Client Solutions

Throughout the world, in academic, business, arts and social spheres, there is increasing evidence that critical thinking is crucial to success. Our customers rely on Insight Assessment’s high quality tools and customer services to apply metrics to their problems.

Here’s a collection of articles describing the many ways assessing and improving critical thinking is being integrated in improvement programs. Topics include Health Science, College and University, K-12, Data Collection, Business Solutions, Law and Military.

The International Measurement of Thinking

Insight Assessment is committed to the global advancement of critical thinking. Since 1994 Insight Assessment critical thinking test instruments have been widely used by universities, hospitals, businesses, government and military agencies, researchers and K-12 schools throughout the world. International and Multicultural Capabilities As part of Insight Assessment’s ongoing effort to provide critical thinking measurement globally, we have developed our online tools to support a complete multiple language test taker experience. Our clients benefit from our ability to provide language flexibility in the assessment instruments and in the test taker interface (TTI). We specialize in high quality culturally-appropriate translations of our…

Two healthcare professionals confer about patient diagnosis

15 Examples of Critical Thinking in Health Care Delivery

Improve patient outcomes with critical thinking skillsIt’s easy to see why employers highly value critical thinking in healthcare. Healthcare delivery systems can no longer afford to be mistaken about best thinking. Error rates are already in question, difficult problems and decisions must be addressed, and poor judgments can lead to irreparable damage and even cost lives. Positive patient outcomes are improved when healthcare professionals bring strong critical thinking skills to their work.Examples of the application of critical thinking in healthcareto accurately diagnose emergent conditions;to determine and evaluate therapeutic actions;to analyze and manage health risks;to hire and promote healthcare leaders;to design…

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Improving Critical Thinking in the Health Sciences

Successful healthcare organizations are built on talentThey make a commitment to prioritize strength in reasoning skills and attributes throughout their organization. Thinking skill and mindset become critical factors integrated into hiring, admissions, evaluation, training and development decisions.Lives depend on competent clinical reasoningHealth care delivery sites can no longer afford to be mistaken about best thinking. Acting without adequate analysis of the problem, repeating a previous care delivery behavior unreflectively, or continuing to carry out a care delivery behavior without evaluating its effect can lead to irreparable damage and even cost lives.Patient satisfaction and workplace safety are two things leaders in…

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The Importance of Critical Thinking in Nursing, Medical, … Health Professionals

Critical Thinking, A Priority for Nursing, Medical, OT, Dental, PT, Pharm., … Health Care Professionals The importance of critical thinking in nursing cannot be exaggerated. Critical thinking is a core competency in health science programs throughout the world. Critical thinking assessments are used to admit students, predicting those at risk for clinical errors or licensure failure. These assessments are also used to document progress on learning outcomes. Critical thinking involves every aspect of a nurse’s performance. The American Association of Colleges of Nurses’ definition of critical thinking as published in their Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice states: “Critical…

Health Science Educators Focus on Critical Thinking

Importance of Critical Thinking in Health Science Developing strong critical thinking in students is a challenging goal widely embraced by health science education stakeholders at every level, including employers, policy makers and faculty. Health Science programs around the world use the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT), HSRT-AD and other Insight Assessment test instruments to assure that their applicants are prepared to engage in rigorous educational programs and achieve professional licensure as nurses, physician, dental hygienists, physician assistants, occupational therapists, pharmacists and speech therapists. Health Science programs use critical thinking admission data for retention and student success initiatives, to prescreen applicants…

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Critical Thinking and Clinical Reasoning

Measuring Critical Thinking and Clinical Reasoning in Medical SchoolsLives depend on competent clinical reasoning. Deans of Medical Schools around the country are administering Insight Assessment critical thinking test instruments (the Health Sciences Reasoning Test, the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory) to document the critical thinking skills of prospective or current students. These data support student admissions, student advising, professional accreditation, learning outcomes assessment, program evaluation and research.The attached research paper shows that the link between critical thinking and clinical reasoning is solid. Insight Assessment’s cost-effective tests of critical thinking skills rely on case-based…

Insight Asssessment Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT)

From Health Sciences Accreditation to Graduate Admissions

How did a pilot program using the HSRT for undergraduate accreditation data lead to the implementation of a critical thinking assessment program for graduate admissions? It’s simple—when the health sciences admissions program saw the value and benefits of the pilot program report data, they knew the HSRT would help them objectively identify graduate applicants with exceptional potential for professional success. Phase 1: Assessing critical thinking skills of undergraduate students for accreditation self-study The pilot program started with a re-accreditation assessment project for one of the school’s undergraduate health sciences programs. The data needed was a snapshot comparing the critical thinking…

Two healthcare professionals concentrating on patient

Critical Thinking in Health Care and Health Sciences

Agencies responsible for the accreditation of professional training programs and for the oversight of health care delivery have mandated the demonstration of competent clinical reasoning.Successful healthcare organizations prioritize improving reasoning skills and mindset attributes throughout their organization. They have learned that unreflective accumulation of experience does not naturally lead to better thinking. Progress in clinical reasoning requires a direct focus on the critical thinking processes used to interpret, analyze, infer, evaluate, and explain what is going on.Many health science centers now demand strength in critical thinking of their graduates, new hires and current staff.They need skilled individuals with the professional mindset…

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Schools of Dentistry Require CT Measurements

Dental schools around the country are administering Insight Assessment critical thinking test instruments (the Health Sciences Reasoning Test, the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory) to document the critical thinking skills of prospective or current students. These data support student admissions, student advising, professional accreditation, learning outcomes assessment, program evaluation and research. Insight Assessment offers a comprehensive selection of critical test instruments that are calibrated to measure critical thinking thinking skills and dispositions of specific test takers. These test instruments include: The Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) is specifically designed for health sciences and health…

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Schools of Nursing Require Excellence in CT

Critical Thinking for Nurses Excellence in nursing education demands that the best candidates in the applicant pool should be enrolled and educated to be the best professionals possible. Deans of Schools of Nursing know that poor critical thinking results in weak problem solving and sub-optimal patient outcomes. Leading programs are using Insight Assessment instruments to identify candidates with the strongest reasoning skills, the desire to apply those skills, and the greatest potential to succeed in their nursing education. They know that Insight Assessment tools are calibrated and externally normed to assist them in evaluating incoming cohorts, developing an effective curriculum, and…

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Pharmacy Schools Assess CT

Pharmacy schools around the country are administering Insight Assessment critical thinking test instruments (the Health Sciences Reasoning Test, the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory) to document the critical thinking skills of prospective or current students. These data support student admissions, student advising, professional accreditation, learning outcomes assessment, program evaluation and research. Insight Assessment offers a comprehensive selection of critical test instruments that are calibrated to measure critical thinking thinking skills and dispositions of specific test takers. These test instruments include:The Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) is specifically designed for health sciences and health…

American Dental Association Survey Highlights Critical Thinking

In a survey of advanced dental education program directors conducted by the American Dental Association (Dr. Eugene Anderson, Center for Educational Policy and Research) critical thinking was rated as one of the factors most desirable in program applicants and dental education students. The ability to test students for their ability to think logically and use higher level reasoning was rated as highly desirable by more than half of the study participants. The American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation: Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs report, adopted August, 2010 stated:”Graduates must be competent in the use of critical thinking and problem-solving, including their use in the comprehensive…

Why Health Care Providers Assess Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is Essential for Clinicians Building critical thinking strength throughout your healthcare delivery team improves patient outcomes and reduces risks of errors in judgment. Today’s healthcare professionals need to make timely, evidenced-based, high stakes, situation-specific decisions every day. Clinicians must solve complex problems and make the high-stake decisions necessary to improve patient outcomes. Identifying and hiring clinicians who can demonstrate strong critical thinking has never been a greater priority. For example, this recent report from the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology looked at medical diagnostics, concluding, “medical professionals expect the advancement of AI into…

Health Science Reasoning Test - Associate Degree (HSRT-AD)

Critical Thinking for Health Science Associate Degrees

Training for critical thinking and professional judgment is a core objective for many Associate Degree degree or certificate health sciences programs. Student retention and degree completion has been demonstrated to be closely linked with the critical thinking skills needed to develop strength in clinical reasoning and the ability to think in mathematical contexts. Strength in critical thinking is also predictive of success at achieving certification. Graduating successful critical thinkers starts with admitting exceptional candidates and reducing the consequences of candidates who are at risk for clinical errors. Frequently directors of health science aide level programs must train students for jobs…

Schools of Allied Health

Training for critical thinking and professional judgment is an explicit objective in allied health programs including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Radiation Therapy and many others. Employers know that job candidates who can think well can quickly and correctly learn the demands of their particular job. Published research on the importance of critical thinking in the health sciences places critical thinking at the very heart of diagnostic reasoning and the development of new clinical knowledge. Success in learning and in professional practice is connected with critical thinking. As critical thinking reasoning skills are incorporated into course work, the data gathered with these tools…

Health care delivery: Female surgeon in busy operating room

Medical Centers Improve Staff Reasoning Skills

Better Clinical Outcomes Result from Critical Thinking Measurement and DevelopmentPatient quality of life due to care is a top priority for every healthcare organization. Performance improvement of this important benchmark depends upon the hiring, training and development of employees, at every level, who can make timely, evidence-based decisions in high-stakes situations.Insight Assessment has assisted numerous long-term clients in the transformation of their health service delivery personnel into high performance reasoning and decision-making teams through INSIGHT critical thinking solutions. Most of these employee education projects, onboarding, and applicant screening initiatives were highly successful and grew over time. Medical centers discovered just how valuable…

Nurses analyzing data on screens in operating room to make decisions about improving patient care and outcomes

How to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Costs

You’re responsible for reducing costs, while maintaining quality care… The pandemic has put enormous pressure on you, as a leader, as well as your entire organization. Your costs are going up. Your healthcare providers and staff are under duress due to the new demands made of them. This is unlikely to change. Under these circumstances, how do you cut costs without affecting the quality of patient care? Tracking overhead costs such as water, electricity, shipping, etc., which do not directly impact patience care, is a standard approach. But it is a one-time cost-savings. Once you’ve installed low flow toilets, switched…

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The INSIGHT Health Solution

What is INSIGHT Health?A solution to the medical industry’s challenge of making informed, data driven decisions when hiring, placing and developing the talent who can achieve strong operational performance and service ethic. A suite of tests precisely based on how reasoning skills and mindsets are applied in health care businesses and patient care.Created by the Insight Assessment research team and health professionals with same commitment to highest standards of measurement science, item reliability and test validationBased on 30 years of Insight Assessment’s research on critical thinking measurement, questions are multidimensional and interrelated so that individual and group test results provide…

Measuring CT at Colleges and Universities

Learning demands critical thinking. Students who are both willing and able to correctly interpret information, analyze problems, see the consequences of the things they are learning, cogently explain their basis for their beliefs and actions, critique new ideas and evaluate assumptions are strong learners. Whether learning the course material or navigating the complexities of their new university, students’ success depends on critical thinking. In a time of budgetary challenges, money needs to be spent wisely and only on initiatives that are effective. Insight Assessment is proud to provide educators with a superior set of psychometrically and educationally sound and widely…

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Critical Thinking in Community and Technical Colleges

Are students both Willing and Able to think critically? The success of students in their classes and in their adjustment to the complexities of college life predicts stronger retention, degree completion and transfer rates. The measurement of the critical thinking skills and dispositions of incoming students, individually and as a group, will provide vital data for tailoring student success services to the needs of specific students. Relevant, Useful Critical Thinking Data Exit data on student’s critical thinking is valuable for other educational purposes such as program evaluation, accreditation or learning outcomes assessment. Independent research demonstrates that exit data on students’ critical thinking…

Uses for Critical Thinking Skills and Mindset Data

Essentials for Institutional Strength

Five powerful reasons to invest in the assessment of new student critical thinking skills and mindset 1. Admit Skilled and Motivated Applicants Assure that your incoming students have the ability and desire to complete their planned program of study. Students with stronger critical thinking skills and mindset are better able to learn complex material, to solve problems, attain professional certification and transition to the workplace. Integrate the assessment of critical thinking skills and mindset attributes into admissions programs to identify and enroll candidates who have the capacity and desire to engage complex problems using sound critical thinking. Improved student selection…

Think Critically about Quality Assessments

It takes critical thinking to plan a quality assessment project. If you are currently analyzing and evaluating companies to serve as your assessment partners, think critically about what each can offer your faculty and students. Insight Assessment offers the world leading array of instruments measuring critical thinking skills and mindset. With 30 years experience in assessment, we understand what you need for an effective assessment program: You need: institutional fit: Insight Assessment offers a comprehensive array of proven test instruments calibrated for a full range of professional and academic needs. quality assessment instruments: Insight Assessment is committed to the quality,…

Build Critical Thinking in Certificate Programs

Why integrate critical thinking into certificate programs? The application of critical thinking skill is essential to success in certificate program coursework and in the workplace. What are employers looking for when hiring? They want people who have the ability to apply gained knowledge in a wide variety of real world settings. Certificate programs are designed to prepare graduates with technical skills required to perform necessary tasks in a specific field. However, that is only part of the training. Graduates must be willing and able to effectively apply those new skills to real-time situations. Problem-solving skills and technical knowledge must be…

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Prepare Business Students for Future Jobs

Critical thinking is one of the top job skills of the future Critical thinking skills and a lifelong learning mindset are in the top ten desired skills lists of all the various HR manager surveys such as LinkedIn and from economic groups such as the World Economic Forum. The future of jobs has accelerated due to COVID-19. Automation and AI predicted to be integrated over years has been installed, instead, in months. Remote teaching is a relevant example of this progression. Being able to problem-solve, communicate, collaborate and come up with original solutions (i.e. be a strong critical thinker) is…

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Business Schools Align with Business Priorities

Critical thinking is one of the key skills valued by employers, according to recent research. In 2013, for example, Hart Research Associates surveyed CEO’s and other C-suite executives at more than 300 private sector for-profit and non-profit organizations. Ninety three percent agreed with this statement: A candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major. Businesses and management consultants use Insight Assessment’s world class instruments to screen job applicants and to identify those employees with the strongest reasoning skills and the desire to apply those skills. Deans of Business are…

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General Studies Programs

Many institutions organize high quality Freshman Seminar and Core General Studies programs around the cross-disciplinary critical thinking learning outcome. Teaching for critical thinking demands high quality measurement of students’ critical thinking. Deans of General Studies use critical thinking tests and services provided by Insight Assessment validate the educational effectiveness of these program. Insight Assessment offers a comprehensive selection of critical test instruments that are calibrated to measure critical thinking thinking skills and dispositions of specific test takers. These test instruments include: The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) is being used worldwide to provide valid, objective and reliable measures of the…

Colleges choose Insight Assessment for superior critical thinking tests, meaningful benchnarking, flexible testing options and metrics for admissions, retention & accreditation

Honors and Selective Programs

Critical thinking is a vital cross-disciplinary learning outcome needed by Honors Students and others in Selective Admissions Programs. Regardless of the focus of the program, developing thinking skills and mindset attributes is a common denominator for faculty and academically motivated students. Well calibrated assessments are critical to admissions and the demonstration of educational effectiveness. Every seat counts when it comes to serving high achieving students and those who desire entry into highly impacted programs. Research-based, valid and reliable, industry leading critical thinking assessments enable faculty to select worthy applicants, and document students’ gains in critical thinking as evidence of curriculum…

Work Force Development Programs

Workforce Development, Vocational & Occupational Education Programs Training for critical thinking has become an increasing focus in work force development and occupational education. Employers know that job candidates who can think well can quickly and correctly learn the demands of their particular job. The goal of every strong program is to train its students to become the best graduates and job candidates possible. Deans of Work Force Development, Vocational and Occupational Education programs are using Insight Assessment testing tools to identify those students with the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills. These candidates have outstanding…

Evaluate Effectiveness of Freshman Seminars

Knowing that the transition to college life often entails a steep learning curve, many colleges and universities teach a Freshman Studies course in ‘college survival skills.’ Topics cover communication skills, learning strategies, and critical thinking skills. College success is the result of well made decisions that lead to the accomplishment of degree requirements, while staying healthy and managing outside responsibilities. Freshman Seminar and First Year Success Directors are adopting programs using Insight Assessment critical thinking measurement tools to pretest and posttest their students’ critical thinking skills and critical thinking habits of mind. They recognize that critical thinking may just be…

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The Importance of Critical Thinking in Student Success

Critical thinking, student retention and student success initiatives Critical thinking is the vital link between student retention and student success. Being willing and able to think well, engaging in important issues and resolving key problems, is vital for student academic success. Critical thinking predicts student success. Regardless of degree program, strong critical thinking predicts college student success, professional licensure, job hire, and government service rank. When thinking skills and mindset are well matched to the demands of the academic program, student retention and graduation rates rise. Achievements continue with students reaching their career and life goals. Critical thinking is a…

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Train Critical Thinking to Improve Student Retention

How to increase student retention Start at the basic foundation of learning. Student retention is dependent on students having the reasoning skills to successfully complete their academic programs. If you want to increase student retention, train the critical thinking skills that are essential to student success. In every academic discipline, retention is strongest when students have the skills and drive to succeed in their studies. Successful students are more likely to stay in school. A good strategy to boost retention is to support at-risk students by helping them develop necessary learning skills & mindset. Why students fail Students fail because…

Jump Start Your Educational Effectiveness Plan

It is essential that you have the best information available to guide the future of your institution. In today’s competitive educational environment, there is no substitute for an accurate assessment of the quality of new educational programs, the effectiveness of student retention initiatives, and the demonstration of the attainment of performance-based outcomes. How do you get the data you need for your educational effectiveness plan? Select a well-defined and valuable assessment focus: Choose critical thinking, a value for all students throughout life. Help students understand the value of critical thinking as a learning goal: Read “Critical Thinking: What it is…

Individual Critical Thinking Reports for Students

Increase student engagement: provide individual student critical thinking reports Optimize your assessment program. Insight Assessment education clients are increasingly choosing the option of offering printable individual reports to students after critical thinking testing is completed. A job skill for the future Regardless of degree program, strong critical thinking predicts college student success, professional licensure, job hire, and government service rank. Critical thinking is one of the key skills valued by employers in all industries. High potential talent has the capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems. Make it real: the value of personal critical thinking reports To…

Graphic lists Academic uses for Insight Assessment student critical thinking skills and mindset data including admissions, accreditation, documenting student learning, quality improvement initiatives & Institutional effectiveness

4 Steps to Embed Critical Thinking into Curriculum

Insight Assessment clients are successfully implementing critical thinking across their core curriculum using these easy but important steps: Pretest entering students with Insight Assessment’s world’s leading college level assessments of critical thinking (available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese) to identify individual students’ strengths and weaknesses.Aggregate pretest data by college or major for the faculty of each unit.Best Practices: equip all core curriculum instructors with the complimentary teaching and learning resource package Insight Assessment provides to testing customers. Post-test students to obtain clear objective evidence of student gains as they complete their core courses, demonstrating the effectiveness of the institution’s integration of critical thinking…

Support for Accreditation Self-Studies

Before, during and beyond accreditation, academic institutions rely on Insight Assessment to provide the tools necessary to demonstrate educational effectiveness and student success. At the college, community college, professional school level regional and national accrediting agencies recognize the data gathered with our testing tools for purposes of educational outcomes assessment and accreditation. Our emphasis is on delivering comprehensive and meaningful data that can be easily disseminated and applied to assist clients’ efforts to carry out specific continuous improvement plans. Using our online system, individual score reports provide immediate personal value to students for advising and placement purposes, supporting programs focused…

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Schools of Social Work and Public Health

Deans of Social Work and Public Health programs want to accept candidates who have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their talent permits. Insight Assessment offers a comprehensive selection of critical test instruments that are calibrated to measure critical thinking thinking skills and dispositions of specific test takers. Multiple schools of Social Work and Public Health rely on our companion measures to identify applicants who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills: The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) is being used worldwide to provide valid, objective and reliable measures of the core…

Colleges of Arts & Sciences and Humanities

Teaching students to think well has always been at the heart of a liberal education in the humanities, arts and sciences. Deans of Arts and Sciences and Deans of Humanities realize that excellence results from enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best graduates possible. They are using Insight Assessment’s well-respected educational testing tools to enable their admissions programs to identify candidates who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills. These candidates have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their potential. Faculty are able to quickly and easily document…

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Schools of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Training for critical thinking has become an increasing focus in agricultural and natural resources education. Deans of Schools of Agriculture and of Natural Resources use Insight Assessment critical thinking measurement tools so that faculty can quickly and easily document the critical thinking of prospective or current undergraduate and graduate students. The data gathered with these tools are valuable for admissions purposes, educational research, accreditation, learning outcomes assessment and program evaluation. Educational strength and excellence starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best professionals, technicians, researchers, policy specialists, graduates and job candidates possible. Admissions programs depend…

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Schools of Fine and Performing Arts

Excellence starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best professionals, artists, performers, arts administrators, curators and technicians possible. Deans of Fine and Performing Arts rely on Insight Assessment’s range of testing tools to identify the applicants with the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills. These candidates have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their talent permits. Training for critical thinking has become an increasing focus in fine arts and performing arts education. Using Insight Assessment critical thinking measurement tools, faculty are quickly and easily documenting the…

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Extension, Adult Education & Evening Division Schools

Training for critical thinking has become an increasingly important focus of extended education, distance learning, adult and evening division programs. Deans of Extension, Adult Education and Evening Division Schools recognize that program quality demands identifying and enrolling the best possible students, and then educating them to become the best professionals and graduates they can be. They have adopted Insight Assessment testing tools so that their admissions program can identify applicants who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills. These candidates have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their talent permits. It is…

Have you exercized your critical thinking skills today?

Physical Education, Health & Human Performance

Training for critical thinking has become an increasing focus in human performance, health and physical education. Educational strength and excellence starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best graduates and job candidates possible. These candidates have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their talent permits. Deans of Physical Education, Health and Human Performance use Insight Assessment offers world class testing tools to identify potential candidates in their applicant pool who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills. Faculty can also quickly and easily document the critical…

Online, Hybrid and Distance Education Programs

Training for critical thinking has become an increasing focus for online educators. Program quality demands identifying and enrolling the best possible students and then educating them to become the best professionals and graduates they can be. Admissions programs for Online, Hybrid and Distance Education schools are using Insight Assessment measurement tools to identify applicants who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills.These candidates have outstanding potential to learn and to achieve to the maximum their talent permits. Deans and faculty are using the critical thinking measurement tools offered by Insight Assessment, so that they can quickly and easily…

STEM Programs Measure Critical Thinking

Training for critical thinking has become a primary focus in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics throughout the world. Excellence in STEM education starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best professionals and graduates possible. Deans, educational researchers and teaching faculty in STEM programs now use one or more tailored critical thinking measures to assess learning outcomes achievement, in externally funded research investigations, for selective admissions, advising, accreditation self studies and more. Educators use Insight Assessment research-based critical thinking measurement tools to quickly and easily document the critical thinking of prospective or current students and graduates….

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CT in Student Affairs Programs

Why is critical thinking a learning outcome of Student Affairs co-curricular programming? Critical thinking may just be the most important college level student learning outcome. Through the development of critical thinking, Student Affairs can meaningfully partner with Academic Affairs. Critical thinking is a student learning outcome addressed by regional and professional accreditation. All Student Affairs programs can advance students’ critical thinking skills and habits of mind, but the Freshman Seminar program, residence life programming, student clubs and organizations, student publications, and service learning are particularly effective. Student Affairs Vice Presidents and Professionals are using Insight Assessment tests, the California Critical Thinking Skills Test…

Critical Thinking in K-12 Schools and Districts

Critical thinking is the key to educational success. This is not news to K-12 educators or parents. But did you know that students’ scores in critical thinking and problem solving are strongly related to end of year standardized test scores? K-12 students possessing strength in critical thinking are better equipped to solve problems, to understand and to integrate content material, and to achieve in school. And that achievement prepares them for tomorrow. How confident are you that K-12 students are developing the thinking they will need to be successful academically and in their future lives? Engaging problems and making decisions…

Fostering Critical Thinking in Children and K-12 Students

Importance of developing K-12 critical thinking skills The development of core critical thinking skills and mindset in K-12 school children is the foundation of student learning, academic progress and future workplace success. Critical thinking skills can be developed from a very early age Research shows what parents and teachers already know–that the development of critical thinking starts at home. Home is where children are first beginning to use language. Educational experiences continue throughout their growth. Although knowledge and experience may be limited, many times each day children apply their critical thinking skills to analyze information. They interpret events and situations,…

K-12 Tools Measure What Matters – Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an essential part of K-12 education . Four important reasons why schools use the EDUCATE INSIGHT series assessments to evaluate students’ reasoning skills and thinking mindset. EDUCATE INSIGHT measures the cognitive skills and personal attributes most valued by the next higher levels of education, including colleges and universities. Reasoning skills assessed by EDUCATE INSIGHT include: analysis, interpretation, evaluation, inference, explanation, induction, deduction and numeracy. Thinking mindset measures include: mental focus, learning orientation, creative problem solving and cognitive integrity. EDUCATE INSIGHT test instruments enable schools to demonstrate their educational effectiveness to parents, accreditors, funding agencies and other…

Quant Q : An assessment of critical thinking and quantitative reasoning

Measuring Quantitative Reasoning Skills in High School

STEM high schools often administer the Quant Q to seniors prior to graduation to document individual and group proficiency in quantitative reasoning skills. As part of their admissions process, some selective Math and Science magnet schools also use the Quant Q for an assessment of quantitative reasoning (numeracy) in pre-high school age students.The Quant Q is geared toward individuals with strength in math and science, not those who find mathematical reasoning difficult. For college-bound high school students interested in mathematics, statistics, the physical and biological sciences, engineering, finance, economics, computer science, and architecture, the Quant Q can be predictive of potential success.No…

Critical Thinking for K-12 Educators

Excellence in critical thinking training at K-12 level starts with excellent teachers Excellence at the teacher preparation level starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best teachers, school administrators, education specialists, leaders and education professionals possible. Deans of Schools of Education want their admissions programs to use Insight Assessment college and university level test instruments to identify the candidates who can demonstrate core reasoning skills and the desire to apply those skills. Faculty use results to quickly and easily document the critical thinking of prospective or current undergraduate and graduate students. Insight Assessment testing tools can…

EDUCATE INSIGHT: Teaching for critical thinking is teaching for life

Critical Thinking: A High School Learning Outcome

Why should high schools assess critical thinking as a learning outcome? …. because critical thinking is more important to human survival than reading, writing or mathematics. Critical thinking is now widely recognized as an essential educational outcome and a powerful and vital resource in one’s personal and civic life. Teaching students to think critically is a central educational goal. But unless students are capable of critical thinking, it is highly unlikely that they will benefit from instruction even when curriculum is well designed. They are at risk of failing or not graduating.More about the importance of critical thinking in high…

High Schools Measure Student Thinking Gains

Public, private and charter schools as well as international academies assess students’ critical thinking skills and attributes to obtain high quality relevant data to:support increasing student achievementimprove students’ problem solving across the curriculumhelp teachers meet the needs of specific learnersprovide evidence of the achievement of accreditation mandatesas part of a selective admissions process. It’s never been more important for schools and educational programs to demonstrate the quality of their educational programs. Critical thinking has become a core competency at all levels of education and as such is increasingly important in accreditation and school improvement processes.Statistically valid and reliable measurements are…

High School Students Use CT Every Day

Critical thinking is a life skill. Everyone needs to use critical thinking every day. High school students should engage in critical thinking when they are learning in and outside the classroom, when they are learning how to handle new situations in everyday life and whenever they make decisions. The lives of high school students are in constant motion, requiring them to analyze information, interpret events and situations, evaluate claims and the reasons offered in their support.Students need to be able to handle increasing amounts of information, thoughtfully evaluating the validity of the data and conclusions being presented by a wide variety of…

Critical Thinking and Reading Initiatives

The relationship between critical thinking and reading is vitally important. If you are trying to improve reading readiness, researching how children learn to read, trying to improve reading comprehension or assessing support programs for at-risk students, critical thinking should be a major component of your initiatives. Critical thinking is widely recognized as an essential educational outcome. Critical thinking is also key to reading well. Comprehending fictional and informational texts requires critical thinking skills. Skillful readers analyze text, draw conclusions about meaning, evaluate the credibility of sources, interpret new words, and are able to explain the content; they are inquisitive and…

Tools for High School Magnet Admissions

In order to enroll a strong class of academically able and motivated students, elite college prep and magnet schools need fair, objective admissions information about each applicant. Students in magnet or STEM high schools should be prepared to think deeply and to think well if they are to succeed in rigorous coursework. A strong commitment to engage in learning independently and in teams is essential. Assessing critical thinking skills provides important metrics to verify students meet thinking standards and have the skills to succeed in coursework. Insight Assessment validated test instruments are frequently used for matching vital learning attributes and…

Critical Thinking Competency for STEM Learning

The STEM learning environment is a critical thinking strategy for making the generation of new knowledge possible.Integrated STEM programs (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) engage students in integrated learning about the world. Through the integration of core content and practice skills from these disciplines in the context of emerging technological capabilities, students of all ages find ways to apply critical thinking to situations and real world problems. STEM programs seek to develop more effective, elegant, scientifically based, and technologically sound methods and innovative solutions. New knowledge is needed at an increasing rate in our rapidly evolving technological and global society….

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The Importance of Assessing Critical Thinking This Fall

Why is it important to assess critical thinking this fall? To get data to support student success As fall approaches, concerns about academic preparedness and early indicators of learning loss are driving the need for relevant, objective analytics to proactively support incoming students. This year it is even more important to get to know your students and to identify which have the best chances of success and which are most at risk, due to weak critical thinking. Do your incoming students have the critical thinking skillset and mindset needed for a smooth transition to your campus community? Are they organized…

Word Cloud for Insight Assessment support of accreditation

Showcase the Value of Your Education Programs

Gains in critical thinking are powerful and achievable learning outcomes. Schools and universities face growing pressure to document that students are learning the essential skills that prepare them to succeed in the workplace. Evidence that students are developing stronger critical thinking skills is increasingly valuable evidence for academic stakeholders. For over 30 years, colleges, universities and schools have used Insight Assessment instruments to augment their outcomes effectiveness self-studies, to evaluate the impact of programs or curricula and to support student admissions and placement. Clients depend on Insight Assessment to gather the criterion-based evidence of student thinking skills and thinking mindset that will…

Critical Thinking Research: Reading, Academic Success

Across the country, students are being assessed on their ability to demonstrate they understand and can use informational texts. New learning outcomes are motivating educators to evaluate the effectiveness of their curriculum and the preparation of teachers. The commitment to improve student success, to support at-risk students and increase retention has created a need for high quality research quantifying the relationship between critical thinking, reading and academic success. As part of this work, Insight Assessment encourages researchers and educators to discuss and study important issues such as: Do strong skills in analysis, inference, evaluation and the mindset to apply those skills…

Objective Data for Admissions and Placement

Optimize student admissions and placement The ability to identify student applicants who have the strongest critical thinking skills and the desire to apply those skills should be an essential component of individual admission decisions, placement or advising. Are your incoming students ready for their educational experience? Are they likely to make a successful transition to their new school? Excellence starts with enrolling the best students and educating them to become the best professionals and graduates possible. Improved student selection leads to better learning outcomes, better graduates and a rising academic reputation. Strong critical thinking predicts academic and professional success. Using…

Histogram showing CCTST Critical Thinking Skills Overall Strong and Weak Score Distribution

Predict Graduate School Success

Critical Thinking: Essential for Graduate School Success Just because someone has completed a 4 year degree program doesn’t mean that they are prepared to succeed in a selective post graduate program. Graduate programs require students to demonstrate more rigorous thinking skills and mindset, greater autonomy and motivation. Predicting Graduate School Success Graduate study requires wide range of skills and mental disciplines. The capacity and desire to engage complex problems using sound critical thinking and quantitative reasoning is the key student success driver at the graduate level. Students who demonstrate that they are both willing and able to think critically have…

Report graphic of histogram showing distribution of CCTST Overall Critical Thinking score comparison percentiles

Critical Thinking Data for Institutional Research

Objective, validated, reliable and relevant assessment data is the lifeblood of Institutional Research. Data must meet internal and external standards if it is to be valued by institutional decision makers. Accuracy and quality are critical. Many institutions depend on Insight Assessment critical thinking test instruments to deliver the high impact metrics they need. How do institutional research and assessment professionals use our instruments? University and Professional Accreditation Institutional Effectiveness Retention and Admissions Learning Outcomes Assessment Why do institutional research and assessment professionals choose Insight Assessment? Proven, valid, reliable, easy to use, and cost-effective testing tools The industry’s most versatile electronic app-based and…

Critical Thinking Successes in Higher Education

Advance Critical Thinking in Admissions, Learning and Accreditation Beyond the obvious educational value, good data can also enrich key academic activities. Our data has been used for admissions, in learning research, program quality improvements, and for outcomes assessment for professional and for regional accreditation. Examples come from institutions of every kind, including four-year liberal arts institutions, two-year community colleges and tech schools; research universities and regional comprehensives. Curriculum varies from business, the health sciences, STEM, associate degree, baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate to professional training, and adult education programs. Check out our client success stories! If you do not find your kind of…

Increase Transfer Student Success

Transfer students are a significant part of student applicant pools. Successful transfer students provide important value for your institution. Optimize transfer student admissions Without an objective measure of each applicant’s learning motivation and reasoning skill, comparing transfer or adult re-entry student applications can be an apples to oranges mess. Too many years since their high school tests, too many widely varied life, military, and workplace experiences. Too many differences in prior courses taken at institutions of widely different quality. There is need for an effective way to predict college success in traditional and non-traditional groups of applicants and enrollees –…

CT: A Measurable Outcome for SACS QEPs

Insight Assessment has over twenty years of experience working with the premiere institutions in the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Schools. The strategic thinkers leading these educational organizations count on the critical thinking assessment tools provided by Insight Assessment for the detailed evidence required to refine curricular approaches and to demonstrate educational success. The SACS Principles of Accreditation require evidence of an institutional commitment to the concept of quality enhancement through continuous assessment and improvement. Institutions are expected to document the quality and effectiveness of all its programs and services. Developing strong critical thinking in students is a challenging goal…

Support for NEASC-CIHE Accreditation

Given the centrality of critical thinking and quantitative reasoning at the core of general learning goals, it is not surprising that high quality assessment tools are essential.NEASC-CIHE institutions rely on Insight Assessment to provide the tools necessary to demonstrate educational effectiveness and student success.NEASC-CIHE accredited institutions must demonstrate institutional effectiveness through the achievement of general education goals. These include an expectation that student will have skills in inquiry and critical judgment to the level in keeping with generally accepted practice (Standard 4). Institutions must demonstrate that admitted students have a reasonable potential for success in the programs to which they are…

Support for WASC Accreditation and Self-Studies

Student retention has been an important concern of institutions of higher learning for many years. WASC Senior College and University Commission introduced the Graduation Rate Dashboard to help evaluators to better link institutional effectiveness with student success.Critical thinking skills are directly correlated with degree completion and success on professional licensure exams. WSCUC and ACCJC institutions are adding cost effective, valid and reliable Insight Assessment measures of critical thinking skills to their admissions and student retention programs. Critical thinking data can be used to determine whether applicants have the skills needed to thrive in prospective educational programs, to identify students who…

INSIGHT Business Critical Thinking Tools

INSIGHT Business Assessment Solutions

Improve the quality of decision making across your organization with INSIGHT Business critical thinking assessments and focused training. Hiring strong critical thinkers pays off in increased quality and decreased errors. Identify the job applicants who have the reasoning skills, resourcefulness, resilience, leadership attributes, and thinking mindset to develop quickly and excel in your organization. Save time and money by focusing on the most promising. Assessment and training solutions:Validated, objective assessment tools calibrated to measure the critical elements of reasoning required to function in corporate positions.Each instrument quantifies performance on 15 metrics of thinking skill and the mindset attributes that drive strong decision…

Business Problem Solving and Thinking Skills

Business success and the quality of employee thinking are inextricably linked. Businesses are impacted every day by the cumulative effect of the way their employees make decisions and solve problems. Progress and growth result from good decision-making; bad decision-making causes failures. Many little bad decisions can be as catastrophic as a single poorly reasoned decision at the top level. If you have been asking yourself whether you will see immediate value from an initiative to strengthen critical thinking in new hires or current employees, consider how critical thinking is applied on the job: Diagnosing: workplace problems Evaluating possible solutions Analyzing…

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Building a Strong Staff

Can you guarantee that you have the personnel to succeed and meet your company goals?Build the strongest staffHire Smart: Don’t hire anyone unless you know that their problem-solving skills meet the needs of the job Establish a creative environment: Identify and develop your talent—know who your top performers arePosition your best in all key roles: Build strategic thinking quality throughout your entire organization But how?Superior evaluation products INSIGHT assessment solutions provide multi-level objective measurements of reasoning skills. Three-dimensional problems, set in business contexts, require test-takers to analyze problems, interpret data, assess options and identify next steps. Staff and prospects must demonstrate the necessary skills…

What is Your Company’s Capacity for Success?

Businesses succeed or fail based on having the right product at the right time, knowing and targeting the customers who need that product, cost effective supply—and then constant innovation. Are your employees the best thinkers for their job? Decision-making and problem solving occur at every organizational level. Some decisions are springboards to success and others are costly errors in judgment. It is not just executives and professionals who need to use strong and strategic thinking every day in their jobs. Temporary workers, skilled staff, supervisors and managers make decisions every day which impact your company’s bottom line and growth. The…

The Benefits of Hiring the Best Thinkers

Poor decision-making costs you money, time and missed opportunities Companies typically try to reduce risk by establishing basic requirements (experience, education and skills), filtering out those who do not meet standards & then identifying the remaining top talent. Companies who hire for the future ask for more: they require an objective assessment of applicant thinking skills. They want to hire the best thinkers. An evaluation of the candidate’s tendency to make decision-making mistakes provides critical input for reducing risks. An assessment of the reasoning mindset identifies candidates with the mental discipline and lifelong learning orientation that lead them to become…

3 Strategies to Improve Employee Performance

3 effective strategies to improve employee performance and productivityThe most effective way to improve staff performance is to focus on the quality of individual and group decision-making. The overall goal should be to improve employee decision-making skills.Widespread quality improvements result when employee decision-making is evaluated, trained and developed. 1. Make a commitment to improve decision-making skills company widePrioritize strong decision-making skills in order to maximize potential and reduce risks of errors. Fewer mistakes are made when employees approach problems and decisions with the ability to analyze problems, evaluate options, anticipate consequences and apply numerical data.Efficiency and productivity will improve because risks…

Puzzle pieces with the words vision, analysis, process, solution suggesting critical thinking skills.

Informed Hiring Decisions Reduce Errors; Assess Thinking

How can companies avoid costly errors? Make strong reasoning skills a prerequisite for hiring, promotion and staff assessment. Errors of judgment are quite expensive, embarrassing and have long-lasting public and financial consequences. Markets and regulators are not impressed by the error of judgment excuse. Going forward a company’s credibility and reputation are tarnished. It is no longer sufficient to develop job descriptions based solely on a combination of education, knowledge and experience required for each job. Outstanding employees are greater than the sum of the lists on their resumes. Interviews provide an opportunity for dialog about past accomplishments, a demonstration of communication…

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Strategic Professional Development

Attract, Develop and Retain the Workers Who Can Grow Your Company Effective professional development programs increase competitive advantage. In addition to upskilling employees, learning programs can improve employee engagement and retention. Internal mobility and opportunities for career advancement are a priority for many employees.Per the 2021 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 94 percent of employees would stay with a company longer if they were given the opportunity to learn. In fact, employees at companies with high internal mobility stay almost two times longer.Relevant upskilling is a core part of successful professional development program. Employees appreciate training that meets the dual needs of self-improvement…

Retail and Service Business Hiring

Retail sales can rise and fall based on the individual employees. The quality of customer shopping experiences depends to a large extent on your sales clerks. You can’t afford to have undependable or unmotivated sales people interacting with customers. Increased sales stress distribution centers; without efficient, detail oriented logistical workers you won’t be able to keep shelves filled. It’s time for the store to open. Inventory has been restocked, displays freshened, floors cleaned. The store is ready for customers. The staff has been scheduled, training and orientation have been completed– but how do you know your staff is ready for…

Tools to Maximize Seasonal Temporary Hiring

Temporary hires can make or break your business cycle. When you have to hire a lot of people in a short time, it doesn’t mean you have to settle for employees who can’t get the job done or who increase your risks of liability. You need employees who have the job-related thinking skills and the positive work ethic to deliver customer service and sales—and you need them fast. The competition is on to hire the best candidates, to get them trained and making you money during your peak seasons.INSIGHTis a cost-effective tool to immediately improve the quality of your new…

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Improve Operational Efficiency by Hiring Strong Thinkers

Improve operational efficiency and safety for customers and employees To be successful, business need to adapt to the rapid pace of change, recognizing (and seizing) opportunities to transform the way work is done. Processes will need to be transformed, teams realigned, and jobs reinvented. Planning can’t wait. This transformation will be effective only if well thought out. Informed decision-making is a priority. Improving efficiency is a key concern, yet, as always, costs must be kept to a minimum. Strong problem-solving skills and a flexible, committed mindset are required to innovate. That’s why business leaders should focus on the quality of…

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The Decision Is Up To You

The decision is up to you; you need to hire or promote an employee. Thinking and decision-making skills and a commitment to your company’s mission, vision and values are important considerations at every level of your organization. So why would you make a hire without assessing these metrics? We all know that resumes and references provide no more than a starting point when sifting through a candidate pool. And we know that face to face interviews are not only expensive and time intensive, they are often impossible on this global economy. INSIGHT Business brings consistent objective assessment information about prospective…

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5 Tips to Hire the Best Candidates

How to Identify Candidates with the Greatest PotentialHow is your candidate search going? Are you dealing with multiple positions that you are unable to fill? Facing skill gaps, how do you minimize your risks when you select a candidate? Is your main benchmark how well your job applicants interview? Or are you looking for something more quantitative?The reality is that resumes can be inflated, job experiences may not be comparable to the job offering, and interviews can result in subjective decisions. Hiring is a nuanced activity. Often, a final decision is based on instinct or a gut feeling.1) Broaden Your Hiring…

How can I build my dream team at work?

How do you build your dream team? Learn from your best: Start by measuring the skills and mindsets of your high performers; find out what makes them excel. Once you identify the core characteristics that you need throughout your organization, you can establish benchmarks for hiring and talent development. Then hire confidently & strategically; take the guesswork out of interviewing by using INSIGHT Business to prescreen candidates, avoiding candidates who don’t measure up to your standards. You can then interview the people who have the greatest potential to add value to your team. Align your hiring and talent development programs:…

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How to Motivate Employees–You Need More than Quotes

How to motivate employees is a common question. Let’s start with understanding exactly what are motivated employees. The simplest definition would be employees that require little supervision. They are self-motivated. These employees do not have to be watched or told what to do. They are driven and goal-oriented, entirely, on their own. They take sincere pride in their work accomplishments.Motivation starts with thinking. When testing for cognitive abilities, it isn’t enough for employees to be intelligent. They must also be willing to apply these skills in the workplace. This is the reason why a mindset assessment should be included in pre-employment screening.Then, hire…

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Performance Reviews Unlock Potential

Proven metrics can optimize employee performance reviews and coaching Integrating assessment of decision-making skills into performance evaluations provides solid metrics can aid in targeting professional development resulting in improved individual and team performance. Consider the advantage of having common set of powerful measurements to assist in HR functions, such as: Hiring and placement of employees; Evaluation of employee potential for development and growth; Objective guidance for ongoing supervision discussions; Identification of top talent; Informed decisions about promotions; Targeting talent development and support; Planning for future leadership. Everyone benefits when you incorporate critical thinking assessments into your performance review process….

Hiring Firms Profit from Thinking Metrics

Strong thinking skills and mindset differentiate employees who add profits to the company from those who are costing the company money Consulting and placement firms increase their placement rates by presenting candidates who have the added value of objective credentials quantifying their strength in thinking. Critical thinking is an important talent differentiator in employee selection programs. Good thinkers are effective problem solvers, make well-reasoned decisions—and fewer mistakes—so businesses can grow and succeed. Good thinking pays off throughout the business world. Businesses who provide services in personnel and human resource staffing can increase performance and retention statistics by presenting credentialed candidates. Clients…

Holistic Thinking Metrics: Skills and Mindset

Assessing thinking should be a multi-dimensional process. A holistic measurement includes both the thinking skills and the thinking mindset that disposes individuals to actually apply those skills. Together the resulting metrics provide objective evidence of how an individual will perform in situations requiring problem solving and decision making abilities. A measure of overall thinking skills should reflect core reasoning processes. Strong thinkers are able to analyze problems, evaluate options, anticipate consequences, manage risk and uncertainty, and apply numerical data. These skills are necessary every day in the work place, boardroom and classroom.The thinking mindset is the product of the interaction…

Top 5 Critical Thinking Skills Important for Business

The importance of business critical thinking skills Successful companies looking to hire workers for the future are discovering the importance of critical thinking skills in business. If workers can’t keep up with rapidly changing economic and technology advancements, businesses are exposed to risks of errors and lost opportunities. Strength in business critical thinking skills is required for the strong decision-making and problem solving skills that move a company forward. Success depends on people able to learn their jobs quickly and to perform successfully in situations requiring problem solving. Business professionals must be able to act with autonomy. They must…

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Job Skills for the Future

Screen applicants for critical thinking Save money and time by starting out with a pool of new employees who have demonstrated that they are willing and able to think! These are the people who will learn best what you expect and have the ability to problem-solve on the job. The INSIGHT series of assessment tools delivers objective screening data to identify strong thinkers and learners. INSIGHT Business Professional objectively measures the mindset attributes that drive individuals to persist until they get problems right and find solutions that work for your company. Comprehensive individual reports describe each candidate’s strengths and…

STEM Projects Require Specialized Skill Sets

Science and engineering professionals who have the specialized skills required to be responsible for complex problem solving and decision making are in high demand. Don’t add further delays to your projects by hiring someone who doesn’t get it. Before making an offer, use INSIGHT Science and Engineering Professional thinking assessment to preempt the risk of a weak link. INSIGHT Science and Engineering Professional has been calibrated to objectively measure the mindset attributes and critical thinking skills that motivate and enable professionals working in these disciplines to contribute in a significant way to solving structurally, technologically, and scientifically complex problems.Within minutes, our…

Identify Strong Thinkers for Manufacturing

One thing remains constant in manufacturing. Productive workers must be strong thinkers and problem solvers and they must also have the key personal and workplace competencies of top performers. They are fast learners who can analyze data, excel in changing environments, are motivated, reliable, committed to safety, and have a strong work ethic. Manufacturers depend on a highly skilled workforce able to continuously develop new skills needed to perform complex technical work. INSIGHT Business assessments are calibrated to provide objective metrics on the strengths and weaknesses of the decision skills and personal attributes of candidates for jobs at any level…

10 Characteristics of Effective Business Professionals

Effective business professionals must be fully motivated to apply their knowledge, experience and skills to increase results every day. Strong thinking skills are not enough.Superior cognitive skills are founded on strong personal mindset attributes. Business growth is driven by lifelong learners and strong critical thinkers who can handle risk and uncertainty; anticipate outcomes; identify and analyze complex situations; evaluate options and produce more revenue; and drive the growth of your company. Employees must be prepared with the skills and motivation to adapt and to change. So how can you build a team of focused problem-solvers and innovators?10 Characteristics Measured by…

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Employee Engagement – Focus: Critical Thinking

Employers know that an employee engagement program is most effective when employees and company perceive and receive the valuable benefits from completing the program. The sweet spot is to build engagement programs that target that intersection of the employee and company relationship. An focus on critical thinking is a win-win opportunity. Employees benefit at work and in all aspects of their lives where good judgment and strong decision-making is required. The organization benefits because strong critical thinking results in better problem solving and better decision-making at all levels. Tools to Measure and Train Critical Thinking: INSIGHT business assessments provide…

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Differentiate Between Consulting Services

Are your consultants able to solve your problems? Is the company known for the quality of its high stakes thinking? Demand more. Your business model is based on expertise in problem solving; success rests in the strength of your staff and contractors’ analytic and problem solving skills. Finding the best candidates for the job is a reliable outcome for search firms and executive development clients who depend on the data delivered by Insight Assessment test instruments. INSIGHT Business Professional is the cost-effective but essential tool that can drive business strategies and marketing. Companies that sell themselves as answer providers need…

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Great talent—fast and cheap

Don’t waste time and human capital screening mediocre applicants to find the skills and mindset you need. There’s a more efficient option: require prescreening with Insight Assessment tools. Insight delivers hard data with the solid thinking skills and attitude metrics that enable getting right to the candidates who have the strongest talents for your business. You only should interview, hire and promote the best thinkers in the pool Use the INSIGHT Business Professional assessment to identify the good thinkers. Then, the time you dedicate to interviews will be worthwhile. Don’t spend time talking to people who don’t have the problem…

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Don’t stay committed to inadequate employees

The worst concept in hiring is to stay committed to new employees who aren’t cutting it. It’s very expensive to continue to develop, train and pay an employee who won’t or can’t produce results that contribute to the company bottom line. That’s why the first 90 days of a new hire is the critical time frame to determine if they will fit into your organization. Validating the hire within those first 90 days is essential to building the confidence you and they need to grow within your company. If performance is inadequate, then the costs of that unproductive employee must be…

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Critical Thinking Skills for Auditor, Finance, and Management Professionals

Critical thinking skills are in demand in the management, finance, and audit fields Competition for best and brightest of the financial services talent is intense. But the biggest challenge for companies is to build a team of the highly skilled individuals who have the complex combination of strong critical thinking skills and personal mindset attributes that predicts success in the industry. It’s not enough for an analyst or auditor to understand an organization’s objectives, structure, policies, processes, internal controls, and external regulations. Far more fundamental qualifications are the ability to analyze data, to assess risk, problem solve, identify opportunities and…

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How to Improve Employee Critical Thinking

Had enough of talking about critical thinking and ready to actually develop it?Organizations can bulk rate purchase any of the training materials at INSIGHT BASECAMP Finally, the professional and personal self-development tools are available to your organization and its people at INSIGHT BASECAMP 4 Skill Builders, like “How to Analyze and Interpret Numerical Information,” focus on specific reasoning abilities.4 Mindset Boosters, like “Thoughtful Resilience” and “Resourceful Leadership,” focus on how to be flexible and adapt to change.5 Deep Dives, like “Optimizing Decision-Making,” provide strategies for maximizing reactive and reflective problem-solving.Individuals can purchase INSIGHT BASECAMP assessments and training materials to identify opportunities for…

How to attract the best employees? Engage them by offering professional development to improve their critical thinking skills and motivation.

How to Attract and Retain the Best Talent

How to attract and retain the best talent It’s a tough recruiting market out there. Employers are struggling to attract and retain new talent. Workers are quitting their jobs at a record rate. The skills gap makes it even harder to find talent ready to take on the challenges of future growth and technology. For companies to survive and grow, employers need to understand what makes employees accept and then stay in jobs. It’s important to understand which employees have the skills and learning mindset to grow into new responsibilities. Supplemental training should be available to assist employees to develop…

High Stakes Decisions in Security Services

Security professionals must perform to the highest standards both on the job and off. They must always be prepared and ready to make high impact decisions, anticipating and reacting to risks. They must have strong problem solving skills for success in stressful and changing situations. When a mistake is made, the consequences can be enormous. Bad decisions can cost money, reputation and even lives. Effective security professionals have keenly developed reasoning skills and the positive discipline to apply those skills when making decisions. Necessary skills include the analysis of problems and data, evaluation of risks, interpretation of evidence, assessment of…

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Critical Thinking is Essential in Emergency Response

Today first responders, public safety, and security personnel often are challenged to aid, serve, rescue, or protect in unpredictably difficult, complex, and high risk situations. Because even seemingly routine situations can quickly become explosive, to be effective in their work the heroic individuals who willingly risk their own safety to help others must have a positive thinking mindset and strong critical thinking skill set. The mindset of effective first responders like firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians is one that propels them to carry out their duties with courage, resourcefulness, focus, and foresight. To be effective these individuals must be…

Quality Decision Making for Security Teams

Evaluating business security is a growing challenge. Internal, external, physical and data attacks are an increasing threat to your business. How do you assess the quality of your security team?Measure the reasoning skills of candidates as part of your screening and security clearances; invest in ensuring that your staff will meet your standards in their daily responsibilities. INSIGHT Businessis a suite of objective cost-effective assessment tools calibrated to objectively measure the thinking attributes and reasoning skills needed by effective security personnel at the executive, professional, staff levels. Clients using these instruments receive individual and group reports on multiple mindset attributes…

Cyber security starts with good critical thinking skills

Cyber Security Starts With Critical Thinking

Strong thinking skills are required to outsmart malicious attacks Vigilant and effective cyber security specialists have the critical thinking skills and mindset that enable them to anticipate and defend against internal and external threats. The challenges of working in these rapidly changing and complex fields require the ability to reason well in highly precise contexts as well as ambiguous and uncertain contexts, to ability to analyze problems and to evaluate alternatives, and the ability to explain clearly what needs to be done and why. Applying these skills in a speedy, effective, logical and organized manner requires focus, resourcefulness, foresight, and responsiveness….

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Assessments for Engineering and Science Leadership

To Lead by Example, Your Leaders Must Excel in Critical ThinkingEngineers and scientists are firmly grounded in critical thinking. To guide and inspire, their leadership must also possess superior reasoning abilities and more. Imagine the following list of projects:Engineering for an urban multimodal public transportation hub,Designing an ultra-high-speed sub-zero integrated electronic circuit,Developing the effective annual flu vaccine,Creating a new biomechanical interface to enhance touch or auditory perception,Improving molecular bonding adhesive for construction,Assuring safe driverless transport,Tailoring environmentally sustainable consumer goods.These challenges require specific critical thinking skills and mindset attributes, in both leadership and teams. Whether leading R&D or an innovation project,…

HR Fills the Big Data Gap in Current Hiring Practices

INSIGHT assessment solutions fill the big gap in current hiring practices—the objective data needed to identify the best thinkers and decision makers. Identifying the strongest possible candidates for employment is a constant challenge for human resources professionals; doing this as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible is essential. These candidates can be predicted to learn their jobs quickly and to perform with greater success in situations requiring problem solving of any kind. Your HR department can get the benefits of employee data that will help you meet your goals. When making hiring, placement or development decisions, you can know: which candidates…

INSIGHT: Reasoning Skills for Business

Assessment Solutions for Business Success Business reasoning is the capacity to make timely, effective and well reasoned decisions. It is absolutely essential for executive leadership and managerial success. Strong business reasoning at every organizational level results in accurate problem identification and sensible problem resolution. That translates into better customer service, greater productivity, and a healthier bottom line.Whether working in teams or individually, employees who are willing and able to analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and anticipate consequences are vital assets to their organizations. Without these talented people making decisions at every level, businesses flounder and fail. Now you can identify and…

Staff Thinking Skills Pays Off for Businesses

Employers across the world are recognizing that poor thinking and weak problem-solving can cost clients, time, revenue and opportunities. Corporate bottom lines depend on the ability of staff and management to skillfully evaluate information, analyze opportunity costs and benefits—and to deliver results. Employers simply cannot afford to invest in new hires and staff who lack the reasoning skills that produce results; they need to hire and promote the best problem solvers who make it possible for their companies to succeed in today’s challenging global markets. Corporate and business success is increasingly defined by the ability to compete in the fast…

INSIGHT Business Suite

Business critical thinking – the capacity to make timely, effective and well reasoned decisions – is absolutely essential for success.Errors in judgment cost businesses money and opportunities every day. If your staff includes individuals and teams who have strong reasoning skills, operations run more efficiently—and productively. It’s essential that you hire and promote your best thinkers. Strong thinkers identify the critical factors that will affect the outcome of the decision, evaluate options accurately and anticipate consequences. Strong thinkers determine what information to discard and what information is needed to make good decisions. Strong thinkers approach problems and decisions with a positive mindset; they are focused, adaptable, forward…

INSIGHT: Hiring Safe Drivers

Hiring safe drivers is often focused on employing truckers who have not yet had a problem. Hiring individuals who are risk averse and cautious in addition to having a good driving record results in having employees who will not have problems in the future. Using our tools at Insight Assessment we can assess the decision skills that will result in fewer accidents. This can reduce cost per mile for company insurance and offer customers more reliable service.A commercial license with a clean driving record is just the starting point. Transportation companies need to hire professional drivers who have the proven…

Critical Thinking for Military and Defense Clients

In time-limited contexts of risk and uncertainty, leadership decision making must be highly adaptive to changing conditions. The leader and the team must be both willing and to identify and evaluate options quickly and accurately. Training and simulation build readiness, experience reflected upon and used to gain greater sophistication builds expertise. But for leaders neither training nor experience can substitute for a lack of core thinking skills and the personal readiness to use them.Critical thinking has been defined by the CJCS an essential for officers and enlisted personnel. Working with the advice and support of leaders and experts, civilian and…

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Critical Thinking and Military Leadership

What do military leaders have in common? Many wrongly assume that critical thinking was invented by academics or scientists and has only recently been introduced into military thinking. But, the opposite is true. The greatest military leaders in ancient times, including Julius Caesar, Sun Tzu, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Attila the Hun, Gaius Marius, and others, had one important thing in common: they were all superior critical thinkers. They applied their critical thinking skills of analysis, interpretation, inference, and evaluation to strategic, operational, and tactical problems of all kinds. The same can be said about the great military minds today. Effective…

Military Colleges and Preparatory Schools

In 2015 Insight Assessment celebrated 15 years of service to clients from all US military service organizations. In time-limited contexts of risk and uncertainty, leadership decision making must be highly adaptive to changing conditions. But for leaders neither training nor experience can substitute for a lack of core thinking skills and the personal readiness to use them. Our military school and college clients have recognized a responsibility to incorporate the development of thinking skills into their training programs. Our comprehensive, research-based, cost effective services include:Instruments specifically designed to maximize student engagement in the assessment process Valid, and reliable assessment of both…

Critical Thinking Identified As Military Desired Leadership Attribute

Critical thinking was specifically identified as one of the six Desired Leadership Attributes for officers.In 2015 critical thinking was added to the DLAs for enlisted personnel. This makes the development of critical thinking skills and mindset attributes a priority for professional military education today. And, it makes the objective assessment of those skills and attributes a necessity. Even before the memoranda from the CJCS, in response to the growing realization that effective leadership and problem solving required the very skills and attributes that comprise strong critical thinking, Insight Assessment developed assessments calibrated for military personnel and trainees.INSIGHT Defense is a…

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Identify Superior Critical Thinking in the Legal Profession

The data are unequivocal, not all lawyers graduating from top tier law schools have strong reasoning skills. Candidates lacking reasoning skills and the desired legal mindset will prove to be disappointing to their firms, regardless of their glowing references, or claims they might make about their own achievements. In the legal profession, as in business, healthcare, or the defense industry, a thorough assessment of a promising candidate can prevent the costly error of a bad hire Every good attorney can assemble the facts of a case, determine evidentiary burden, and argue the case based on statutes and precedents. Superior legal…

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Law Schools Measure Critical Thinking

Educational excellence starts with enrolling the best possible new group of students and educating them to become the best possible JD, LLM, LSM, joint MS and SJD graduates, professionals and job candidates. Training for critical thinking has always been a central concern of legal educators. Insight Assessment test instruments are used by government agencies, legal professionals, medical and health professionals, universities, financial institutions, security services and businesses to evaluate job applicants, employees, graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, and executive personnel. Law schools are adopting Insight Assessment critical thinking measurement tools, such as the Legal Studies Reasoning Profile (LSRP) , Parts 1…

LSRP: Diagnostic Tool for Law School Readiness

Accurately interpreting the fine distinctions of a judicial decision, explaining the applicability of precedent, drawing accurate inferences as to the most advantageous argument to defend a client and constructing that argument convincingly are all critical thinking skills. The two part Legal Studies Reasoning Profile (LSRP) provides a complete assessment of the attributes and thinking skills preferred in today’s legal professional. How ready are your newly admitted students for their legal studies education?The LSRP (Part 2) measures overall readiness for Legal Studies and identifies individual strengths and weaknesses in five central thinking skills: analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. Scores can…

Legal Services and Government Agencies

Successful organizations are built on talent.Advocating, problem solving, policy development, negotiation, and decision making all have something in common. The more an individual or group engages questions and issues forthrightly, creatively and fair-mindedly, the higher their chances for success. This translates into being both willing and able to think critically.The “able” in that expression denotes the skills of analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning working in concert toward the formation of a reasoned judgment about what to believe or what to do with regard to any given issue or question. The “willing” denotes the set of dispositions, beliefs,…