ED 116 Critical Thinking
It is good to know that there are other educators in the world around me that believe Critical Thinking is an integral part of the learning process. My daughter is a public school teacher and has told me on several occasions that this is no longer required teaching in the public schools. How sad. Of course, my daughter still teaches it in her classroom, but it is not mandated. I believe every person needs to know how to critically think, no matter what their walk in life is.
It seems everyone has a different idea as to what "critical thinking" means to them.
Anyone care to tell me what they think?
Critical Thinking is made of a combination mainly: discipline, self-directed thinking. It exemplifies the perfections of thinking on all levels. In everyday language critical thinking is thinking outside the box, divergent thinking, unlimited thinking falling toward thinking about thinking. Using a combination of creative, practical, and critical thinking would make for a highly global competitive person on an academic stage followed by a successful career. The challenge is learning to use the (3) tools together to form the ultimate critical thinker. Once these tools are utilized correctly it would also aide with cognitive development enhancements, and logic will improve. When logic expands this will improve the decision making process with less damage control. Therefore, on a large scope critical thinking is detrimental to society, and we should start with teaching these skills in public schools at the earliest level. I hope this helps.
Teresa Keith, BS, MA, MA
For me it means simply being able to take your knowledge and apply it. Memorization is not critical thinking, taking what you have memorized and using it is critical thinking.
I agree with Miriam's comment - it really is all about application. Additionally, I think critical thinking is a process - the process of looking at a situation and seeing how all of the pieces fit together - absorbing the big picture, looking at the different ways something can be approached, utilized and/or resolved.
I teach critical thinking. There are 4 stages. The first is called duality, which is right or wrong. The book or teacher is right and you have to learn is said or read. The second stage is called "it's all relative" and may seem a regression, but it is a phase of questioning. The third stage is a good stage of crirical thinking where logic, sources, evaluation of evidence, consistency, conclusion, reliability and validity are examined. The fourth stage is the third stage with a little added in terms of a personal intellecual identity coupled with an awareness of limitation. A really good source is Bean (2011). The book is called Engaging Ideas.
I agree that critical thinking needs to be at least stressed more at the grade level. Young students seem to get pushed through the system today. It's more about "not holding little Johnny back" because we don't want to damage his self-esteem. But then little Johnny grows up, comes to a trade school like the one I work at, and has no skills to think his way through a situation or problem. I'm not blaming grade-school teachers for this, but the system that they have to work in that doesn't give them enough time to work with kids in this way.
@JayHollowell : I agree with critical thinking
@mrnunez :
I agree somewhat. Sometimes, some processes don't change. There is nothing to think about. I have worked at jobs where it was just continual -- do the same thing over and over...but in a history course or a writing course, critical thinking is necessary so that you can adequately develop thoughts and get those thoughts on paper.
Unfortunately, students don't have the option anymore, from what I'm seeing, to have writing classes, or classes where they have to put thought into the process. No one does research papers anymore...There is no going to the library and finding resources...instead, it's 'what can I find on wikipedia'...I hope that our public school powers that be can see the necessity of these things and can implement them once more into their curriculum. Until they do, we are handed a tough task to teach 12 years of education in one 10 week course.
It's very difficult to teach college students things they've never learned in their high school days because it has been thrown out as not relevant anymore.
@mrnunez : I agree. If you take a class or a course and cannot apply that "knowledge" (using this term in a loose meaning) to solve a particular problem or answer a question, then one has not got a ROI on the tuition paid. I teach ultrasound classes, and the graduates are expected to pass the national registry exams and find employment. Both these outcomes require the graduate to apply critical thinking. If the graduate cannot do both then there is no ROI.
@dgoodman : Thank you for the explanation. I plan to read the recommended book.
@rsawitskas : yes, the "system". critical thinking has to start in middle school. By the time the person gets into a vaocationa school, it may be too late to rectify the lack of learning skills. This is the reality and we have to live with it.
@gurnickedu : I'm going to access everything in the course and I'm going to get back to you on this. I would definitely like your response afterwards. Thank You!
