Critical Thinking
Characteristics of Critical Thinkers
- Rationality
- Rely on reason rather than emotion
- Require evidence, ignore no known evidence, and follow evidence where it leads
- Are concerned more with finding the best explanation than being right analyzing apparent confusion
- Ask questions
- Self-awareness
- Weigh the influences of motives and bias
- Recognize our own assumptions, prejudices, biases, or point of view
- Honesty
- Recognize emotional impulses, selfish motives, nefarious purposes, or other modes of self-deception
- Open-mindedness
- Evaluate all reasonable inferences
- Consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives
- Remain open to alternative interpretations
- Accept a new explanation, model, or paradigm because it explains the evidence better, is simpler, or has fewer inconsistencies or covers more data
- Acknowledge new priorities in response to a reevaluation of the evidence or reassessment of our real interests
- Appraise all perspectives, regardless of popularity
- Discipline
- Are precise, meticulous, comprehensive, and exhaustive
- Resist manipulation and irrational appeals
- Avoid snap judgments
- Judgment
- Recognize the relevance and/or merit of alternative assumptions and perspectives
- Recognize the extent and weight of evidence
- Transfer
- Recognize similar applications and opportunities in different contexts or environmental situations
- Integrate applications and opportunities in different contexts
Critical Thinkers
- Are by nature skeptical (question)
- Are actively engaged
- Ask questions and analyze
- Consciously apply tactics and strategies to uncover meaning or assure clarity
- Are open to new ideas and perspectives
- Are willing to challenge their beliefs and investigate competing evidence
Empowering Critical Thought in Your Courses
Course Design
- Selecting the most effective course design
- Case or problem-based learning
- Concept-based learning
- Discovery learning
- Experiential learning
- Team-based learning
Teaching and Learning Strategies
- Utilizing critical questioning
- What if...? (varying the contexts or constraints)
- If then...?
- Peer evaluations of projects
- Using rubrics or rating scales to make judgments
- Experimenting and researching
- Hypothesizing and testing
- Analyzing data & determining possible conclusions
- Analyzing symptoms and behaviors
- Challenging assumptions
- Elaborative interrogation
- Varying the degrees of ambiguity to challenge learners
- Self-explanation
- Review reports or theories and establish potential conclusions
- Thought and process mapping
- Sequencing or ranking
- Collaborating with others
- Generating new ideas, solutions or inventions
- Creative activities (remove specific barriers from possible solutions)
- Interleaving - Scientific America
- Applying logic and principles to new situations/contexts
- Analogies and examples
Resources
- Critical and Creative Thinking (Australian Curriculum)
- Critical Thinking (Walker Center for Teaching and Learning, UT CHattanooga)
- Fahim, M. & Shakouri, N. (2012). Critical thinking in higher education: A pedagogical look. Theory and Practice in Language Studies 2(7), 1370-1375
- Kurland, D. (2012). Critical reading
- Schlueter, J. (june 7, 2016). Higher ed's biggest gamble. Inside Higher Ed
- Sumeracki, M. & Weinstein, Y. (n.d.). The Learning Scientists
- Tingley, D. & Finger, L. (2012). ablconnect. (Harvard University)