CRITICAL THINKING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT CONNECTIONS.pdfVIP

CRITICAL THINKING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE: IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT CONNECTIONS Barry Fagin, Jim Harper, Leemon Baird, Steve Hadfield and Ricky Sward US Air Force Academy Dept of Computer Science 2354 Fairchild Drive USAFA, CO 80840 719-333-3590 {firstname.lastname}@usafa.af.mil ABSTRACT Critical thinking is an essential skill for an educated society. Our experience as computer science educators in an environment with an explicit emphasis on critical thinking has led us to investigate the connection between the two. We describe examples of how critical thinking skills can be developed throughout the computer science curriculum, and suggest future avenues where the connection between critical thinking and computer science could be fruitfully explored. 1. INTRODUCTION Critical thinking abilities are considered a cornerstone of academic maturity and a trademark of a well-educated person. They are particularly important at our university, a military institution where critical thinking skills are an explicitly desired educational outcome. Our experience as computer scientists charged with developing critical thinking skills in our students has led us to spend some time examining the connection between computer science and critical thinking. This paper discusses how progress through the discipline of computer science can develop critical thinking, and how to assist that development through carefully chosen exercises. We believe the connection between CS and critical thinking is stronger than the literature would suggest. 2. CRITICAL THINKING Paul [7] describes critical thinking as an intellectual discipline for examining information and determining validity. It is based on universal intellectual values