How to Teach or Learn Critical Thinking

A prerequisite on what critical thinking is and why we need it can be found here:

http://socyberty.com/education/what-is-critical-thinking-and-why-do-we-need-it/

Learning and Teaching Critical thinking

There are many ways to learn and thus teach Critical thinking. The model I will focus on in this paper is Toulmin’s simplified model of argumentation. This model is considered one of the most useful techniques and consists of three major steps:

• Prewriting
• Writing
• revising

Setup a situation

An assignment is to be completed. This assignment can be a persuasive essay on a problem, a business memo, proposal for fund allocation or any industry specific task that requires an effective solution.

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Prewriting

In this step ask students to prepare an outline of the document which is to be written. Included in this section the student needs:

1. Develop a time line in which a decision needs to develop. Factors to include are the impact on the organization, sensitivity, audience and immediacy in regard to the problem.
2. According to your time frame, collect the best information you can find. The goal here is to have quality, repeatable, relevant data.
3. Utilize a model of argumentation. There are many models you can choose from, however, an effective model is to outline your arguments into columns: Objectives, Findings and Steps.
4. Use explicit instructions in regard to the responsibilities of the audience the document is being sent to. Imperatives like tell, do, join or sell are usually involved in instructions found in this step. These instructions are usually put into the objectives column of step 3 above.
5. How the organization is currently performing in regard to each of these objectives should be put in the findings column of step 3 above.
6. Argue your actions the organization needs to complete in order to meet the goals as to where the organization needs to be.

The prewriting step simplifies and organizations ideas and helps keep your argument cohesive and easy to write.

Writing

Now the student is ready to begin writing the document. Follow the chart which has been created. Each of the objectives, findings and actions to be taken should be organized into a complete argument, the validity of the claim, data to support the claim and the ramification of the claim if the organization was to implement the clam. Throughout this entire process the student should always stress the organization’s performance versus the goal. A good method to test if the argument is cohesive is the “Because, Based on, Therefore” test. That is, does the argument answer and thus pass this test.

Revising

When revising your document it is important to ensure that you, the student, are sensitized to the effects of good writing technique. Hallmarks of good writing include clear concise thinking and arguments, valid, relevant data, the readers point of view and the ability to refine an argument over time.

This can be achieved by performing a mental rehearsal of how the argument will be reacted to by the audience the document will be sent to. Does the argument meet the reader’s expectations? In addition, the argument’s logic needs to be rechecked. Does each claim relate to the objective and is each claim fully supported with reliable, relevant data (Clark, 2009).

Effective Research

Teaching the student how to effectively compile data to support each claim is a lot easier today than in the past, however, ensuring that the student is armed with the ability to take advantage of the latest technology helps ensure that their critical thinking process is successful. Mandatory ability to find reliable academic sources is a must.

Reflections

The ability to make good decisions is a valuable asset in today’s digital age. Teaching Critical thinking has changed from the paper driven process just 15 years ago to this brave new digital age where access to 500 million data sources lies at your finger tips accessible in seconds. Make decisions of what are relevant, reliable data sources has quickly become a new wrench in the art of critical thinking.

Bibliography

Clark, T., & Stewart, J.. (2009). Reflections on Exhibiting Multicultural Fluency in the Modern Classroom. The Business Review, Cambridge, 12(2), 114-120. Retrieved September 17, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1778498701).