Critical thinking is an important skill that can increase students' ability to learn in any situation. This can be applied to traditional education, or directly in a career related role. Many teachers find it such a valuable skill that they give their students a critical thinking question every day. Developing this ability can mean the difference between "just passing a course" and "understanding the material well enough" so that what students learn from _ will follow them throughout their life. Some characteristics of a critical thinker that teachers should encourage are; -asking questions as a reaction to something read or discussed; -determining the "deeper meaning" of a particular passage or topic; -providing input and opinions to topics as a direct result of analysis and research; -reasoning in an effort to develop an argument of your own opinion. It is important for a student to understand more than definition . One way to truly understand an idea is to have hands-on practice, and to apply concepts learned in a textbook. Such "mini-examples" will interest a student and improve their understanding of a topic. This is how life-long skills can be developed. Teachers that use critical thinking practices in the classroom can "go above and beyond" by asking questions that promote a greater comprehension of the material. Instructors should be able to challenge students and create an environment where they are analyzing material and gaining a better understanding. This will make the classroom move in a direction for learning. It can also help students to stay interested in the course material, as they always have a new concept to consider. At the same time, students benefit greatly from developing critical thinking skills. When learned early on, these skills can be used throughout their college education. Students can understand how to consider a topic, analyze it, and discuss it from different points of view. These are skills that will benefit them when they are part of the workforce as well. The author thinks "mini-examples" are useful because they  _  .
assist students to better remember definitions give students hands-on practice help to keep students interested help students develop concepts