This issue of "Focus" includes nine essays addressing various concerns related to curriculum, theory, research, teaching strategies, student and faculty issues, and other matters pertinent to the Utah community colleges. The issue contains: (1) "Comment: Making Quality 'Job One' in the Community College," by Don A. Carpenter;…

Offers guidelines for the assessment of critical thinking ability, suggesting that assessment be integral to learning, involve a range of behaviors, emphasize expected course, program, or institutional outcomes, incorporate structured feedback and an external dimension, and be cumulative. Lists steps in developing an assessment plan. (DMM)

Discusses the genesis and evolution of the California legislative mandate to teach critical thinking in every community college classroom. Defines critical thinking. Reviews steps included in the California colleges' plans for curriculum development. Considers pedagogical, affective, and transfer implications. Briefly describes two college…

An introduction is provided to the Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) Program at Valencia Community College (VCC), a 2-year general education core curriculum divided into four courses. A description of VCC is followed by an overview of the program, which integrates the arts, philosophy, religion, English, mathematics, social sciences, and physical…

Defines critical thinking and its relationship to knowledge, intellectual discipline, and intellectual values. Identifies elements and domains of thought and traits of mind that should be cultivated in students. Offers guidelines on teaching for critical thinking and on incorporating critical thinking in the curriculum. (DMM)

Suggests a process for incorporating critical thinking into social science courses. Explains preparatory steps (e.g., learning how to teach thinking and redesigning courses to include discipline-specific and core thinking skills). Recommends ways of reworking lectures, demonstrations, discussions, experiential learning, and assignments to address…

The success of critical thinking courses poses a significant threat to the conception and status of the humanities. In an effort to remediate deficiencies in the writing and reading skills of students attempting to undertake college-level work, courses have been developed which aim to improve the cognitive skills needed for effective…

Presents an annotated bibliography of ERIC materials on critical thinking instruction, focusing on general approaches, and critical thinking approaches linked to developmental education, writing instruction, and other disciplines. (DMM)

Underscores the importance of classroom climate and innovative teaching methods in creating a fertile environment for the teaching of critical thinking. Argues that critical thinking requires active learning. Briefly describes strategies such as five-minute "writes," panel presentations, discipline worksheets, and assignment interviews as ways of…

Describes La Guardia Community College's interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of critical thinking, focusing on the program's impact on literacy, reasoning, problem solving, and critical attitudes. Presents guidelines for integrating critical thinking. Discusses the importance of professional development to encourage curricular changes,…

Offers suggestions for teaching critical thinking in writing and humanities courses. Explains the rules of freewriting as they are presented to students, compares left- and right-brain qualities, and describes assignments involving focused freewriting and metaphor, and efforts to make assignments relevant. Describes the evaluation process and…

Considers critical thinking skills employment qualifications. Utilizing accounting classes as an example, offers guidelines for using literature to help students understand interactions between professional and business environments; and employing case studies to help students practice oral and problem-solving skills. Advocates consistency in…

Designed as a forum for the exchange of ideas on significant issues in the humanities, this annual journal presents articles written by two-year college faculty in the humanities disciplines. The 1991 issue includes the following: (1) "Why I Write and How I Teach," by Linda Ching Sledge; (2) "The Australian Character," by Carol L. Nelson-Burns;…

As society becomes more individualized in production techniques and the college-aged population becomes more diverse, education must adjust to help the individual cope with a world full of rapid change. Recent research has opened new doors to understanding how individuals learn, and this understanding should be used to develop programs and…

Papers presented at "The Future of Literature in the Community College" conference are included in this proceedings. The following papers are presented: (1) "The Value of Literature in the Community College Curriculum: One Credo, Several Courses," by Carol Barrett; (2) "The Use of Literature in the Teaching of English as a Second Language," by…