Hiring managers are quick to point out that many students enter the professional work force lacking the writing, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary for today’s competitive environment. Recent research sponsored by The Association of American Colleges and Universities entitled Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn highlights an increased need for “written and oral communication; critical thinking and analytic reasoning; the application of knowledge and skills in real-world settings; complex problem solving; ethical decision making, and teamwork skills.” Here are a couple of examples of how technology is being employed to address these issues.
Hunter College faculty members discuss how they incorporate wikis and other tools to support collaborative problem-solving in the their classes.
Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City) hosts a Critical Thinking Project web site that allows instructors to share resources across all areas of the college curriculum.
How do you use technology to enhance critical thinking skills and prepare your students for the world of work?