Teaching strategies in higher education for the promotion of critical reflection

M.Ed.This research essay argues in favour of a university pedagogy that encourages the habits of mind which produce the practice of consistent or regular critical reflection amongst students. The reason for the above is to impart such skills to students in order that they may contribute significantly to constructing a critically thinking civil society in which the values espoused in a democratic ethos are encouraged and cherished. It is pointed out in this research essay with reference to international literature and national policy documents, that one of the main goals of higher education is to foster critical reflection and educate a committed and critically reflective citizenry. Because of the fact that students in higher education are, through their education, being groomed to be the future leaders who will develop policy and lead the nation, it is imperative that they establish and practice critical habits of mind. The concept 'critical reflection' is defined. The key point is that it is a process of 'hunting' taken-for-granted assumptions that individuals have about the world in which they live. Teaching strategies are explored using international literature. Those strategies that can be used or adapted in the unique South African higher education context of escalating student numbers and diversified student populations are enumerated and discussed. A dialogic approach is seen to be key and underpins all of the selected 1. strategies which are as follows: 2. Skilled critical questioning 3. Making use of critical incidents 4. Getting students to keep a Journal 5. Role-playing This selected list of strategies is, of course, by no means intended to be exhaustive