Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychology A Handbook of Best Practices

Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychology features current scholarship on effectively teaching critical thinking skills in the discipline of psychology. These skills include the ability to recognize patterns; to solve problems in practical, creative, or scientific ways; to engage in psychological reasoning; and to adopt different perspectives when evaluating ideas or issues. Through these skills students improve their abilities to observe, infer, question, decide, develop new ideas, and analyze arguments. Using original materials and perspectives, this edited volume provides novel and nontraditional approaches to teaching critical thinking, including strategies, tactics, diversity issues, service learning, and the use of case studies. Written by experts in the field, this accessible collection provides instructors with a showcase for best practices for teaching critical thinking issues at all levels of psychology.

Dana S. Dunn is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Learning in Common Curriculum at Moravian College. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Dunn is active in the Society for the Teaching of Psychology and frequently presents at national and regional disciplinary conferences. The author or editor of 7 previous books, Dunn has also written numerous articles, chapters, and book reviews.
Jane S. Halonen is Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of West Florida. She publishes in the areas of assessment, critical thinking, faculty development, and student success. A Fellow of Division 2 of the American Psychological Association, Jane is a past President of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology and serves as Associate Editor of its journal, Teaching of Psychology.
Randolph A. Smith is Professor of Psychology and Department Chair at Lamar University. His professional work focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Smith is a Fellow of Divisions 1 and 2 of the American Psychological Association and has served as Editor of Teaching of Psychology from 1997-2008. He has authored or edited 4 previous books, as well as many articles, chapters, and presentations.