DEVELOPING CRITICAL
THINKING
How?
ideas/definitions
If someone is a critical   • Critical thinking
thinker they can:           means:
Definitions and ideas
• Reasonable reflective thinking
 focused on deciding what to believe       SUPER-STREAMLINED CONCEPTION OF CRITICAL
                                           THINKING
 or do
                                           A critical thinker:

• Trying to get as close to the truth as   1. Is open-minded and mindful of alternatives
                                           2. Desires to be, and is, well-informed
 possible                                  3. Judges well the credibility of sources
                                           4. Identifies reasons, assumptions, and conclusions
                                           5. Asks appropriate clarifying questions
                                           6. Judges well the quality of an argument, including its
                                           reasons, assumptions, evidence, and their degree of support
• Find proof                               for the conclusion
                                           7. Can well develop and defend a reasonable position
                                           regarding a belief or an action, doing justice to challenges
                                           8. Formulates plausible hypotheses
                                           9. Plans and conducts experiments well
• Argue ideas, reason alternatives,        10. Defines terms in a way appropriate for the context
                                           11. Draws conclusions when warranted – but with caution
 sort out best solution                    12. Integrates all of the above aspects of critical thinking
                                           Although the word 'critical' is sometimes used in a negative
                                           sense, this conception of critical thinking is not negative. Also,
                                           it does not treat critical thought as persuasion, but critical
• Critical thinking is a rich concept      thought will, we hope, often be persuasive. The future of
                                           democracy depends on it.
 that has been developing
                                           http://www.criticalthinking.net/definition.html
 throughout the past 2500 years.
  • Socratis
  • Buddha
To be discussed
• Generating critical thinking
• Building critical thinking
• Assessing critical thinking
Generating critical thinking
Levels of thinking
remembering and understanding
Applying and analysing
Evaluating and creating
Evaluating and creating
logic
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSZ3BUru59A&list=PL6
 D5BD8056C60A58E&index=1
Building critcal thinking
Ask the right questions?
• Are we ready to start now?
• What do we know by looking at this picture?
• "How would the picture be different if the model weren't
  wearing that black tie around her neck?"
(interpret)
Ask the right questions?
• "This semester we studied three directors: Fellini,
 Hitchcock, and Kurosawa. Imagine that you are a film
 critic and write a review of "Little Red Riding Hood" as
 directed by one of these individuals." (transfer
 knowledge)

• What if Katnis didn’t win the final competition, but her
 boyfriend did? How would the story be different? (predict)

• What alternatives were there to MLK actions in the Civil
 Rights Movement that might have led to quicker action?

• More?
What questions do you ask?
remember   understand   apply   analyze   evaluate   create
Sorting/organizing/patterns
• SSB students smoke
  • Girls or boys?
  • When does smoking start?
  • What patterns of behavior do all smokers share?



• A comparison of three wars
  • Sort similarities and differences
  • Organize timelines for each
  • Search for patterns in the two?
T-charts; Y-charts
                                                   are             are not
Looks like    Sounds like
(succesful                                         Good
learning                                           environmental
classroom)                                         habits




 cause         effect
                                                      Teachers     Parents
 (student                                              should      should
 behaviors)

                                                           Students
                                                            should
                            Whose responsibility
                                  is it?
Debate
• Dont just argue . . .
• Prepare ahead of time
• Discipline the debate – specific teams, and student
    «officials»
•   Ask students to argue the opposite of their opinion
•   Self-evaluate
•   Peer-evaluate
•   Also teaches social skills

                              TOPIC: Parents should be able to visit
                              the classroom at any time
journal

 Reflection                                  Stop, start, continue


 • Written
                   Wow, wonder,          Give and            • Oral
                      worry                 go
 • Visual

Video/
photo                Clock        4.00
                    partners      5.00
                      1.00        6.00
 • Individual         2.00        7.00
                      3.00        8.00
 • Group
Perspective Lens
                                 Thinking Lenses
White lens – pure, white facts           Just the facts, information details,
                                         truths
Purple lens - judgment                   The down side, what’s wrong, errors
                                         or mistakes
Red lens – just feel it                  Emotions, get it out there, hunches,
                                         opinions
Green lens – green and growing           Where can this go? Groth, creative,
                                         new ideas
Yellow lens – sunshine and brightness    Look on the bright side – positive,
                                         constructive, possibilities
Blue lens – cool and control             Pulling things together; thinking about
                                         thinking; summaries
                    Topic: New SSB school structure, 2013-2014
Problem solving
                      Define
                     problem


                                    Gather
      solve
                                     data




         Pick best             Consider
         solution               options
Analogies
• Boat
• Waves
• Sun
• Sail
• Deadly fish
• Land




 TOPIC: popularity of classical
 music
Coordinate grid
                           Highly
                           effective




 cheap                                 expensive




TOPIC:
environmentally friendly   Not so
behaviors                  effectiv
                           e
How to assess critical thinking
• Define what you «hope» to see:
A statement of a learning objective contains a verb (an
action) and an object (usually a noun).

• The verb generally refers to [actions associated with] the
  intended thinking process.
• The object generally describes the knowledge students
  are expected to acquire or construct.
Circle has no   Square is a      Area of a   Be able to
corners;        quadrilateral;   square=     compare area
square has      4 right angles   length X    of a square
four corners                     width       and area of a
                                             circle
http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/Revis
edBlooms1.html
Now you try . . . Write three learning
objectives that state what you expect
in critical thinking ability related to
your subject
Alternative assessments?
resources
• http://edorigami.wikispaces.com
• http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/RevisedBlooms1.html
• http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/about/my-best-of-series/
• http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocol/search.html

Developing critical thinking

  • 1.
  • 2.
    ideas/definitions If someone isa critical • Critical thinking thinker they can: means:
  • 3.
    Definitions and ideas •Reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe SUPER-STREAMLINED CONCEPTION OF CRITICAL THINKING or do A critical thinker: • Trying to get as close to the truth as 1. Is open-minded and mindful of alternatives 2. Desires to be, and is, well-informed possible 3. Judges well the credibility of sources 4. Identifies reasons, assumptions, and conclusions 5. Asks appropriate clarifying questions 6. Judges well the quality of an argument, including its reasons, assumptions, evidence, and their degree of support • Find proof for the conclusion 7. Can well develop and defend a reasonable position regarding a belief or an action, doing justice to challenges 8. Formulates plausible hypotheses 9. Plans and conducts experiments well • Argue ideas, reason alternatives, 10. Defines terms in a way appropriate for the context 11. Draws conclusions when warranted – but with caution sort out best solution 12. Integrates all of the above aspects of critical thinking Although the word 'critical' is sometimes used in a negative sense, this conception of critical thinking is not negative. Also, it does not treat critical thought as persuasion, but critical • Critical thinking is a rich concept thought will, we hope, often be persuasive. The future of democracy depends on it. that has been developing http://www.criticalthinking.net/definition.html throughout the past 2500 years. • Socratis • Buddha
  • 4.
    To be discussed •Generating critical thinking • Building critical thinking • Assessing critical thinking
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
    Ask the rightquestions? • Are we ready to start now? • What do we know by looking at this picture? • "How would the picture be different if the model weren't wearing that black tie around her neck?" (interpret)
  • 15.
    Ask the rightquestions? • "This semester we studied three directors: Fellini, Hitchcock, and Kurosawa. Imagine that you are a film critic and write a review of "Little Red Riding Hood" as directed by one of these individuals." (transfer knowledge) • What if Katnis didn’t win the final competition, but her boyfriend did? How would the story be different? (predict) • What alternatives were there to MLK actions in the Civil Rights Movement that might have led to quicker action? • More?
  • 16.
    What questions doyou ask? remember understand apply analyze evaluate create
  • 17.
    Sorting/organizing/patterns • SSB studentssmoke • Girls or boys? • When does smoking start? • What patterns of behavior do all smokers share? • A comparison of three wars • Sort similarities and differences • Organize timelines for each • Search for patterns in the two?
  • 18.
    T-charts; Y-charts are are not Looks like Sounds like (succesful Good learning environmental classroom) habits cause effect Teachers Parents (student should should behaviors) Students should Whose responsibility is it?
  • 19.
    Debate • Dont justargue . . . • Prepare ahead of time • Discipline the debate – specific teams, and student «officials» • Ask students to argue the opposite of their opinion • Self-evaluate • Peer-evaluate • Also teaches social skills TOPIC: Parents should be able to visit the classroom at any time
  • 20.
    journal Reflection Stop, start, continue • Written Wow, wonder, Give and • Oral worry go • Visual Video/ photo Clock 4.00 partners 5.00 1.00 6.00 • Individual 2.00 7.00 3.00 8.00 • Group
  • 21.
    Perspective Lens Thinking Lenses White lens – pure, white facts Just the facts, information details, truths Purple lens - judgment The down side, what’s wrong, errors or mistakes Red lens – just feel it Emotions, get it out there, hunches, opinions Green lens – green and growing Where can this go? Groth, creative, new ideas Yellow lens – sunshine and brightness Look on the bright side – positive, constructive, possibilities Blue lens – cool and control Pulling things together; thinking about thinking; summaries Topic: New SSB school structure, 2013-2014
  • 22.
    Problem solving Define problem Gather solve data Pick best Consider solution options
  • 23.
    Analogies • Boat • Waves •Sun • Sail • Deadly fish • Land TOPIC: popularity of classical music
  • 24.
    Coordinate grid Highly effective cheap expensive TOPIC: environmentally friendly Not so behaviors effectiv e
  • 25.
    How to assesscritical thinking • Define what you «hope» to see: A statement of a learning objective contains a verb (an action) and an object (usually a noun). • The verb generally refers to [actions associated with] the intended thinking process. • The object generally describes the knowledge students are expected to acquire or construct.
  • 27.
    Circle has no Square is a Area of a Be able to corners; quadrilateral; square= compare area square has 4 right angles length X of a square four corners width and area of a circle
  • 28.
  • 29.
    Now you try. . . Write three learning objectives that state what you expect in critical thinking ability related to your subject
  • 32.
  • 34.
    resources • http://edorigami.wikispaces.com • http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/RevisedBlooms1.html •http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/about/my-best-of-series/ • http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocol/search.html