Information is not knowledge.Most teachers recognize the need for promoting critical thinking, regardless of content. They understand that learning is truly accomplished when students can acquire, evaluate and apply knowledge. Possessing information without the ability to apply it is not enough. Such a deficiency can be traced to a method of teaching that overemphasizes memorization mem·o·rize tr.v. mem·o·rized, mem·o·riz·ing, mem·o·riz·es 1. To commit to memory; learn by heart. 2. Computer Science To store in memory: and rote learning rote learning n. Learning or memorization by repetition, often without an understanding of the reasoning or relationships involved in the material that is learned. . Rote rote 1 n. 1. A memorizing process using routine or repetition, often without full attention or comprehension: learn by rote. 2. Mechanical routine. implementation, which is often robotic, differs from application, which is a thought-process activity. Children are capable of higher thought 1. See New thought, below. processes, especially as they mature. Most current educators are starting to place more emphasis on critical thinking. A Boston College Boston College, main campus at Chestnut Hill, Mass.; coeducational; Jesuit; est. and opened 1863. Actually a university, the school's Chestnut Hill campus comprises colleges of arts and sciences and business administration, the graduate school, and schools of nursing study for the National Science Foundation concludes that standardized tests A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a standard manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the "questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent" [1] force teachers to teach lower-level thinking skills and rote memorization. The study also states that this approach distorts a curriculum by encouraging teachers to "teach for the test." Mathematics and science curriculum reformers say it is more important to know how to analyze and solve problems than to simply state procedure (USA Today USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. , October 19, 1992, p. 1). Until recently, instruction for critical thinking has received limited attention. This may be the result of several conditions, but two reasons are probably paramount. First, teacher preparation has not adequately emphasized research, analysis, evaluation and transfer of learning. Successful teachers invest more time to thoughtful planning and "self-reeducating" in order to apply qualitative, not just quantitative, learning. The second reason critical thinking has not been emphasized is the scarcity Scarcity The basic economic problem which arises from people having unlimited wants while there are and always will be limited resources. Because of scarcity, various economic decisions must be made to allocate resources efficiently. of methods for meaningful appraisal of curriculum programs for teaching essential skills. Supervisors must encourage teachers to strive toward these aims. While discussion and written reports are valuable for promoting thinking skills, school administrators should support teachers' use of more challenging activities, as well. Many factors should be considered when teaching critical thinking: teachers, pupils, objectives, content and goals. Teachers can promote thinking skills if they are cognizant of student abilities and proficient in promoting such skills as analysis, creative thinking and transfer of learning. The real test of a pupil's competence is not the mere possession of a skill, but rather performance in a real situation. If students are to be effective using a particular skill, content and materials should be related to their experience. The teacher must provide relevant, appropriate elements. And no one recipe or specific strategy should be used. What activities can the teacher use to promote critical thinking? The following are some of the many strategies: * Outlining * Graphing * Summarizing * Interpreting * Relating * Classifying * Researching * Evaluating * Identifying fact or opinion * Generalizing * Drawing parallels * Self-correcting * Applying criteria * Hypothesizing Measuring qualitative outcomes of instruction is challenging. It is much easier to assess quantitative skills that can be measured in objective questions. Preparing students for these types of tests should be avoided, however, because they de-emphasize higher-order skills. In conclusion, determining the solution is as important as finding the correct answer. Critical thinking skills are more important than rote implementation. Keep in mind the old proverb proverb, short statement of wisdom or advice that has passed into general use. More homely than aphorisms, proverbs generally refer to common experience and are often expressed in metaphor, alliteration, or rhyme, e.g. : "Give me a fish and I will be fed today. Teach me how to fish and I will be fed forever." The purpose of this column is to stimulate debate of timely issues affecting children, youth and families. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of Childhood Education or the Association for Childhood Education International. Readers are urged to respond by submitting manuscripts or letters to: Dr. Joan Moyer, CE Issues Editor, Curriculum, Arizona State University Arizona State University, at Tempe; coeducational; opened 1886 as a normal school, became 1925 Tempe State Teachers College, renamed 1945 Arizona State College at Tempe. Its present name was adopted in 1958. , Tempe AZ 85287-1711. Permission to reproduce this column intact is not required. Copyright [C]1995 Association for Childhood Education International. Norton Tener is Professor of Secondary Education, Rowan rowan ash tree which guards against fairies and witches. [Br. Folklore: Briggs, 344] See : Protection College of New Jersey, Glassboro. |
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