American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

Issue: October 2009

Fostering Critical Thinking in Physical Education Students
Ken R. Lodewyk

Abstract: Critical thinking is essentially “better thinking.” When students think critically they consider complex information from numerous sources and perspectives in order to make a reasonable judgment that they can justify. It has been associated with academic qualities such as decision-making, creativity, reasoning, problem-solving, debating, mindfulness, and reflective judgment. Critical thinking learned in physical education can also transfer positively into the resolution of challenges and problems that arise in other academic domains and in life. This article explains what critical thinking is and why it is important that students develop it. It also offers recommendations for physical educators who want to foster their students’ critical-thinking skills.

Article category: Teaching