Teachers

Critical Thinking skills

 Problem solving skills 

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVzcknOWpaE

 

Develop Critical Thinking Skills in Students

The issue of developing critical thinking skills in students was primarily derived from the work of Benjamin Bloom who identified six levels of cognitive functioning, with each subsequent level indicating higher cognitive ability (Bloom, 1956). Knowledge focuses on remembering and reciting information. Comprehension focuses on interpreting and comparison of previously learned information. Application focuses on applying acquired knowledge, techniques, and rules in such a way as to foster solutions to a problem. Analysis involves the use of critical thinking skills to break down information into parts and understanding how each part relates to the whole. An example would be categorization. Synthesis involves the use of critical thinking skills to form a new and original integration of the whole. This is evidenced by students finding alternative solutions to a given problem. Evaluation is focused on using critical thinking skills to present and defend conclusions by making judgments, testing the legitimacy of the conclusion, and supporting with fact-based evidence. Critical thinking is said to take place during the Analysis to Evaluation range of Bloom’s taxonomy.

To provide the greatest benefit to students, teachers should provide many opportunities for students to engage in the upper levels of Blooms taxonomy, in the range where critical thinking takes place. While most teachers agree that the development of critical thinking skills is an important part of the learning process (Albrecht & Sack, 2000), few have a clear conception of what exactly it is, or how it should be taught, or methods of its assessment.

What Students Should Know The first step is for the teacher to define the  learning objectives that describe the knowledge  that students will have gained when the lesson is complete. This also serves to keep instruction on track during those  occasions when the discussion veers off course. To foster critical thinking skills, these teaching objectives,  as well as activities and assessments,  should be aligned with Bloom’s taxonomy given  the grade level of the class. TEACHING TIP! A well written objective should  include a behavioral verb that is  appropriate for the appropriate level of the taxonomy. Bloom’s Knowledge level requires an answer that  demonstrates simple recall of facts.  Behavioral verbs can include: what, who, describe, or list. Comprehension requires an answer than demonstrates  an understanding of the material.  Behavioral verbs at this level can include  summarize, explain, compare. Application requires that the answer demonstrate  an ability of the student to use ideas,  concepts, and theories in new situation.  Behavioral verbs can include solve, discover, and show. Analysis requires students to detect a pattern and  place concepts, and theories into appropriate categories.  Behavioral verbs can include examine, categorize, classify, analyze Synthesis requires an answer that combines information  from several areas to create a new or original solution.  Behavioral verbs include create, construct, role play. Evaluation requires an answer that shows the student’s  ability to judge evidence based on logical argument.  Behavioral verbs include predict, evaluate, recommend, criticize. Thus, a well written lesson plan should include a  behavioral verb, introduce and practice the desired behavior, and conclude with the student providing evidence of mastering the desired outcome. The creation of strategic questions which enhance the objective  will foster the development of critical thinking skills.