Foundations Foundations of Critical of Critical ThinkingThinking

Critical Critical ThinkingThinking

What is It?What is It?

Why is it Important?Why is it Important?

How Does it Improve How Does it Improve Teaching and Teaching and Learning?Learning?

Critical Thinking isthe art of analyzing

and assessing thinking in order

to improve it.CritCrit

Critical Thinking is Critical Thinking is the awakening of the awakening of

the intellect to the the intellect to the study of itself.study of itself.

John Henry NewmanJohn Henry NewmanA man may hear a thousand lectures, A man may hear a thousand lectures,

and read a thousand volumes, and be and read a thousand volumes, and be at the end of the process very much at the end of the process very much where he was, as regards knowledge. where he was, as regards knowledge. Something more than merely Something more than merely admitting it in a negative way into the admitting it in a negative way into the mind is necessary if it is to remain mind is necessary if it is to remain there. It must not be passively there. It must not be passively received, but actually and actively received, but actually and actively entered into, embraced, mastered. entered into, embraced, mastered. The mind must go half-way to meet The mind must go half-way to meet what comes to it from without.”what comes to it from without.”

Booth Tarkington, Booth Tarkington, author author

““He had learned how to pass examinations by He had learned how to pass examinations by ‘cramming’; that is, in three or four days ‘cramming’; that is, in three or four days and nights he could get into his head and nights he could get into his head enough of a selected fragment of some enough of a selected fragment of some scientific or philosophical or literary or scientific or philosophical or literary or linguistic subject to reply plausibly to six linguistic subject to reply plausibly to six questions out of ten. He could retain the questions out of ten. He could retain the information necessary for such a feat just information necessary for such a feat just long enough to give a successful long enough to give a successful performance; then it would evaporate performance; then it would evaporate utterly from his brain, and leave him utterly from his brain, and leave him undisturbed.” undisturbed.”

On what George Amberson had learned in college, from the Magnificant Ambersons (1918)}On what George Amberson had learned in college, from the Magnificant Ambersons (1918)}

Whitehead, Whitehead, The Aims of EducationThe Aims of Education““The result of teaching small parts The result of teaching small parts

of a large number of subjects is of a large number of subjects is the passive reception of the passive reception of disconnected ideas, not disconnected ideas, not illuminated with any spark of illuminated with any spark of vitality. Let the main ideas which vitality. Let the main ideas which are introduced into a child’s are introduced into a child’s education be few and important, education be few and important, and let them be thrown into and let them be thrown into every combination possible.”every combination possible.”

““The child should make them his The child should make them his own, and should understand their own, and should understand their application here and now in the application here and now in the circumstances of his actual life. circumstances of his actual life. From the very beginning of his From the very beginning of his education, the child should education, the child should experience the joy of discovery. experience the joy of discovery. The discovery which he has to The discovery which he has to make is that general ideas give an make is that general ideas give an understanding of that stream of understanding of that stream of events which pours through his events which pours through his life.” life.”

Why concern ourselves Why concern ourselves with thinking?with thinking?

Whenever we are Whenever we are dealing with human dealing with human life, we are almost life, we are almost

always dealing with always dealing with thinking.thinking.

Thinking is the way Thinking is the way that the mind makes that the mind makes sense of the world.sense of the world.

what there iswhat there is what is happeningwhat is happening what our problems arewhat our problems are what our options arewhat our options are what threatens uswhat threatens us what is importantwhat is important what is unimportantwhat is unimportant who our friends arewho our friends are who our enemies arewho our enemies are what our “history” iswhat our “history” is who we arewho we are who loves uswho loves us

Thinking tells us:

Thinking determines:Thinking determines: what we learnwhat we learn how we learnhow we learn what we think is important to learnwhat we think is important to learn what effort we should expendwhat effort we should expend what we think is truewhat we think is true what we think is falsewhat we think is false how things should be viewedhow things should be viewed whether our learning is of high or low qualitywhether our learning is of high or low quality whether our learning is deep or superficialwhether our learning is deep or superficial

Everything we know,Everything we know,

believe, want, fear believe, want, fear and hopeand hope

for, our thinking tells for, our thinking tells us.us.

Most of the world’s Most of the world’s problemsproblems

are caused by, or are caused by, or exacerbated by, exacerbated by,

problems in human problems in human thinkingthinking

Consider these problemsConsider these problems HumiliationHumiliation Hunger Hunger PovertyPoverty HomelessnessHomelessness Global WarmingGlobal Warming TortureTorture MurderMurder RapeRape

Think of some problem behavior Think of some problem behavior your students engage in.your students engage in.

See if you can identify the See if you can identify the thinking that leads to the thinking that leads to the behavior.behavior.

When we place thinking When we place thinking at the center of at the center of

instruction:instruction: we approach students as we approach students as thinkersthinkers we continually seek to connect the we continually seek to connect the

content we are teaching to the content we are teaching to the thinkingthinking of students – illuminating of students – illuminating how and why the content is how and why the content is important to them as important to them as thinkersthinkers

we design instruction so that we design instruction so that students have to students have to thinkthink their way their way into and through the content.into and through the content.

Thinking is at the core of Thinking is at the core of human life and human human life and human

problemsproblems

Therefore thinkingTherefore thinkingmust bemust beat the coreat the coreof the of the curriculumcurriculum

Content is:Content is:

Understood by thinkingUnderstood by thinking Constructed by thinkingConstructed by thinking Modified by thinkingModified by thinking Applied by thinkingApplied by thinking Questioned by thinkingQuestioned by thinking Assessed by thinkingAssessed by thinking

Therefore, to learn Therefore, to learn content content

students have to students have to thinkthink it into their it into their thinkingthinking using their using their thinking.thinking.

Critical thinking Critical thinking provides the tools provides the tools students need to think students need to think through content.through content.

Critical thinking is a Critical thinking is a system of thinking system of thinking that opens up all other that opens up all other systems of thinking. systems of thinking.

What is Critical What is Critical Thinking?Thinking?

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

is a is a self-directedself-directed processprocess

by which we take by which we take

deliberate stepsdeliberate steps

to think at the to think at the

highest levelhighest level of of quality.quality.

Substantive Learning

Write It

Hear It

Teach It

Apply It

Read It

Draw It

Read, write hear etcRead, write hear etc

Critical thinking is the Critical thinking is the way you do everything way you do everything

you doyou doCritical ThinkingCritical Thinking

Something you add onto everything else

Rather

The Way You Do

Everything You Do

critical thinking: disciplined, self-guided thinking

aimed at living a rational life.

Thinking thatanalyzes thinking

Thinking thatassesses thinking

Thinking thatdevelops within itself

intellectual habits

thinking thatcombats its native

egocentricity

Overview slideOverview slide

VirtuesElements VirtuesElements StandardsStandards

Why Critical Thinking?Why Critical Thinking? Work in pairs. Work in pairs. Concepts and ToolsConcepts and Tools Miniguide. Miniguide.

Person A, Person B. Critically read page 1 Person A, Person B. Critically read page 1 together, using the following method: together, using the following method:

a.  a.  Person B reads one sentence aloud, then Person B reads one sentence aloud, then states in his/her own words what has been states in his/her own words what has been read. In other words, person B interprets the read. In other words, person B interprets the sentence. sentence.

b. Person A then either agrees with the b. Person A then either agrees with the interpretation or offers a different interpretation or offers a different interpretation, adds to the interpretation, etc. interpretation, adds to the interpretation, etc.

c.  During this process, do not critique what c.  During this process, do not critique what you are reading, merely interpret. you are reading, merely interpret.

d. Person B then reads the second d. Person B then reads the second sentence, and the same process occurs.sentence, and the same process occurs.

e.  Person A then takes the next two e.  Person A then takes the next two sentences, one sentence at a time, sentences, one sentence at a time, reading, interpreting, getting feedback reading, interpreting, getting feedback from person B, using the same method. from person B, using the same method.

f.  Take turns reading and interpreting f.  Take turns reading and interpreting using this method, each person reading using this method, each person reading and interpreting two sentences, then and interpreting two sentences, then switching roles, until the entire page is switching roles, until the entire page is read. read.

Red Thinking: Higher order executive functioning. Thinking that analyzes, assesses and improves greenThinking.

Green Thinking: Instinctive, automatic, spontaneous thinking.Unconsciously guided

Red/green Red/green thinkingthinking

Green ThinkingGreen ThinkingUnconscious Mixture Of High Quality And Low Unconscious Mixture Of High Quality And Low

Quality ThinkingQuality Thinking

Spontaneous Subconscious Uncontrolled

Impulsive Self protecting Unanalyzed

Reflexive Self validating

Includes ideas that are valid, as well as nonsense, confusion, stereotypes, prejudices. The key is that we cannot distinguish the difference between high and low quality thought in green thinking mode.

Green thinking goes without assessing itself.

Red ThinkingRed Thinking

Red Thinking stops and assesses itself before going Red Thinking stops and assesses itself before going forward.forward.

Disciplined Seeks the truth Self assessing

Critical Thinking Self correcting Probing

In red thinking mode, we actively work to In red thinking mode, we actively work to eliminate prejudices, biases, dysfunctional eliminate prejudices, biases, dysfunctional thinking from our thinking. We actively work on thinking from our thinking. We actively work on our thinking.our thinking.

We rigorously apply intellectual standards to our We rigorously apply intellectual standards to our thinking.thinking.

Your Thinking can either

Trap You

Free You

Hold youHostage within

uncritically held

beliefs

Open your mind

to new ways of thinking

Trap or Trap or freefree

The Critical Thinking MindThe Critical Thinking Mind

==

The Educated MindThe Educated Mind

The critical thinking mind is The critical thinking mind is the educated mindthe educated mind

To learn anything, To learn anything,

you must actively bring you must actively bring it into your thinking.it into your thinking.

The Test: The Test: What is Critical Thinking?What is Critical Thinking?To be clear in writing:To be clear in writing:1)      state1)      state2)      elaborate (In other words…)2)      elaborate (In other words…)3)      exemplify and/or illustrate3)      exemplify and/or illustrate

Write your understanding of critical Write your understanding of critical thinking, in this form:thinking, in this form:

1)     Critical thinking is 1)     Critical thinking is ……....2)2)          In other wordsIn other words……3)3)          For example For example ……

Think for Yourself: 1-1Think for Yourself: 1-1Beginning to Beginning to

Think About Your ThinkingThink About Your Thinking   To begin to think about your thinking, To begin to think about your thinking,

make a list of any problems you believe make a list of any problems you believe currently exist with your thinking. Try to currently exist with your thinking. Try to be as explicit as possible. The more be as explicit as possible. The more problems you identify the better. For problems you identify the better. For each problem you identify, complete the each problem you identify, complete the following statements:following statements:

1.   One problem with my thinking is…1.   One problem with my thinking is… 2.   This is a problem because…2.   This is a problem because… 3.    If I adequately addressed this 3.    If I adequately addressed this

problem, the quality of my life would problem, the quality of my life would improve in the following ways…improve in the following ways…

Think for Yourself: 1-2Think for Yourself: 1-2Critique Your ThinkingCritique Your Thinking

Consider your thinking in these domains of your life: at work, in Consider your thinking in these domains of your life: at work, in personal relationships, in teaching, in intimate relationships, as personal relationships, in teaching, in intimate relationships, as a reader, as a writer, in planning your life, in dealing with your a reader, as a writer, in planning your life, in dealing with your emotions, in figuring out complex situations. Complete these emotions, in figuring out complex situations. Complete these statements:statements:

Right now, I believe my thinking across all domains of my life is Right now, I believe my thinking across all domains of my life is of ______________ quality. I based this judgment on of ______________ quality. I based this judgment on _________________._________________.

  

1. In the following areas, I think very well1. In the following areas, I think very well……

2. In the following areas, my thinking is OK, not great, but not 2. In the following areas, my thinking is OK, not great, but not terrible eitherterrible either……

3. In the following areas, my thinking is probably of low quality3. In the following areas, my thinking is probably of low quality……

List at least three areas for each of the above. List at least three areas for each of the above.

Critical Thinking Is Not NewCritical Thinking Is Not New

Socrates 2,400 years ago discovered by a method of probing questioning that people often could not rationally justify their confident claims to knowledge.

In 1605, Francis Bacon, wrote the first book on critical thinking, The Advancement of Learning, in which he documented various forms of human irrationality and the need to establish new habits of thought through education.

The Quality of My The Quality of My TeachingTeaching

is given in the thinking is given in the thinking

that I do about my that I do about my

TeachingTeaching

What is critical thinking?What is critical thinking?

Concepts and Tools GuideConcepts and Tools Guide Silently read page 1 – then discuss.Silently read page 1 – then discuss. p. 2 – then discuss.p. 2 – then discuss. p. 318p. 318 p. 4p. 4 p. 6p. 6 p. 9p. 9 p.12p.12 p. 19p. 19 p. 18p. 18

Robert Reich, former Robert Reich, former secretary of labor for Bill secretary of labor for Bill

ClintonClinton

Reich identifies four components of Reich identifies four components of the kind of thinking that highly the kind of thinking that highly paid workers will increasingly need paid workers will increasingly need to master:to master:

1.1. Command of abstractionsCommand of abstractions

2.2. Ability to think within systemsAbility to think within systems

3.3. Ability to evaluate ideasAbility to evaluate ideas

4.4. Ability to communicate effectivelyAbility to communicate effectively

What do you know What do you know about thinking?about thinking?

What do you know What do you know about the connection about the connection between thinking and between thinking and

learning?learning?

What have you learned about how What have you learned about how you think? you think?

Did you ever study your thinking? Did you ever study your thinking? What information do you have, for What information do you have, for

example, about the intellectual example, about the intellectual processes that occur as your mind processes that occur as your mind thinks? thinks?

What do you know about how to What do you know about how to analyze, evaluate, or reconstruct analyze, evaluate, or reconstruct your thinking? your thinking?

Where does your thinking come Where does your thinking come from? from?

How much of it is of “good” quality? How much of it is of “good” quality? How much of it is of “poor” quality? How much of it is of “poor” quality?

Are you, in any real sense, in Are you, in any real sense, in control of your thinking? control of your thinking?

How do you control your thinking?How do you control your thinking? Do you know how to test it? Do you know how to test it? Do you have any conscious Do you have any conscious

standards for determining when standards for determining when you are thinking well and when you are thinking well and when you are thinking poorly? you are thinking poorly?

Have you ever discovered a Have you ever discovered a significant problem in your thinking significant problem in your thinking and then changed it by a conscious and then changed it by a conscious act of will? act of will?

If anyone asked you to teach them If anyone asked you to teach them what you have learned, thus far in what you have learned, thus far in your life, about thinking, would you your life, about thinking, would you really have any idea what that was or really have any idea what that was or how you learned it? how you learned it?

What does each of these intellectual What does each of these intellectual virtues mean?virtues mean?

Why are they important in Why are they important in instruction?instruction?

How would you articulate the How would you articulate the opposite of each one?opposite of each one?

Typical day/Typical lessonsTeaching strategies

Semester design

Period of learning and experimentation

Roll out across the discipline or school

The Idea of Critical Thinking

Plan for systematic approachPlan for systematic approach

Analyzing the concept of Analyzing the concept of ““Education”Education”

What is the What is the purposepurpose of education? of education? What key What key questionsquestions should we be asking in should we be asking in

education (that should drive instruction)?education (that should drive instruction)? What What informationinformation should we use to should we use to

determine how we should approach determine how we should approach students/instruction? students/instruction?

What key ideas or What key ideas or conceptsconcepts should guide should guide education?education?

If we truly educate students, what are If we truly educate students, what are some important some important implications implications – for students – for students and society?and society?

What should we What should we assumeassume, or take for , or take for granted, about what it means to be an granted, about what it means to be an educated person?educated person?

Logic of

Student Thinking

Logic of

CriticalThinking

Logic of

Content

Logic of Student Logic of Student ThinkingThinking

varies from student to studentvaries from student to student

But with certain identifiable patternsBut with certain identifiable patterns

Student beliefs/habits Student beliefs/habits that affect learningthat affect learning

It’s true if the teacher says it is true.It’s true if the teacher says it is true. It is true if my friend’s believe it.It is true if my friend’s believe it. It is true if it agrees with what I already think.It is true if it agrees with what I already think. Learning should be easy.Learning should be easy. Learning should always be fun.Learning should always be fun. If I am not learning it is the teacher’s fault.If I am not learning it is the teacher’s fault. I am too stupid to learn this.I am too stupid to learn this. If I have to ask a question in class, I am dumb.If I have to ask a question in class, I am dumb. I am the only person with a question, so I must I am the only person with a question, so I must

be the only dumb person here.be the only dumb person here.

If I finish my work first, I am smarter than If I finish my work first, I am smarter than everyone else.everyone else.

If the teacher calls on me more that the other If the teacher calls on me more that the other students, it shows I am smarter than them.students, it shows I am smarter than them.

If the teacher calls on me more that the other If the teacher calls on me more that the other students, it shows I am dumber than them.students, it shows I am dumber than them.

The only things worth learning are those that will The only things worth learning are those that will be on the test.be on the test.

The only things worth learning are the things that The only things worth learning are the things that will increase my job-earning potential.will increase my job-earning potential.

All I should do is the minimum to get by.All I should do is the minimum to get by. Since I am smarter than everyone else in the Since I am smarter than everyone else in the

class, I have nothing to learn from them.class, I have nothing to learn from them. I shouldn’t have to waste my time teaching other I shouldn’t have to waste my time teaching other

students since it isn’t my problem if they are students since it isn’t my problem if they are “slow.”“slow.”

The teacher will explain everything I The teacher will explain everything I need to know.need to know.

If other students think I am dumb, I If other students think I am dumb, I amam dumb. dumb.

If other students think I am smart, I If other students think I am smart, I amam smart. smart.

I am too stupid to learn complicated I am too stupid to learn complicated things.things.

Students need to face Students need to face these assumptions and these assumptions and habits of mind and deal habits of mind and deal

with them.with them.

They need intervention strategies that They need intervention strategies that they create and regularly use, to they create and regularly use, to change these habits.change these habits.

I understand science I understand science when I can think when I can think

scientifically, when I can:scientifically, when I can: Formulate scientific questionsFormulate scientific questions Pursue scientific purposesPursue scientific purposes Gather relevant scientific informationGather relevant scientific information Make reasonable scientific inferencesMake reasonable scientific inferences Follow out logical scientific implicationsFollow out logical scientific implications Think within a scientific point of view (or Think within a scientific point of view (or

multiple scientific viewpoints)multiple scientific viewpoints) Clarify and use scientific assumptionsClarify and use scientific assumptions Clarify and use scientific conceptsClarify and use scientific concepts

Circle Circle – Dots– Dots

standardselementstraitsstandardselementstraits

What things do minds construct…What things do minds construct…especially habitually?especially habitually?

What are students’ minds constructing?What are students’ minds constructing? ArgumentsArguments ValuesValues PurposesPurposes Concepts, theoriesConcepts, theories AssumptionsAssumptions PrejudicesPrejudices Self-delusive narrativesSelf-delusive narratives Stories about themselves and their friendsStories about themselves and their friends RationalizationsRationalizations Experiences (as interpretations)Experiences (as interpretations) Half-truthsHalf-truths

What are we asking What are we asking students to construct in students to construct in

our classes?our classes?

What is the value of those constructs What is the value of those constructs for thinking within the discipline?for thinking within the discipline?

or for living their lives…?or for living their lives…?

We assume that students We assume that students are constructing the are constructing the

meanings we intend…meanings we intend…

But often people listen for:But often people listen for:

1.1. what they agree with.what they agree with.

2.2. what they disagree with.what they disagree with.

Or they aren’t listening at all. Or they aren’t listening at all.