ABSTRACT
Educators have long acknowledged the importance of critical thinking. Congress added additional emphasis in 1990, when it passed the “Goals 2000: Educate America Act,” which included this goal: “The proportion of college graduates who demonstrate an advanced ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and solve problems will increase substantially” (U.S. Department of Education, 1990, p. 6). Both before and after “Goals 2000,” journalism and mass communication educators claimed critical thinking to be a major goal in media education (Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, 2003; Blanchard, 1988; Blanchard & Christ, 1993; Brown, 1991; Mullins, 1987; Shoemaker, 1993; Stark & Lowther, 1988; Steiner, 1993).
