Critical Thinking Instruction

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Hatcher ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Critical Thinking Instruction

"First Sit Down and Play the Piano Beautifully ... ": Reading Carefully for Critical Thinking

1987 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moira Gutteridge
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Reading Skill ◽  
Critical Thinking Instruction

Students in critical thinking courses are often instructed to "read carefully" as a prerequisite to thinking critically. This instruction, which seems like a simple preliminary caution, in fact reveals controversial assumptions about how readers read, and whether critical thinking instruction presupposes the reading skill it purports to teach.

scholarly journals Examining the Influence of Culture on Critical Thinking in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vivian Miu-Chi Lun
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Cultural Difference ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Ability ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
European Students ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Critical Thinking Instruction

<p>In the midst of an increasingly changing world, the ability to think critically has become a crucial attribute expected of university graduates. However, the endorsement of critical thinking in higher education has been challenged by the growing cultural diversity in university classrooms. Concerns about Asian students' lack of critical thinking and the appropriateness of critical thinking instruction in international education have been raised by teaching professionals. The present dissertation sought to understand the influence of culture on the teaching and learning of critical thinking in higher education. Chapter 2 presented a study examining the instructional contexts of Hong Kong and New Zealand. It was found that similar assessment methods were employed in the university courses in both cultures, but university courses in Hong Kong placed more emphasis on knowledge development whereas those in New Zealand explicitly described critical thinking in the course objectives. Chinese international and New Zealand European postgraduate students were individually interviewed to investigate the exact influence of cultural-educational contexts in Asia and New Zealand on university students' conception and practice of critical thinking (Chapter 3). Both samples of students held similar conceptions of critical thinking, but reported differences in their socialization experiences regarding the practice of critical thinking in their respective cultures. Specifically, stronger inhibition on students' practice of critical thinking was noted in Asia than in New Zealand. In Chapter 4, two studies that investigated the differences in critical thinking skills between Asian and New Zealand European students are presented. In both studies, New Zealand European students were found to perform better than their Asian counterparts on an objective measure of critical thinking skills. The difference was explained by students English language ability but not cultural factors such as cultural differences in cognitive styles or behavioral adoption of New Zealand culture. It was suggested that observed cross-cultural difference in critical thinking skills is related more to language ability rather than cultural variables. A significantly positive relationship between critical thinking skills and academic performance was found, and the relationship was not significantly different between Asian and New Zealand European student samples (Chapter 5). The relationship was also not different as a function of students' adoption of New Zealand culture, indicating that pedagogy with an emphasis on critical thinking is similarly applicable to both Asian and New Zealand European students. Overall, the present findings indicated that culture has an important influence on students' practice of critical thinking. Although there is cross-cultural difference in critical thinking skills between Asian and Western student samples, the difference appears to be related more to language ability rather than cultural factors. The present thesis provided empirical evidence to show that culture influences the educational practice of critical thinking, but the influence of culture does not necessarily impede the application of critical thinking instruction in international classrooms. With appropriate adaptation, critical thinking instruction can be beneficial to the intellectual development of students regardless of their cultural backgrounds.</p>

scholarly journals Enhancing Rationality: Heuristics, Biases, and The Critical Thinking Project

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Battersby
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Rational Choice ◽  
Rational Decision ◽  
Rational Decision Making ◽  
Critical Thinking Instruction

Abstract: This paper develops four related claims: 1. Critical thinking should focus more on decision making, 2. the heuristics and bias literature developed by cognitive psychologists and behavioral economists provides many insights into human irrationality which can be useful in critical thinking instruction, 3. unfortunately the “rational choice” norms used by behavioral economists to identify “biased” decision making narrowly equate rational decision making with the efficient pursuit of individual satisfaction; deviations from these norms should not be treated as an irrational bias, 4. a richer, procedural theory of rational decision making should be the basis for critical thinking instruction in decision making.

Critical Thinking, Instruction, and Professional Development for Schools in the Digital Age

2016 ◽  
pp. 27-46
Author(s):  
Howard V. Coleman ◽  
Jeremy Dickerson ◽  
Dennis Dotterer
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Depth Of Knowledge ◽  
Critical Thinking Instruction

This chapter presents theories, issues and practices for creating effective, technologically rich learning environments in schools. In the digital age, teachers and school leaders must work together to ensure the development of higher level critical thinking skills for students. Using Bloom's Revised Taxonomy of Knowledge and Webb's Depth of Knowledge as theoretical guides, this chapter discusses how teachers may move towards more flexible, student-centered instructional models rather than traditional teacher-centered methodologies. Guiding questions are presented to assist teachers in determining what to consider when designing technology-enhanced instruction to promote higher level critical thinking skills. Topics include a review of technological factors influencing technology integration, modifications of teacher practices to best match the changing culture in K-12 classrooms, examinations of pedagogical practices in techno-centric classrooms, current and future professional development needs for teachers, and the importance of assessment and evaluation in monitoring the effectiveness of instructional practices in 21st Century learning environments.

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