Across disciplines, faculty work with students to foster critical thinking, which OU’s General Education program defines as one’s ability to “comprehensively [explore] issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.” Responses in national surveys of employers on the “career-ready graduate” (AAC&U, 2023) reinforced the value of such abilities outside of the academy, yet found college graduates underprepared to engage in critical thinking in the workplace. What might we do to address both this need and fill this gap? 

In the digital era of information overload, we can start by helping students become “critical ignorers.” Critical ignorers decide quickly if information deserves attention and if not, “ignore it, move on, and locate a better source” (Wineburg, 2023).

The most direct way to create critical ignorers is to explicitly connect critical thinking and information literacy in our disciplines, with the help of an OU subject librarian who  can build and present these resources.

Connecting Critical Thinking and Information Literacy

Critical thinking, as a concept, is intentionally broad; it’s applicable across disciplines and situations. But when it comes to becoming critical ignorers, we need to add a dimension here that asks us to consider information intentionally; this is where information literacy comes in. 

Information literacy involves “the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge” (Association of College and Research Libraries [ACRL], 2016). This concept, too, is discipline-agnostic, and for good reason; people in all fields of knowledge can be (and, indeed, need to be!) information literate. Taking critical thinking and information literacy together, though, we have a starting point for fostering critical ignoring in our classrooms. 

Four Moves: The SIFT Method

In dealing with critical thinking around information sources, Caulfield’s (2019) SIFT Method – or “the Four Moves” – is a useful approach when we want to ask students to “comprehensively [explore] issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.” 

SIFT stands for,

• Stop: This step involves determining whether we can identify the information source and its claims. If not, we move to the next steps to figure it out.
• Investigate the Source: This step involves knowing what we’re reading before we read it – or, as Caulfield explained, “taking sixty seconds” to know “the expertise and agenda of the source,” so we can decide whether it’s worth our time and trust. 
• Find Other Coverage: This step involves what some, including Wineburg, call lateral reading, – figuring out what others have said, and whether those sources agree or disagree with the original information resource. Finding other coverage also helps students discover what the information source is and whether its claims are legit.
• Trace Ideas Back to the Source: This step involves adding back in the context that the internet often strips away – but which is critical to our thinking about any information we encounter.

Wineburg (2023) shared an example of SIFT practices in action. Along with a co-researcher, he compared the behavior of “critical thinkers” and fact-checkers when encountering information that appeared reputable and academic. While the “critical thinkers” – in this case, high-performing undergraduate students and faculty members from prestigious institutions – examined the information source, fact checkers did the opposite: They stopped and investigated the source and quickly discerned that it wasn’t worth their time. 

With SIFT, then, we can help our students become more critical in their thinking but also in what they choose to not consider.

A Habit: Partner with a Subject Librarian

Caulfield’s (2019) Four Moves are often connected with a habit; in his case, checking emotions, which is certainly important for us, too. But in our case, the habit I’d recommend is partnering with the subject librarian for your discipline.These OU faculty members are experts in information literacy and can be valuable partners in helping your students become more critical information consumers and creators.

Conclusion

To foster critical thinking in your courses, reflect on the ways you ask your students to approach concepts, ideas, and materials and whether there are opportunities to ask them to become critical ignorers. SIFT offers strategies that can foster such a mindset, and the subject librarian for your discipline is an able and willing partner in such endeavors.

Resources

Association of College and Research Libraries. 2016). Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. American Library Association. 

Caulfield, M. (2019, June 19). SIFT: The Four Moves. 

Faix, A., & Fyn, A. (2023). Six frames, four moves, one habit: Finding ACRL’s Framework within SIFT. College & Research Libraries News, 84(11), 411-416. 

Finley, A.P. (2023). The Career-ready Graduate: What employers say about the difference college makes. American Association of Colleges and Universities. 

Oakland University General Education requirements

Wineburg, S. (2023, December). Critical thinking: Necessary but insufficient in a digital age. National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Related Teaching Tips

See more teaching tips on critical thinking.

• Teaching in an Age of Information Disorder
• Infusing Slides with Critical Thinking

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About the Author

Amanda Nichols Hess is a Professor and the Coordinator of Instruction and Research Help in the Kresge Library. Her research focuses on information literacy instruction, faculty development, online learning, and how these concepts intersect. Outside of work, Amanda moonlights as her children’s elementary school mascot (which is a Dragon).

Edited by Rachel Smydra, Faculty Fellow in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC.

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Recognizing and addressing mental health issues can be life-changing for your students. Increasingly, emerging adults (18-28) face significant mental health issues. 

A review of the National College Health Assessment and the Healthy Minds Study found marked increases of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation (Duffy et al., 2019; Lipson et al., 2019) prior to the pandemic among young adults. Recent data show increases of mental health issues among college-age populations (Nails et al., 2023) since the pandemic. Health disparities also perpetuate unmet mental health needs among underrepresented populations (Kodish, et al., 2022), especially among racial and sexual identity/gender minorities.   

From including language on your syllabus to creating awareness and connecting students to resources, the following suggestions can help you recognize and address student mental health issues in your courses. As a licensed counselor and Professor in the Counseling Department, I find that these strategies include basic tools anyone can use to enhance communication when someone discloses mental health challenges.

Strategies to Address Mental Health

Reducing mental health stigma by advocating and discussing mental health increases awareness and the likelihood to engage in services. The tools below are basic approaches to facilitate awareness and response; however, keep in mind that different contexts most often foster different student responses. 

Adding Mental Health Language to the Syllabus 

Including statements on your syllabus can help normalize the student’s experience; in addition, discussing mental health issues throughout the semester lets your students know that you support their mental wellbeing.

Mental Health and Well-being Syllabus Suggestions 

Adding a statement, such as the following, to your syllabus can help show these aspects. CETL’s recommended OU syllabus template has a similar Mental Health and Well-being section with additional resources.

At times, students may have personal concerns that impact their learning experience. Oakland University is committed to advancing the mental health and well-being of its students. If you feel overwhelmed and/or need support services, they are available.

For help, contact the OU Counseling Center(in the Graham Health Center) at (248) 370-3465. Student resources can also be found at the Oakland University Dean of Students’ Mental Health and Well-being.

For immediate 24/7 services contact Common Ground via chat or call or text the word “hello” to 1-800-231-1127.

Contextualizing Potential Mental Health Issues and Information

Acknowledging the potential stress students might experience during academic pursuits can help you tailor a message to fit your course. For example, I teach counseling classes that require a high-level of introspection. Therefore, I may add the following statement on my syllabus: 

This class requires self-reflection that may create discomfort. 

In my graduate courses, I often acknowledge the role overload (full time jobs, family obligations, and school work) many of my students experience. I stress the importance of accessing support to manage these stressors; for example, the OU Recreation and Wellbeing Center, OU Counseling Services, and Student Organizations. In undergraduate courses, I emphasize how developmental transitions, academic challenges and career decision-making can be stressful and remind them of the value of maintaining healthy habits by including a statement such as the following: 

As college students, you may experience difficult transitions, academic challenges, and career challenges. One of the most important steps you can take as a young adult is to be aware when stress is affecting your mental and physical health. If you experience increased mental health concerns, it is important for you to connect to support and improve your overall well-being and engage in healthy habits that benefit your mental health. 

Recognizing Student Mental Health Signs 

We are at the frontline for students and may see signs of mental health decline among our students. It is important to keep in mind that you may not notice these shifts with students because you may not be in close interpersonal contact. However, as a faculty member, you may notice missed classes, missed assignments, struggles with group assignments and less engagement. Here are common signs that a person may be struggling (adapted from Grizzle Response: Awareness and Suicide Prevention GRASP Trainings):

• Sudden changes in behavior
• Losing interest
• Insomnia or oversleeping
• Isolation

Use these signs as opportunities to check in with a student. This provides them an opportunity to share mental health concerns and gives you the opportunity to start a dialogue about seeking mental health resources. The following section includes potential do’s and don’ts when discussing mental health with a student. 

Creating Connections with Students Struggling

Keep in mind that each situation is unique, so how one receives and gives information can change based on individual differences. Therefore, the key is to begin a discussion with empathy. One way I do this is to state that I am glad they are willing to share their distress with me. Other things you can do or shouldn’t do include the following: 

Things to Do 

• Express your willingness to help 
• Acknowledge their experience 
• Normalize their experience 
• Know that situations can change and what they are experiencing may be temporary
• Provide connection to resources 

Within these do’s, there is a sweet spot. You often want to avoid minimizing a person's pain and discomfort but introduce the idea that what they are experiencing is temporary or could change. Feelings and situations can change even if it is difficult to see that possibility in the moment. 

Here are some examples: 

• Acknowledge their experience or communicate your concern: “I understand you are feeling anxious due to all your end of the semester assignments.”    
• Normalize their experience: ”The end of the semester can be a stressful time for students and what you are feeling is common.”
• Situations can change: ”I know you are feeling anxious about assignments. I wonder if breaking down this assignment together will help you lessen your feelings of being overwhelmed.”
• Provide Connection to Resources: ”Now that we have worked through the assignment, I am wondering if you found that helpful? There are several supports on campus that might help working through assignments (Academic Skills) and feeling overwhelmed (Counseling Center).” 

At the minimum, acknowledge their experience and try to instill hope.

Things to Avoid 

• Guarantee confidentiality: A student may disclose that their distress is very serious and they are at potential risk to self or others. Therefore, if you guarantee confidentiality, this can impact trust if you need to contact emergency services, student affairs, and/or the counseling office.
• Avoid ignoring or minimizing issues: Avoid communicating that what they are experiencing is small or quickly solved.
• Making the problem your own: Know your limits. Generally, faculty are not mental health professionals; therefore, avoid becoming overly involved beyond your knowledge and skill level.     

References and Resources 

Duffy, M. E., Twenge, J. M., & Joiner, T. E. (2019). Trends in mood and anxiety symptoms and suicide-related outcomes among US undergraduates, 2007–2018: Evidence from two national surveys. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(5), 590-598.

Kodish T, Lau AS, Gong-Guy E, Congdon E, Arnaudova I, Schmidt M, Shoemaker L, Craske MG. Enhancing Racial/Ethnic Equity in College Student Mental Health Through Innovative Screening and Treatment.Adm Policy Ment Health. 2022 Mar;49(2):267-282. doi: 10.1007/s10488-021-01163-1. Epub 2021 Sep 9. PMID: 34505211; PMCID: PMC8850289.

Lipson, S. K., Lattie, E. G., & Eisenberg, D. (2019). Increased rates of mental health service utilization by US college students: 10-year population-level trends (2007–2017). Psychiatric Services, 70(1), 60-63.

Nails, J. G., Maffly-Kipp, J., DeShong, H. L., Lowmaster, S. E., & Kurtz, J. E. (2023). A crisis in college student mental health? Self-ratings of psychopathology before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Assessment. 35(11):1010-1018. doi: 10.1037/pas0001241. 

Additional Resource Links

• Mental Health First Aid USA. 2021). Mental health first aid. National Council for Mental Wellbeing
• National Institute of Mental Health.
• Mental Illness and Substance Use in Young Adults. (2022). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 
• Susman, D. (2023). First aid approach to mental health concerns. Psychology Today.

Related Teaching Tips

• Essential Conditions of Learning
• Small Steps to Start Implementing a Trauma Informed Practice in your Course
• Trauma-Informed Pedagogy

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About the Author

Lisa Hawley is a Professor in the Department of Counseling at Oakland University and a Licensed Counselor. Lisa teaches a wide variety of counseling courses including mental health, group, introduction to counseling at both the master's and doctoral level. In addition, she has served as the Department of Counseling Chair, CETL Chair Fellow and multiple service roles for the university.  Currently, Lisa is researching SES measurements in counseling research.  Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors (hiking, biking, kayaking, etc.), watching movies, and cooking with family and friends.

Edited Rachel Smydra, Faculty Fellow in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. Follow these and more on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Building a students’ confidence about their writing skills can help them develop a positive attitude along with the skills necessary for college-level writing. While students can take the necessary steps to maximize their successes in basic writing courses, professors play a key role in building students’ confidence across any course by providing resources, offering support, and giving feedback.

I was on the receiving end of these strategies in my first-year writing class, and they helped me gain enough confidence to bypass the first-year writing course requirement (WRT 1050) through writing a placement essay. As students begin to feel supported in their writing courses, they start to see themselves as capable writers and can use their powerful writing voices to express what they are passionate about.

Embedding Strategies to Improve Writing Skills

By prioritizing critical analysis skills and ideas over mechanics, validating students' stories, encouraging reflection on writing processes, reevaluating grading methods, and offering praise on students’ writing as much as possible, professors can help students improve attitudes about writing. I experienced this myself in Professor Cathy Rorai’s WRT 1020 class. Making students aware of the following aspects can make them successful writers not only in your class but in others as well:  

Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

Helping students identify their strengths and weaknesses is essential. This awareness helps them pinpoint areas of improvement and seek help. Some students may need more support in first order concerns, others in second order concerns, and some may need constant validation as they grow more in confidence. 

Encourage Students to Use Resources 

Encouraging students to use resources at OU can help them get extra help. One advantage of being in a basic writing course is the level of additional support and resources available. For example, student employees who are TAs can provide tutoring and extra class time for one-on-one help. The Oakland University Writing Center is always a great resource for students to seek more help as it’s one-on-one focused. Once students utilize the resources available, they begin to feel comfortable and supported, especially if they struggle with writing anxiety. 

Tell Students to be Proactive 

While all college students should be proactive in their studies, students in basic writing courses should be encouraged to participate in class discussions, ask questions, and seek clarification and resources to hone their skills. By being more proactive and engaged in class, students gain a level of self advocacy, networking skills, and agency. These are all essential skills to successfully navigate any college course.

Make Writing Connections 

One of the challenges students face is finding relevance and importance in their writing as they often deem their professor as not a “real” audience. By connecting with personal connections and experiences, students can gain a sense of representation by bringing themselves or communities into their writing. This level of agency they get to have over their writing can affirm the importance of their writing voice– building their writing confidence. 

Embrace Writing style and Identity  

The concept of academic writing can be overwhelming for students as they think they are incapable of using such language. Afterall, writing is heavily shaped by personal, educational, and cultural backgrounds. As a result, they feel the urge to code switch and sound “professional,” and abandon their authentic voices. By embracing their writing style, they can begin to find their authentic writing voice.

References and Resources 

 "Not-so Basic-Writers'' is a Podcast series (submitted for publication) composed by Mena Hannakachl, Lucy Dannewitz, Cas Podgorski, and Ashley Mason-Troutman in Podcasting, WRT 3071 with Dr. Crystal VanKooten during winter 2023, dedicated to highlighting the stories of WRT 1020 students.

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About the Author

Mena Hannakachl is a senior majoring in Professional and Digital Writing. She was the 2023 recipient of the Keeper of the Dream award. Her academic work explores DEI related topics within writing. On campus, she serves as an Embedded Writing Specialist, peer mentor, and an admissions ambassador. Mena is also a published author, with her recently published memoir essay, titled “What Chaldean Girls Are.” After graduation, she plans to attend law school. Mena enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and practicing makeup artistry.

Edited and designed by Rachel Smydra, Faculty Fellow in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. Follow these tips and more on Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Reading serves as a critical component to engage students in learning. One strategy to motivate students and promote metacognition is to use social annotation. Attaching specific assigned goals to reading tasks serve not only to have students delve deeper into a subject matter, but they also enhance reading compliance.

Hypothes.is is a free open-source software platform that enables students to annotate and discuss online articles, webpages, PDFs, EPUBs, e-textbooks, and other open educational resources. Both Persuall and Hypothes.is offer free software options to facilitate social annotation. Hypothes.is has worked well for an upper level Political Science course that I teach. The platform enables me to shift the focus from what I think is important for students to know, to one that attempts to find out what the student identifies as valuable and/or noteworthy. 

Using social annotation creates opportunities to scaffold questions of increasing complexity to encourage students to probe for deeper understanding of the content and draw parallels relevant in today’s world.

Embedding Social Annotation Activities

To enhance student comprehension and critical reflection of course materials, I introduce tasks ranging in complexity by scaffolding annotation assignments. Using Hypothes.is, I add assignments that have students annotate a digital text collaboratively. I guide them through the process with focus questions that promote student understanding of major points of emphasis within the readings of one’s discipline.  More specifically, focus questions provide students with a specific goal(s) to identify key concepts and/or points of interest during their reading and serve as motivation for reading compliance.

Introduce Students to Digital Annotation 

Introducing students to the process of digital annotation is essential. Hypothes.is enables instructors to create small groups or facilitate an entire class annotating together. Because students have access to each other's annotations, the exchange of ideas moves the experience of annotating alone to one of interacting collaboratively. Often, I divide students into two groups and have them read an assigned article and annotate the passages that stand out to them. Prior to reading and annotating, both groups receive prompts such as the following to guide their experience. 

• What ideas or concepts caught your attention?
• How does the author(s) objectively or subjectively demonstrate her/his perspective?  Provide an example from the reading.
• What are the major takeaways for you from this reading?  Explain your thinking.

Expand an Assignment Scope

Once students are comfortable using the platform, they can expand on the scope of the assignment to take advantage of digital technology. I ask them to include graphics, videos, or links to other appropriate sources to flesh out meaning and connections. The following prompt guides them in their discovery: How does the graphic you selected help you remember the information in this annotation and/or understand the passage?

Add Critical Reflection 

Having students apply what they learn from using social annotation is essential to enable students to draw parallels between the texts they read. In addition, the ability for students to comment on each other’s annotations fuels a deeper understanding of content. 

To embed a critical reflection aspect, I have students write a summary of their assigned article or list two to three key points they discovered. Next, I have students read through the postings of the other group’s assigned article. They have to select one student’s comments and respond to the following prompt and share with the one member from the other group: How is this article similar or different from the one you read and annotated?  

References and Resources 

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About the Author

Gregory Allar is a Special Lecturer in the International Studies Program.  Greg is a regular participant in the activities of the Center for Teaching and Learning.  His primary field of interest is Russian culture and contemporary Russian politics.

Edited by Rachel Smydra, Faculty Fellow, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University.

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Starting a new semester always brings much to do to make the transition go smoothly. Getting a jump on planning your course design and using Moodle tools can help facilitate the process. This teaching tip shares a few ideas to save you time at the start of the semester. If you would like one-on-one assistance, schedule an appointment with an instructional designer at e-LIS.

Start of the Semester Moodle and Course Design Tips

When it comes to beginning a new semester, you most likely have several tasks to complete; for example, writing the syllabus, setting up your gradebook, and updating your course content. The good news is that several Moodle features can save you time and energy in navigating your process.  

Importing Previous Renditions of a Course 

If you are teaching a course you taught previously, you are already in a good position to start the semester with some structure. Moodle allows you to import any former courses into a new course shell. 

To import your course, simply navigate to the course where you will import the content, click the More tab at the top of your course, and then select Course Reuse from the dropdown menu. Locate your old course and select it and if you want to import everything, you can simply click on the jump to the next step . If you know you will teach a specific course in an upcoming semester, we would recommend requesting a practice course that enables you to modify and prep for the upcoming semester.  

Using the SpeedDater 

If you are working with an imported course, most likely you will need to modify and update due dates for assignments, quizzes, and forum discussions. The SpeedDater in Moodle allows you to update due dates for everything in your course all at once. This is a much more efficient process than manually updating dates in each activity. 

To find the SpeedDater, select the Reports tab at the top of your course. Select the Activity Completion report, then open the dropdown menu and select SpeedDater. You will be able to view and edit the due dates for all activities, or filter by the type of activity, such as assignments, forums or quizzes. 

Building a New Course

You may find yourself needing to build a brand new course in a short amount of time. In that case, we have a few specialized tips for you. First, we recommend using your syllabus and course schedule as an outline or skeleton to build out the Moodle page for any new courses you will teach. 

Decide whether you want to have your course be week-to-week, module-based, or topic-based. By starting from your syllabus/schedule, you can easily name the different sections of your course page based on week/topic, and you can quickly identify areas where you will need to build activities, such as assignments, forums, or quizzes. 

Another tip is to make a “Welcome to the Course” section. In the general section, you can add your syllabus, a short introduction video or welcome page, and any other important resources or information relevant to the course. We also encourage you to create a Student Questions forum where students can ask and view all peer questions; this will minimize the number of repetitive questions you have to answer via email.

Collaborating with an Instructional Designer  

Remember, you are not alone in this! An instructional designer (ID) can help you in any phase of the course building or updating process. The e-LIS ID team specializes in all things Moodle and online/hybrid teaching. We can assist you with course building, gradebook setup, course layout updates, building quizzes and interactive H5P activities, embedding videos, and so much more.   

References and Resources 

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About the Authors

Chad Bousley is an Instructional Designer at e-LIS, who helps faculty with online course design, creating interactive activities and implementing online teaching best practices.  Outside of the classroom, Chad enjoys learning foreign languages and playing guitar. 

Danielle Nicholson (she/her) is an Instructional Designer at e-LIS. She helps faculty use technology to make their online teaching experience easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. She also hosts workshops on tech tools like Gmail, Google Drive, and YouTube. In her free time, she enjoys reading and nature walks.

Edited by Rachel Smydra, Faculty Fellow, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. 

Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. View all CETL Weekly Teaching Tips. Follow these and more on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.