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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills

GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills. Description of Thinking Skills. What Is Thinking?. Activity of the brain. Potential for communication 2 activities:- Gathering Information (Perception) Processing Information (Cognition) The action of using one's mind to produce thoughts

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GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills

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  1. GXEX1406Thinking and Communication Skills Description of Thinking Skills

  2. What Is Thinking? • Activity of the brain. • Potential for communication • 2 activities:- • Gathering Information (Perception) • Processing Information (Cognition) • The action of using one's mind to produce thoughts • Thinking involves mentally manipulating information,as when we form concepts, solve problems, reason, and make decisions

  3. What is CT? • "Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying,analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluatinginformation gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action" (Scriven, 1996). • Available HTTP: http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univlibrary/library.nclk

  4. Thinking critically does not mean simple criticism. • The essence centers NOT on answering questions but on questioning answers! • CT is not about being negative! • What does it mean to NOT thinking critically? We accept whatever we are told as truth w/o question. Learn to do something in a particular way because that is what we were told.

  5. Characteristics of CT • Critical thinking involves asking questions, defining a problem, examining evidence, analyzing assumptions and biases, avoiding emotional reasoning, avoiding oversimplification, considering other interpretations, and tolerating ambiguity. • Sources:- Wade, C. (1995). Using writing to develop and assess critical thinking. Teaching of Psychology, 22(1), 24-28.

  6. Questioning Fundamental to CT is Why? How do I know? Five levels of questioning : Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Source: http://131.170.84.32/rmit101/3d_09b.htm

  7. What are the reasons for ….? • How can … be used to ….? • What is an example of …? • Is …ethical or unethical? • If … occurs, then what happens? • What are the advantages or disadvantages of …? • What is the main argument or thesis of …?

  8. Who Should Use CT? • It is a life skill, everyone should use it. • What kind of person would be apt to use their CT skills? • Those with critical spirit! • Those with a probing inquisitiveness, a keeness of mind, a zealous dedication to reason, and a hunger for reliable information.

  9. In a very real sense CT is pervasive. There is hardly a time or a place where it would not seem to be of use. Have purposes in mind. Wonder what’s true and what’s not. What to believe and what to reject. Where and When? Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.  ~Edmund Burke

  10. Students today Actively engaged in surface learning. Passive receptors of information. Lack the ability to think independently. Does not demonstrate effective communication skills Students in the future Engaged in deep & meaningful learning. Thinkers. Educated person. Life long learners who can learn, unlearn and relearn throughout their lives Why is CT Important?

  11. How to Develop CT Skills? • Can critical thinking be taught? • If “teach Z CT” means “make Z think critically”  • If “help X acquire the ability to think critically” or “help X improve …” 

  12. Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991) • Focus on a question Identify or formulate a question Identify or formulate criteria for judging possible answers • Analyse arguments Identify conclusions Identify stated and unstated reasons Identify and handle irrelevance See the structure of an argument Summarise • Ask and answer questions of clarification Why What is the main point? What would be an example? How does this apply to this case? What difference does it make?

  13. Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991) • Judge the credibility of a source Expertise Agreement among sources Reputation Ability to give reasons Corroboration • Explain conclusions Causal claims Interpretation of author’s intended meanings Reported definitions Claims about the beliefs and attitudes of people

  14. Ideal Critical Thinker (Ennis, 1991) • Make and value judgments Typicality of data Breadth of coverage Acceptability of evidence Alternatives Balancing, weighing, deciding (Ennis, Robert H. 1991. Critical thinking : a streamlined conception. Teaching Philosophy, 41(1), pp. 5-25)

  15. Characteristics of People who Excel at Critical Thinking  What would someone be like who lacked those dispositions? Think about it!

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