Transitioning Multicultural Expansion: Critical Thinking and Cultural

AdaptationIn the explosive multicultural society

Conference PresentationInternational Journal of Arts and Sciences

Munich, Germany June 2016

Emergence of emigrants: Prepare for Educational Change

• F figures:

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-

explained/index.php/Migration_and_migrant_populati

on_statistics

Emerging and Urgent Needs

Urgent focus:

• Provide a comprehensive response to cultural and ethnic diversity, with educational, linguistic, economic and social components.

• Create an educational strategy to work effectively in a multicultural setting.

Multiculturalism in EducationRapidly Changing Demographics worldwide

Educators Must Change to AdaptWhy? Cultural Differences influence the teaching-learning process.

Needed: Incorporate multiculturalism as a fluid element in teaching and learning….Solution?: Critical Thinking

• http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Learning%20Styles/diversity.html

Solution to Multiculturalism:Educating toward Critical Thinking

Google Results: About

36,300,000 results (0.35 seconds)

BELIEVE BEST: Ken Petreess,

Harvard Professor, wrote a paper

on definitions of critical thinking.

• CRITICAL THINKING: AN EXTENDED DEFINITION

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_200404/ai_n9345203

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating informationgathered from or generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.

• http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php

Multiculturalism and critical thinking

•

MC & CT: “Hand in Hand”

Solution: To prepare students to be

effective citizens in a culturally diverse

and democratic society.

Critical Thinking and Education

Critical thinking open minds to:

discovery and understanding

analysis and application

synthesis and evaluation

These three groupings and their six components reflect B. S.

Bloom’s (et al-1956) hierarchical taxonomy or breakdown of

cognitive educational objectives

http://www.studygs.net/teaching/

.

Critical Thinking in a Nutshell

– Step 1: Analyze and gather relevant data concerning the problem/situation

– Step 2: Select probable solutions/conclusions

– Step 3: Strategic Implement the best solution

– Step 4: Evaluate/Track the effect/impact of the selected solution

– Step 5: Revise/change solution to obtain best results

Achievements with Critical Thinking Skills

• Critical thinking skills provides one to achieve the following :

understand the logical connections between ideas

identify, construct and evaluate arguments

detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning

solve problems systematically identify the relevance and

importance of ideas reflect on the justification of

one's own beliefs and valuehttp://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/critical-thinking.html

Multiculturalism

• Multicultural refers to the existence of linguistically, culturally and ethnically diverse segments in the population of a society.

• Add variety in the life of all citizens

• Bridges the divergence of opinions, beliefs, etc., between persons or groups offend from ignorance and arrogance.

http://www.az.itu.edu.tr/downloads/papers/

vol04-01/html/vol04-01-

02dossiereditorial.htm

Critical Thinking and Multiculturalism

• Knowing different cultures, traditions, and religions allow students to understand and accept the dissimilarities as well as develop a source of richness in their thinking

• Using content and process that focuses on the needs of diverse students

Some Characteristics of Critical Thinkers

• Reasoning in a logical manner

• Evaluating what is written or spoken

• Reflecting on individual thoughts and ideas

• Re-reasoning as questions are posed to clarify understanding.

Example of RERR:

.

http://journal.sjdm.org/13/13313/jdm

13313.pdf

Educator’s Role

Focus: Infuse Critical Thinking within the curriculum ………

Why? Assists to acquire

knowledge and commitments needed to make reflective decisions

Assists development of positive attitudes toward different racial, ethnic, cultural and religious groups.

Promotes a democratic living

Critical Thinking and Content Integration

• SKILLS: Extent teachers utilize content and examples from various cultures to illustrate key concepts, generalizations, and issues with subject are or disciplines utilizing critical thinking skills.

• CONSTRUCTING KNOWLEDGE; Assist students to understand, investigate, and determine how biases, frames of reference, perspectives within a discipline influence methods knowledge is constructed.

• ATTITUDE: Develop positive attitudes towards different racial, ethnic, and cultural groups.

• ACCEPTANCE: Discuss Religion: "To remain free of delusion, religious experience must incorporate critical thought as a cleansing tool, while

Cultural practices affect thinking process

to Critical Thinking Pedagogy and Literature

• Study Results:

• “Religion enriches critical thinking pedagogy with regard to problems associated with worldviews on reasoning. “

http://www.crosscurrents.org/katzwinter2004.htm

Academics and Critical Thinking Importance

• “Just as education should be

infused with critical thinking, so

too should critical thinking be

infused with the philosophy of the

academic study and the fruits of

its inquiry. “

• Ref: Reasoning and Religion: The Relevance of the

Academic Study of Religion to Critical Thinking

Pedagogy

• http://hdl.handle.net/10289/5325

The Emergence of Religious Multiculturalism in Education

Need for Critical Thinking: New Thought on Religion

• All religions can reach beyond national borders, and allow new religious movements and development.

• Projected a more turbulent rate of change in beliefs.

• /

•

Information A

• Many religious

organizations now utilize

so-called "new media"

multimedia information transmitted instantaneously, in multiple formats to multiple destinations.

Critical Thinking: Internet as a valid resource?

• Misinformation? Disinformation? Inaccurate Information?

• Interesting:• Major finding study: 37.1 per cent of the students answered all

questions from a web site containing inaccurate information and as many as 77 per cent of the students answered 6 questions or more (out of 10) from an inaccurate web site (Table 6).

• Adult students who are overly accepting of the Internet information and are therefore potential candidates in making critical ‘life’ decisions based upon untrustworthy, unreliable, non-sourced and non-objective material. If this finding is replicated, it points to a serious problem.

Educators need to remedy this problem… How?Critical Thinking the solution

• Ref: Internet Education Journal vol 4, No. 1 2002, http:iej.cjb.net• http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/iej/articles/v4n1/paris/paper.pdf

Why Educators Should Cultivate Critical Thinking for multicultural

environments• Appreciate the value of reflective

judgment

• Understand the role of educators in helping students to develop thinking skills.

• Express improved confidence in their own critical thinking and reflective judgment

• Articulate strategies for creating/adapting critical thinking which promote reflective judgment

Promote effective decision-making and encourages:

• engagement • integrity-ethics • empathy • responsibility.

Why Infuse Critical Thinking?

Develops an ability to consider evidence carefully.

Formulates a thinking process.

Prepares one to seek, question and embrace new discussions

Cultural Responsive Educators:• Reshaping curriculum to be culturally

responsive to background of students.

• Using culturally mediating cognition, culturally appropriate social situations for learning, and culturally valued knowledge in curriculum content.

• Builds students’ cultural backgrounds and promotes positive images about students’ home cultures.

• Prepares students in a changing and unpredictable world.

Critical Thinking for Assessing Organizational Decisions for Economy

and SocietyWHY?• Separates truth from

opinion.• Assists in analysis,

evaluation, and integration of strategic decisions.

• Directs one to make correct administrative decisions that answer the right questions, manage risk, and improve productivity.

• Expands communications within the accelerating global communications.

Economy: Organizational Thinking

• Importance of critical thinking within all organizations:

• Embraces new thinking.

• Basis for self-empowerment.

• Strengthens leadership.

• Encourages Creativity

• Anticipates Cause-and Effect relationships (What would happen if scenario)

Religion and Critical Thinking Interaction

• Slawomir Sztajer: …”The universality of religion is cultural by nature—all cultures know to science involve certain religious ideas or practices. …”

• Sztajer, S. (2014). The concept of homo religiosus and its philosophical interpretations. Polskie Towarzystwo

Religioznawcze.

Critical Thinking for Assessing Decisions

• Critical Thinking provides educators to teach knowledge and skills needed when employed in an organization

WHY?• Separates truth from opinion.• Assists in analysis, evaluation,

and integration of strategic decisions.

• Directs one to make correct administrative decisions that answer the right questions, manage risk, and improve productivity.

• Expands communications within the accelerating global communications.

Critical Thinking and the Brain.

• Neurotransmitters? chemicals that transmit signals from one neuron to another target neuron to produce critical thinking.

• Critical Thinking – a neurotransmitter Brain Flow: Analyzing, synthesizing, developing strategies, planning outcomes and solving problems

• Brain activity occurs as people think and experience emotions (Alridge, 2015)

The Critical Thinking Brain

• The Prefrontal Cortex: Home to Critical Thinking

• The executive function control centers develop in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC gives us the potential to consider and voluntarily control our thinking, emotional responses, and behavior.

• It is the reflective "higher brain" compared to the reactive "lower brain". This prime real estate of the PFC comprises the highest percentage of brain volume in humans, compared to all other animals, which is roughly 20% of our brains

Educators Need Encouraging Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking allows brain to accept, reject or suspend judgments in order to reach a final decision

Provides opportunities to encourage thinking skills during discussions, dialogue, and decision making.

.

Embracing Critical Thinking toward multicultural adaptation

5 Critical Steps

1. Become a mentor

2. Stress Importance of Critical Thinking Leading toward Solutions

3. Promote higher forms of thinking: Bloom Taxonomy of Learning Domains

4. Expose Cultural Conditioning and Adaptation

5. Surge Critical Thinking within the Virtual World

YOUR PLEDGE:}The Professional Critical Thinker

• ….encourage self-empowerment, creative and new design thinking …

• ….change and rethink curriculum for multiculturalism adaptation

• …. prepare for mobility, innovation, flexibility, agility, and change,

• …..lead toward growth and innovation in a networked global society.

•.

Critical Thinking is one’s best asset

toward survival in a

Rapidly Changing World.

Step 1: Lead the way:Become a Mentor

.• Think thinking…(Metacognition)

Practice critical thinking

• At conferences, team events, group meetings, planning projects, financial report, and reviewing trends and projections for the university or organization.

Practice by

Identifying organizational and instructional practices by..• Asking appropriate questions,• Analyzing and synthesizing information,• Evaluating decision process and results.

• http://theotherjournal.com/2012/06/05/imagining-a-different-future-an-interview-with-graham-ward

Lead by Infusing New Approaches

• Create a checklist

• Suggested Example:•

Ask Yourself: ARE YOU

Aware of situational contexts and evaluating decision implications.

Asking questions and listening to the responses.

Understanding the variety of values, opinions, and decisions of others.

Using open mindedness and flexibility in decision making.

Able to accept critiques from others and accepting and internalizing them.

Evaluating others’ assumptions before challenging them.

Understanding processes before trying to change them.

Knowing followers’ weaknesses and strengths and using them accordingly in their direction and empowerment.

Having purpose and knowing organizational values and mission when decisions are made.

Being involved with others by meeting them in their present state rather than for their potential.

Encouraging critical followers.Taking informed action.(Jenkins & Cutchens, 2011)

2. Stress Importance of Critical Thinking Leading Toward Solutions

Critical Thinking…

• Translates abstract ideas into tangible results

• Evaluates all ideas in an objective manner

• Solves problems more effectively and efficiently

Results: Make dramatically better decisions

• “Continuously discussing the thought processes within and among religions, cultures, government, business, education, societal systems with others is the key to discovering new methods to eliminate current problems and enhance future society.” Ricci

Why Critical Thinking is Important in multiculturalism:

Encourages a

mental path

To understand actions

To examine evidence

To consider implications

To question assumptions

To explore perspectives

Critical Thinking Prepares for Change

Advanced Technology New Discoveries New techniques

developed and established leading change.

What associations indicate

• Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) survey

of business and non-profit leaders found that 93% believe "a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than [a job candidate’s] undergraduate major." More than 75% of those surveyed say they want more emphasis on critical thinking, complex problem solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings for all colleges and universities. http://www.aacu.org/leap/documents/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf

3: Promote higher forms of thinking: Bloom Taxonomy of Learning Domains

Psychologist Dr. Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy 1956, to

promote higher forms of thinking:

“The Learning Process is analyzing and evaluating

concepts, processes, procedures, and principles, and not just

remembering facts (rote learning).”

:

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#sthash.jg

VRjnqG.dpuf

Bloom’s Taxonomy sample questions for Executives or Students

1: Knowledge Exhibits previously learned material by

recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers.

What is . . . ?

When did ____ happen?

How would you explain . . . ?

Why did . .. ?

How would you describe . .. ?

2: Comprehension Demonstrating understanding of

facts and ideas by organising, comparing, translating,

interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.

How would you compare . .. ? contrast.. ?

Explain in your own words . . . ?

What facts or ideas show . .. ?

What evidence is there that…?

3: Application Solving problems by applying acquired

knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.

What examples can you find to . . . ?

How would you show your understanding of. .. ?

What approach would you use to ... ?

What might have happened if. . . ?

4: Analysis Examining and breaking information

into parts by identifying motives or causes; making

inferences and finding evidence to support

generalisations.

What inference can you make from. . . ?

How would you classify . . . ?

How would you categorise . .. ?

Can you identify the difference parts... ?

5: Evaluation Presenting and defending opinions

by making judgments about information, validity of

ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.

How would you compare ……?

Which do you think is better….?

Evaluate contribution of ….. to …………….

What was the value or importance of …….. in

…………..?

What would you have recommended if you had been

……?

6: Creation / Synthesis: Compiling

information together in a different way by

combining elements in a new pattern or proposing

alternative solutions.

What might have happened if… ?

Can you propose an alternative interpretation to that

of ……. . ?

Is there a marmite solution [1] here?

http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/How_to_Ask_Questions_that_Prompt_

Critical_Thinking

Both provide higher orders of thinking

Merging Bloom and Internet

Promoting higher forms of thinking

Questions Arouse excitement and curiositySocratic Questioning:

• What do we already know • How does …affect..• How does…tie in with….• What was learned• Why is the…important• What is a counterargument

for……

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/weai/exeas/re

sources/illustrative-question-stems.html

4. Expose Cultural Conditioning

Does Cultural Conditioning block individual’s ability to think critically?

Answer: Sometimes.

Awareness of cultural conditioning:

• Differences of opinion often based on backgrounds or “cultural conditioning”

• Thought process and decision-making process often is influenced by background or heritage

• Question: Is cultural conditioning influenced by or influencing the information on the internet?

5. Surge Critical Thinking within the Virtual World

Why critical thinking skills? Essential to cipher the information

communications and distinguish fact from opinion.

To Recognize importance of sifting through misleading, incorrect, uninformed or irrelevant data.

To Encourage to formulate logical thinking process.

To Understand cultural conditioning

and thought process.

Critical Thinking develops new thinking …

• Teachers must be ready for new, emerging cultures as well as future technologies.

• Continue to apply knowledge theory to practice with all new information technology

• .

• When surfing the net in obtaining information.

• When reading online tweets, discussions, news, etc.

• INFLUENCE: NEW WORLDWIDE EDUCATION and thoughts tweets, emails, webcasts, MOOCS, etc.

Critical Thinking Knowledge global interconnected world

• Builds cohesive teams and global communities.

On-line communications….

• Seeking alternative explanations, debating, and questioning options prior to final group decisions.

• Becoming focused thinkers.

• Regrouping back to the intent of the issues, questions, and discussions.

• Encouraging team members to be willing to consider options and other points of view.

• Preparing for teamwork necessary toward reaching the best decisions.

• Critical Thinking used to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and draw conclusions toward reaching a rational judgment in each step within the group dynamics process.

The Network Society• Today’s Information Age Requires:

• Mobility preparedness• Adaptability to Innovation• Flexibility toward Effective

Leadership • Agility in Moving quickly• Change: Where you need to

go.• Critical Thinking: “the most

important skills needed both for employers and employees now and for the future. ..Ranked even higher than innovation or IT knowledge.”

Chartrand, Ishikwa, and Flanigan

The Virtual World and academic institutions

• Although search engines have become the present day gateway to information,

• “ education within academic institutions will continue to be the economic engine of a society attracting those with knowledge providing research and innovation to our world while contributing to our global economy.” (Ricci, 2012).

CRITICAL THINKING

• Emerging Nations will continue to request new and better educated leaders possessing critical thinking skills as countries continue to open doors to other cultures especially in the developed nations within Europe and the Americas.

• It’s the KEY TO CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SURVIVAL

Embrace Cultural Conditioning and Infuse Critical Thinking

• Focus on Infusing Critical Thinking in the interconnected age.

•Have the ability to inspire and energize others to perform at their highest level individually and collectively

• “ Certainly all historical experience confirms the truth --

that man would not have attained the possible unless time and again he had reached out for

the impossible.”• (Christos N. Tsironis web page:

http://tsironis.weebly.com/•

• There’s nothing more important than growing people.

Our Future Success

• The qualifications for success

demand the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, use continually changing technology,

be culturally aware and adaptive, and possess the judgment and open-mindedness

to make complex decisions based on accurate analysis of information.

• The most rewarding jobs of this century will be those that cannot be done by computers.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/understandi

ng-how-the-brain-thinks-judy-willis-md

The Critical Thinking Skillsets

Teach Executive Skillsets:

• Planning, flexibility, tolerance, risk assessment, informed decision-making, reasoning, analysis, and delay of immediate gratification to achieve long-term goals.

• Executive Functions: organizing, sorting, connecting, prioritizing, self-monitoring, self-correcting, self-assessing, abstracting, and focusing.

Skillsets: allow for flexible, interpretive, creative, and multidimensional thinking -- suitable for current and future challenges and opportunities.

http://www.brainfacts.org/

brain-

basics/neuroanatomy/articl

es/2012/mapping-the-brain

• Suggested Strategy:

• Educate by infusing ethnic content and perspectives by varying teaching strategies.

• Lead educational institutions to improve the preparedness of multicultural populations to acclimate to new environments

• Guide toward expansion and improvement of the multicultural education leading to a vibrant economy and advanced society.

Transition for Multicultural Expansion:Critical Thinking for Cultural

Adaptation

THANK YOU

Dr. Frederick A. Ricci

Nova Southeastern University

North Miami Beach, Florida . USA