The Online Workshop Series Presents:

How to Think Critically

UBC LIBRARY STUDENT SERVICES

IRVING K BARBER CENTRE FOR TEACHING,LEARNING CENTRE AND LEARNING TECHNOLOGY

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/gD3qdw

INSERT POLL ON STUDENT BACKGROUND

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/e9akx1

How to think Critically

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/fTVbX6

What you’ll walk away with today:

1. Define what it means to engage in critical thought

2. Identify benefits of critical thinking

3. Direct application of critical thinking strategies

4. Know your individual preference for certain strategies

Insert Poll

Critical Thinking Inventory:

Check which of the following actions you undertake at university:Do you seek to clearly understand your academic tasks before undertaking them?Do you create strategies for doing tasks and meeting goals?Do you think about techniques and strategies that you are good at, and that have worked for you in the past?

Do you have confidence in your ability to understand academic requirements?Do you recognize when you may be off track or misunderstanding a task? Do you learn from each task about your strengths and weaknesses?Do you ask yourself about what you would like to learn about a topic?Are you able to determine the big picture - the overall concepts of a course?Can you determine the most important concepts and ideas?Do you ask yourself what is coming next, what the author or lecturer will say next?Do you visualize or diagram your work?

What is Critical Thinking?

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/gD3qdw

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/e5R4Hi

It is not…

Thinking hard

Expending a lot of energy

Spending a lot of time

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/gD3qdw

Critical Thinking is…

A set of skills that can be applied to any number of problems as opposed to an answer that only solves one problem.

We have barriers to overcome…

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/i0MT91

Triple ThreatCultural Conditioning• Stereotyping• Either/Or Thinking• Imposing Modern Values onto the Past

Resistance to Change• Xenophobia• Centrisms• Prejudice

Empty Abstractions• Appeal to the sacred/demonization• Euphemism

Guiding Principles

Unfounded positions should be altered

Explanations must both explain and be testable

Embrace skepticism

Reason should be founded on logic, not emotions

Spectrum of AuthorityDiagram Adapted from Jarrett Walker: http://bit.ly/fcjg2U

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/hybFT4

Consider the

Debate about Wind

Power

Insert Poll

Give an example of something that has hindered you from Critical Thinking in the past

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/i5bWwg

Basic Methods and Tools

Driving Forces Current Restraining forces Future

“helps” State “Hinders”

Force Field Analysis

Why use Force Field Analysis?

• It can help you achieve goals• Useful for breaking down complex

decisions• Can help you consider a decision as

tasks that need to be done• Encourages you to engage with

productive forces

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/e9akx1

Advantages

• More Compact than notes

• Helps make Associations

• Can easily integrate information into sections

• Summarize information• Thinking through complex

problems; and • Presenting information in a

format that shows structure of your subject

Mind Maps are Useful for…

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/esLhY6

Advanced Methods and Tools

• PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting)

• CAF (Consider All Factors)

• C & S (Consequence and Sequel)

• APC (Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices).

• OPV (Other People's Views)

CoRT (Cognitive Research Trust)

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/gtX4AO

PMI (Plus : Minus : Interesting)

• Give Good Points• Give Bad Points• What You Find Interesting

CAF (Consider All Factors)

• Make a list of all factors• Try to see if others have left

out factors

C&S (Consequence and Sequel)

• Immediate• Short Term• Long Term

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/http://bit.ly/hi4cn0

APC (Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices)

• Consider alternatives

• Incorporate all possibilities

• Factor in choice

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/http://bit.ly/gR0Xf2

OPV (Other People's Views)

• Consider the points of view of others

• Compensate for them

• Incorporate them

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/http://bit.ly/hC9I0W

Six Hat Thinking

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/gKXQSm

A way of extending your thinking by trying on different guises in the analogy of hats.

White Hat (Logic)

• Information• Questions• Facts• Missing

Information

Allows you to:• Be Neutral• No need to

justify• Undertake

core data collection

Black Hat (Judgment)

• Negative Points• What is wrong?• Weaknesses?• Check for

things

Allows you to:• Explore risks• Logical

Negative Assessment

• Evaluate worth of task

Red Hat (Feelings)

• Emotions• Hunches• Feelings• Intuition

Allows you to:• Legitimate

feelings• Explore

complex emotions

Yellow Hat (Value)

• Benefits• Good Points• Likelihood• Reasons why

an idea will work

Allows you to:• Be Positive• Explores

benefits, values, vision and dreams

Blue Hat (Organization)

• Define Focus and Purpose

• Set out an agenda or strategy

• Make Observation or Comments

Allows you to:• Have control

over thinking• Produce

summaries, overviews, conclusions

Green Hat (Creativity)

• Different ideas• Starting ideas• Reactive Ideas• Originality

Allows you to:• Make new

ideas• Explore new

approaches and avenues

• Think about success

Your Turn

Photo used under CC License: http://bit.ly/hPx3jB

Insert Poll

• List two strategies you will take away from this workshop

Need More Help?