Developing Critical Thinking
Developing Critical Thinking
Developing Critical Thinking
CRITICAL THINKING
Stephen Brookfield
University of St. Thomas
A WORKSHOP TO
Stimulate Critical thinking About
Critical Thinking
Find Out What Colleagues Do To
Think Critically
Find Out How Colleagues Help
Others Think Critically
Recognize Points of Contact &
Divergence
WHAT IMAGES,
ACTIONS,
THOUGHTS,
EXAMPLES DOES
THIS PHRASE
BRING TO MIND?
ASSESSING EVIDENCE
EVERY
KINDS OF ASSUMPTIONS
CAUSAL - purports to explain a
sequence of events
PRESCRIPTIVE - assumptions
about how we wish things to be
PARADIGMATIC - framing,
structuring assumptions viewed as
obvious
AN INFORMED ACTION IS
One Based on Evidence
One Where Evidence Can be Cited
One That Can be Explained & Justified
One That Has Its Assumptions Known &
Checked
One That Stands a Chance of having Its
Intended Consequence
WHEN IS IT
APPROPRIATE?
Beyond the Novice Level
After Initial Assimilation
When Skills & Knowledge Have to be
Applied in the Real World
When Independent Judgment is Needed
WHEN IS IT
APPROPRIATE?
When Alternative Explanations /
Interpretations are Possible
When Actions / Decisions / Judgments
Need to be Informed
When Thinking on Your Feet is Called
For - Rapid Fire Response
When Venturing into New Territory
HOW IS IT LEARNED?
By Instructors MODELING
HOW IS IT LEARNED?
ASSUMPTION INVENTORY
Whats the decision weve just made?
Whats the chief piece of evidence the
HOW IS IT LEARNED?
Consistently providing Real World
Illustrations / Examples
Instructor Point - Counterpoint /
Structured Devils Advocacy / Speaking
in Tongues
Best When Grounded in Real World
Examples, Experiences, Case Studies
HOW IS IT LEARNED?
Scaffolded Via Extensive Instructor
HOW IS IT LEARNED?
When Students Have to Face &
Respond to a Disorienting
Dilemma (Mezirow) - a
situation engineered to take
them by surprise / reverse /
upset their expectations
COURSE DESIGN
Begin with Foundations / Introductory
Course on Critical Thinking Across the
Disciplines
Scenario Analyses (brief real-life but
fictional vignettes)
Move to Topic / Discipline Specific
Applications
SHARED DEFINITION
University / School-Wide Definition
Quoted in All Syllabuses, Course
Descriptions
Assessing Evidence - what is valid
or accurate evidence? How do you
judge the relative truth or accuracy
of a source / authority?
Checking Assumptions
BUILD A CASE
Students Testimony - videostream
Students Testimony - real world
applications
Former Resisters - Alumni Panels
Employer / User Testimony - real
world examples
BUILD A CASE
Simulations
Real-life sites in cyberspace
Consistent Modeling: Never Ask a
Learner to Think Critically Before
Youve Done it First - Publicly !
Monitor via the CIQ
ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD:
Request Sources of Evidence or
Authority
Ask Students to Judge Validity of
Different Sources Used - online,
textbooks, students notes, course
packet etc.
Contain Frequent Tests of Application How Does the Knowledge / Skill Apply
in the Real World?
ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD:Ask for Frequent Examples of
Application - Student Generated or
Via Multiple Choice
Ask Students to Spot the Deliberate
Error (1 per unit / exercise /
module)
Identify Assumptions - Causal,
Prescriptive, Paradigmatic
ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD:Contain a Parallel Example of
Critical Thinking Provided for Each
Critical thinking Exercise Required
Disclose How Instructor Applies
Critical Thinking in each Exercise
Require a Critical Thinking Audit
CRITICAL THINKING
AUDIT
What
CRITICAL THINKING
AUDIT
What
CRITICAL THINKING
AUDIT
Where is Further Study
Needed?
Which Evidence is Most
Open to Question?
Which Assumptions Could
Not be Checked
Adequately?
CRITICAL THINKING
AUDIT
Unit Audit
Mid-Course Audit
Course Completion Audit
Program Audit
Instructor Provides Audit at
Each Stage
CRITICAL INCIDENT
QUESTIONNAIRE (CIQ)
MOMENT MOST ENGAGED AS
LEARNER
MOMENT MOST DISTANCED
ACTION MOST HELPFUL
ACTION MOST CONFUSING
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST
ASSESSING CRITICAL
THINKING
Pre-test / Post test (Simulations, Scenarios)
Critical Thinking Audits
Standardized Tests (Ennis-Weir, New
Jersey, California, CAAP, Watson-Glaser)
Learning Journals
Multiple Choice Questions in Each Unit
Specifically on Assumptions / Evidence
FINAL QUESTIONS
STEPHEN BROOKFIELD
WWW.STEPHENBROOKFIELD.COM