How to Teach Critical Thinking Robert H. Ennis, rhennis@illinois.edu The actual teaching of critical thinking is a function of many situation-specific factors: teacher style, teacher interest, teacher knowledge and understanding, class size, cultural and community backgrounds and expectations, student expectations and backgrounds, colleagues’ expectations, recent local events, the amount of time available to teachers after they have done all the other things they have to do, and teacher grasp of critical thinking, to name some major factors. I here suggest some general strategies and tactics gleaned from years of experience, research, and others’ suggestions. They are guidelines and must be adjusted to fit the actual situation. Underlying Strategies (The three underlying strategies are “Reflection, Reasons, Alternatives” (RRA): 1. 2. 3. Fundamental Strategies 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Tactics 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Mid-level Strategies 21. Be patient, but show that you are interested in their thoughts.
CriticalThinking.org - Critical Thinking Model 1 To Analyze Thinking We Must Identify and Question its Elemental Structures Standard: Clarityunderstandable, the meaning can be grasped Could you elaborate further? Could you give me an example? Standard: Accuracyfree from errors or distortions, true How could we check on that? Standard: Precisionexact to the necessary level of detail Could you be more specific? Standard: Relevancerelating to the matter at hand How does that relate to the problem? Standard: Depthcontaining complexities and multiple interrelationships What factors make this a difficult problem? Standard: Breadthencompassing multiple viewpoints Do we need to look at this from another perspective? Standard: Logicthe parts make sense together, no contradictions Does all this make sense together? Standard: Significancefocusing on the important, not trivial Is this the most important problem to consider? Standard: FairnessJustifiable, not self-serving or one-sided Do I have any vested interest in this issue? Think About... Gather...
Argument Mapping Argument mapping is producing "boxes and arrows" diagrams of reasoning, especially complex arguments and debates. Argument mapping improves our ability to articulate, comprehend and communicate reasoning, thereby promoting critical thinking. Argument Mapping Tutorials from AusthinkArgument mapping is using graphical methods to display the structure of reasoning and argumentation. The technique is essential for advanced critical thinking. Can Computers Think? Robert Horn Website of one of the pioneers of argument mapping. Austhink Argument MappingArgument mapping page at the website of the Austhink, leaders in the application of argument mapping in education and in professional contexts. Visualizing Argumentation: Software Tools for Collaborative and Educational Sense-Making by Paul A. Dialog Mapping page of CogNexus InstituteDialog is a close cousin of argument mapping. Essays Discussion of the use of argument maps in teaching philosophy in the online journal Psyche. Software Reason! Online
5 tips to improve your critical thinking - Samantha Agoos History of Critical Thinking “The intellectual roots of critical thinking are as ancient as its etymology, traceable, ultimately, to the teaching practice and vision of Socrates 2,500 years ago who discovered by a method of probing questioning that people could not rationally justify their confident claims to knowledge. Confused meanings, inadequate evidence, or self-contradictory beliefs often lurked beneath smooth but largely empty rhetoric.” “He [Socrates] established the importance of seeking evidence, closely examining reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts, and tracing out implications not only of what is said but of what is done as well. His method of questioning is now known as "Socratic Questioning" and is the best known critical thinking teaching strategy. In his mode of questioning, Socrates highlighted the need in thinking for clarity and logical consistency.” More on critical thinking through the ages is available here. 1.
30 Ways to Inspire Divergent Thinking Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age - University of Michigan Most professions these days require more than general intelligence. They require in addition the ability to collect, analyze and think about data. Personal life is enriched when these same skills are applied to problems in everyday life involving judgment and choice. This course presents basic concepts from statistics, probability, scientific methodology, cognitive psychology and cost-benefit theory and shows how they can be applied to everything from picking one product over another to critiquing media accounts of scientific research. What kinds of things will you learn?
How to get Smarter: A guide to critical thinking, cognitive biases, and logical fallacies | Life Lessons Welcome to the first of a ten part series: How to get smarter: A guide to critical thinking, cognitive biases, and logical fallacies. In this series we’ll be going deep into critical thinking, cognitive biases, logical fallacies, and so much more. In this article I’ll introduce you to five of the most important core principles (and biggest hindrances) to critical thinking and higher intelligence: Intellectual lazinessIntellectual honestyIntellectual dishonestyWillful ignoranceSelf-deception What is Critical Thinking and why is it so important? “The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.” – Socrates Before we begin: What is critical thinking, cognitive biases, and logical fallacies? Let’s start with some definitions: Critical thinking: “Critical thinking is the objective analysis of facts to form a judgment.” en.wikipedia.org Logical fallacy: “A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid.” www.thoughtco.com In other words we’re learning: Here’s why: 50. 49.
Teaching For Creativity: Two Dozen Tips | Center for Development and Learning By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams What makes a person creative? Why are some people more creative and others less so? We often think that the creative people are the ones who have some rare and unattainable ability, but it is not so. Creative people are ones who make a decision: They decide to buy low and sell high in the world of ideas. The Investment Theory of Creativity Buying Low and Selling High The investment theory of creativity (Sternberg & Lubart, 1995) asserts that creative thinkers are like good investors: They buy low and sell high. Creative ideas are both novel and valuable. Evidence abounds that creative ideas are rejected (Sternberg & Lubart, 1995). From the investment view, then, the creative person buys low by presenting a unique idea and then attempting to convince other people of its value. You can foster creativity by buying low and selling high in the world of ideas–defy the crowd. Balancing Analytic, Synthetic, and Practical Abilities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Five Elements of Effective Thinking Do you want to come up with more imaginative ideas? Do you stumble with complicated problems? Do you want to find new ways to confront challenges? Of course you do. So do I. But when is the last time you thought about how you think? Do you have a process for making decisions? Just as with any skill, some of us are better at thinking than others. We’re seduced into believing that brilliant thinkers are born that way. Nothing could be further from the truth. Often, these geniuses practice learnable habits of thinking that allow them to see the world differently. I came across The Five Elements of Effective Thinking, authored by Dr. They make a pretty bold claim in the introduction. You can personally choose to become more successful by adopting five learnable habits, which, in this book, we not only explain in detail but also make concrete and practical. The five habits are: 1. Let’s explore each of these a little. Understand Deeply Make Mistakes Fail to succeed. Raise Questions Change
Yes, Your Opinion Can Be Wrong Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 6 a.m. I have had so many conversations or email exchanges with students in the last few years wherein I anger them by indicating that simply saying, "This is my opinion" does not preclude a connected statement from being dead wrong. It still baffles me that some feel those four words somehow give them carte blanche to spout batshit oratory or prose. And it really scares me that some of those students think education that challenges their ideas is equivalent to an attack on their beliefs. -Mick Cullen I spend far more time arguing on the Internet than can possibly be healthy, and the word I’ve come to loath more than any other is “opinion”. There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. 1. 2. I’ll help you with the first part. There’s nothing wrong with an opinion on those things. To quote John Oliver, who on his show Last Week Tonight referenced a Gallup poll showing one in four Americans believe climate change isn’t real: Who gives a shit?
10 Tips for Effective Online Discussions These tips can help educators ensure that online discussions are engaging and beneficial for postsecondary students. For many of today's students and more than a few educators, effective participation in online discussions in postsecondary education may not be second nature. In particular, graduate-level discussions present challenges quite different from their undergraduate counterparts, as master's degree candidates tend to be highly motivated. 1. It would be easy to hold online discussions to higher standards than discussions happening face-to-face. Be careful what you wish for, however! Make sure to provide clear expectations regarding the number of posts, the number of replies, and the associated deadlines. 2. The first discussion assignment in my courses is deliberately low-stakes. Students—especially those who are new to online courses or new to the learning management system (LMS) you're using—will need some time to get familiar with the discussion board. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.