Abstract: It has been argued by many writers that it is necessary to develop critical thinking skills in MIS/CIS students because these skills are needed by them to tackle the complexities of real life problems that they are likely to face. While the goal is clear, it is not well understood how to go about achieving it. In this article we report on the use often class exercises in a Decision Support Systems course to promote higher order thinking skills in students. These class exercises improve student attendance, their understanding of the relevance of the course materials, and engage them in a process of analysis and evaluation which in tum sharpens their critical thinking skills. The instructor is also able to bring out details of complexities that are likely to be encountered in practice and discuss strategies that have worked in practice.

Keywords: Critical thinking, Active learning, Class exercises, Decision support systems

Download this article: JISE - Volume 15 Number 2, Page 171.pdf

Recommended Citation: Mukherjee, A. (2004). Promoting Higher Order Thinking In MIS/ CIS Students Using Class Exercises. Journal of Information Systems Education, 15(2), 171-180.