Dr. Ehrhardt focused on critical thinking in his ITS 201, Introduction to International Studies, course.  The students were primarily business majors in their first or second year.  He designed several small in-class exercises to provoke critical thinking as well a large paper assignment which required students to do extensive critical thinking.  He used a modified form of the WSU rubric which focused on alternative explanations, use of evidence, and drawing appropriate conclusions to assess the large paper assignment.  Based on this project, he has made plans for future changes in the course.  He believes that breaking critical thinking up into component parts and doing smaller, repeated exercises will be more helpful to the students than the large paper.  He also concluded that experiencing one course that emphasizes critical thinking is insufficient to make an adequate impact on the students.

Assignment

Ehrhardt Assignment

Rubric

Ehrhardt Rubric