Helpful Hints Toward Critical and Creative Thinking 48P

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 393 135 CS 509 218 AUTHOR Hugenberg, Lawrence W.; Patsey, Barbara S. TITLE Helpful Hints toward Critical and Creative Thinking in the Classroom. PUB DATE Nov 95 NOTE 48p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Speech Communication Association (81st, San Antonio, TX, November 18-21, 1995). PUB TYPE Speeches/Conference Papers (150) Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Class Activities; *Critical Thinking; Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; *Speech Communication; Student Development; *Thinking Skills IDENTIFIERS *Thinking across the Curriculum ABSTRACT Suggesting that critical thinking activities are the crux of many of the goals and objectives of communication education, this paper summarizes a sample of the literature on critical thinking. Based on the review, the paper notes that: (1)a consensus exists regarding what critical thinking is and what specific skills are acquired through varied activities and are applied differently by students in specific situations; and (2) educators recognize that there are multiple ways of helping students learn to think in a critical manner in their classes. The paper also takes a more practical approach to the discussion of critical thinking for the K-12 teacher by appending 14 sample exercises or class activities taken from instructor's manuals used in many beginning communication courses at colleges and universities. Contains 58 references. Additional appendixes provide a 111-item list of additional readings in critical thinking and 6 brief hints on using or modifying exercises for critical thinking. (Author/RS) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** HELPFUL HINTS TOWARDCRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING IN THECLASSROOM U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION E Jucanona. Rosead.n and nnpfovement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION pc-ntvlisloNTO PE PHOmWE ANI) CENTER (ERIC) DisEMINATE THI:, MATE HIAL riTTms/ document has been reproduced as received horn the person or organization HAS BEEN OHANELD BY onginating it El Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality wow r,r ntnntnnt slarod document do not necessarily represent official OEN position or polic To TMF nuCAT !nniAl Pt- so; IHCI- INF nHmATIN NIV H PIC, Lawrence W. Hugenberg Department of Communication& Theater Youngstown StateUniversity Youngstown, Ohio 44555-3631 Barbara S. Patsey Department ofCommunication Studies Kent State University Kent, Ohio 44242-0001 during the K-12 Teachers'Short Course, Speech Paper presented (November Communication AssociationConvention, San Antonio, TX 1995). BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 literature on We start bysummarizing a sample of the Educators andadministrators emphasize the critical thinking. students -- taught development of criticalthinking skills in all and reinforcesthroughout the rest of a in the early grades the compulsion to argue student's education. We did not feel thinking is important. Every report and that teaching critical students to think article we examinedconcluded teaching benefits. However, as we readthe critically has long-lasting that, initially, there literature on criticalthinking, we found regarding a definition ordescription of critical was confusion one of the This is true eventhough in ancient Greece, thinking. become more effective goals of education wasto help students thinkers. out: "The misconceptionthat underlies Mortimer Adler points is that thinking is a the now widelyprevalent educational vogue acquired in isolationfrom all otherskills skill that can be the performance that enable us to use ourminds effectively, in of which we areinvolved in judging,reasoning, problem-solving, rejecting conclusions."We feel safe arguing, and defending or of many of the in asserting that theseactivities are the crux goals and objectives ofcommunication education. Currently, there seems tobe consensus regarding awhat that specific skills areacquired critical thinking is and differently by each through varied activitiesand are applied situations. And educators andeducational students in specific of helping psychologists recognize thatthere are multiple ways students learn to thinkin a critical mannerin their classes. regardless of subjectmatter taught -- This realization is true biology, math, communication, English,sociology, geography, "There can be noquestion chemistry, etc. Adler concludes: in the minds of ourstudents the whatsoever that developing also creatively - ability to think --critically at least, if not schooling."The genera/ - shouldbe the primeobjective of basic thinking educationinvolves conclusion is that critical classroom exercises, pedagogical strategies,textbooks, handouts, and challenges thatmake students think. course assignments, take a more practical After summarizingthe iiterature, we of critica/ thinkingfor the K-12 approach to the discussion exercises or We include, for thereader, samples of teacher. in many beginning class activities frominstructor's manuals used colleges anduniversities across the communication coursbs at illustrate that The purpose forincluding them is to country. and class exercises there arecommunication-related activities instructor to use intheir classes to available for the K-12 approaches to teach critical thinkingin our discipline's pedagogy. readings that can Finally, we provide alist of additional their interest incritical be located by thereader to supplement These readingsprovide a valuable resource thinking application. share with yourcolleagues of information forpersonal use or to at your own schools. HELPFUL HINTS TOWARD CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING IN THE CLASSROOM "There's one thing worse than making mistakes in your thinking; that's letting somebody else make them for you." - Anthony Bard "What we need is not the will to believe, but the will to find out." - Bertrand Russell "Give me a fish and I'll eat today. Teach me to fish and I'll eat for a lifetime." - Chinese Proverb Nothing is more important, in our opinion, than for communication educators to help students to think critically about their world. Nelson writes, "We must adapt to the general lack of critical thinking skills in the student population" (1989, P. 1). This adaptation demands us to teach critical thinking skill development in our classes. Students have to become more critically aware of the world around them, tothink critically of events and circumstances, and to respond critically to their perceptions. 1 4 their Piaget (1948) challengeseducators to re-evaluate obedience to critical goals for studentsfrom conformity and need for student thinking and choicemaking. He suggests the through the autonomy and the developmentof self-directedness skills. enhancement of informationprocessing and evaluation critical thinking an There has emergedfrom the lite?:ature on the value of extensive number of"reasons" for rethinking critical thinking. teaching, or encouragingthe development of, Brookfield (1987) outlinesseveral importantjustifications thinking into teaching for integratingdevelopment of critical teaching "skills of practice. He reminds usthat, asie from "call into questionthe logical analysis", weask students to of thinking assumption underlying ourcustomary, habitual ways students to be "ready and acting," andin the process challenge questioning" (p.1). to think differently onthe basis of critical outcomes that mayfollow, He lists threeimportant and positive including: (1) a healthierdemocracy where people are prepared to questionpolicies and politicians organizers (2) more efficientworkplaces where are able toevaluate and reorganizeas needed who (3) strongerrelationships between persons are able tothoughtfully evaluateand adjust behavior. 2 thinking have forwarded Pioneers in the studyof critical teaching strategiesthat enhance the manyjustifications for classroom. Education critical thinkingatmosphere of the increased ability tocritically researchers havefound that of tolerance forunique evaluate informationleads to development Metraux, 1952) and newideas persons orpersonalities (Mead, of increasingemphasis on (Barron, 1958). In these times sensitive to differingpoints of cultural diversityand being skills in rhetoricalsensitivity. view, helpingstudents develop important goal for our through criticalthinking is an educational system. 1958), as are Artistic talents areencouraged (Torrance, culture (Russell,1956) contributions to thedevelopment of the creative thinking.Creative through aneducational focus on 195S), and venturesinto the cognitions areenhanced (Bartlett, 1953). Criticalthinking, unexplored areinspired (Ferren, for "scientifictheories, according to Torrance,is responsible designs, [and) inventions, improvedproducts, novels, poems, through the phasesof paintings" (1962, p.32). As students pass Brookfield (1987),they are critical thinking, asdescribed by and to viewissues and values better able tothink creatively These phases are(Brookfield, from differingpoints of view. 1987): happening (1) Trigger Event:"Some unexpected prompts a senseof innerdiscomfort and perplexity" (p. 26). 3 f' and (2) Appraisal: "Aperiod of self-scrutiny appraisal of thesituation follows the trigger event" (p.25). anomalies (3) Exploration:"Having admitted to life, or discreparoiesin some aspect of we begin tosearch for new of living

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