Rules vs Reason

How can we know students are thinking critically? Assessment, but it has to be the right kind of assessment. I know what you are thinking…we do that all the time. We assess with exams, quizzes, and practical exams throughout the semester, which are good ways to measure how much knowledge students are gaining. Still, most multiple-choice examinations can’t differentiate between following rules and thinking critically. So, back to my question, how do we know students are reasoning?