So What is Critical Thinking & Why Should I Take It Seriously? Stephen Brookfield University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis-St. Paul Stephen Brookfield University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis-St. Paul

What is Critical Thinking? Critical Thinking Lies Behind Every Decision & Action We Take in Life, Such As …. Who to date What true friendship looks like Which courses to take (& which to avoid) Which instructors are the best Who to trust How faith is lived day to day Critical Thinking Lies Behind Every Decision & Action We Take in Life, Such As …. Who to date What true friendship looks like Which courses to take (& which to avoid) Which instructors are the best Who to trust How faith is lived day to day

Assumptions All these decisions are based on Assumptions Assumptions are the rules & judgments we use to guide our decisions & actions Examples You can trust people if they keep their promises & listen carefully to you – an assumption derived from personal experience An instructor is good because your peers recommend her or him – an assumption derived from your peer group’s authority All these decisions are based on Assumptions Assumptions are the rules & judgments we use to guide our decisions & actions Examples You can trust people if they keep their promises & listen carefully to you – an assumption derived from personal experience An instructor is good because your peers recommend her or him – an assumption derived from your peer group’s authority

Critical Thinking - A Survival Tool So thinking critically is a survival tool we need to get through life Everybody does it – you don’t need a college degree to think critically If you can’t think critically your actions & decisions through your life will be based on habit, luck or because someone else has told you what to think & do So thinking critically is a survival tool we need to get through life Everybody does it – you don’t need a college degree to think critically If you can’t think critically your actions & decisions through your life will be based on habit, luck or because someone else has told you what to think & do

LET’S CONCRETIZE – “Smarts” My Assumption: I am not smart Evidence: I failed my college entrance tests Action: There’s no point reapplying for college WHAT PERSPECTIVE COUNTERED THIS? A family friend in college admissions told me that the main qualities for succeeding in college were not intelligence or talent but: DETERMINATION / ORGANIZATION * Action – ‘back door’ local Technical college My Assumption: I am not smart Evidence: I failed my college entrance tests Action: There’s no point reapplying for college WHAT PERSPECTIVE COUNTERED THIS? A family friend in college admissions told me that the main qualities for succeeding in college were not intelligence or talent but: DETERMINATION / ORGANIZATION * Action – ‘back door’ local Technical college

LET’S CONCRETIZE – “Friendship” Assumption: Loyalty is the most important characteristic of a good friend Evidence: Times in high school, college & adulthood when I have been in trouble & my friends dropped everything in their lives to help & support me Contrary Perspectives: none to convince me Actions: I judge people’s worth by how they behave in times of trouble, not ease Assumption: Loyalty is the most important characteristic of a good friend Evidence: Times in high school, college & adulthood when I have been in trouble & my friends dropped everything in their lives to help & support me Contrary Perspectives: none to convince me Actions: I judge people’s worth by how they behave in times of trouble, not ease

LET’S CONCRETIZE- “Depression” Assumptions: My depression is best treated by telling myself to ‘snap out of it’ Drugs are for those too weak to cope with life Evidence: Logical thinking, Societal norms Contrary Perspective: Seeing the effect of my untreated depression on my family Family & friends - seek professional help Actions: Viewing depression as chemical imbalance in the brain treated by meds (as is my acid reflux & cholesterol) Assumptions: My depression is best treated by telling myself to ‘snap out of it’ Drugs are for those too weak to cope with life Evidence: Logical thinking, Societal norms Contrary Perspective: Seeing the effect of my untreated depression on my family Family & friends - seek professional help Actions: Viewing depression as chemical imbalance in the brain treated by meds (as is my acid reflux & cholesterol)

LET’S CONCRETIZE – “Racism” Assumptions: I am not a racist & treat everyone the same regardless of color Evidence: Personal conviction, Church, Politics Contrary Perspective: Being told by students & colleagues of color that I’m ‘race-blind’ Action: Understanding my micro-aggressions Action: Vigilance against micro-aggressions Action: Accepting I have learned racism so well I will never ‘cleanse’ myself of it Assumptions: I am not a racist & treat everyone the same regardless of color Evidence: Personal conviction, Church, Politics Contrary Perspective: Being told by students & colleagues of color that I’m ‘race-blind’ Action: Understanding my micro-aggressions Action: Vigilance against micro-aggressions Action: Accepting I have learned racism so well I will never ‘cleanse’ myself of it

In Academic Study You Think Critically When You…. Explore different viewpoints and perspectives on the theories and concepts you are studying Assess the evidence for hypotheses and arguments & decide that some are more accurate than others Develop your own independent judgments & arguments that you can defend Can apply information or thinking learned in one course to new areas of study Explore different viewpoints and perspectives on the theories and concepts you are studying Assess the evidence for hypotheses and arguments & decide that some are more accurate than others Develop your own independent judgments & arguments that you can defend Can apply information or thinking learned in one course to new areas of study

Let’s Concretize – “1 st Class Speech” Call me Stephen – friendly atmosphere I look forward to teaching – I learn so much from my students My job – help you realize what you know Questions – encouraged but I don’t know all the answers / gifts for learning Mistakes – richest moment in learning Unexpected Event – pool our wisdom Call me Stephen – friendly atmosphere I look forward to teaching – I learn so much from my students My job – help you realize what you know Questions – encouraged but I don’t know all the answers / gifts for learning Mistakes – richest moment in learning Unexpected Event – pool our wisdom

Picture the Scene

1 st Class Speech Call me Ingrid I love teaching Intro. to Rafting 101 – I learn so much from my students My job – help you realize what you know Questions are welcomed but I don’t know all the answers / gifts for learning Mistakes – 3 mistakes last time on this stretch of the river Unexpected Event – form into groups Call me Ingrid I love teaching Intro. to Rafting 101 – I learn so much from my students My job – help you realize what you know Questions are welcomed but I don’t know all the answers / gifts for learning Mistakes – 3 mistakes last time on this stretch of the river Unexpected Event – form into groups

Questions … When do you think you have done critical thinking in your life? What decisions or actions have you taken where you wish you had thought more critically? What does critical thinking look like when you’ve seen it happen…. In a friend’s actions In a TV show In a film When do you think you have done critical thinking in your life? What decisions or actions have you taken where you wish you had thought more critically? What does critical thinking look like when you’ve seen it happen…. In a friend’s actions In a TV show In a film