Critical Thinking: Fostering Good Judgment in the Massage and Bodywork Classroom
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Critical Thinking
FOSTERING GOOD JUDGMENT IN
THE MASSAGE AND BODYWORK
CLASSROOM
Your
presenter
today is…
Christy Cael
ABMP’s Education Program Manager
Goals and Objectives
 Define critical thinking.
 Relate critical thinking to the professional practice of massage
and bodywork.
 Compare and contrast didactic and critical learning strategies.
 Illustrate the benefits of critical learning.
 Apply critical learning strategies to the massage and bodywork
classroom.
Critical Thinking
L E A R N I N G TO L E A R N
Characteristics of Critical Thinking
 Defining a problem
 Asking questions
 Examining evidence
 Analyzing assumptions and
 Avoiding oversimplification
 Considering other
interpretations
 Tolerating ambiguity
biases
 Avoiding emotional
reasoning
 Metacognition
(understanding how we
process information)
Critical Thinking in Professional Practice
 Gleaning subjective information
 Seeking objective information
 Determining indications/contraindications
 Session planning and adaptation
 Documentation
 Referrals
 Professional development
Learning Strategies
Didactic Method
Critical Learning Method
 Teacher-centered
 Student-centered
 What to think
 How to think
 Transmit knowledge
 Facilitate knowledge
 Content
 Strategies, principles,
concepts, and insights
Learning Strategies (continued)
Didactic Method
Critical Learning Method
 Knowledge is additive
 Knowledge is holistic
 Experience and values are
 Experience and values are
irrelevant
 Doubt and questioning
weaken belief
essential
 Questioning is a sign of
learning
 Broad, superficial
 Focused, deep
 Direct path to truth
 Indirect path to truth
 Establishing structure.
Benefits
 Identifying concepts, facts, or
principles.
When are
didactic
methods
optimal?
 Presenting to large groups.
 Relaying large
amounts of
information.
 Has relevance to professional
Benefits
practice.
 Promotes lifelong
Why
incorporate
critical
learning?
learning.
 Use in licensing
exams.
 Valued by regulatory boards and
agencies.
Application
CRITICAL THINKING IN THE
CLASSROOM
Instructional
Guidelines
 Become a facilitator.
 Seed discussion.
How do I
incorporate
critical thinking
into established
curriculum?
 Encourage questions.
 Challenge each other.
 Focus on why and how.
 Foster experimentation.
 Provide feedback.
Kinesiology: Didactic Presentation
 Objective: Identify the names of the bones in the human
skeleton.
 Delivery: lecture
 Tools: overhead or PowerPoint presentation showing skeleton
with callouts for all pertinent bones and model skeleton.
 Method: instructor points out all bones and verbally names each
while students take notes.
Kinesiology: Didactic Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s ability to recall the names of
the bones in the human skeleton.
 Method: written examination using drawing of human skeleton
and callouts for students to write in bone names.
 Numeric score based upon number of correct answers.
 Objective: analyze and name the bones
Kinesiology
Critical
Learning
Presentation
of the human skeleton.
 Delivery: activity
 Tools: full skeleton and a disarticulated
skeleton
 Method:

Each student is given a bone.

Instructor presents principles.

Student locates bone on skeleton.

Student presents name and features.

Discuss qualities and function.
Kinesiology
Critical
Learning
Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s analysis
of the bones of the human body.
 Method: written examination using
drawing of human skeleton and callouts
for students to write in bone names and
one quality about each bone.
 Numeric score based upon number of
correct answers.
Swedish Massage: Didactic Presentation
 Objective: Identify the physiological effects of Swedish massage.
 Delivery: lecture.
 Tools: overhead or PowerPoint presentation listing the
physiological effects of each Swedish massage stroke.
 Method: instructor reads off effects, provides a brief explanation
of each, and which stroke accomplishes each effect.
Swedish Massage: Didactic Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s ability to recall the
physiological effects of Swedish massage.
 Method: written examination using multiple choice and matching
questions to pair specific strokes with their individual benefits.
 Numeric score based upon number of correct answers.
Swedish
Massage
Critical
Learning
Presentation
 Objective: detect the physiological effects
of Swedish massage.
 Delivery: activity
 Tools: massage table, sheets, oil, pen,
and paper
 Method:

Instructor demonstrates strokes.

Students practice each.

Students journal changes in client for each stroke.

Lead group discussion, comparing results to
research.
Swedish
Massage
Critical
Learning
Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s ability to
explain the physiological effects of
Swedish massage.
 Method: written examination using short
answer to describe the effects of each
Swedish stroke.
 Numeric score based upon completeness
of answers.
Ethics: Didactic Presentation
 Objective: identify proper ethical behavior associated with
massage and bodywork.
 Delivery: lecture.
 Tools: overhead or PowerPoint presentation listing the
appropriate ethical behavior for massage and bodywork
professionals.
 Method: instructor reads points from code of ethics or
statues, provides a brief explanation of each, and describes
how to apply them to professional practice.
Ethics: Didactic Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s ability to identify proper ethical
behavior for massage and bodywork.
 Method: written examination, using short answer or fill-in to list
ethical principles.
 Numeric score based upon number of correct answers.
Ethics
Critical
Learning
Presentation
 Objective: critique ethical dilemmas in
massage and bodywork.
 Delivery: activity.
 Tools: pen and paper.
 Method:

Divide class into small groups.

Each group creates an ethical
dilemma.

Trade scenarios and role-play
solutions.

Discuss to debrief solutions.
Ethics
Critical
Learning
Assessment
 Objective: assess each student’s ability to
solve ethical dilemmas using accepted
codes and principles.
 Method: essay or verbal exam presenting
ethical dilemmas; student must devise a
solution, citing a relevant code or law.
 Numeric score based upon content and
clarity of answer.
How Are These Methods Different?
Critical Learning
Didactic

Attention

Exploration

Recall

Creativity

Recitation

Critical Analysis

Single path to
understanding

Indirect paths to
understanding

Limited learning styles

Multiple learning styles
 Critical learning CAN be utilized in the
Summary
classroom.
 Critical learning is interactive and
engaging.
 Critical thinking is essential to
professional practice.
 Professional organizations are
recognizing the value of critical
thinking.
Thank
You!
ABMP’s Education Team
Contact ABMP
Jennifer Argenbright: jennifer@abmp.com or extension 636
Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virgin Islands, Washington
Melanie Gourley: melanie@abmp.com or extension 626
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West Virginia
Kathy Laskye: kathy@abmp.com or extension 649
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Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North/South Dakota, Tennessee,
Utah, Wisconsin
Taffie Lewis: taffie@abmp.com or extension 629
Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas,
Vermont, Wyoming
www.abmp.com
800-458-2267