In PSY100, when I teach the developmental psychology module, the debate between the influence of nature vs nurture is a central theme. To hone students’ critical thinking skills, I would provide them with preliminary resources (articles, videos, etc) to reflect on this topic and build on their point of view with additional resources. I would model potential ideas and nudge them to reflect on instances in their daily lives to derive examples. Thereafter, I would have students work in groups and debate on the topic. I would provide real-time feedback to the students and help them “interleave” with concepts they have learnt earlier in the course or in other courses. Lastly, I would have them write a reflection on the topic to evaluate their critical thinking process, only to provide them with more feedback once I grade their written work. I would encourage students to read and respond to each other’s posts.

In the very first class period of the term, I start with introductions to get to know my students and their backgrounds (as much as they are comfortable to share). I take notes so that I remember salient facts about each student. During the term, I engage students to tap into their expertise. For example, students have varied professional and personal experiences outside of the classroom; I make connections of specific course material with their experiences, and encourage them to share them with the class.