Critical Thinking: Definitions and Dispositions Library Instruction Round Table Program ALA/CLA Conference Toronto, Ontario June 22, 2003 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

What is Critical Thinking? Classic definitions: “reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do” (Ennis) “thinking that assesses itself” (Center for Critical Thinking) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

What is Critical Thinking? Classic definitions: “the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communications, as a guide to belief and action” (Scriven & Paul) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking Definitions: Common Elements Self-discipline, self-assessment Standards for thinking Meta-level of thinking: more than just skills or abilities Thinking as a basis for informed action 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Barriers to Critical Thinking (Think-Pair-Share) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking: the Two Traditions Philosophers -normative standards -formal reasoning and logic -”intellectual virtues” Psychologists -empirically based -informal reasoning -thinking processes -expert-novice distinctions 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking: Other Issues Is critical thinking “generic” or discipline-specific? How does critical thinking relate to learning “basic” skills? How does critical thinking support the learning of concepts? How does critical thinking relate to “constructivism?” 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking Principles (Richard Paul) Knowledge is an “achievement”; Students must be actively engaged in learning process Multiple perspectives are important in solving problems Students should learn standards for assessing the quality of their own thinking 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking: Another Perspective Tell about a time when you knew you were thinking critically. What caused you to think that way? (Think-Pair-Share) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking Dispositions What is a disposition? --different from (or larger than) abilities or skills --tendencies to think, act, behave in a certain way under given conditions (David Perkins, Shari Tishman, Robert Ennis, Stephen Norris) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking Dispositions: A Triad Sensitivities: alertness to appropriate occasions for using critical thinking Inclinations: the tendencies to actually behave in a certain way, to use critical thinking Abilities: capabilities and skills required to carry through and think critically (Shari Tishman, Albert Andrade) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Thinking Dispositions: A List 1. The disposition to be broad and adventurous 2. The disposition toward sustained intellectual curiosity 3. The disposition to clarify and seek understanding 4. The disposition to be planful and strategic 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Thinking Dispositions: A List (cont’d) 5. The disposition to be intellectually careful 6. The disposition to seek and evaluate reasons 7. The disposition to be metacognitive (Shari Tishman, Eileen Jay, David Perkins) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Dispositions,Information Literacy, and Kulthau’s Process Approach “Broad and adventurous”: topic exploration “Sustained intellectual curiosity”:persistence “Seek understanding”: seeking meaning “Planful and strategic”: search strategies 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Creating a Culture of Thinking Assumptions: --Critical thinking develops in an “immersive environment” --Critical thinking needs social supports --Critical thinking depends upon models and standards --Critical thinking is not just skill development, but acculturation (Shari Tishman, David Perkins) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Teaching Thinking Dispositions Create a culture of thinking -provide exemplars of critical thinking dispositions -provide explanations of thinking dispositions -create opportunities for interactions that promote critical thinking dispositions -teach the disposition directly (Tishman, Andrade) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Critical Thinking Dispositions and the “One Shot” (Exercise) 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Resources Center for Critical Thinking (1996). Three Definitions of Critical Thinking. [Online]. Available at http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univlibrary.library.nclk Ennis, Robert (1992). Critical Thinking: What is it? Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society, Denver, Colorado, March 27-30. 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Resources Paul, Richard (1990). What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. Rohnert Park, CA: Center for Critical Thinking and Moral Critique. Scriven, Michael, and Paul, Richard. (1996). Defining Critical Thinking: A Draft Statement for the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking. [Online]. Available at http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univlibrary/library.nclk. 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson

Resources Tishman, Shari; Jay, Eileen; and Perkins, David (1992). Teaching Thinking Dispositions: From Transmission to Enculturation. [Online]. Available at http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/article2.html Tishman, Shari, and Andrade, Albert (n.d.) Thinking Dispositions: a Review of Current Theories, Practices, and Issues. Available at http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/Dispositions.htm 2/17/2019 Craig Gibson