Enhancing Critical Thinking in Geography Education

1. The leading subject association for all teachers of geography

2. Critical thinking about critical thinking Jon Cannell and John Hopkin • Workshop description • Based on two practical activities, this workshop will explore what critical thinking means in the context of geography, apply it to some examples and consider how to apply it in the classroom • We will reference further support on the GA website and through the British Council Connecting Classrooms programme

3. Focus on critical questions • Review the questions bank ‘Questions for Critical Thinking’ • Which did we use in the activity? Which didn’t we use? • Discuss how you could use/amend the questions bank (see reverse side); • Discuss • which questions are more, or less, ‘critical’, or • is there progression within the questions?

4. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking • is widely regarded as a ‘good thing’, for pupils’ current learning and future lives (e.g. as citizens and workers) • is useful for learning about material which is complex (e.g. has many meanings and explanations) controversial (involves different views and values) and easy to misrepresent (e.g. stereotyping places and people). But it is not always well defined: • what does ‘critical’ mean? is there a difference between ‘critical thinking’ and broader thinking skills? • what approaches / pedagogies might help pupils’ think critically? • can critical thinking can be taught alone?

5. Three ways of thinking about critical thinking… • Choosing/deciding the value of information and sources • Evaluating data and evidence • The significance of ideas • Problem solving. • Evaluating arguments and reasoning • Fact and opinion • Identifying and exploring points of view • Identifying bias. • Being inquisitive • Asking good questions • Organising questions • Metacognition

6. Critical thinking in geography enquiry • Gathering, interpreting and presenting. • Reflecting, drawing conclusions, evaluating. • Asking good enquiry questions, planning. • Improved historical and geographical understanding

7. Critical thinking in your school/classroom? For example... For example... For example...

8. Asking the right questions ?

9. With thanks to Jess Glenn-Batchelor from Lincoln Minster School for the original idea

10. With thanks to Jess Glenn-Batchelor from Lincoln Minster School for the original idea

11. With thanks to Jess Glenn-Batchelor from Lincoln Minster School for the original idea

13. Y7 critical thinking about climate change: Sarah Holmes, Falinge Park High School, Rochdale • One outcome was deeper understanding of climate change, using the critical thinking questions in lessons and in the formative assessment … the quality of writing produced by the students was at a much higher level and deeper understanding and investigation was shown. • My observations showed greater engagement in questioning the evidence, e.g. students asking ‘where was the information from?’, ‘could it biased?’, ‘should we believe this information to be accurate and correct?’ … • More interest was shown from more students. When they found that they were able to debate this controversial issue in a safe environment in class and were expected to question the evidence … they became more engaged and wanted to investigate it further in their own time.

14. Asking questions about images: Wellington Primary School. • We wanted to ensure that children were given opportunities to ask higher order questions during lessons and throughout their school day. Question stations were set up through the school’s corridors, allowing infants and juniors to see them. Interesting images from around the world were posted on the stations and children had to ‘spin the wheel’ to compose their own questions about the image. • The question stations had to be changed daily as it became ever more popular; teachers also posed their questions as models for the children.

15. Thinking critically about critical thinking • A key aspect of critical thinking in my view is … • Critical thinking means to me… • When critical thinking is effective it… • Critical thinking is not… • With regard to critical thinking, in my school … • Critical thinking is a particularly useful attribute in global learning because… • When critical thinking is handled poorly …

16. Support • British Council Connecting Classrooms programme: free ‘core skills’ CPD on critical thinking and problem solving, linked to international practice. • Participating schools’ projects on GA site. • Critical thinking is integral to the Global Learning Programme in England and Wales and linked to many geography resources • Developing GA critical thinking site here http://www.geography.org.uk/projects/critical-thinking-in-geography linked to: Critical thinking is: self-directed thinking that produces new and innovative ideas and solves problems. Reflecting critically on learning experiences and processes and making effective decisions (British Council)

17. Key sources Teaching Geography Summer 2015