Back plan for critical thinking skills

When designing curriculum, it is essential to consider not just the content students need to know but also the critical thinking skills they should possess. Back planning from both knowledge standards and critical thinking goals for high school graduation is crucial. Mastery of important concepts requires practice over multiple years, indicating the need for curricular planning to ensure retention. This approach applies not only to K-12 education but also to higher education, where educators should outline the knowledge and skills graduates should possess in their discipline. Expecting students to retain significant content or develop critical thinking skills from a single course may not be realistic.