How to Teach Critical Thinking

Lindsey Ehret, M.A.E.

A Bit About Me• B.A. History -Truman State University (Kirksville,

Missouri)

• M.A.E. (Master of Arts in Education - emphasis on Secondary Social Studies Education) - Truman State University

• 6 years teaching United States and World History at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O’Fallon, Missouri

• Currently teaching English Academic Writing and Speaking at Nanjing University

• Currently teaching Advanced Placement (AP) United States History at Linkfun International Education

• Avid swimmer, runner, and swim coach

Pop Quiz! •Which of the following questions requires

the least amount of critical thinking to answer?

•A. Explain the difference between a rectangle and a pentagon.

•B. What is a triangle?

•C. Find the area of the triangle.

•D. Why is geometry more difficult than algebra?

Pop Quiz! •Which of the following questions requires

the most amount of critical thinking to answer?

•A. Explain the difference between a rectangle and a pentagon.

•B. What is a triangle?

•C. Find the area of the triangle.

•D. Why is geometry more difficult than algebra?

What is ‘Critical Thinking’?

•Many different definitions with similar meanings

•“Critical thinking is the ability to apply reasoning and logic to new or unfamiliar ideas, opinions, and situations.”

•"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." - Socrates, Greek philosopher

Confucius and Critical Thinking?

•"Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous"

Why is Critical Thinking

Important? •American educators at all levels

(elementary, secondary, and post-secondary) are encouraged to promote and include critical thinking in their curriculum and instruction

•Fosters innovation and problem solving skills

•Promotes ‘outside the box’ thinking

•Promotes higher rates of knowledge retention

Bloom’s Taxonomy •Background - “Benjamin Bloom was

an educational psychologist working in the late 1950s that categorized levels of intellectual behavior vital to learning”

Bloom’s New Taxonomy

•The resulting ‘taxonomy’ or classification system has been modified slightly to meet the newer demands 21st century

Remembering •Can the student recall or remember

the information?

•What is the capital of China?

•Define the term archaic.

•Who was the first president of the United States?

•List five facts about the Tang Dynasty.

Remembering

•This level requires the least amount of critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the REMEMBERING level include asking students to:

•define, list, memorize, recall, restate, repeat

Understanding

•Can the student explain ideas or concepts?

•Describe the process of photosynthesis.

•Summarize the plot of the novel.

•Discuss the principles of macroeconomics.

Understanding

•This level requires slightly more critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the UNDERSTANDING level include asking students to:

•classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate, paraphrase

Applying

•Can the student use the information in a new way?

•Demonstrate how a 21st century version of Romeo and Juliet would be.

•Draw the water cycle.

•What questions would you ask Martin Luther King, Jr. if you met him?

Applying•This level requires substantially more

critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the APPLYING level include asking students to:

•choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write

Analyzing•Can the student distinguish between the

different parts?

•Contrast Thomas Hobbes’ and John Locke’s views on human nature.

•What motivated the British colonists in America to rebel against Great Britain?

•To what extent is candidate A similar or different from candidate B.

Analyzing•This level requires significantly more

critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the ANALYZING level include asking students to:

•appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test

Evaluating

•Can the student justify a position or decision?

•Is there a better solution to global warming than solar power?

•Do you think gun control is a good or bad thing?

•Why are baozi superior to jiaozi?

Evaluating

•This level requires much critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the EVALUATING level include asking students to:

•appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate

Creating

•Can the student create a new product or point of view?

•Debate which is better: an iPhone or an Android?

•Design a business model for a new company.

Creating

•This level requires the most critical thinking from a student.

•Characteristics of questions or assessments at the CREATING level include asking students to:

•assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write, debate

H.O.T.S.•The last three levels of Bloom’s taxonomy

(Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating) are where the most critical thinking (or higher order thinking skills H.O.T.S) is required and enhanced

•The first three levels are important, but do not require much, if any, critical thinking

•Teachers in all disciplines should create learning environments and lesson plans that aim to reach these top levels

How to Teach Critical Thinking?•Incorporate Bloom’s taxonomy into

your teaching!

•Use question stems

•Use critical thinking VERBS

•Use more of the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy in your assessments and lesson objectives

Question Stems

Critical Thinking Verbs

Let’s APPLY your learning...

•Using your own discipline/specialty - think of one way to ask a question at each level of Bloom’s taxonomy

APPLY your learning...

APPLY your learning...

APPLY your learning...

APPLY your learning...

APPLY your learning...

APPLY your learning...

Sources Used and Useful Resources• http://ww2.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/

blooms_taxonomy.htm

• http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-critical-thinking.htm

• http://www.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001926

• http://www.colorado.edu/sei/documents/Workshops/Handouts/Blooms_Taxonomy.pdf

• http://www.taasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Working-on-the-Wow-Side-Handout-31.pdf

Contact Me

•Via email: lindseyehret@hotmail.com