What you will Do:The standard for this course is as follows: learn how to create your discussion with a six (6) sentence or more narrative as your first post, followed by two peer replies using six sentences of each peer reply in the use of Critical Thinking. Again, Critical Thinking is the paradigm used for topics and subjects in this course.After you read the following material three (3) times, write a narrative based on your understanding of what you learned through further critical thinking research and how you plan to use critical thinking when communicating with your class peers throughout the semester.To earn the 20 points, the student must show additional critical thinking research using six sentences and more. In addition, when making two (2) student peer replies, you must question your peers’ written narratives and share your assignment experience in writing.Why Critical Thinking?
The Problem
Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or down-right prejudiced. Yet, the quality of our life and what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in the study, however, must be systematically cultivated.
A Definition
Critical thinking is that mode of thinking – about any subject, content, or problem – in which the thinker improves the quality of their thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
imposing intellectual standards upon them.
The Result
A well-cultivated critical thinker:
raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely.
Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively, comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards.
Thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.
Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.
(Taken from Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008)
Critical Thinking Defined by Edward GlaserIn a seminal study on critical thinking and education in 1941, Edward Glaser defines critical thinking as follows “The ability to think critically, as conceived in this volume, involves three things: ( 1 ) an attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one’s experiences, (2) knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, and (3) some skill in applying those methods. Critical thinking calls for a persistent effort to examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the evidence that supports it and the further conclusions it tends to. It also generally requires the ability to recognize problems, to find workable means for meeting those problems, to gather and marshal pertinent information, to recognize unstated assumptions and values, to comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discrimination, to interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments, to recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions, to draw appropriate conclusions and generalizations, to put to the test the conclusions and inferences at which one arrives, to reconstruct one’s patterns of beliefs based on broader experience, and to render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life.
( Edward M. Glaser, An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking, Teacher’s College, Columbia University, 1941)
Guidelines when creating a narrative and replying with two peers. Read three (3) times the intellectual definitions as given by the researchers and authors above.
Ask questions within the lessons/directions to follow based on what you thought as you abstracted the information of critical thought.
When replying to peers, ensure that you narrate six (6) sentences or more to explain and articulate your understanding of the information without repeating the sentences verbatim from what you understood about critical thinking. Disagreed with and why?
Your narrative and peer replies should always question the topic/subject so you can learn additional information.
Ask peers questions, discuss your findings, and become more efficient in critical thinking by including intellectual vocabulary that shows merit and scholarship.