critical thinking, by dr. shadia yousef banjar 2011.pptx
Post on 12-May-2015
4.883 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
LANE-462-CA-2011
By:By:By:By:
Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. ShadiaShadiaShadiaShadia YousefYousefYousefYousef BanjarBanjarBanjarBanjar
http://SBANJAR.kau.edu.sa/
http://wwwdrshadiabanjar.blogspot.com
Critical Thinking
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 1
Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But
much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased,
unclear, partial, uninformed or down-right
prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that
of what we produce, make, or build depends
Everyone thinks …..
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 2
of what we produce, make, or build depends
precisely on the quality of our thought. Poor
thinking is costly, both in money and in
quality of life. Excellence in thought,
however, must be systematically cultivated.- Richard Paul
Critical Thinking History
2,500 years ago Socrates established the
importance of asking deep questions,
seeking evidence, analyzing basic concepts
before we accept ideas as worthy of
•Socrates – 400 BC
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 3
before we accept ideas as worthy of
beliefs .
Socrates
• Questioning
• Inquiring
• Search for meaning
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 4
• Search for meaning
• Search for truth
Plato, Aristotle, and Greek skeptics
emphasized that things are often very
different from what they appear to be and
that only the trained mind is prepared to see
•Plato, Aristotle, Greek skeptics
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 5
that only the trained mind is prepared to see
though the way thing look to us on the
surface.
Thomas Aquinas (Sumna Theologica)
ensures that his thinking met the tests of
critical thinkers by answering criticisms of his
In the middle ages
•Thomas Aquinas (Sumna Theologica)
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 6
critical thinkers by answering criticisms of his
ideas.
(Colet, Erasmus, More in England)
started thinking critically about religion, art,
society, human, law, and freedom.
15th & 16th C.
(Renaissance)•European scholars
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 7
society, human, law, and freedom.
Francis Bacon in England
• wrote The Advancement of Learning,
the 1st book in critical thinking.
•argued for the importance of studying
the world empirically.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 8
the world empirically.
•laid the foundation for modern science
with his emphasis on the information-
gathered process.
Francis Bacon
• Father of the Scientific Method
• “We must become as little children in order to
enter the kingdom of science”
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 9
Descartes in France
• wrote the 2nd book Rules for the Direction of the Mind
- developed a method of critical thought based on the
principle of systematic doubt.
50 years later •Descartes in France•Sir Thomas More in England
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 10
principle of systematic doubt.
•In the same period, Sir Thomas More:
- developed a model for a new social order Utopia in
which every domain the present world was subject to
critique.
16th &17th C. Hobbes & Locke
- not to accept the traditional cultural beliefs
dominant in the thinking of their day as being
rational and normal.
- everything in the world should be explained
by evidence and reasoning.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 11
by evidence and reasoning.
17th & 18th C.
• Robert Boyle & Isaac Newton in Chemistry &
nature
• other French thinkers in sociology & politics
Adam Smith produces Wealth of Nations in
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 12
Adam Smith produces Wealth of Nations in
economics
19th C.
• Darwin's Descent of Man in the biological
domain focused on the history of human
culture and the basis of biological life
• Sigmund Freud study in the unconscious
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 13
• Sigmund Freud study in the unconscious
domain.
•Plus other studies in the Anthropological &
Linguistics domains.
20th C.
•Number of thinkers have increased in every
domain of human thought and within which
reasoning takes place.
•Dewey – 1930’s
•Ennis – 1980’s
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 14
•Ennis – 1980’s
Dewey
Reflective Thinking
• Dispositions of thinking
– Open mindedness
• Native Resources
– Curiosity
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 15
– Open mindedness
– Whole heartedness
– Intellectual Responsibility
– Curiosity
– Suggestion
– Orderliness
Ennis
• Critical thinking is “reasonable, reflective
thinking focused on deciding what to believe or
do.”
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 16
Ennis - Actions a learner usually must take in order to think critically
• Judge the credibility of sources
• Identify conclusions, reasons and assumptions
• Judge the quality of an argument including the
acceptability of its reasons, assumptions, and evidence
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 17
acceptability of its reasons, assumptions, and evidence
• Develop and defend a position on an issue
Ennis - Actions a learner usually must take in
order to think critically
• Ask appropriate clarifying questions
• Plan experiments and judge experimental designs
• Define terms in a way appropriate for the context
• Be open-minded
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 18
• Be open-minded
• Try to be well-informed
• Draw conclusions when warranted, but with caution
Thus…Students in school should be taught how to think critically. Classes should be designed based on reasoning and
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 19
be designed based on reasoning and rational grounds and not as series of facts.
What Is Critical Thinking?
“Critical thinking is the ability to apply reasoning and
logic to unfamiliar ideas, opinions, and situations.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 20
logic to unfamiliar ideas, opinions, and situations.
Thinking critically involves seeing things in an open-
minded way. This important skill allows people to look
past their own views of the world and to adopt a more
aware way of viewing the world.”What is Critical Thinking?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-critical-thinking.htm
HOW DO YOU DEFINE CRITICAL
THINKING?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 21
•Critical thinking means correct thinking in the
pursuit of relevant and reliable knowledge
about the world. •Another way to describe it is reasonable,
Definition of Critical Thinking
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 22
•Another way to describe it is reasonable,
reflective, responsible, and skillful thinking
that is focused on deciding what to believe or
do.
•Critical thinking is not being able to process
information well enough to know to stop for red lights or
whether you received the correct change at the
supermarket. •Such low-order thinking, critical and useful though it
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 23
•Such low-order thinking, critical and useful though it
may be, is sufficient only for personal survival; most
individuals master this.
•True critical thinking is higher-order thinking,
enabling a person to, for example, responsibly
judge between political candidates, serve on a
murder trial jury, evaluate society's need for
nuclear power plants, and assess the
consequences of global warming.•
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 24
consequences of global warming.• Critical thinking enables an individual to be a
responsible citizen who contributes to society, and
not be merely a consumer of society's
distractions.
•A person who thinks critically can ask appropriate
questions, gather relevant information, efficiently
and creatively sort through this information, reason
logically from this information, and come to reliable
and trustworthy conclusions about the world that
enable one to live and act successfully in it. •Children are not born with the power to think
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 25
•Children are not born with the power to think
critically, nor do they develop this ability naturally
beyond survival-level thinking. Critical thinking is a
learned ability that must be taught. Most individuals
never learn it.
•Critical thinking cannot be taught reliably to
students by peers or by most parents.• Trained and knowledgeable instructors are
necessary to impart the proper information and
skills. •Critical thinking can be described as the
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 26
•Critical thinking can be described as the
scientific method applied by ordinary
people to the ordinary world.
•This is true because critical thinking mimics the well-known
method of scientific investigation: a question is identified, an
hypothesis formulated, relevant data sought and gathered,
the hypothesis is logically tested and evaluated, and reliable
conclusions are drawn from the result.• All of the skills of scientific investigation are matched by
critical thinking, which is therefore nothing more than
scientific method used in everyday life rather than in
specifically scientific disciplines or endeavors. •
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 27
specifically scientific disciplines or endeavors. •Critical thinking is scientific thinking. •A scientifically-literate person, such as a math or science
instructor, has learned to think critically to achieve that level
of scientific awareness. But any individual with an advanced
degree in any university discipline has almost certainly learned
the techniques of critical thinking.
•Critical thinking is the ability to think for one's self and
reliably and responsibly make those decisions that affect
one's life. •Critical thinking is also critical inquiry, so such critical
thinkers investigate problems, ask questions, pose new
answers that challenge the status quo, discover new
information that can be used for good or ill, question
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 28
information that can be used for good or ill, question
authorities and traditional beliefs, challenge received
dogmas and doctrines, and often end up possessing power
in society greater than their numbers.
•It may be that a workable society or culture can tolerate only a
small number of critical thinkers, that learning, internalizing, and
practicing scientific and critical thinking is discouraged. Most
people are followers of authority: most do not question, are not
curious, and do not challenge authority figures who claim
special knowledge or insight. Most people, therefore, do not
think for themselves, but rely on others to think for them. Most
people indulge in wishful, hopeful, and emotional thinking,
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 29
believing that what they believe is true because they wish it,
hope it, or feel it to be true. Most people, therefore, do not think
critically.
•Critical thinking has many components. Life can be
described as a sequence of problems that each
individual must solve for one's self. Critical thinking skills
are nothing more than problem solving skills that result
in reliable knowledge. Humans constantly process
information. Critical thinking is the practice of processing
this information in the most skillful, accurate, and
rigorous manner possible, in such a way that it leads to
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 30
rigorous manner possible, in such a way that it leads to
the most reliable, logical, and trustworthy conclusions,
upon which one can make responsible decisions about
one's life, behavior, and actions with full knowledge of
assumptions and consequences of those decisions.
Raymond S. Nickerson (1987) characterizes a good critical thinker in
terms of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and habitual ways of
behaving.
Here are some of the CHARACTERISTICS of such a thinker:
uses evidence skillfully and impartially
A GOOD CRITICAL THINKER
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 31
uses evidence skillfully and impartially
organizes thoughts and articulates them concisely and coherently
distinguishers between logically valid and invalid inferences
suspends judgment in the absence of sufficient evidence to support a
decision
understands the difference between reasoning and rationalizing
attempts to anticipate the probable consequences of alternative actions
understands the idea of degrees of belief
sees similarities and analogies that are not superficially apparent
can learn independently and has a long-lasting interest in doing
so
applies problem-solving techniques in domains other than those
in which learned
can structure informally represented problems in such a way that
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 32
formal techniques, such as mathematics, can be used to solve
them
can strip a verbal argument of irrelevancies and phrase it in its
essential terms
habitually questions one's own views and attempts to
understand both the assumptions that are critical to those views
and the implications of the views
is sensitive to the difference between the validity of a belief
and the intensity with which it is held
is aware of the fact that one's understanding is always limited,
often much more so than would be apparent to one with a
noninquiring attitude
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 33
noninquiring attitude
recognizes the fallibility of one's own opinions, the probability
of bias in those opinions, and the danger of weighting evidence
according to personal preferences
This list serves to indicate the type of thinking and approach to
life that critical thinking is supposed to be
A Definition:
Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and
evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 34
• Critical thinking
–A set of conceptual tools used to make
decisions
• Intellectual skills and strategies
• Reasonable process
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 35
• Reasonable process
–A mental ability
• Disciplined intelligence
• Problem solving
“It is human irrationality, not a lack of knowledge that threatens human
potential” (Nickerson cited in Kurfiss, 1986).
It . . .• underlies listening and speaking, reading and writing, the basic language
Why Critical Thinking?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 36
• underlies listening and speaking, reading and writing, the basic language
skills.• plays an important part in social change. All institutions in any society:
courts, governments, schools, businesses, are the products of critical
thinking.• plays a key role in technological advances.• frees the human mind from false beliefs and deceptions.
Who Uses Critical Thinking?•• STUDENTS !!! STUDENTS !!! • Parents• Nurses• Doctors• Athletic coaches•
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 37
•• Teachers/Professors• Air Traffic Controllers• Military Commanders• Lawyers, Judges• Supervisors• Day Care Workers
W ho W ho W ho W ho SH O U L D SH O U L D SH O U L D SH O U L D th ink critically?think critically?think critically?think critically?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 38
Types of thinkers
Novice thinkers
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 39
Expert thinkers
Novice Versus Expert Thinker
• Expert thinkers– Quickly identify relevant information.
– Can formulate a solution with “sketchy” information .
• Novice thinkers
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 40
• Novice thinkers– Consider all information equally important.
– Develop hypothesis, test hypothesis.
– Cannot focus on central issues.
Cultivated Critical Thinkers
Well cultivated critical thinkers:
• are able to raise vital questions and problems, as well as formulate and present them clearly.
• can gather and assess information and interpret it effectively.
• can reach well-reasoned conclusions and solutions to
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 41
• can reach well-reasoned conclusions and solutions to problems while testing them against relevant criteria and standards.
• can be open-minded.
• can communicate effectively with others in figuring out
solutions to complex problems.
Benefits of critical thinking
Critical thinking empowers and improves
chances of success
• in a career
• as a consumer
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 42
• as a consumer
• in social roles in our community
– personally, essential to personal autonomy
– socially, essential to democratic system
Pitfalls……
• Teaching for critical thinking takes more time
to prepare.
• Teaching for critical thinking will reduce the
amount of “material” covered.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 43
amount of “material” covered.
• Teaching for critical thinking is not popular
with students in the beginning.
• BUT…
How Can One Become a Critical Thinker?
• By asking pertinent questions (of self as well as others);
• By assessing statements and arguments;
• By developing a sense of observation and curiosity;
•
• By listening carefully to others, thinking about what they say, and giving feedback;
• By observing with an open mind;
• By making assertions based on sound logic and solid
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 44
• By becoming interested in finding new solutions;
• By examining beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weighing them against truth.• By developing a “thinker’svocabulary”.
•on sound logic and solid evidence;
• By sharing ideas with others;
• By becoming an open-minded listener and reader;
• By engaging in active reading and active listening!
Critical thinking begins when you
question beyond what is given.
You want to know more:
• how something happens,
• why it happens, and further
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 45
• why it happens, and further
• what will happen if something changes.
Critical thinking therefore requires a conscious level of
processing, analysis, creation and evaluation of possible
outcomes, and reflection.
If you’re a critical thinker,
you think.
•You are willing to examine your beliefs, assumptions,
….No surprise….
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 46
•You are willing to examine your beliefs, assumptions,
and opinions and weigh them against facts.
• You are willing to evaluate the generalizations and
stereotypes you have created and are open to change,
if necessary.
Critical thinkers listen carefully.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 47
•If you’re a critical thinker, you listen carefully to what
others are saying and are able to give feedback.
•You are able to suspend judgment until all the facts
have been gathered and considered.
Critical thinkers look for
evidence….
•If you’re a critical thinker, you look for
evidence to support your assumptions and
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 48
evidence to support your assumptions and
beliefs.
• You examine problems closely and are
able to reject information that is incorrect
or irrelevant.
Critical thinkers are curious.
They are interested in knowing all there is
about a topic. They look for new and better
ways to do everything. They are not the
person who will settle for “…because that is
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 49
person who will settle for “…because that is
the way we have always done it.”
Therefore…through experience, as a critical
thinker, you will:
• identify information that is being put forth as an
argument and break it down to its basic components for
evaluation.
• construct alternative interpretations
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 50
• construct alternative interpretations
• be willing to explore diverse perspectives
• be willing to change personal assumptions when
presented with valid information
• be willing to ask difficult questions and the ability to
receptive to opposing viewpoints.
• Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-
disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking.
• It requires accurate standards of excellence and
mindful command of their use.
• It entails effective communication and problem solving
abilities and a commitment to overcome our native
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 51
abilities and a commitment to overcome our native
egocentrism and sociocentrism.
A CRITICAL THINKER CONSIDERS THE ELEMENTS OF
REASONING:
1. Purpose, Goal, Objective, or End in View
2. Question at Issue (or Problem to Be Solved)
3. Point of View, Frame of Reference, Perspective,
Orientation
4. Assumptions (presuppositions, what is taken for granted)
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 52
4. Assumptions (presuppositions, what is taken for granted)
5. Information (data, facts, observations, experiences)
6. Concepts (theories, definitions, axioms, laws, principles,
models)
7. Interpretation & Inferences (conclusions, solutions)
8. Implications & Consequences (Where does this thinking
lead? What will result if this thinking is turned into action?)
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 53
Whenever we think,
we think for a purpose,
within a point of view,
based on assumptions,
leading to implications and consequences.
UNIVERSAL STRUCTURES OF THOUGHT
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 54
We use data, facts, and experiences,
to make inferences and judgments,
based on concepts and theories,
in attempting to answer a question or solve a problem.
QUESTIONS IMPLIED BY THE UNIVERSAL
STRUCTURES OF THOUGHT: [Use these questions
when beginning work]
•What is my fundamental purpose?
•What is the key question I am trying to answer?
•What information do I need in order to answer my
question?
•What is the most basic concept in the question?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 55
•What is the most basic concept in the question?
•What assumptions am I using in my reasoning?
•What is my point of view with respect to the issue?
•What are my most fundamental inferences or
conclusions?
•What are the implications and possible consequences
of my reasoning (if my reasoning is valid?
Universal Intellectual Standards
• Clarity : If a statement is unclear we cannot
evaluate its fit with the other standards.
• Accuracy : Accuracy = TRUTH. Is it true?
• Precision : Is there enough detail to completely
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 56
• Precision : Is there enough detail to completely
understand the statement.
• Relevance : Is the information connected to the
question at hand?
• Depth: Does the statement, fact, etc. address the complexity of the issue?
• Breadth: Are there other points of view or other ways to consider this question? Are you considering the key factors?
• Logic: Does it make sense? Can you make that conclusion based on the information and evidence?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 57
• Significance: Is this the most important problem to
consider? Is this the central idea to focus on? Which of
these facts are most important?
• Fairness: Do I have any vested interest in this issue?
Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of
others?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 58
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 59
1. The intent of Crawford’s Attribute Listing was to enable students
to operate at the creativity or synthesis level of Bloom’s
Cognitive Taxonomy. Additional cognitive operations, however,
are needed to implement the four-step process. The steps are:
2. Select a problem, product, or system (problem designation)
Robert Platt Crawford 1931 provides a list that can
serve as a bridge to creative thinking
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 60
2. Select a problem, product, or system (problem designation)
3. Break it into key attributes or stages or parts
(analysis/synthesis/creative thinking)
4. Identify various ways to achieve each attribute or part
(brainstorming or any idea-generating technique)
5. Design or create a solution by manipulating and recombining the
variables (structured synthesis)
Application Decision MakingEvaluationApplication
Comprehension
Knowledge
Decision Making
Problem Solving
Concept attainment
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 61
Critical Thinking
Dispositions• Engagement
– Looking for opportunities to use reasoning
– expecting situations that require reasoning
– Confident in reasoning ability
• Innovativeness
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 62
• Innovativeness
– Intellectually curious
– Wants to know the truth
• Cognitive maturity
– Aware that real problems are complex
– Open to other points of view
– Aware of biases and predispositions
To understand reasoning properly, however, we need to
understand how it differs from mere thinking.
•When we are merely thinking our thoughts simply come to us,
one after another: when we reason we actively link thoughts
together in such a way that we believe one thought provides
support for another thought.
•This active process of reasoning is termed inference.
• Inference involves a special relationship between different
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 63
• Inference involves a special relationship between different
thoughts: when we infer B from A, we move from A to B because
we believe that A supports or justifies or makes it reasonable to
believe in the truth of B.
The difference between mere thinking and reasoning or inference is easy to
understand through examples. Consider the following pairs of sentences:
1. Alan is broke, and he is unhappy.
Alan is broke, therefore he is unhappy.
2. Anne was in a car accident last week, and she deserves an extension
on her essay.
Anne was in a car accident last week, so she deserves an extension on
her essay.
3. This triangle has equal sides and equal angles.
This triangle has equal sides; hence it has equal angles.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 64
This triangle has equal sides; hence it has equal angles.
Notice that the first sentence in each pair simply asserts two thoughts but
says nothing about any relationship between them, while the second
sentence asserts a relationship between two thoughts. This relationship is signaled by the words therefore, so, so, and hence. hence. These are called inference
indicators: words that indicate that one thought is intended to support (i.e., to
justify, provide a reason for, provide evidence for, or entail) another thought.
Critical Thinking
skills and sub-skills• Interpretation
– categorization, decoding, clarifying meaning
– Notes, matrices, charts, patient history
• Analysis
– examining ideas, identifying arguments, analyzing
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 65
– examining ideas, identifying arguments, analyzing
arguments
– Elements of reasoning, listening, data
• Evaluation
– assessing claims, assessing arguments
– Questioning, credibility, reasonableness, trust.
• Inference–Querying claims, conjecturing alternatives, drawing conclusions– Problem solving, decision making, differential, diagnosis
• Explanation– Stating results, justifying procedures, presenting arguments– Elements of reasoning, stating the case, clarity
• Self-regulation– Self examination, self correction
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 66
– Self examination, self correction– Self critique, questioning, changing, recognizing personal
errors in thinking
Aspects of critical thinking
• Issues
– factual
– interpretive
– evaluative
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 67
– mere verbal dispute
• Claims
– truth-statement with adequate support
– assumption: claim without support
• hidden assumptions undermine reliability of reasoning
Resolving Obstacles To Critical
Thinking
Obstacle—relativism or subjectivism
• Remedy—patience and tenacity in pursuit of the truth
Obstacle—egocentrism and ethnocentricity
• Remedy— intellectual humility
Obstacle—intimidation by authority
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 68
Obstacle—intimidation by authority
• Remedy—intellectual independence
Obstacle—conformism
• Remedy—intellectual courage
Obstacle—unexamined and inferential assumptions, and
presuppositions
• Remedy—examination of assumptions
Characteristics of Critical Thinkers:
• Strive for understanding• Are honest with themselves• Base judgment on evidence
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 69
• Are interested in other people’s ideas• Control their feelings/emotions• Recognize that extreme views are seldom
correct.
• Keep an open mind
• They are very observant
• Identify key issues and raise questions
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 70
• Obtain relevant facts
• Evaluate the findings and form judgments
What does the absence of
critical thinking look like?
• We blindly accept at face value all justifications
given by organizations and political leaders.
• We blindly believe TV commercials.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 71
• We blindly believe TV commercials.
• We blindly continue to hold on to old beliefs.
Young girl? Or old
women?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 72
Man playing
horn? Or a
woman’s
silhouette?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 73
A face of a native
American? Or an
Eskimo’s back?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 74
Thinking Barriers
– Emotions
• Anger
• Passion
• Depression
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 75
– Stress
– Bias (values and beliefs)
Personal Barriers to thinking
(Ego Defenses)
• Denial– Refuse to accept reality.
• Projection– We see in others what is really happening to us.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 76
– We see in others what is really happening to us.
• Rationalization– Lying to ourselves about the real reasons for our
behaviors and feelings.
Thinking Errors
• Personalization
– Thinking in which the world revolves around an individual
• Polarized Thinking
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 77
• Polarized Thinking
– There is only black or white – no gray
• Catastrophizing
– Always consider the worst possible outcome (all the time)
• Selective abstraction
– Focusing on one detail of a situation
and ignoring the larger picture
• Overgeneralization
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 78
• Overgeneralization
– Drawing broad conclusions on the
basis of a single incident.
Five Phases of Critical Thinking
• Phase 1: Trigger Event– Usually an unexpected event that causes
some kind of inner discomfort or confusion.
• Phase 2: Appraisal
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 79
• Phase 2: Appraisal– A period of reflection and the need to find
another approach to deal with the issue.
• Phase 3: Exploration– People start asking questions and gathering
more information.
• Phase 4: Finding Alternatives
–Also called the transition stage when old
ideas are either left behind and a new way
of thinking begins.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 80
of thinking begins.
• Phase 5: Integration
– Involves fitting new ideas and information
into everyday usage.
Key Questions to Critical
Thinking
• What are the issues and the expected conclusions?
• What are the reasons?
• What words or phrases are ambiguous?
• What are the value conflicts and assumptions?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 81
• What are the value conflicts and assumptions?
• What are the assumptions?
• Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?
• How good is the evidence?
• Are there rival causes?
• Are the statistics deceptive?
• What significant information is omitted?
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 82
• What reasonable conclusions are possible?
Critical thinking involves evaluating information or
arguments in terms of their accuracy and worth
• Verbal Reasoning
– Understanding and evaluating the persuasive techniques
found in oral and written language
• Argument Analysis
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 83
• Argument Analysis
– Discriminating between reasons that do and do not
support a particular conclusion
Critical thinking involves evaluating information or
arguments in terms of their accuracy and worth
• Decision Making
– identifying and judging several alternatives and selecting
the best alternative
• Critical Analysis of Prior Research
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 84
•– evaluating the value of data and research results in terms
of the methods used to obtain them and their potential
relevance to particular conclusions.
Problem Solving Procedure
• Define the problem (not the symptom)
• Remove thinking barriers (bias and logical)
• Gather all relevant facts
• Generate solutions (brainstorming, creative thinking)
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 85
• Generate solutions (brainstorming, creative thinking)
• Select a solution and have a back up plan
• Implement and evaluate
Characteristics of Critical Thinking & Decision
Making
• University of Phoenix Model
– Framing the question
– Making the decision
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 86
– Evaluating the decision
University of Phoenix Model
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 87
How to Apply Bloom’s
Six Levels
• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 88
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation
• Name
• List
• Recognize
RelateTellRecall
Level 1 – Recall
Remembering previously learned material, recalling facts,
terms, basic concepts from stated text
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 89
• Recognize
• Choose
• Label
RecallMatchDefine
• Compare
• Describe
• Outline
ExplainRephrase
Level 2 – Understand
Demonstrating understanding of the stated meaning of
facts and ideas
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 90
• Outline
• Organize
• Classify
ShowRelateIdentify
• Speculate
• Interpret
Level 2 1/2 – Infer
Demonstrating understanding of the unstated meaning
of facts and ideas
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 91
• Infer
• Generalize
• Conclude
• Apply
• Construct
• Model
Dramatize
Restructure
Simulate
Level 3 – Put to Use
Solving problems by applying acquired knowledge,
facts, and techniques in a different situation
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 92
• Model
• Use
• Practice
Simulate
Translate
Experiment
• Analyze
• Diagram
• Classify
• Contrast
Simplify
Summarize
Relate to
Categorize
Level 4 – Break down
Examining and breaking down information into parts
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 93
• Contrast
• Sequence
Categorize
Differentiate
• Compose
• Design
• Develop
Elaborate
Formulate
Originate
Level 5 – Put together
Compiling information in a different way by combining elements
in a new pattern
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 94
• Develop
• Propose
• Adapt
Originate
Solve
Invent
• Judge
• Rank
• Rate
Defend
Justify
Prioritize
Level 6 – Judge
Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments
about information based on criteria
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 95
• Rate
• Evaluate
• Recommend
Prioritize
Support
Prove
Active learning
Active learning ….
• Appeal to a variety of learning styles
• Emphasis on development of skills over transmission of information
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 96
transmission of information
• Emphasis on ‘higher order’ thinking skills
• Learning experiences are ‘active’ (reading, discussing, writing)
• Explore students’ attitudes, values
Active learning
• Participants like it
• More fun and interesting for the instructor
• Research literature supports it
• Provides time to process information
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 97
• Provides time to process information
• Effective transfers to long-term memory
• Greater retention of skills & information
• Leads to higher cognitive learning
• Leads to affective learning
• Very effective for adult learning
Active learning
• Match important objectives to active learning exercises
• If using groups, provide clear instructions on:
– forming groups
– objectives
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 98
– objectives
– time limits
– reporting back
Active learning• Be prepared—everything will take longer than
expected
• Hand out exercises as students enter
• Limit number of choices
• Plan efficient strategies for forming groups
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 99
• Plan efficient strategies for forming groups
• Circulate among groups during group work (to keep on task, assist)
Active learning
You need to …..
• Ask groups to take discussion notes
• Provide time for reporting back
• Ensure all can hear (repeat remarks if necessary)
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 100
• Ensure all can hear (repeat remarks if necessary)
• Summarize after group reports
Working Assumptions
• Active learning is necessary for the teaching of critical thinking.
• Critical thinking should be integrated into every aspect of
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 101
• Critical thinking should be integrated into every aspect of the educational process.
• Students should be made aware of the thinking process.
• Critical thinking must be taught explicitly.
• Process is as important as content.
Working Definitions
• Active Learning - “students involved in doing
things & thinking about the things they are doing”
• Critical Thinking - “reasonable reflective thinking
that is focused on deciding what to do and what to
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 102
that is focused on deciding what to do and what to
believe” OR “interpreting, analyzing or evaluating
information, arguments or experiences with a set of
reflective attitudes, skills, and abilities to guide our
thoughts, beliefs and actions” OR “examining the
thinking of others to improve our own”
Thinking Tools
• A Thinking ToolThinking Tool is an instrument that can help us in using our minds systematically and effectively.
• With the use of thinking tools, the intended ideas will be arranged more systematically, clearly, and easy to be understood.
There are 4 types of THINKING TOOLS:
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 103
There are 4 types of THINKING TOOLS:
• Questioning
• Concepts
• Mindmaps
• Cognitive Research Trust
Questioning
Questioning is one approach to motivate
others to:
• Get information
• Test understanding
1
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 104
• Develop interest
• Evaluate the ability of individuals
towards understanding certain things.“A person who asks “A person who asks
questions questions is a person who thinks.”’is a person who thinks.”’
- William Wilen
Questioning - Bloom’s Taxonomy
AnalysisAnalysis
SynthesisSynthesis
EvaluationEvaluation
Higher-Level
Thinking
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 105
KnowledgeKnowledge
InterpretationInterpretation
Application
AnalysisAnalysis
Lower-level
Thinking
Concepts
Structure of Concepts:
•• SignSign - word/symbol that names the
2
PROPERTIES
ConceptsConcepts are general ideas that we use to identify and
organize our experience. Words are the vocabulary of
language; Concepts are the vocabulary of thought.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 106
•• SignSign - word/symbol that names the
concept
• ReferentsReferents - examples of the
concept
• PropertiesProperties - qualities that all
examples of the concept share in
common.
CONCEPT
SIGN REFERENTS
3 Mindmaps
A mindmapmindmap can be defined as a visual presentation of the ways
in which conceptsconcepts can be related to one another.
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 107
Cognitive Research Trust
Thinking Method
• The essence of the (Cognitive Research Trust) Thinking
Method is to focus attention directly on different
aspects of thinking and to crystallize these aspects into
definite concepts and tools that can be used
deliberately.
4
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 108
deliberately.
• It is designed to encourage students to broaden their
thinking.
Final WordsCRITICAL THINKING is the active and systematic process of
• Communication
• Problem-solving
• Evaluation
• Analysis
• Synthesis
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 109
• Synthesis
• Reflection
both individually and in community to
• develop understanding
• Support positive decision-making and
• Guide action
References
Crawford, R. P. (1964). The techniques of creative thinking: How to use your ideas to achieve success. Burlington, VT: Fraser Publishing Co. Dewey, J. (1933). How we think. New York: D. C. Heath.Ennis, R. (1993). Critical thinking assessment. Theory Into Practice, 32(3). Retrieved October 25, 2006, from Academic Search Premier database.Johnson, S. (1998). Skills, Socrates, and the Sophists: Learning from history. British Journal of Educational Studies 46(2). Retrieved March 23, 2009, from JSTOR database.Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006b). The miniature guide to critical thinking concepts and tools (4th ed.). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 110
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006b). The miniature guide to critical thinking concepts and tools (4th ed.). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.Pedersen, O. (1997). The first universities: Stadium Generale and the origins of university education in Europe. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Foundation for Critical Thinking. Critical Thinking: Basic Theory and
Instructional Structures. Sonoma, California: 1998.)
Internet Resources:
www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/ctac/definitions.htm
www.criticalthinking.org
www.chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/critthnk.html
www.calpress.com/critical.html
www.coping.org/write/percept/intro.htm
www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1414.html
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 111
www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/crit.html
7/25/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 112
top related