Development of a Rubric to Improve Critical Thinking

Context: Health care professionals, including athletic trainers are confronted daily with multiple complex problems that require critical thinking. Objective: This research attempts to develop a reliable process to assess students' critical thinking in a variety of athletic training and kinesiology courses. Design: Our first step was to create a panel of professionals, faculty, students, and critical thinking specialists to create a list of desirable traits and skill sets. Next, the panel specifically examined the language used by a university's existing critical thinking rubric and considered possible modifications for the kinesiology and athletic training education programs. This process involved the creation of a team of raters who participated in a norming process. Setting: University undergraduate classroom. Participants: Students enrolled in a lower level anatomy class and a higher level motor learning class within the kinesiology program and a group of stakeholders. Outcome Measures: To develop con...