Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking LECTURE 3

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Start Thinking... What does it mean to think critically? Critical thinking is to think actively, with an awareness of potential problems in the information you encounter, whether it's from the Internet, television, radio, something in print or any other source

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

"You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within himself" Galileo

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

"Each of us may not do great things, but all of us can do small things in a great way."

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Why Critical Thinking?

When we make students struggle with their thinking, we are making them struggle with thought itselfOften the struggle of writing, linked as it is to the struggle of thinking and to the growth of a persons intellectual powers, awakens students to the real nature of learning. (Bean xiii)
Bean, John C., Engaging Ideas, San Francisco: JosseyBass, 1996.
Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Why Critical Thinking?

You think what you write/You write what you thinkwhich is true?

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Asking the Right Question at the Right Time Defining the True Problem
A student and his professor are backpacking in Alaska when a grizzly bear starts to chase them. They both start running, but its clear that the bear will eventually catch up with them. The student takes off his backpack, gets his running shoes out, and starts putting them on. His professor says, You cant outrun the bear, even in running shoes! The student replies, I dont need to outrun the bear; I only need to outrun you!
Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Thinking Critically Means Learning to Ask the Right Questions About a Problem
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. clarification: Why do you say that? How does this relate to our discussion? probe assumptions: What could we assume instead? How can you verify or disprove that assumption? probe reasons and evidence: What would be an example? about viewpoints and perspectives: What would be an alternative? probe implications and consequences: What generalizations can you make? What are the consequences of that assumption? about the question: What was the point of this question? Why do you think this question was asked?

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Analyzing: separating or breaking a whole into parts to discover their nature.

Thinking Critically Means Applying Skills to Solve a Problem

Applying Standards: judging according to established personal, professional, or social rules or criteria. Discriminating: recognizing differences and similarities among things or situations and distinguishing carefully as to category or rank. Information seeking: searching for evidence, facts or knowledge by identifying relevant sources. Logical Reasoning: drawing inferences or conclusions that are supported in or justified by evidence. Predicting: envisioning a plan and its consequences. Transforming Knowledge: changing or converting the condition, nature, form or function of concepts among concepts.
Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Thinking Critically Means Adopting Certain Habits of Mind

Confidence Contextual Perspective Creativity Flexibility

inquiring
Intellectual Integrity Intuition Open-mindedness Reflection
Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is needed to solve the complex problems in the world today.

Fallacies in Reasoning Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Making Generalizations
Assume all members of the group are the same Example: All lawyers are greedy-All education systems are the same

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

We attack the person rather than discussing the issue Example: Attacking the President to sidetrack the issues

Attacking the Person

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Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Appeal to Common Belief

Just because it is common belief does not make it true Example: At one time people believed that the world was flat

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Common Practice
If everyone does it, it must be OK Example: Its OK to cheat on your taxes. Everyone else does.

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Appeal to Tradition
Weve always done it that way Example: Some jobs are only for men and others only for women

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Two Wrongs
It is OK to do something wrong because other people do it Example: Someone cuts you off on the freeway so you pull in front and cut them off

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Slippery Slope
Dire consequences Example: If you fail this class, you are a failure for life

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Alternative Views
Individual Point of View Based on: Experience Values Beliefs Culture Knowledge

Issue Person Topic

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

The Critical Thinking Process

State the problem in a clear way Identify the alternative views Watch for fallacies in reasoning Find at least 3 different answers Construct your own reasonable view

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Tips for Critical Thinking

Beware of your mind-set Be willing to say, I dont know. Practice tolerance Understand different points of view Understand before criticizing Emotions get in the way of clear thinking Examine the source

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is always there, even without being conscious about it.

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Basic Engineering Design GEN 1003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Exercise Philip, who teaches first grade, believes that educational television programs such as Sesame Street promote reading ability in young children. He announces his hunch to his students and tells their parents about his idea during a PTA meeting. Some parents respond enthusiastically when he asks for volunteers to participate in a three month experiment to test his hypothesis. Ten volunteers are assigned to the experimental group and instructed to have their children watch the one hour Sesame Street program each day after school. The parents of ten other students, who are picked at random from the remaining members of the class, receive the same instruction, except that the program they watch is a one-hour non-educational cartoon. After the three-month period, Philip administers a standardized reading test to both groups. He is delighted to find that the average test score of the students in the experimental group is substantially higher than that of the students in the comparison group.
Basic Engineering Design GEN 003

Lecture 3- Critical Thinking

What is the focal behavior of the study? What is Philips hypothesis? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable? List three variables that are controlled during the experiment.

List three variables that are not controlled and explain how they might have affected Philips findings.

Was the research a valid test of Philips hypothesis?

Basic Engineering Design GEN 003