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Teaching students to fact-check what they “think they know” helps them update false beliefs.

Students can learn that changing their minds in response to better evidence is a sign of good judgment.

Decision-making routines strengthen critical thinking, communication, and respectful disagreement.

Part 2 in a Two-Part Series.

In Part 1 of this interview, I introduced Joanne Calder, an Alliance Senior Teaching Fellow with the Alliance for Decision Education, teaching middle school-aged students in British Columbia. For more than 20 years, Calder has researched critical thinking skills and has turned her findings into fun, effective teaching strategies that help students question, discuss, and update their thinking. This is a continuation of our discussion:

JR: What are other strategies you use to help students keep their thinking flexible and evidence-based?

JC: A fantastic activity I use regularly came from decision scientist Lee Failing: “Endorse, accept, oppose.” I use this when making class decisions such........

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