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Critical ThinkingDr. Roe DarnellDr. John EigenauerTaft 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
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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 UniversityPublished 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.
