SAGE

statement or offered additional viewpoints, was positively associated with critical thinking." This approach also works in a face-to-face learning environment, because self-regulation is developed through questioning or challenging the student's statement, or, in other words, bringing to life a point of view, and then reflecting on the process through instructor-facilitated discussion. Both Pawlak (2016) and Schnieder-Cline (2017) recognize that self-regulation allows students to work toward the required goals within their discipline, which in turn, can establish strong relationships between academia and the workplace. It is important to emphasize that both instructors and students in a collaborative learning process play a pivotal role in developing self-regulation skills that assist in critical thinking. STRATEGIC THINKING Strategic thinking, like self-regulation, helps students achieve critical thinking abilities. Mastering strategic thinking "leads students into deeper reflection on questions needing further exploration" (Nold 2017, 19). Furthermore, Bowman (2016) classifies strategic thinking as using skills, including focusing on what is going on around them and understanding verbal and written communication. Bellaera (2017) offers two ways to facilitate strategic thinking in the classroom: using simulations and encouraging applied problem-solving. Going hand-in-hand with self-regulation are techniques like breaking up content into chunks, leveraging perspective-taking questions, and modeling ways of understanding content by asking students to react to content, rather than just digesting it. It is crucial that instructors reinforce the application of these self- regulatory strategies and allow students to reflect on how it applies to what is meaningful to them. ROLE OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES Employers consider soft skills an essential and anticipated set of basic skills for entering the workplace and moving up. However, many students do not have adequate preparation in communication, critical thinking, decision making, and particularly writing and reading. Study International Staff (2017) explains that social science courses are ideal arenas for developing both soft skills and critical thinking skills. "The practical, interactive, and often community-based nature of many social science disciplines means that students are already out there experiencing the world—and the tricky decision-making process that comes with it— before they even leave the university setting" (Study International Staff 2017). In the same ways that employers are viewing soft skills as essential, the social sciences are becoming more popular arenas for developing STEM-related skills. "Recent signs show that even history and legal- ethical philosophy are increasingly making connections with STEM subjects" (Dunleavy et al., 2014). Collins (2015) adds, "today, we create links among science, engineering, economics, public policy, law, and communications to address global challenges such as how to ensure that plentiful energy, food, and potable water is available around the world. Such problems require more than just technical solutions." Many STEM curriculums are requiring more social science courses like Public Speaking and Presenting to better help future engineers, doctors, and scientists develop key soft skills like communication. Dunleavy et al. (2014) goes on to emphasize how crucial the social sciences are as they "operate in complex, multi-causal environments, where hundreds or thousands of influences flux and interact with each other to shape any given social or behavioural outcome." STEM education has increased in emphasis, perhaps, but social and behavioral sciences are continuing to prove essential in the higher education curriculum.

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