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Expanding the Horizon of Expanding the Horizon of Learning:Learning:
Critical Thinking in the Critical Thinking in the Composition ClassroomComposition Classroom
Dr. Joan KennedyDr. Joan Kennedy
Definition of Critical Definition of Critical ThinkingThinking
It is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking It is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view of improving itwith a view of improving it
Dr. Richard Paul defines it as “thinking about your Dr. Richard Paul defines it as “thinking about your thinking so you know what it is that you are thinking so you know what it is that you are thinking”thinking”
emphasizing its self-reflective natureemphasizing its self-reflective nature It is the cornerstone of teaching composition in a It is the cornerstone of teaching composition in a
college classroomcollege classroom Goal: encourage students to become “citizens of Goal: encourage students to become “citizens of
the world” who engage in enlightened dialogue the world” who engage in enlightened dialogue with otherswith others
Critical Thinking Critical Thinking RequirementsRequirements
Coordinating Board mandates it as an objective Coordinating Board mandates it as an objective for all college coursesfor all college courses
Students must be guided through the process Students must be guided through the process to attain higher order thinking skillsto attain higher order thinking skills
Heuristic strategy for initial stages of Heuristic strategy for initial stages of developing critical thinking requires developing critical thinking requires exploratory exercises, prewriting, collaborative exploratory exercises, prewriting, collaborative activities to expand horizon of learningactivities to expand horizon of learning
Students must explore the breadth of the issueStudents must explore the breadth of the issue
Multiple-Step HeuristicMultiple-Step Heuristic
To initiate critical thinking, students begin To initiate critical thinking, students begin with exploratory steps of thinking and with exploratory steps of thinking and questioning to examine creatively the questioning to examine creatively the possibilities for topic development in essayspossibilities for topic development in essays
While the creative stage is recursive, While the creative stage is recursive, Aristotle identified invention as the first Aristotle identified invention as the first step in his Five Canons of Rhetoricstep in his Five Canons of Rhetoric
My heuristic employs a multiple-step plan My heuristic employs a multiple-step plan to explore a topic from a variety of to explore a topic from a variety of perspectivesperspectives
Initial StepInitial Step
Social issues persuasive research essay assignmentSocial issues persuasive research essay assignment Use journal for exploratory thinkingUse journal for exploratory thinking Offers low risk space for explorationOffers low risk space for exploration Flexible tool for instructors to assign creative Flexible tool for instructors to assign creative
thinking activitiesthinking activities Short, timed “off the top of their head” response—Short, timed “off the top of their head” response— LoopingLooping Students discover what they knowStudents discover what they know Mark Twain’s Imperative: “Sail away from the safe Mark Twain’s Imperative: “Sail away from the safe
harbor. . . .Explore. Dream. Discover”harbor. . . .Explore. Dream. Discover”
Next StepNext Step
In journal make list of 4-5 items that In journal make list of 4-5 items that are of interest to studentare of interest to student
Example: dining at a restaurant; Example: dining at a restaurant; riding a bike; playing tennis; riding a bike; playing tennis; attending the moviesattending the movies
Link items on list to plausible Link items on list to plausible connections to the their topicconnections to the their topic
ExamplesExamples
Student topic: legalization of marijuanaStudent topic: legalization of marijuana Connect restaurant dining to question: Connect restaurant dining to question:
“What are the effects of marijuana on the “What are the effects of marijuana on the appetite?”appetite?”
Bike riding question: “Does routine exercise Bike riding question: “Does routine exercise stimulate the effects of the drug?”stimulate the effects of the drug?”
Tennis playing question: “What types of Tennis playing question: “What types of rules concerning drug use exist for rules concerning drug use exist for professional athletes?”professional athletes?”
Movie going question: “How is marijuana Movie going question: “How is marijuana depicted in film?”depicted in film?”
ResultResult
Lures students into a new territory of Lures students into a new territory of ideasideas
Allows personal perspective as guide Allows personal perspective as guide for selecting potential areas of topic for selecting potential areas of topic development—student “voice” development—student “voice” emergesemerges
Can move topic from “boring to Can move topic from “boring to interesting”interesting”
Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel
A visual diagram to explore broad A visual diagram to explore broad spectrum of appealsspectrum of appeals
Eighteen categories: history, music, Eighteen categories: history, music, law, literature, drama, film, social law, literature, drama, film, social life, future, feminism, children, TV, life, future, feminism, children, TV, people, newspapers, morality, people, newspapers, morality, agriculture, architecture, economics, agriculture, architecture, economics, healthhealth
Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel
Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel
Students place subject in middle of wheel Students place subject in middle of wheel and move around circle asking questionsand move around circle asking questions
Considering my subject from a historical Considering my subject from a historical perspective, what could I write about?perspective, what could I write about?
Considering my subject from the perspective Considering my subject from the perspective of the future, what could I write about?of the future, what could I write about?
Considering my subject from the perspective Considering my subject from the perspective of morality, what could I write about?of morality, what could I write about?
Bloom’s Revised TaxonomyBloom’s Revised Taxonomy
Students move into more focused, Students move into more focused, critical thinking territorycritical thinking territory
Ask questions utilizing the six Ask questions utilizing the six categories of the learning pyramidcategories of the learning pyramid
Remember, Understand, Apply, Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, CreateAnalyze, Evaluate, Create
Final Stage of Creative Final Stage of Creative ThinkingThinking
Document from National Collegiate Document from National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Honors Council Conference in Washington DCWashington DC
Focuses on abstract concepts: Focuses on abstract concepts: Rights, Privileges, ResponsibilitiesRights, Privileges, Responsibilities
List of ten questions apply the List of ten questions apply the concepts to specific situationsconcepts to specific situations
Results of Creative ThinkingResults of Creative Thinking
Plethora of possibilities to pursue as students Plethora of possibilities to pursue as students begin researching their topicsbegin researching their topics
It guides them into areas of discussion they may It guides them into areas of discussion they may not have considered initially avoiding “tunnel not have considered initially avoiding “tunnel vision”vision”
Students shift into a critical thinking mindset to Students shift into a critical thinking mindset to sift through the materialsift through the material
Provides a sound basis to begin critical thinkingProvides a sound basis to begin critical thinking Gives students confidence that they have Gives students confidence that they have
something significant to say something significant to say Essential to expand students’ horizon of learningEssential to expand students’ horizon of learning
Works Cited
Adelstein, Michael and Jean Pival. The Writing Commitment. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 5th ed, 1993. Print. Anderson, Lorin W. and David R. Krathwohl, ed. A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001. Print. Bloom Benjamin S. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Longman, 1956; 1984. Print. Bullock, Richard, Maureen Daly Goggin, and Francine Weinberg. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print. Channell, Carolyn E. and Timothy W. Crusius. Engaging Questions: A Guide to Writing. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Kant, Immanuel. “What Is Enlightenment?” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner et al. 3rd ed. Vol. D. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 3 vol. 105-109. Print. Paul Richard and Linda Elder. The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools. New York: Penguin Express, 2009. Print. Phillips, Harry and Patricia Bostian. The Purposeful Argument: A Practical Guide. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Works Cited
Pohl, Michael. Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: Models and Strategies to Develop A
Classroom Culture of Thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow, 2000. Print. Stolarek, Elizabeth A. and Larry R. Juchartz. Classical Techniques and Contemporary
Arguments. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007. Print.