Term
Spring 2026
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAEd
Facilitator(s)
Karen Moroz
Content Expert
Blake Rasmussen, Grace Getchell
Abstract
This capstone examines how mathematics teachers can more intentionally develop students’ critical thinking skills through classroom instruction and how professional development can support that practice. The guiding question for the project was: How can secondary mathematics teachers intentionally design and implement instructional strategies that promote students’ critical thinking within the constraints of classroom instruction? A review of educational research identified a recurring problem with traditional instructional practices: direct instruction effectively supports procedural fluency, but often provides limited opportunities to develop higher-order thinking and conceptual fluency. Key influences on this project included research on thinking classrooms, productive struggle, and dialogic teaching. Using a qualitative literature review, this project synthesized research on instructional strategies that promote critical thinking, including inquiry-based learning, collaborative discourse, rich tasks, variation and sequencing, and problem-centered learning experiences. Common factors across these approaches included intentional design and task novelty. These findings informed the development of a three-session professional development series designed for professional learning communities (PLCs) of in-service secondary mathematics teachers. To facilitate effective implementation, the curriculum integrates collaborative learning, classroom application activities, reflection, and goal-setting. Findings from this capstone indicate that critical thinking is best fostered in environments where students participate in active problem-solving, dialogue, and reflective practices. Ultimately, this project offers a research-based professional development framework to assist educators in converting evidence-based strategies into impactful classroom improvements.
Project Type
Professional Development
Keywords
Adult Education, Mathematics, Staff Development, Teachers/ Teaching
Recommended Citation
Mueggenberg, Brian, "Practices That Improve Critical Thinking Development in Secondary Classrooms" (2026). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1182.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1182
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects