Guide to Critical/Creative Thinking
Intended Learning Outcome:
Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to consider problems/ideas and transform them in innovative or imaginative ways (See below for definitions)
Assessment may include but is not limited to the following criteria and intended outcomes:
Analyze problems/ideas critically and/or creatively
Synthesize information/ideas into a coherent whole
Evaluate synthesized information in order to transform problems/ideas in innovative or imaginative ways
From Association of American Colleges & Universities, LEAP outcomes and VALUE rubrics: Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Creative thinking is both the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.
Elements, excerpts, and ideas borrowed with permission form Assessing Outcomes and Improving Achievement: Tips and tools for Using Rubrics, edited by Terrel L. Rhodes. Copyright 2010 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Critical/Creative Thinking Rubric
Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to consider problems/ideas and transform them into innovative or imaginative ways.
Criteria | Inadequate | Developing | Competent | Proficient |
---|---|---|---|---|
Analyze problems/ideas critically and/or creatively |
Does not analyze problems/ideas |
Analyzes problems/ideas but not critically and/or creatively |
Begins to analyze the problems/ideas critically and/or creatively |
analyzes the problems/ideas critically and/or creatively |
Synthesize information/ideas in order to synthesize into a coherent whole |
Does not synthesize information/ideas |
Begins to synthesize information/ideas but not into a coherent whole |
Synthesizes information/ideas but not into a coherent whole |
Synthesizes information/ideas into a coherent whole |
Evaluate synthesized information in order to transform problems/ideas in innovative |
Does not evaluate synthesized information in order to transform problems/ideas |
Evaluates synthesized information and begins to transform problems/ideas |
Evaluates synthesized information and transforms problems/ideas |
Evaluates, synthesized information and transforms problems/ideas accounting for their complexities or nuances |
From Association of American Colleges & Universities, LEAP outcomes and VALUE rubrics: Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Creative thinking is both the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.
Elements, excerpts, and ideas borrowed with permission form Assessing Outcomes and Improving Achievement: Tips and tools for Using Rubrics, edited by Terrel L. Rhodes. Copyright 2010 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.