jamaica teachers’ association 2014 educational conference international best practices and...

Jamaica Teachers’ AssociationJamaica Teachers’ Association

2014 Educational Conference2014 Educational Conference

International Best Practices and Innovations in Education International Best Practices and Innovations in Education

Enhancement of Critical ThinkingEnhancement of Critical Thinking

Dr. Kornel A BrownDr. Kornel A Brown

What does it mean to think?

What does it mean to think critically?

Critical Thinking ExerciseInference Making

The Facts: It was dark when a woman was seen leaving the house. With her were several children, one of them in a baby carriage. She proceeded to a phone and dialed. After holding the receiver to her ear for a moment, she hung up and dialed again. After about thirty seconds she was heard to say, "May I speak to John?" She did not say another word for about a minute, then she exclaimed, "But I've got to talk to him! It's an emergency." The child in the baby carriage began to cry, "Daddy! Daddy!!!"



Based on the story above, mark the following sentences TRUE, FALSE or DON’T KNOW.



1. The woman left her home to make a phone call.


The Facts:

It was dark when a woman was seen leaving the house. With her were several children, one of them in a baby carriage. She proceeded to a phone and dialed. After holding the receiver to her ear for a moment, she hung up and dialed again. After about thirty seconds she was heard to say, "May I speak to John?" She did not say another word for about a minute, then she exclaimed, "But I've got to talk to him! It's an emergency." The child in the baby carriage began to cry, "Daddy! Daddy!!!"

2. While the story does not say exactly how many of her children the woman had with her, we know one of them was in a baby carriage.


The Facts:


3. The phone in the woman's house was out of order, but the pay phone she used was in working condition.


The Facts:


4. The woman called two different places before getting an

answer.


The Facts:


5. The person on the other end of the line refused to allow the woman to speak to John.


The Facts:


6. The woman wanted to get in touch with her husband because an emergency had occurred in the household.


The Facts:


7. The woman was not able to talk to her husband.


The Facts:


8 It was night when the woman and the children left the house.


The Facts:


9. The baby began to cry while the woman was talking on the phone.



10. The baby was crying for her daddy.

Critical Thinking DefinedCritical Thinking Defined

...the ability to analyze facts, generate and organize ideas, defend opinions, make comparisons, draw inferences, evaluate arguments and solve problems (Chance,1986, p. 6);

(Mezirow 2000)

Critical Thinking DefinedCritical Thinking Defined

...the ability to analyze facts, generate and organize ideas, defend opinions, make comparisons, draw inferences, evaluate arguments and solve problems (Chance,1986, p. 6);

...a conscious and deliberate process which is used to interpret or evaluate information and experiences with a set of reflective attitudes and abilities that guide thoughtful actions (Mertes,1991, p.24);

(Mezirow 2000)

Who is a Critical Thinker?Who is a Critical Thinker?

An individual who is consciously aware of An individual who is consciously aware of his/her take-for-granted perspectives and his/her take-for-granted perspectives and unexamined routine actions, and who takes unexamined routine actions, and who takes deliberate steps to alter passively acquired deliberate steps to alter passively acquired beliefs and assumptions, thereby making possible a more informed and dependable perspective.

(Mezirow 2000)

Prepared By Kornel A BrownPrepared By Kornel A Brown

A Model for Facilitating Critical ThinkingA Model for Facilitating Critical Thinking

Engage in Critical Reflection

Revised Meaning Structure

Perspective Transformation

Identify Meaning Schemas







- specific beliefs - attitudes - emotional reaction - values







Identify and challenge meaning schemes


Critical ReflectionCritical Reflection

Objective reframingObjective reframing– critical reflection of the assumptions of critical reflection of the assumptions of

others.others.


Critical ReflectionCritical Reflection

Objective reframingObjective reframing– critical reflection of the assumptions of critical reflection of the assumptions of

othersothers

Subjective ReframingSubjective Reframing– critical self-reflection of ones own critical self-reflection of ones own

assumptionsassumptions






Perspective Transformation Taking a consciousdecision to revise onesmeaning structure.

Perspective TransformationPerspective Transformation

Becoming critically aware of HOW and Becoming critically aware of HOW and WHY ones beliefs, assumptions…have WHY ones beliefs, assumptions…have come to constrain the way one perceive, come to constrain the way one perceive, understand and act.understand and act.






Acting in accordance with new tentativeperspective.

Informational LearningInformational Learning

VS VS

Transformational LearningTransformational Learning

Thoughts on Learning By: Charles Andy (1989) Thoughts on Learning By: Charles Andy (1989)

The man stood in front of the class. “Now learn this,” he said, writing The man stood in front of the class. “Now learn this,” he said, writing an equation on the board. an equation on the board.

We wrote in our books. Three months later we wrote it out again in We wrote in our books. Three months later we wrote it out again in an examination paper. an examination paper.

If the second writing was the same as the first, we had learnt it. That If the second writing was the same as the first, we had learnt it. That was my early concept of learning. was my early concept of learning.

Later on, I came to realize that I had learned nothing at school, Later on, I came to realize that I had learned nothing at school, except that all problems had already been solved and that the except that all problems had already been solved and that the answer was around, in some book or the teacher’s head. answer was around, in some book or the teacher’s head.

Learning that encourages Critical Thinking Learning that encourages Critical Thinking is:is:

less Informational less Informational

more transformationalmore transformational

Informational VS Transformational Informational VS Transformational

Informational learningInformational learning “adds to “adds to WHATWHAT a a person knows”person knows”

– Consistent with the “Consistent with the “bank deposit” approachbank deposit” approach to education to education

Transformational learningTransformational learning changes a changes a person’s “person’s “Way of knowingWay of knowing” ”

– Consistent with “Mindful Learning” Consistent with “Mindful Learning”

Informational LearningInformational Learning

Leaves the FORM of a person’s way of knowing as it is and focuses on changing what people know; it is essentially a training model for personal change.

Learning Intervention (LI)

Before LI After LI

Transformational Learning

Learning that emphasizes Critical Thinking places our take-for-granted ways of making meaning at risk of change.

Learning Intervention (LI)

Before LIAfter LI

The Transformative Learning Progression ModelThe Transformative Learning Progression Model

Instrumental Knower

Socializing Knower

Self-Authoring Knower

Follows correct Steps and rules and make sure to do each one in the right way (there being only one right way).

Follows guidance from experts regarding best way to plan for and reach goal. Looks externally for support and validation of progress.

Determines own independentlyconceived and desired goal(s) and considers all of the possible ways to accomplish it/them.

****A Final Note********A Final Note****

The goal of encouraging critical thinking The goal of encouraging critical thinking learning is to initiate and sustain learning that learning is to initiate and sustain learning that help learners progress from a basic to a more help learners progress from a basic to a more advanced advanced way of making meaningway of making meaning. .

When a person’s When a person’s way of making meaningway of making meaning advances, the person comprehends advances, the person comprehends information in a different way and has information in a different way and has enhanced his/her capacities (cognitive, enhanced his/her capacities (cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal) to manage interpersonal, and intrapersonal) to manage the complexities of work and life. the complexities of work and life.

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