The need for colleges to develop critical thinking skills in mainstream courses is emerging as an issue of national significance. Students benefit from clearly articulated and pedagogically sound courses that directly and explicitly teach thinking skills, as well as from efforts to reinforce these abilities across the curriculum. At LaGuardia…

Describes the rationale for and outcomes of La Guardia Community College's Critical Thinking Program. Considers the relationship of critical thinking to writing and reading. Evaluates the program's impact on students' reading, writing, and speaking skills; higher-order reasoning/problem-solving abilities; and critical attitudes toward their lives…

Based on the premise that traditional skill deficiencies are symptoms of a fundamental inability to reason, to use concepts, and to solve problems, a three-part remedial course was designed by the Philosophy Department at LaGuardia Community College (New York) to teach critical thinking as a basic learning skill. Part I of the course explores the…