they internalize it and know how to apply it. Solve real cases as a class using critical thinking always.