CRITICAL THINKINGCRITICAL THINKING

Bonnie Wetherbee 2010Bonnie Wetherbee 2010

For every problem under the sun, For every problem under the sun, there is a solution or there is there is a solution or there is none. If there be one, think til none. If there be one, think til you find it. If there be none, then you find it. If there be none, then never mind it.”never mind it.”

A Brain PuzzleA Brain Puzzle

You're in a room with two doors. There's a You're in a room with two doors. There's a guard at each door. One door is the exit, guard at each door. One door is the exit, but behind the other door is something but behind the other door is something that will kill you. You're told that one guard that will kill you. You're told that one guard always tells the truth and the other guard always tells the truth and the other guard always lies. You don't know which guard is always lies. You don't know which guard is which. You are allowed to ask one which. You are allowed to ask one question to either of the guards to question to either of the guards to determine which door is the exit. What determine which door is the exit. What question should you ask?question should you ask?

Ready for the answer?Ready for the answer?

Ask either guard what door the other guard Ask either guard what door the other guard would say is the exit, then choose the opposite would say is the exit, then choose the opposite door.door.If you ask the guard who always tells the truth, If you ask the guard who always tells the truth, he knows the other guard would lie, so he'll he knows the other guard would lie, so he'll point you to the door leading to death. If you point you to the door leading to death. If you ask the guard who always lies, he knows the ask the guard who always lies, he knows the other guard would truthfully show you the exit, other guard would truthfully show you the exit, so he'll lie and point you to the door leading to so he'll lie and point you to the door leading to death.death.IS THIS CRITICAL THINKING?IS THIS CRITICAL THINKING?

WHAT WHAT ISIS CRITICAL CRITICAL

THINKING?THINKING? A set of skills?A set of skills? A headache?A headache? Problem solving?Problem solving? A desirable trait?A desirable trait? A way to think?A way to think? A way to live?A way to live? Indefinable?Indefinable? An educational mandate?An educational mandate?

DEFINE IT IF YOU CAN!DEFINE IT IF YOU CAN!

““Critical Thinking Critical Thinking is not a skill set is not a skill set especially as one of the group especially as one of the group knowledgeknowledge, skill, attitude¨... ” (Bailin,Case, Coombs, and Daniels), skill, attitude¨... ” (Bailin,Case, Coombs, and Daniels)

“ “ ......KnowledgeKnowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning” of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning” (Glaser 1941, cited in Fisher 2001; 6)(Glaser 1941, cited in Fisher 2001; 6)

““Not a mental process Not a mental process such such things as classifying, inferring, things as classifying, inferring, observing, observing, evaluating, synthesizingevaluating, synthesizing and and hypothesizing. (Kirby and Kuykendall (1991)hypothesizing. (Kirby and Kuykendall (1991)

““the intellectually disciplined process the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or synthesizing, and/or evaluating informationevaluating information gathered from, or generated by, gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication (Scriven & Paul, 2006),(Scriven & Paul, 2006),

WHAT WHAT ISIS CRITICAL CRITICAL

THINKING?THINKING? A set of skills?A set of skills? A headache?A headache? Problem solving?Problem solving? A desirable trait?A desirable trait? A way to think?A way to think? A way to live?A way to live? Indefinable?Indefinable? An educational mandate?An educational mandate?

Educational MandateEducational Mandate

Yes.Yes. Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia,

Brazil, UruguayBrazil, Uruguay The United States, The European The United States, The European

Commonwealth, Australia Commonwealth, Australia

As educators we are being As educators we are being asked to teach it...Whatever it is!asked to teach it...Whatever it is!

How do we teach it if we How do we teach it if we

can´t agree on a can´t agree on a

definition?definition? Use your head!Use your head! Think critically and find truth Think critically and find truth

wherever you can.wherever you can.

CAN IT BE TAUGHT?CAN IT BE TAUGHT?

NO . . AND YES!NO . . AND YES!

To teach thinking skills outside of a context is To teach thinking skills outside of a context is to teach about thinking…to teach about thinking…

To encourage questioning, model open-To encourage questioning, model open-mindedness, challenge ideas and exhibit mindedness, challenge ideas and exhibit curiosity based on context is to set the stage curiosity based on context is to set the stage for good thinking.for good thinking.

A SIMPLE PLANA SIMPLE PLAN

SET THE CLIMATE for learning SET THE CLIMATE for learning as well as for questioningas well as for questioning

QUESTIONQUESTION REFLECTREFLECT QUESTIONQUESTION REFLECT.....REFLECT.....

SET THE CLIMATESET THE CLIMATE

““It really boils down to whether teachers It really boils down to whether teachers are creating an environment that are creating an environment that stimulates critical inquiry.” McMillen (1986) stimulates critical inquiry.” McMillen (1986) MODELMODEL

Intellectual & emotional safetyIntellectual & emotional safety Encouragement of curiosity Encouragement of curiosity Listening skillsListening skills RespectRespect Time for response & reflectionTime for response & reflection

QUESTIONING: QUESTIONING:

THE HEART OF CRITICAL THE HEART OF CRITICAL

THINKINGTHINKING

Within the subject context, teach and Within the subject context, teach and practice Bloom´s Levels of Thinking and practice Bloom´s Levels of Thinking and

QuestionsQuestions

Lower levels Lower levels

Remembering:Remembering: who what where who what where when when why how *describewhy how *describe

UnderstandingUnderstanding: *retell: *retell

ApplyingApplying: How is...an example of...? : How is...an example of...? How is...related to...? How is...related to...? Why is...significant?Why is...significant?

Higher order questioningHigher order questioning

Analyzing Analyzing Classify...according to... Outline/diagram... Classify...according to... Outline/diagram... Compare/contrast with...?What evidenceCompare/contrast with...?What evidence

Evaluating Evaluating * * What do you think about...? What is the most What do you think about...? What is the most important...? Place the following in order of important...? Place the following in order of priority... How would you decide about...?priority... How would you decide about...?

A Product?A Product?

CreatingCreating * * What would you predict/infer from...?What would you predict/infer from...? * What ideas can you add to...?* What ideas can you add to...? * How would you create/design a new...?* How would you create/design a new...? * What might happen if you combined...?* What might happen if you combined...? * What solutions would you suggest for...?* What solutions would you suggest for...?

Are you asking the right Are you asking the right

question?question? Every day, a cyclist crosses the border Every day, a cyclist crosses the border

between Spain and France carrying a bag. between Spain and France carrying a bag. No matter how much custom officials No matter how much custom officials investigate him, they do not know what he investigate him, they do not know what he is smuggling. Do you? is smuggling. Do you?

Possible answersPossible answers

Bicycles or bags!Bicycles or bags!

Point of View?Point of View?

There is a man on an island prison, he There is a man on an island prison, he cannot swim. One day he escapes using cannot swim. One day he escapes using nothing but himself. There is no bridge. nothing but himself. There is no bridge. How does he do it?How does he do it?

An answerAn answer

He escapes in the winter He escapes in the winter when the body of water when the body of water surrounding the island is surrounding the island is frozen. He simply walks frozen. He simply walks away.away.

Do you have underlying Do you have underlying

assumptions?assumptions? A boy was rushed to the hospital A boy was rushed to the hospital

emergency room. The ER doctor emergency room. The ER doctor saw the boy and said, "I cannot saw the boy and said, "I cannot operate on this boy. He is my operate on this boy. He is my son." But the doctor was not the son." But the doctor was not the boy's father. How could that be?boy's father. How could that be?

An answerAn answer

The doctor was his mother.The doctor was his mother.

THE SIMPLE PLANTHE SIMPLE PLAN

SET THE CLIMATE for learning SET THE CLIMATE for learning as well as for questioningas well as for questioning

QUESTIONQUESTION REFLECTREFLECT QUESTIONQUESTION REFLECT.....REFLECT.....

REFLECTREFLECT

TIME TO TIME TO THINK, THINK, TALK, TALK, ANNOTATATE, ANNOTATATE, WRITE WRITE

THEN. . .THEN. . .

Question againQuestion again

Think againThink again

Reflect againReflect again

AND FROM HERE?AND FROM HERE?

"...not merely logic, not merely "...not merely logic, not merely problem-solving, not merely problem-solving, not merely everyday reasoning, decision everyday reasoning, decision makirig, probabilistic reasoning, it makirig, probabilistic reasoning, it must also include to feel deep, to must also include to feel deep, to empathize and to care" (McCarthy, empathize and to care" (McCarthy, 1996; 231).1996; 231).

THE DEBATE CONTINUES!THE DEBATE CONTINUES!

QUESTIONS?. . . QUESTIONS?. . .

. . .. . . ALWAYS!!!ALWAYS!!!