Teaching Critical Thinking and Higher-order Learning Outcomes

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Teaching Critical Thinking and Higher-order
Learning Outcomes

• Dr. Walter Wager
• Professor Emeritus
• Florida State University

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Plan for this presentation

• Discuss
• definitions of critical thinking,
• types of learning outcomes and how they are
  learned,
• the discipline-centric curriculum of
  problem-solving and critical thinking
• an instructional design model for teaching
  critical thinking,
• teacher dispositions for teaching critical
  thinking.

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Definitions

• 1943 David Russell A habit of thinking
  involving
• Knowledge of field
• Attitudes and habits of questioning
• Application of a process or procedure
• Taking action (making decisions and acting on
  them)

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Definitions

• 1991 - Steven Brookfield
• Recognizing and researching assumptions that
  undergird thoughts and actions.

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Definitions

• 1998 Diane Halpern
• The use of cognitive skills or strategies that
  increase the probability of a desirable outcome..
  Where desirable is defined by the individual,
  such as making good career choices or wise
  financial investments.

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Definitions

• 2004 Michael Scriven and Richard Paul
• That mode of thinking about any subject, content
  or problem in which the thinker improves the
  quality of his or her thinking by skillfully
  taking charge of the structures inherent in
  thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon
  them.

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Definitions

• Google - Critical thinking 2,600,000 references.
• A tool of inquiry purposeful, self-regulatory
  judgment that results in interpretation,
  analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as
  explanation of the evidential, conceptual,
  methodological, criteriological, or contextual
  considerations upon which that judgment is based.
  The ideal critical thinker is habitually
  inquisitive, well-informed, trustful of reason,
  open-minded, flexible, fair-minded in evaluation,
  honest in facing personal biases, prudent in
  making judgments, willing to reconsider, clear
  about issues, orderly in complex matters,
  diligent in seeking relevant information,
  reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused
  in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results
  which are as precise as the subject and the
  circumstances of inquiry permit. (Retrieved from
  http//www.insightassessment.com/dex.html, Oct 6,
  2007)

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What do they have in common

• A process or strategy for thinking or problem
  solving
• Attitude or disposition to question knowledge or
  beliefs
• A sense of inquiry a thirst for knowledge
• Evaluation, decision making , action
• Metacognition reflection on the thought process.

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Types of learning outcomes that are a part of
critical thinking

• Problem solving
• Knowledge, including information, concepts, and
  principles or rules
• Attitudes
• Cognitive strategies

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Types of learning outcomes that are a part of
critical thinking

• Problem solving The learned capability to apply
  existing knowledge to a situation that has no
  readily apparent solution. The result is both a
  solution to the problem and a newly generated set
  of rules or procedures.

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Types of learning outcomes that are a part of
critical thinking

• Knowledge skills including
• information,
• concepts,
• principles or rule using.
• These constitutes prerequisite knowledge use in
  problem solving.

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Types of learning outcomes that are a part of
critical thinking

• Attitudes, a disposition to make good decisions
  and work toward understanding.
• The student chooses to challenge his or her
  assumptions.
• Chooses to seek information
• Chooses to be open-minded and flexible
• Chooses to be persistent in seeking results

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Types of learning outcomes that are a part of
critical thinking

• Cognitive Strategies, Learning skills
• Often first learned as a set of steps or
  procedure for approaching a problem or situation.
• Later internalized as a way of learning and
  thinking
• Metacognitive skills self reflection on the
  learning process and outcomes.

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Curriculum for Critical Thinking

• Most critical thinking is discipline oriented
  because the knowledge used in problem solving is
  generally discipline specific.
• There are some general principles, from
  economics, and psychology, for example, that
  apply to problems across the disciplines.
• Problem solving requires the use of prerequisite
  skills and knowledge, usually taught in courses,
  but seldom practiced with the idea of transfer.
• Students need practice thinking outside the
  box, and support from peers and teachers. Cross
  curriculum problems will aid in cross discipline
  thinking.

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Instructional design modelfor problem solving
and critical thinking
Stating desired outcomes
Evaluating results for feedback and reflection
Choosing an instructional strategy and developing
materials
Delivering instruction, engaging students in
thinking activities
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Fostering teacher dispositions

• Traditional instructional techniques do not
  promote critical thinking. Collaborative
  techniques seem more appropriate.
• The teacher must also become a critical thinker,
  and cognitive mentor for the students.
• The opportunity for students to engage in
  critical thinking has to be built into the
  curriculum.
• A critical thinking curriculum has to be valued
  by the administration, teachers, students and
  parents if changes are going to be made in
  schools.