A Course Designed to Improve Students' Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences

Abstract

Students in the life sciences first-year program at NC State University enroll in a course focused on critical and creative thinking. The course is discussion-based with small groups working on problems and case studies associated with the neuroscience of learning, critical and creative thinking, rhetoric in science, diversity in STEM, and experimental design. Groups also work on a semester-long project tying together many of the course topics. Course design and best practices are discussed for adoption and implementation to help grow students’ critical thinking and creative thinking skills.  Results support that group work all semester helped student learning gains, and that students rank improvement in their understanding of course content as well as skills in the area of argumentative writing and discussions.