Critical+Thinking


 * Critical thinking has three key features: effectiveness, novelty, and self-direction. (**p. 11**,** American Educator, Summer 2007**,** //Critical Thinking - Why Is It So Hard To Teach//**,** by Daniel T. Willingham**)

JONASSEN'S MINDTOOLS THINKING MODEL** Definition: Mindtools are computer applications that require students to think in meaningful ways in order to use the application to represent what they know. (p.3, //Computers in the Classroom - Mindtools for Critical Thinking//, by David H. Jonassen, 1996)

• The application can be used to represent knowledge. • Generalizable to content in different subjects. • Engages learner in critical thinking about subject. • Develops skills transferable to other subject. • Significantly restructures or amplifies thinking (provides alternative simple, powerful formalism for representing ideas.) • Software should be learnable in 2 hours or less
 * Pedagogical Criteria for Evaluating Mindtools*** [[image:jonassen.gif align="right" caption="David H. Jonassen"]]

assessing reliability and usefulness determining criteria for judging prioritizing recognizing fallacies or errors testing hypothese recognizing patterns categorization identifying assumptions identifying main ideas sequencing comparing/contrasting logical thinking inferring deductively inferring a principle inductively from data identifying causal relationships predicting effects
 * Critical Thinking Skills**
 * Evaluating:**
 * Analyzing:**
 * Connecting:**

thinking analogically summarizing main ideas in own words hypothesizing process planning expressing ideas fluently predicting results of conditions speculating wonderingusing intuition expanding by adding details or examples changing ideas for different purposes applying to a different context assuming different point of view concertizing general ideas
 * Creative Thinking Skills**
 * Synthesizing:**
 * Imagining:**
 * Elaborating:**

sensing the problem researching the problem formulating the problem finding alternatives choosing a solution building acceptance imagining a goal formulating a goal inventing assess in revising a product identifying an issue generating alternatives assessing consequences making choices, evaluating
 * Complex Thinking Skills**
 * Problem Solving:**
 * Designing:**
 * Decision Making:**

• Nonalogrithmic: the steps required to solve the problem are not completely identified in advance • Complex: the complete solution is multi-dimensional • Often yields multiple solutions • Involves nuanced judgment interpretation • Involves multiple, sometimes conflicting, criteria • Involves self-regulation of thinking process (nobody else dictates each step to take) • Requires finding meaning and structure in apparent disorder • Requires considerable mental effort, elablorations and judgments are required
 * Features of Higher - Order Thinking***


 * taken from [|EDPY485 Mindtools]

Resources
[|Link] to strategies to inspire critical thinking [|What] is this stuff all about