Cameron Staley, Ph.D. Counseling and Testing Services

Transcription

1 Cameron Staley, Ph.D. Counseling and Testing Services

2 The easy way

3 What is it? Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking Instruction

4 Let s test your CT! Steve is very shy and withdrawn, invariably helpful but with very little interest in people or in the world of reality. A meek and tidy soul, he has a need for order and structure, and a passion for detail. Is Steve more likely to be a librarian or a farmer and why?

5 Thinking Through Most people believe Steve is more likely to be a librarian Steve resembles a librarian more than a farmer Associative memory quickly constructs this picture What elements do we neglect? Five times as many farmers as librarians in the US Ratio of male farmers to male librarians is even higher These base rates often do not come to mind Heuristics (decisional making short cuts) typically overpower critical thinking

6 Delphi Report American Philosophical Association (1987) Delphi Method: interactive panel of experts 46 experts in CT (philosophy, education, social sciences, physical sciences) 6 rounds of dialogue working toward consensus Answering the following questions: What are the skills and dispositions which characterize CT at a collegiate level? What are some effective ways to teach CT? How can CT, particularly if it becomes a campus-wide requirement be assessed?

7 Consensus list of 6 Cognitive Skills & Sub-skills Interpretation Categorization Decoding Significance Clarifying Meaning Analysis Examining Ideas Identifying Arguments Analyzing Arguments Evaluation Assessing Claims Assessing Arguments Inference Querying Evidence Conjecturing Alternatives Drawing Conclusions Explanation Stating Results Justifying Procedures Presenting Arguments Self-Regulation Self-examination Self-correction

8 Self Assessment Affective Dispositions of Critical Thinking

9 Affective Dispositions of Critical Thinking Inquisitiveness with regard to a wide range of issues Concern to become and remain generally well-informed Alertness to opportunities to use CT Trust in the processes of reasoned inquiry Self-confidence in one's own ability to reason Open-mindedness regarding divergent world views Flexibility in considering alternatives and opinions Understanding of the opinions of other people Fair-mindedness in appraising reasoning Honesty in facing one's own biases, prejudices, stereotypes, egocentric or sociocentric tendencies Prudence in suspending, making or altering judgments Willingness to reconsider and revise views where honest Reflection suggests that change is warranted

10 One More Area

11 Approaches to Specific Issues Clarity in stating the question or concern Orderliness in working with complexity Diligence in seeking relevant information Reasonableness in selecting and applying criteria Care in focusing attention on the concern at hand Persistence though difficulties are encountered Precision to the degree permitted by the subject and the circumstance

12 How do you Measure CT?

13 Standardized Assessments California Critical Thinking Skills Test (1991) Cornell Class Reasoning Test, Form X (1964) Cornell Conditional Reasoning Test, Form X (1964) Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level X (1985) Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level Z (1985) The Ennis Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test (1985) Judgment: Deductive Logic and Assumption Recognition (1971) Logical Reasoning (1955) New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills (1983) Ross Test of Higher Cognitive Processes (1976) Test on Appraising Observations (1983) Test of Enquiry Skills (1979) Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (1980) Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal II (2010)

14 Which do you Pick?

15 CCTST California Critical Thinking Skills Test Items: scenarios requiring test-taker to make accurate interpretation of the question. The test items range in difficulty and complexity. Analyze information presented in text, charts, or images, draw accurate inferences, & evaluate inferences minutes administration 6 Subscales (related to Delphi report) Analysis, Evaluation, Inference, Deduction, Induction, & Overall Reasoning Skills University & Health Sciences (Undergrad & Graduate) Norms Psychometric Properties = Limited

16 Watson-Glaser II Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal II 2010 Pearson (Initially developed in 1925) 40-item (plus alternate form) Reading scenarios: problems, statements, arguments, & interpretations of data similar to daily, classroom, or news articles Neutral or controversial content: designed to provoke emotional responses that may influence CT 20 minute completion Computer or paper-based College norms Reliability Test-Restest (4 to 26 days) r = Internal Consistency TS Cronbach s alpha = to.83 for subscales

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20 Informal Assessment of Domains of CT

21 Elements of Thought note, in an evaluative essay, the presence, or the absence, of evidence in an excerpt identify a plausible statement of a writer s purpose identify the main concepts in a passage rank formulations of an author s objectives distinguish central from peripheral concepts identify the assumption underlying a given inference distinguish between inferences and assumptions rank different formulations of assumptions with respect to which is the most reasonable identify crucial implications of a passage discriminate between consequences that are necessary, probable, and improbable evaluate an author s inferences make, in an evaluative essay, justified inferences choose the most accurate version of an author s inferences draw reasonable inferences from positions they disagree with recognize conclusions that go beyond the evidence distinguish clearly between purposes, consequences, assumptions, and inferences choose the most reasonable statement of the problem an author is addressing discuss reasonably the merits of different versions of the question at issue recognize key common elements in formulations of different problems recognize bias, narrowness, and contradictions in the point of view behind an excerpt identify assumptions and implications of a writer s point of view distinguish evidence from conclusions based on that evidence; give evidence to back up their position in an essay recognize data that would support, data that would oppose, and data that would be neutral with respect to, an author s position

22 Thinking independently Exercising fair-mindedness Insight into egocentricity and socio-centricity Intellectual humility suspending judgment courage integrity perseverance Confidence in reason Exploring thoughts underlying feelings and feelings underlying thoughts Developing intellectual curiosity Identify personal reactions Affective Dimension Biases Judgments Prior beliefs

23 Handout Example questions for assessing elements of thought & affective dimension of CT.

24 Sharing Time Tell us about your success stories involving assessment or development of critical thinking with students?

25 The Tough Questions To what extent are we assessing critical thinking abilities with our students? Should we be assessing critical thinking? Feasibility? Appropriate? Necessary? What is the utility of using standardized assessments for measuring critical thinking? How challenging is it to structure activities, assignments, or tests to develop aspects of critical thinking?

26 The Delphi Report Resources Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction, is published by The California Academic Press, 217 La Cruz Ave., Millbrae, CA 94030