Post on 19-Jan-2016
Examples of Critical Thinking
What is Critical Thinking?CRITICAL THINKING is the active and systematic
process of
Communication Problem-solving Evaluation Analysis Synthesis Reflection
both individually and in community to
Foster understanding Support sound decision-making and Guide action
Why is critical thinking important to students?
Critical thinking is critical to employers
Can you analyze situations?
Can you solve problems? Can you communicate your
position logically? Can you make good
decisions (based on data, not feelings)?
Why is critical thinking important to student learning?
College-level learning is deeper than memorizing facts: Science – analyzing results of
experiments in light of existing theories
Math – selecting appropriate problem-solving strategy for word problems
Humanities – putting literature and art into historical context
Health fields – evaluating patients and making decisions in clinical settings
Communications – debate; persuasive writing
Criminal justice/fire science – reacting correctly to simulations
Political science/sociology – analyzing others’ points of view
Why is critical thinking important to society?
Failure in critical thinking are disastrous Space Shuttle Columbia Levee construction in New Orleans
Faulty critical thinking can lead to wrong conclusions Biased polls adversely affect public opinion 80 percent of Americans think the government is
hiding knowledge of the existence of aliens. 3 million Americans believe they've had a possible encounter with aliens
Students’ What’s in it for me?
Critical thinking in the world of work Medical – evaluating patients’
symptoms Technology – problem-solving
software/engineering solutions Counter-terrorism – synthesizing
intelligence to predict future events Criminal justice/fire science –
analyzing the scene – whodunit? Government – solving problems like
hurricane relief Education – reflecting on student
success resulting from your teaching
Business – analyzing information to detect trends; ethical decisions
Journalism – communicating fairly
Students’ What’s in it for me? (continued)
Critical thinking in everyday life: How should I prepare for a
hurricane? Should I evacuate? What is the safest way to
travel? What is the slant of a news
story? What are my real chances of
winning the lottery? Why is my good friend angry at
me? What questions should I ask
myself and my partner before getting married?
Which phone company plan is best for my needs?