Chapter 8

Discover the Secrets of Critical Thinking for Greater Success

Copyright 2011. Raymond Gerson

Chapter Objectives

• Learn critical and creative thinking skills• Learn how to think at higher levels• Be able to ask intelligent questions• Gain problem solving and good decision

making strategies

What is Critical Thinking?• Using your

reasoning to decide if something is true, accurate and valid

• Ability to use logic and rational thought to think things through

Bloom’s Six Levels of Thinking

1. Remember

2. Understand

3. Apply

4. Analyze

5. Evaluate

6. Create

Bloom’s Six Levels of Thinking (Cont’d)

1. Remember - ability to recall information.

2. Understand - ability to understand and explain it.

3. Apply – ability to apply the information.

• 4. Analyze – ability to break information into parts.

• 5. Evaluate – ability to make a value judgment.

• Create – ability to put parts into a whole.

Which Levels Use Critical Thinking?

• Analyze

• Evaluate

• Create

Value of Thinking Critically

• You will make better decisions

• Less likely to be deceived

• Greater success

• See through prejudiced information

• Solve problems easier

• Better informed citizen

• More open minded

• Improves creative thinking

Examples of Questions to Stimulate Levels of Thinking

• Remember – Who, what, where, when, where and how?

• Understand – Can you explain, describe or outline it?

• Apply – How would you use or apply this to solve your problem?

• Analyze – What are the main parts? How are they alike or different?

• Evaluate – Which of the parts are most important?

• Create – What would these parts look like combined?

The Rope Climber

• Now read the story about the rope climber

• Do the activity after reading the story

The Rope Climber (Cont’d)

How are you like the rope climber? What qualities do you have in common?

How can you take lessons from this story and apply them to becoming successful in college?

Which of Bloom’s levels of learning are you using to answer these questions?

Elements of Analytical Thinking by Elder and Paul

• Purpose – What is the goal?

• Primary question – What is the main question being addressed?

• Information – What were the facts?

• Conclusions – What did the author conclude?

• Concepts – What were the key ideas?

• Implications – What will happen if the author is correct?

• Point of view – What is the author’s perspective?

Climate Change• Now read Calvin’s

article on climate change.

• Do Activity 8.4 which follows the article.

Climate Change (Cont’d)

• What do you think is the best solution to global warming?

• What major problems in the world interest you the most?

• What are some careers that are attempting to solve climate change and any other problems that interest you?

Cigarette Ad and Problem Solving Activities

• Now read the cigarette ad and answer the questions that follow.

• Read the section on problem solving and do Activity 8.6 that follows.

Cigarette Ad and Problem Solving Activities (Cont’d)

• What was your opinion of the cigarette ad?

• How can you use the problem solving process for greater success in school?

Here is another brief problem solving process:

• 1. State the problem• 2. Brainstorm options• 3. Choose an option

and take action• 4. Evaluate your

results

Roger von Oech’s Roles of the Creative Process

• Explorer – When looking for new information

• Artist – When turning information into new ideas

• Judge – When you evaluate ideas

• Warrior – When you are going to act on your ideas

Story of the Bamboo Tree

• Read the story about the Chinese Bamboo tree

• What were the most important lessons you got from this story?

Lessons of the Chinese Bamboo Tree

• Your life dreams are like seeds

• Plant, water and nurture your dream seeds • Keep working and be patient• Results may remain invisible for some time• Just as a tall tree can arise from a tiny seed, so

can your dream seeds manifest into something great

• Take care of the seeds and reap the harvest

CARS Checklist by Robert Harris

• Credibility – Why should I trust this source?

• Accuracy – Is this information factual and up to date?

• Reasonableness – Is the information objective and fair?

• Support – How was the information supported?

The Payoff Is Around the Corner

• Now please read “The Payoff is Just Around the Corner.”

Conclusion to Payoff Around the Corner

• Temporary defeat and failure often precede success

• Keep working toward your goals and dreams

• Three more feet and you might strike gold• Persistence and determination can carry

you a long way• In your darkest moments light may be

shining right around the corner

Summary of Main Points

• Critical thinking uses your reasoning to decide what is true and valuable

• Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create comprise Bloom’s six levels of learning

• All levels are important, but the highest three require you to use critical thinking

• Critical thinking can be a key to your success in school, career and life