Why Chinese students struggle with critical thinking in U.S. universities
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Surviving in a post-truth world
In the January issue of Scientific American, Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, wrote “When Facts Backfire,” (p. 69)(http://tinyurl.com/hmsy7ws). The article discusses the power of belief over evidence and methods to use when talking to someone taken in by false information. Shermer suggests these six approaches:
- Keep emotions tucked away.
- Discuss, don’t pounce.
- Try to restate what the other’s position.
- Show respect.
- Acknowledge that you understand why someone would think that.
- Assure the listener that changing facts does not necessarily changing their worldview.
Fake Academic Journals? I’m shocked!
My book is out!
Critical Thinking Now: Practical Teaching Methods for Classrooms around the World
Today’s curricula can (and should) incorporate critical thinking methods because they are the means by which people best understand, learn, and retain higher level concepts. Contrary to what many professional trainers assume, teaching critical thinking is not achieved by shoveling facts at an audience through lecturing or multiple choice testing. It requires sustained, finely tuned teaching and assessment methods. This book lays out a blueprint to do just that. Specifically, it outlines the necessary components of a critical thinking classroom and provides assessment techniques and ample exercises adaptable to any student’s field, age, or level of education.
Often not considered are those learners schooled in a non-Western culture and not proficient in the presenter’s language. These audiences can create invisible barriers to instruction. Without understanding these pitfalls, trainers invite frustration and failure, and risk wasting everyone’s time and money because they were unaware any problem existed. The book addresses these linguistic, cultural, and cognitive obstacles and suggests several solutions, whether you teach these students on your home turf or theirs.
Click Rowman & Littlefield for more information. Happy critical thinking!
Think they understand? Ask ’em.
Ask questions you don’t know the answer to so you can find out what they know.
Quizzes and tests are time-honored methods of finding out about student learning beyond what you think they know. But there is a quicker, informal, non-graded way to do that by asking them. Although it could be done every class session, I do it after I teach a certain skill and always at midterm so I can refine my teaching. I give them half sheets of paper and ask to tell me:
1. Something you have learned today/this week/so far this term.
2. Something you need help with or don’t understand.
3. Something you would like to learn (more) about.
Here are some student responses from an academic speaking class for international students:
1. Something you have learned today/this week/so far this term.
— How to make small talk, especially with older people.
2. Something you need help with or don’t understand.
–How to write my report summary better. (They interviewed a professor in their field.)
3. Something you would like to learn (more) about.
–Gestures, casual talk.
In my academic reading and writing class (also for international students), I asked them to write two items for each question:
1. Two things you have learned today/this week/this term.
–Writing a controlling idea.
–How to read a book and understand it by using the questions that the teacher gave us before reading the book. (Reading log)
2. Two things you need help with or don’t understand.
–How often can I use a gerund and does it work on all verbs?
–I need help with writing supporting details. Sometimes it is difficult to write a lot of supporting details.
It is easy to think that a lack of questions from students means they understand what you are teaching. It also assumes that they will voice their lack of understanding. I often ask for responses anonymously, which encourages them to say what is on their minds, and helps me repair that before the end of the quarter.
These questions have the added benefit of having students reflect and analyze their knowledge base. What teacher doesn’t want their pupils to do that?
Still Questioning!
Two more wonderful articles about questions: what to ask and why they’re important. No one mentions critical thinking. That’s OK. You and I still know they are the engine behind most of it. Oh – and the second article appeared in the business section! Another reminder that critical thinking is for everyone.
From Edutopia
5 Powerful Questions Teachers Can Ask Students by Rebecca Alber
From New York Times
The Power of ‘Why?’ and ‘What If?’ by Warren Berger
Foundation for Critical Thinking Offers Certification in Paul-Elder Method
The Foundation for Critical Thinking is offering certification in its method for understanding and teaching critical thinking. I’ve attended and presented at several of its conferences and think it’s really necessary to see how the method in action to really understand how to do it. It’s billed as an approach to reason through a problem or issue, applicable to any field–business, academia, life, etc. (as any method should be).
However, I find it a bit difficult to wade through or internalize the steps of the method and don’t think it is very intuitive. That said, I have relied on Richard Paul’s rich insights and classification system in my own forthcoming book, Critical Thinking Now: Practical Teaching Methods for Classrooms around the World. For me, the Paul-Elder method just doesn’t translate into a fluid teaching method.
I know of at least one university (U of Louisville) that has implemented their method throughout the entire campus. Not without struggles, mind you. But it can be done. I find that effort heartening since faculty everywhere bemoan students’ lack of CT skills. The U of L decided to do something about it. Hats off, profs.
The Foundation offers lots of books for sale (their information is fairly repetitive) and have a definite point of view, but many are quite useful. Give the sites below a look. If you don’t know what the Foundation is doing, you really don’t know what one of the major players in the field is all about.
Go to http://tinyurl.com/h7z9azk for info about the certification program.
Visit http://www.criticalthinking.org/ for the Foundation’s home page.
See http://tinyurl.com/jh6gm2h for info about their upcoming conference July 25-29, 2016.
Site Sightings
For all my research and reading and writing about critical thinking, I was surprised I hadn’t heard about the Association for Informal Logic and Critical Thinking (AILACT). It works in conjunction with the American Psychological Association and at times the Canadian Philosophical Association. It’s a very low-key group but recently put out a plan to ramp up their profile and extend their audience. The proposal is very comprehensive and, to me, exciting, since they deserve more attention by the field. Most members approach the academic end of critical thinking and research areas such as the theory of fallacies, argument diagramming, and the meaning and nature of critical thinking. Some are more practically bent toward curriculum development and the teaching. All good stuff. They offer information about textbooks, teaching, and meetings, even consultants who will help develop curricula and business plans. Go to https://ailact.wordpress.com/ for more info and to pay your $10 for access to the members’ area and other goodies.
I may have mentioned The Consortium for Critical Thinking (https://tc2.ca/) on this site before, but it bears repeating. It’s a Canadian outfit and is going through a few leadership changes, but is one of the best sites I know of for practical information on teaching critical thinking. You can join, but there is still a generous amount of information accessible for free. The resources are skewed a bit toward elementary and middle and even high school students. But it’s easily adaptable for other types of students and situations. Worth a look-see to freshen your ideas about teaching and topics.
Again with the MOOCs!
Critical Thinking and Active Learning–A Happy Marriage!
I said to a colleague the other day that teachers should know more about active learning since that approach is integral to teaching critical thinking. He just looked at me, incredulous that this information would be news to any teacher. Well, just click on
Stanford Physicist Embarks On Mission To Improve Undergraduate Teaching
(All Things Considered 4/13/16) to hear/read Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman’s interview about how active learning “can dramatically boost learning” and why so many teachers still cling to lecturing. Why do you think they do?
