Critical Thinking

1. Critical Thinking Ann Smith Sioux Falls Public Schools

2. What it is not— Examples of people who don’t think critically What it is- Examples of critical thinkers

3. What does it mean to be educated?

4. Activated Knowledge • Accurate information that can be used to gain more knowledge • Mathematical principles • Scientific method • Principles of critical thinking Paul. 2002.

5. Am I a critical thinker? • Stage 1 - Unreflective Thinker • Egocentric—and unaware • Dismiss ideas we don’t agree with • Don’t know what we don’t know • Stage 2 – Challenged Thinker • Strives to analyze thinking • Understands how concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, and points of view form thinking Paul. 2002.

6. Recognizes the qualities of sound thinking: clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness • May engage in self-deception: “If everyone would think clearly like me, this would be a fine world.” • The Beginning Thinker • Checks information for accuracy and relevance • Recognizes assumptions guiding inferences • Identifies prejudicial and biased beliefs, unjustifiable conclusions, misused words, and missed implications • Analyzes the logic of situations and problems • Expresses clear and precise questions Paul. 2002.

7. Stage 4 – The Practicing Thinker • Stage 5 – The Advanced Thinker • Stage 6 – The Master Thinker Paul. 2002.

8. Habits of MindArthur L. Costa & Bena Kallick

9. Habits of Mind • Persisting • Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision • Managing impulsivity • Gathering data through all the senses • Listening with understanding and empathy • Creating, imagining, innovating • Thinking flexibly • Responding with wonderment and awe

10. Habits of Mind (cont) • Thinking about thinking • Taking responsible risks • Striving for accuracy • Finding humor • Questioning and posing problems • Thinking interdependently • Applying past knowledge to new situations • Remaining open to continuous learning

11. Strategies for developing critical thinkers • Engage students in reading, writing, speaking • Empower students to evaluate their own reading, writing, speaking • Think out loud to model skilled thinking for students • Compare and contrast different points of view • Encourage students to question • Assign a daily notetaker or notetaker team • Assign a daily researcher or researcher team

12. Concepts • “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Shakespeare) • Using precise language • Clever – Cunning • Selfish – Self-motivated • Power – Control • Believe – Know • Love – Romance • Socialize – Educate • Friend -- Colleague Paul. 2002.

13. Concepts • Recognizing socially conditioned meanings • Capitalism • Socialism • Communism Paul. 2002.

14. Testing Information • To what extent could I test the truth of this claim by direct experience? • How does the person who advances this claim support it? • Is there a definite system or procedure for assessing claims of this sort? • Does the acceptance of this information advance the vested interest of the person or group asserting it? Paul. 2002.

15. Clarity • Say what you mean, mean what you say. • "What can be done about the education system in America?“ • Could you give me an example Paul. 2002.

16. Accuracy • How could we find out if that is true? • Can it be verified by other sources? • On the Web, look for hints in the URL • www.register.com/ (whois lookup) • On a long URL, delete to the first slash • Bigredhair.com/robots/index.htm • Snopes.com November. 2008.

17. Precision • Can you give more details. • “My daughter has a fever.” • “My computer doesn’t work.” • “Do you know anyone who writes grants for education?” • “Do you have any books in this library?” Paul. 2002.

18. Relevance • A statement can be clear, accurate, and precise…but irrelevant. • “I spent 14.6 hours preparing my elementary library budget, so I should be funded at the full level.” • Public figures answering questions at a press conference. • How does this help us with the issue at hand? Paul. 2002.

19. Depth • Does the answer address the complexities of the question? • “Just say no” • “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” • Is it dealing with the most significant factors? Paul. 2002.

20. Breadth • Is there another way to look at this question? • Do we need to consider another point of view? Paul. 2002.

21. Logic • How does that follow? • Are these statements contradictory? • Don’t confuse correlation with causation • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation#Examples Paul. 2002.

22. Get “REAL” • Read the URL • Examine the Content • Ask about the author and owner • Look at the Links • www.altavista.com • Link:http://www.yoursite.com/whatever/copy November. 2008.

23. SMITH (thanks Lee!) • Source • Message • Intent • Techniques • How do they want me to respond

24. Questions that stimulate thinking • Open-ended questions: • What are your reactions to this morning’s Keynote speaker? • What aspects of this unit are of interest to you? • What are your reactions to what you just heard? Paul. 2002.

25. Diagnostic Questions • What is really rewarded in this classroom? • What conclusions did you draw from this data? • Information-seeking Questions • What are the factors that influence student engagement? Paul. 2002.

26. Challenge (testing) Questions • Why do you believe that? • What evidence supports your conclusion? • What arguments might be developed to counter that point of view? Paul. 2002.

27. Action Questions • What needs to be done to address this problem? • Be specific • Ask someone who has the ability to help Paul. 2002.

28. Questions on priority and sequence • Given limited resources, what is the first step to be taken? • The second? • The third? Paul. 2002.

29. Prediction Questions • If your conclusions are correct, what will be our situation tomorrow? In 5 years? In 20 years? • Hypothetical Questions • What if Henry Ford’s gasoline engine hadn’t become the standard automobile engine? • What if FDR had not initiated the New Deal? Paul. 2002.

30. Questions of extension • For your grandchildren, what are the implications of your conclusions about the issue of climate change? • Questions of generalization • Based on our exploration of critical thinking, what do you believe are the major barriers to teaching critical thinking in your classroom? Paul. 2002.

31. “For to say, that a blind custom of obedience should be a surer obligation than duty taught and understood; it is to affirm, that a blind man may tread surer by a guide than a seeing man can by a light.” Sir Francis Bacon. The Advancement of Learning.

32. Suggested Resources • Costa, Arthur and Bena Kallick. Leading and Learning with Habits of Mind. ASCD. 2009. • www.habits-of-mind.com • Foundation for Critical Thinking • www.criticalthinking.org • SIRS Researcher (subscription database) • http://sks.sirs.com • The Question Mark • http://www.questioning.org

33. Resources (cont’d) • November, Alan. Web Literacy for Educators. Corwin Press, 2008. • Paul, Richard. Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Personal and Professional Life. FT Press, 2002.