Competence in a particular discipline or area of knowledge is the primary
goal of education in the United States, but teaching students to think
critically and reflectively has become a major concern within the last
twenty years.
In fact, several national reports and studies have charged higher
education with the responsibility to produce individuals capable of thinking
critically and independently.
In his State of the Union address for 1990, for
example, President George Bush announced the adoption of “National Goals 2000” that included strong support for critical thinking in education.
At Northern Michigan University, the vice president of academic affairs recently
challenged the faculty to produce what he called “independent learners.”