Expanding the Horizon of Expanding the Horizon of Learning:Learning:

Critical Thinking in the Critical Thinking in the Composition ClassroomComposition Classroom

Dr. Joan KennedyDr. Joan Kennedy

Definition of Critical Definition of Critical ThinkingThinking

It is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking It is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view of improving itwith a view of improving it

Dr. Richard Paul defines it as “thinking about your Dr. Richard Paul defines it as “thinking about your thinking so you know what it is that you are thinking so you know what it is that you are thinking”thinking”

emphasizing its self-reflective natureemphasizing its self-reflective nature It is the cornerstone of teaching composition in a It is the cornerstone of teaching composition in a

college classroomcollege classroom Goal: encourage students to become “citizens of Goal: encourage students to become “citizens of

the world” who engage in enlightened dialogue the world” who engage in enlightened dialogue with otherswith others

Critical Thinking Critical Thinking RequirementsRequirements

Coordinating Board mandates it as an objective Coordinating Board mandates it as an objective for all college coursesfor all college courses

Students must be guided through the process Students must be guided through the process to attain higher order thinking skillsto attain higher order thinking skills

Heuristic strategy for initial stages of Heuristic strategy for initial stages of developing critical thinking requires developing critical thinking requires exploratory exercises, prewriting, collaborative exploratory exercises, prewriting, collaborative activities to expand horizon of learningactivities to expand horizon of learning

Students must explore the breadth of the issueStudents must explore the breadth of the issue

Multiple-Step HeuristicMultiple-Step Heuristic

To initiate critical thinking, students begin To initiate critical thinking, students begin with exploratory steps of thinking and with exploratory steps of thinking and questioning to examine creatively the questioning to examine creatively the possibilities for topic development in essayspossibilities for topic development in essays

While the creative stage is recursive, While the creative stage is recursive, Aristotle identified invention as the first Aristotle identified invention as the first step in his Five Canons of Rhetoricstep in his Five Canons of Rhetoric

My heuristic employs a multiple-step plan My heuristic employs a multiple-step plan to explore a topic from a variety of to explore a topic from a variety of perspectivesperspectives

Initial StepInitial Step

Social issues persuasive research essay assignmentSocial issues persuasive research essay assignment Use journal for exploratory thinkingUse journal for exploratory thinking Offers low risk space for explorationOffers low risk space for exploration Flexible tool for instructors to assign creative Flexible tool for instructors to assign creative

thinking activitiesthinking activities Short, timed “off the top of their head” response—Short, timed “off the top of their head” response— LoopingLooping Students discover what they knowStudents discover what they know Mark Twain’s Imperative: “Sail away from the safe Mark Twain’s Imperative: “Sail away from the safe

harbor. . . .Explore. Dream. Discover”harbor. . . .Explore. Dream. Discover”

Next StepNext Step

In journal make list of 4-5 items that In journal make list of 4-5 items that are of interest to studentare of interest to student

Example: dining at a restaurant; Example: dining at a restaurant; riding a bike; playing tennis; riding a bike; playing tennis; attending the moviesattending the movies

Link items on list to plausible Link items on list to plausible connections to the their topicconnections to the their topic

ExamplesExamples

Student topic: legalization of marijuanaStudent topic: legalization of marijuana Connect restaurant dining to question: Connect restaurant dining to question:

“What are the effects of marijuana on the “What are the effects of marijuana on the appetite?”appetite?”

Bike riding question: “Does routine exercise Bike riding question: “Does routine exercise stimulate the effects of the drug?”stimulate the effects of the drug?”

Tennis playing question: “What types of Tennis playing question: “What types of rules concerning drug use exist for rules concerning drug use exist for professional athletes?”professional athletes?”

Movie going question: “How is marijuana Movie going question: “How is marijuana depicted in film?”depicted in film?”

ResultResult

Lures students into a new territory of Lures students into a new territory of ideasideas

Allows personal perspective as guide Allows personal perspective as guide for selecting potential areas of topic for selecting potential areas of topic development—student “voice” development—student “voice” emergesemerges

Can move topic from “boring to Can move topic from “boring to interesting”interesting”

Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel

A visual diagram to explore broad A visual diagram to explore broad spectrum of appealsspectrum of appeals

Eighteen categories: history, music, Eighteen categories: history, music, law, literature, drama, film, social law, literature, drama, film, social life, future, feminism, children, TV, life, future, feminism, children, TV, people, newspapers, morality, people, newspapers, morality, agriculture, architecture, economics, agriculture, architecture, economics, healthhealth

Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel

Viewpoint WheelViewpoint Wheel

Students place subject in middle of wheel Students place subject in middle of wheel and move around circle asking questionsand move around circle asking questions

Considering my subject from a historical Considering my subject from a historical perspective, what could I write about?perspective, what could I write about?

Considering my subject from the perspective Considering my subject from the perspective of the future, what could I write about?of the future, what could I write about?

Considering my subject from the perspective Considering my subject from the perspective of morality, what could I write about?of morality, what could I write about?

Bloom’s Revised TaxonomyBloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Students move into more focused, Students move into more focused, critical thinking territorycritical thinking territory

Ask questions utilizing the six Ask questions utilizing the six categories of the learning pyramidcategories of the learning pyramid

Remember, Understand, Apply, Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, CreateAnalyze, Evaluate, Create

Final Stage of Creative Final Stage of Creative ThinkingThinking

Document from National Collegiate Document from National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Honors Council Conference in Washington DCWashington DC

Focuses on abstract concepts: Focuses on abstract concepts: Rights, Privileges, ResponsibilitiesRights, Privileges, Responsibilities

List of ten questions apply the List of ten questions apply the concepts to specific situationsconcepts to specific situations

Results of Creative ThinkingResults of Creative Thinking

Plethora of possibilities to pursue as students Plethora of possibilities to pursue as students begin researching their topicsbegin researching their topics

It guides them into areas of discussion they may It guides them into areas of discussion they may not have considered initially avoiding “tunnel not have considered initially avoiding “tunnel vision”vision”

Students shift into a critical thinking mindset to Students shift into a critical thinking mindset to sift through the materialsift through the material

Provides a sound basis to begin critical thinkingProvides a sound basis to begin critical thinking Gives students confidence that they have Gives students confidence that they have

something significant to say something significant to say Essential to expand students’ horizon of learningEssential to expand students’ horizon of learning

Works Cited

Adelstein, Michael and Jean Pival. The Writing Commitment. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 5th ed, 1993. Print. Anderson, Lorin W. and David R. Krathwohl, ed. A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001. Print. Bloom Benjamin S. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Longman, 1956; 1984. Print. Bullock, Richard, Maureen Daly Goggin, and Francine Weinberg. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print. Channell, Carolyn E. and Timothy W. Crusius. Engaging Questions: A Guide to Writing. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Kant, Immanuel. “What Is Enlightenment?” The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner et al. 3rd ed. Vol. D. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 3 vol. 105-109. Print. Paul Richard and Linda Elder. The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools. New York: Penguin Express, 2009. Print. Phillips, Harry and Patricia Bostian. The Purposeful Argument: A Practical Guide. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Works Cited

Pohl, Michael. Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: Models and Strategies to Develop A

Classroom Culture of Thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow, 2000. Print. Stolarek, Elizabeth A. and Larry R. Juchartz. Classical Techniques and Contemporary

Arguments. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007. Print.