A critical friend can be defined as a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another lens, and offers critiques of a person’s work as a friend. A critical friend takes the time to fully understand the context of the work presented and the outcomes that the person or group is working toward. The friend is an advocate for the success of that work. ^[

 The Critical Friend is a powerful idea, perhaps because it contains an inherent tension. Friends bring a high degree of unconditional positive regard. Critics are, at first sight at least, conditional, negative and intolerant of failure. Perhaps the critical friend comes closest to what might be regarded as 'true friendship' - a successful marrying of unconditional support and unconditional critique. ^{[5] (Wikipedia2008)}

^{This will be a powerful tool for my classroom as we do alot of class persentation/projects in partners/groups.  I will have the students become critical friends as they start the work,continue throughout providing guidance and support till the job is completed. It can be set up as a blog or wiki on SAM for easy discussion and it will be part of their assesement for the overall mar,k.}