Prepare Students to Adapt & Thrive in an Evolving World
Build the skills employers value most and that will give your graduates a competitive edge throughout their careers—critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.
Empower Students to Think Critically, Solve Problems, and Keep Up with the Pace of Change
As technology reshapes how we live and work, students need more than technical knowledge—they need the human-centered skills that drive innovation and productivity in every industry.
By equipping students with these higher-order skills, your institution can boost retention, strengthen graduate outcomes, showcase its value, and build a strong reputation with employers, alumni, and prospective students.
CAE’s Critical Thinking Skills Program helps education institutions teach and measure these skills, preparing students for success in college, the workforce, and civic life.
Students who perform better on CAE’s assessment of workforce skills have:
Higher cumulative GPAs at the end of their senior year (Zahner & Steedle, 2012).
Positive post-university outcomes as measured by employment, salary, and graduate school enrollment as well as employer ratings (Zahner, James, & Lehrfeld, 2022).
A Proven Approach to Teaching and Measuring Higher-Order Skills
CAE’s Critical Thinking Skills Program gives education institutions the tools needed to teach and measure the skills that set graduates apart and prepare them to be life-long learners—critical thinking, problem solving, and effective communication.
Our flexible, research-based solution includes:
- Professional development that equips educators to effectively teach higher-order skills and integrate this teaching into their courses.
- Instructional materials that provide students with a framework for effective critical thinking along with opportunities to practice using critical thinking skills in real-world situations specific to their course of study.
- Performance-based assessments that measure proficiency, track growth, and showcase real-world readiness.
With CAE as your partner, your students will have both the knowledge and the skills they need to adapt, lead, and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
AI Requires More Human Skills, Not Fewer
While AI automates tasks and recognizes patterns, highly effectively critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills are essential to guiding AI tools, interpreting results, making sound, well-informed decisions and presenting results.
Download our free guide for practical strategies, classroom activities, and insights that will prepare students prepare students to lead in the AI era.
Partner Spotlight: Texas A&M Mays Business School
Learn how Texas A&M’s Mays Business School has responded to the needs of employers and a shifting economy by integrating critical thinking skills instruction into their curriculum.
The result? Thousands of MBS students are now trained in the workforce skills that 95% of students believe are vital to their future success and that employers say matter most—critical thinking (79%), problem solving (74%), and written communication (77%).
Research-Based. Results-Driven. Backed by Decades of Innovation.
Building on a foundation established as part of the RAND Corporation, CAE has led the way in assessment innovation for more than 20 years. Our research-based approach enables institutions to measure the higher-order skills most essential for academic achievement, workforce readiness, and civic engagement.
Over 20 Years’ Experience Evaluating and Improving Higher-Order Skills Internationally
Employers consistently tell us they want graduates who can think, solve, and lead. We’ve expanded CAE’s Critical Thinking Skills Program to all graduate business students to ensure they develop those skills—and it shows when they enter the job market.