Teaching Critical Thinking Through Angling

Author : James Thull

Abstract : My presentation will review my efforts to teach critical thinking skills through anglingrelated classes at Montana State University (MSU). In the fall of 2024, I started developing classes focused on using the Trout and Salmonid collections at MSU as a way to teach and develop students' critical thinking skills. The classes use literature, poetry, music, scientific research, and oral histories aimed at developing critical thinking skills through review, analysis, and the creation of oral histories. MSU holds the world’s largest collection of materials on trout and salmonids and classes were developed, in part, to help increase student use and awareness of the collection The class has been taught, in various formats, each fall and culminates with an 11-day trip to Belize where the students learn about local fisheries, perform community service work, and immerse themselves in local Belizian culture. My presentation will review my methods, activities, and results after 3 consecutive classes.

Keywords : Teaching critical thinking through angling-based interdisciplinary learning

Conference Name : International Conference on Fisheries Education, Training, and Capacity Building (ICFETCB-26)

Conference Place : Crete, Greece

Conference Date : 11th Apr 2026