Transcript Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking
Dr. Roe Darnell
Dr. John Eigenauer
Taft College, Taft, CA
Questions about global
competitiveness have moved
From assembly and manufacturing
To offshore outsourcing of services
To knowledge production and innovation
Patents Granted Worldwide
Role of Community Colleges
Community colleges are uniquely
positioned to respond by:

Building and improving access
Improving scientific, technical, engineering,
and math education
Encouraging continuous learning, AND

Teaching critical thinking


The State of CT in CCs
Fundamental Student Problems
Understanding an author’s main point.
Understanding an author’s argument.
Distinguishing between what an author
is trying to prove and the data he uses
to prove it.
Fundamental Student Problems
Creating reasonable objections to an
author’s argument.
Detecting faulty reasoning.
Detecting missing information.
Assessing the validity of an argument.
Fundamental Student Problems
Constructing an argument that is
logically and evidentially supported.
Clearly presenting and supporting ideas
in prose.
As if that weren’t bad enough…
Fundamental Teacher Problems
89% of college instructors said that critical
thinking was “a primary object of their
instruction”.
19% “could give a clear explanation of what
critical thinking is.”
8% “could enumerate ANY intellectual criteria
or standards they required of students or
could give an intelligible explanation of what
those criteria and standards were.”
Summary
Other countries are gaining educational
and technological advantage.
The US is falling behind.
US students badly lack CT skills.
College and university instructors
generally do not know what CT is, nor
do they know how to teach it.
Why teach critical thinking?
Strong correlation between trained critical
thinking skills and GPA.
Critical thinking improves with correct
training.
Strong correlation between trained critical
thinking and reading skills.
One critical thinking course is roughly
equivalent to four years of undergraduate
education.
How should Critical
Thinking be taught?
By Doing What
WORKS
What Works?
Effect
0.9
0.85
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.55
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.23
0.2
0.1
0
CT Instruction (Logic Course)
4 Years Undergrad
One semester Reason!
“I’ve been skeptical about claims for various approaches
to critical thinking, including those for argument maps
coming from the University of Melbourne. Indeed,
confident in our skepticism, we at Monash Philosophy
accepted a challenge to compare our methods with theirs
on pre- and post-test gains on the California Critical
Thinking Skills Test developed by Peter Facione (1990,
1992). The Monash students did a bit better than theirs on
the pre-test, raising our hopes. But when Melbourne
University’s post-test results showed far higher
performance gains, I thought their method worth a closer
look.”
Charles Twardy, Monash University
Published in Teaching Philosophy
What is to be done? Dr. Tim van Gelder
Practice. Practice should be deliberate,
exercise-focused.
Guidance. Students need to know what to do
next.
Scaffolding. Structures in place to avoid
inappropriate or ineffective activity
(software).
Graduated tasks. A graduated increase in
complexity.
Feedback. Student should be able to tell
whether an activity is successful.
Software
Reason!Able

www.goreason.com
CMap

Cmap.ihmc.us/download
Introduction to Argument Mapping
Arguments and Assertions
The best way to distinguish an
argument from an assertion is to create
a map. If the map has a conclusion and
a reason, it is an argument. If it lacks a
reason, it is an assertion.
Practice with Mapping
Is the following statement an argument
or an assertion?
There is a God.
Map the statement to determine if it is
an argument or an assertion.
Map of an Assertion
This is an assertion because it has a
conclusion, but it lacks supporting
reasons.
Practice with Mapping
Is the following statement an argument
or an assertion?
The New York Yankees will win the
pennant; after all, they are the best
team in baseball.
Map of an Argument
This is an argument because it has two
parts: a conclusion and a reason that
supports it:
Support Reasons with Evidence
Practice with Mapping
Map the following statement by
breaking it down into a conclusion and
a reason:
The US economy is going to continue
growing. Unemployment is down, the
stock market is up, and consumer
sentiment is high, all of which indicate
growth.
Map of Practice Problem
Map with Multiple Reasons
Example of an argument
Results of Argument Mapping
Students understand what they read.
Students know when they understand
and when they don’t understand.
Students analyze.
Students plan their writing.
Students understand complex issues.
Results of Argument Mapping
Students see what’s missing and what is
wrong with arguments.
Students work hard on problems.
Students are engaged in their work.
This presentation and more information about
Critical Thinking can be found at:
http://www.eigenauer.com/
criticalthinking
Phone: 661.763.7722
Email: [email protected]
Dr. John Eigenauer
National Dialog Website
Create a compelling vision of
community colleges as the leading
partner in a “flat world”
Focus existing innovations toward
retaining the U.S. advantage in global
competitiveness.
Join the Dialogue
Contact:
Roe Darnell
[email protected]
Taft College
29 Emmons Park Blvd.
Taft, CA 93268