Fundamentals ofFundamentals ofCritical ThinkingCritical Thinking

Narrowing The Gulf Narrowing The Gulf ConferenceConference

March 26, 2009March 26, 2009

Gail O. LancasterGail O. Lancaster

Game planGame plan

• Consider elements, standards and Consider elements, standards and intellectual traits per Paul and Elderintellectual traits per Paul and Elder

• Examine critical thinkers throughout Examine critical thinkers throughout historyhistory

• Identify Paul and Elder’s Identify Paul and Elder’s fundamentals in other’s thinking or fundamentals in other’s thinking or theories of thinkingtheories of thinking

Paul and ElderPaul and Elder

• ElementsElements

• StandardsStandards

• Intellectual TraitsIntellectual Traits

Paul and Paul and ElderElder

Critical Thinkers From Critical Thinkers From HistoryHistory

• King Solomon – 950 BCKing Solomon – 950 BC

• Socrates – 400 BCSocrates – 400 BC

• Hugo of St. Victor (12Hugo of St. Victor (12thth Century) Century)

• Sir Francis Bacon (16Sir Francis Bacon (16thth Century) Century)

King SolomonKing Solomon

• WisdomWisdom

• DiscernmentDiscernment

• Effective RulerEffective Ruler

SocratesSocrates

• QuestioningQuestioning

• ProbingProbing

• Search for meaningSearch for meaning

• Search for truthSearch for truth

Hugo of St. VictorHugo of St. Victor

• Didascalion – pedagogical guide of the 12Didascalion – pedagogical guide of the 12thth CenturyCentury

• Meditatio (reflection, contemplation, Meditatio (reflection, contemplation, practice, and rehearsal)practice, and rehearsal)

• Independent reflection with humility and Independent reflection with humility and patiencepatience

• Personal engagement with problems Personal engagement with problems leading to new thoughts and deeper leading to new thoughts and deeper insightinsight

Francis BaconFrancis Bacon

• Father of the Scientific MethodFather of the Scientific Method

• ““We must become as little children in We must become as little children in order to enter the kingdom of order to enter the kingdom of science”science”

Critical Thinkers and Theorists Critical Thinkers and Theorists in Modern Timesin Modern Times

• Dewey – 1930’sDewey – 1930’s

• Ennis – 1980’sEnnis – 1980’s

DeweyDewey

Reflective ThinkingReflective Thinking

• Dispositions of Dispositions of thinkingthinking– Open mindednessOpen mindedness– Whole heartednessWhole heartedness– Intellectual Intellectual

ResponsibilityResponsibility

• Native ResourcesNative Resources– CuriosityCuriosity– SuggestionSuggestion– OrderlinessOrderliness

EnnisEnnis

• Critical thinking is “reasonable, Critical thinking is “reasonable, reflective thinking focused on reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.”deciding what to believe or do.”

Ennis - Ennis - Actions a learner usually Actions a learner usually must take in order to think criticallymust take in order to think critically

• Judge the credibility of sourcesJudge the credibility of sources

• Identify conclusions, reasons and Identify conclusions, reasons and assumptionsassumptions

• Judge the quality of an argument Judge the quality of an argument including the acceptability of its including the acceptability of its reasons, assumptions, and evidencereasons, assumptions, and evidence

• Develop and defend a position on an Develop and defend a position on an issueissue

Ennis - Ennis - Actions a learner usually Actions a learner usually must take in order to think criticallymust take in order to think critically

• Ask appropriate clarifying questionsAsk appropriate clarifying questions• Plan experiments and judge experimental Plan experiments and judge experimental

designsdesigns• Define terms in a way appropriate for the Define terms in a way appropriate for the

contextcontext• Be open-mindedBe open-minded• Try to be well-informedTry to be well-informed• Draw conclusions when warranted, but Draw conclusions when warranted, but

with cautionwith caution

The essential question…The essential question…• What do we need to do as educators to What do we need to do as educators to

encourage critical thinking?encourage critical thinking?– Ask open-ended questionsAsk open-ended questions– Don’t use PowerPointDon’t use PowerPoint– Find relevance – how they can relateFind relevance – how they can relate– Get a different perspective – outside the boxGet a different perspective – outside the box– Using positive reinforcement when seeing students Using positive reinforcement when seeing students

thinking criticallythinking critically– Probe responses – take a more facilitative roleProbe responses – take a more facilitative role– Educators must first be critical thinkersEducators must first be critical thinkers

• Humility, courage – questioning is a good thingHumility, courage – questioning is a good thing• Know where your students are coming from and where they Know where your students are coming from and where they

want to go (goals)want to go (goals)• Be willing to make mistakes – open mindednessBe willing to make mistakes – open mindedness

– Stay current – read and write – and model critical Stay current – read and write – and model critical thinkingthinking

– Build confidence in students to ask questions and supply Build confidence in students to ask questions and supply answersanswers

– Encourage students to record their thoughts/findingsEncourage students to record their thoughts/findings

ReferencesReferences

Dewey, J. (1933). Dewey, J. (1933). How we thinkHow we think. New York: D. C. . New York: D. C. Heath.Heath.

Ennis, R. (1993). Critical thinking assessment. Ennis, R. (1993). Critical thinking assessment. Theory Theory Into Practice, 32Into Practice, 32(3). Retrieved October 25, 2006, (3). Retrieved October 25, 2006, from Academic Search Premier database.from Academic Search Premier database.

Johnson, S. (1998). Skills, Socrates, and the Sophists: Johnson, S. (1998). Skills, Socrates, and the Sophists: Learning from history. Learning from history. British Journal of British Journal of Educational Studies 46Educational Studies 46(2). Retrieved March 23, (2). Retrieved March 23, 2009, from JSTOR database.2009, from JSTOR database.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006b). Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006b). The miniature guide to The miniature guide to critical thinking concepts and toolscritical thinking concepts and tools (4th ed.). Dillon (4th ed.). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Pedersen, O. (1997). Pedersen, O. (1997). The first universities: Stadium The first universities: Stadium Generale and the origins of university education in Generale and the origins of university education in EuropeEurope. New York: Cambridge University Press.. New York: Cambridge University Press.