Transcript Part 1

GXEX1406
Thinking and Communication Skills
Description of
Thinking Skills
What Is Thinking?
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Activity of the brain.
Potential for communication
2 activities:
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Gathering Information (Perception)
Processing Information (Cognition)
The action of using one's mind to produce thoughts
Thinking involves mentally manipulating information,as
when we form concepts, solve problems, reason, and
make decisions
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What is CT?
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"Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined
process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing,
applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating
information gathered from, or generated by,
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or
communication, as a guide to belief and action"
(Scriven, 1996).
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Available HTTP:
http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univlibrary/library.nclk
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• Thinking critically does not mean simple criticism.
• The essence centers NOT on answering questions
but on questioning answers!
• CT is not about being negative!
• What does it mean to NOT thinking critically?
We accept whatever we are told as truth w/o question.
Learn to do something in a particular way because that is
what we were told.
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Characteristics of CT
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Critical thinking involves asking questions, defining a
problem, examining evidence, analyzing
assumptions and biases, avoiding emotional
reasoning, avoiding oversimplification, considering
other interpretations, and tolerating ambiguity.
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Sources:- Wade, C. (1995). Using writing to develop and assess critical
thinking. Teaching of Psychology, 22(1), 24-28.
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Fundamental to CT is
Questioning
Why?
How do I know?
Five levels of questioning :
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Source: http://131.170.84.32/rmit101/3d_09b.htm
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1. What are the reasons for ….?
2. How can … be used to ….?
3. What is an example of …?
4. Is …ethical or unethical?
5. If … occurs, then what happens?
6. What are the advantages or
disadvantages of …?
7. What is the main argument or thesis
of …?
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Who Should Use CT?
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It is a life skill, everyone should use it.
What kind of person would be apt to use their
CT skills?
Those with critical spirit!
Those with a probing inquisitiveness, a
keeness of mind, a zealous dedication to
reason, and a hunger for reliable information.
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Where and When?
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In a very real sense CT
is pervasive.
There is hardly a time
or a place where it
would not seem to be
of use.
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Have purposes in mind.
Wonder what’s true and
what’s not.
What to believe and
what to reject.
Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
~Edmund Burke
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Why is CT Important?
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Students today
Actively engaged in
surface learning.
Passive receptors of
information.
Lack the ability to think
independently.
Does not demonstrate
effective
communication skills
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Students in the future
Engaged in deep &
meaningful learning.
Thinkers.
Educated person.
Life long learners who
can learn, unlearn and
relearn throughout their
lives
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How to Develop CT Skills?
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Can critical thinking be taught?
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If “teach Z CT” means “make Z think critically” 
If “help X acquire the ability to think critically” or
“help X improve …” 
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Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991)
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Focus on a question
Identify or formulate a question
Identify or formulate criteria for judging possible answers
Analyse arguments
Identify conclusions
Identify stated and unstated reasons
Identify and handle irrelevance
See the structure of an argument
Summarise
Ask and answer questions of clarification
Why
What is the main point?
What would be an example?
How does this apply to this case?
What difference does it make?
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Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991)
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5.
Judge the credibility of a source
Expertise
Agreement among sources
Reputation
Ability to give reasons
Corroboration
Explain conclusions
Causal claims
Interpretation of author’s intended meanings
Reported definitions
Claims about the beliefs and attitudes of people
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Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991)
6.
Make and value judgments
Typicality of data
Breadth of coverage
Acceptability of evidence
Alternatives
Balancing, weighing, deciding
(Ennis, Robert H. 1991. Critical thinking : a streamlined
conception. Teaching Philosophy, 41(1), pp. 5-25)
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Characteristics of People who
Excel at Critical Thinking
What would
someone be
like who
lacked those
dispositions?
Think
about it!
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