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Developing Critical Thinkers: Strategies for Effective Evidence-Based Decision Making

This resource provides insights into developing critical thinking skills essential for informed decision-making. It covers identifying and checking assumptions, judging evidence validity, and viewing perspectives critically. Learn how to apply analytic philosophy, natural science principles, and critical theory to enhance critical thinking in your classroom or professional environment. The text includes methods such as critical incident questionnaires, assumption inventories, and real-world applications to help students engage deeply with the learning process and develop informed, justified actions.

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Developing Critical Thinkers: Strategies for Effective Evidence-Based Decision Making

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  1. DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKERS Stephen Brookfield University of St. Thomas Minneapolis-St. Paul www.stephenbrookfield.com

  2. Someone Who Thinks Critically Can … • Identify Assumptions • Check Assumptions • Judge Validity of Evidence • ViewAssumptions & Evidence from Multiple Perspectives • Take Informed Action

  3. AN INFORMED ACTION IS … • One Based on Evidence • One Where Evidence Can be Cited • One That Can be Explained & Justified Clearly • One That Has Its Assumptions Known & Checked • One That Stands a Chance of Achieving Its Intended Consequence

  4. TRADITIONS • ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY – logical fallacies, argument analysis – inductive, deductive, analogical, inferential • NATURAL SCIENCE – hypothetical-deductive method, principle of falsifiability • CRITICAL THEORY – uncovering power dynamics & ideological manipulation • PRAGMATISM – experimental pursuit of beautiful consequences (democracy)

  5. KINDS OF ASSUMPTIONS • CAUSAL - purport to explain a sequence of events • PRESCRIPTIVE - assumptions about how things should happen • PARADIGMATIC - framing, structuring assumptions viewed as obvious

  6. How Is CRITICAL THINKING Learned?What Students Say … • By Instructors MODELING, MODELING & MODELING via:- • Critical Incident Questionnaire • Assumption Hunting • Assumption Inventories • Constantly Citing Evidence • Publicly Assessing Evidence • Ending Practicum, Lectures & Seminars with Questions, not Conclusions

  7. Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) • MOMENT MOST ENGAGED AS LEARNER • MOMENT MOST DISTANCED • ACTION MOST HELPFUL • ACTION MOST CONFUSING • WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST

  8. HOW ADMINISTERED? • Last 5 minutes of Class • Anonymous • Frequency Analysis of Main Themes • Reported Out at Start of Next Class • Negotiation NOT Capitulation

  9. How Is It Learned?Assumptions Inventories • What’s the decision we’ve just made? • What’s the chief piece of evidence the decision is based on? • What assumptions is the decision based on? • What do we hope to achieve by taking this decision? • What is questionable about the decision?

  10. How Is It Learned?What Students’ say • Consistently providing Real World Illustrations / Examples / Case studies • Instructor Point - Counterpoint / Structured Devil’s Advocacy / Speaking in Tongues

  11. How Is It Learned?What Students’ Say • Scaffolded Via Extensive Instructor Examples / Repeated Practice • Incremental - Begin With Basic Mental Protocol /Inquiry Applied to Topics Well Away From Students’ Experiences then Gradually Move Closer to Home (c.f. Vigorous Exercise)

  12. Incorporating Critical Thinking Into Assignments – Assignments Should .. • Request Source of Evidence • Ask Students to Judge Validity of Different Sources Used - online, textbooks, students’ notes, course packet etc. • Contain Frequent Tests of Application - How Does the Knowledge / Skill Apply in Practice or Explain New Problems?

  13. Incorporating Critical Thinking Into Assignments – Assignments Should .. • Ask for Frequent Examples of Application - Student Generated or Via Multiple Choice • Ask Students to Identify Assumptions - Causal, Prescriptive, Paradigmatic • Require a Critical Thinking Audit

  14. Critical Thinking Audit • What Assumptions Have Been Confirmed • What Assumptions have Been Challenged? • What New Assumptions Have Been Discovered?

  15. Critical Thinking Audit • What Evidence Was Most Accessible • What Evidence Was Most Accurate • Which Evidence is Most Open to Question?

  16. Critical Thinking Audit • Where is Further Inquiry Needed? • How Did the Learning Fitthe Real World? • Which Assumptions Could Not be Checked Adequately?

  17. How Is It Assessed? • Pre-test / Post test (Simulations, Scenarios) • Critical Thinking Audits • Standardized Tests (Ennis-Weir, New Jersey, California, CAAP, Watson-Glaser) • Learning Journals • Multiple Choice Questions in Each Unit Specifically on Assumptions / Evidence

  18. Follow Up … • www.stephenbrookfield.com • DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKERS (1991) • TEACHING FOR CRITICAL THINKING (2012) • Both published Jossey-Bass • sdbrookfield@stthomas.edu

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