Universidad Pedaggica Experimental Libertador Instituto Pedaggico de Caracas Departamento de Idiomas Modernos Subprograma de Maestra en la enseanza de la Literatura en Ingls

Annotated Bibliography on Critical Thinking

Prof. Alexis Maizo

Caracas, Julio de 2012

Indicative
Lloyd, M. & Bahr, N. (2010) Thinking critically about critical thinking in higher education. International Journal For the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Vol. 4 No. 2. Georgia Southern University

In this small-scale study, Margaret Lloyd and Nan Bahr examine the concept and definition of critical thinking as it is viewed from the perspective of the teachers and the perspective of the students in a Faculty of Education at an Australian university. Such visions would then be compared to find if there is some kind of match between the responses. This small-scale research shows that even though there may be differences between teachers and students stance, the percentage of agreement between both sides was higher than expected. Still, the main point of mismatch regarding critical thinking was that teachers seemed more concerned about the process whereas the students were more concerned about the product or even short-term activities in which they could show they had the ability to carry out specific tasks. It is definitely important, as shown in the discussion, to be concerned about how each group in the university pictures critical thinking as a paramount and essential component in higher level education. Those perceptions are precisely the starting point when it comes to the design and development of any course whose nature is that related to critical thinking and, in particular, the teaching or fostering of critical thinking skills as isolated entities or as part of a whole course in which thinking critically is immersed.

Informative
---. (2006, Spring) Critical thinking as a core academic skill: a review of the literature. Office of Outcomes Assessment. University of Maryland University College. Members of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) provide a concise review of the literature in which the role of critical thinking is described regarding postsecondary education (meaning: high level education) and the importance it has on the performance students show when they enter a particular university. The whole review constantly supports the importance of critical thinking skills as a prerequisite to become part of a particular college community. After graduating, the learners are expected to be able to analyze critically the content, the source and the quality of the information they provide in an effective way. As support for the theory related to critical thinking (picturing it as a complex process which is not easy to measure), the members of the UMUC present theory related to cognitive psychology as a framework to understand how

critical thinking develops in students. Among the many advantages of critical thinking skills, from a psychological perspective, they mentioned the fact that the students are able to assimilate subject-specific course content. The developing of such skills will also generate independent learners who will eventually become more productive citizens. Academically speaking, critical thinking is a key element to developing higher level cognitive processes so that multiple educational outcomes are accomplished. As a closing comment, the authors point out the importance of operationalizing critical thinking in terms of what it means within the institutional learning environment.

Paragraph
Lai, E. (2011) Critical thinking: a literature review. Research report. Pearson. By presenting a set of different approaches (e.g. philosophical, psychological, and educational) along with a definition of what critical thinking is, Emily Lai writes about the importance cognitive
skills and dispositions have when it comes to the development of critical thinking. Background knowledge is believed to be a necessary, though not sufficient, condition for enabling critical thought within a given subject. Still, it is a fact that aspects such as metacognition, creativity and motivation are also important because they represent other types of outcomes that can feed critical thinking, particularly in the classroom. For instance, creativity requires the ability to critically evaluate intellectual products, and critical thinking requires the open-mindedness and flexibility (the dispositions) that are characteristic of creative thinking. Even though it is a debated topic, many experts still argue that critical thinking skills are teachable, and that is why the cognitive dimension has a double importance (from the teaching perspective, and from the students thinking process perspective). Teachers should model critical thinking in their instruction and provide concrete examples for illustrating abstract concepts that students will find easy to grasp. As for the relevance of the study, it is a fact such review provides meaningful insight regarding critical thinking, not only as a mere concept to understand, but also as a tool that can be used in education to foster motivation and creativity. In the area of Literature, in which the students are constantly confronted with problems that should be analyzed (though not necessarily solved), the study of critical thinking is relevant for it allows the teacher to focus his attention on both the thinking process as well as in the product of the analysis. Not to mention the relevance it has when it comes to creating a sense of autonomy in the learners who are usually used to depending on the teachers to carry

out particular tasks. This report could be of great help to complement and support other research projects in which both critical thinking and education are studied in combination.

Evaluative
Worsnop, C. (2010) Media literacy through critical thinking. University of Washington: Washington D.C. This document provided by the NW Center for Excellence in Media Literacy, based in the College of Education at the University of Washington presents the concept of critical thinking applied to the analysis of the media. The author states that the analysis of mass communication requires a set of skills essential for survival in today's society. If we do not learn to control the mass communication that dominates our world, we should expect that it will control us even more than it has controlled us so far. Two of the main reasons why this document is important and relevant when it comes to the study of critical thinking for the purpose of applying it in a Literature classroom are, according to the author, because: (a) the media are our major sources of stories and entertainment; and (b) the media require us to learn and use critical thinking skills. One of the main premises is that media construct versions of reality. So, the better we understand and analyze the production of the media, the better we will be at analyzing reality itself. Besides, there is a connection between the media and the application of critical thinking in the classroom and across the curriculum. Instead of focusing on the fast-shifting content and knowledge of media, we could use media as a way of engaging students in working on outcomes that are vital to the whole curriculum. Media education is not about teaching learners how to listen to music or how to watch TV, but about using the media to help students make sense of the world around them, and to help them be better learners themselves. We can easily apply the information presented in this document to make a better use of the materials we take or that we might take to the classroom to teach an English class or a Literature class, but more importantly, to foster the development of critical thinking through the awareness of the world that surrounds the students. The theory presented may also be applied to the development of reading strategies to broaden the understanding of a particular text while connecting its content with our day-to-day habits, routines and sociocultural, political and even religious contexts.

Combination

Facione, P. A. (2011) Critical thinking: what it is and why it counts. Inside Assessment. Online essay [available on: www.insightassessment.com] Peter Facione presents in this on-line essay that has been published and edited since 1992, a definition of critical thinking along with more than several reasons why critical thinking skills are of great value to human beings whether in academic or in non-academic contexts. Throughout the whole essay, several definitions and perspectives of critical thinking are shown along with specific examples that help to illustrate the point the author is trying to make. From everything that was said, it is a fact that the conclusion is: critical thinking is good thinking, almost the opposite of illogical, irrational, thinking; in accordance to what many experts say about this topic, critical thinkers are presented as those who are able to use reasons to try to convince other people, offer evidence to support a specific statement, and interpret what others say in order to analyze it and evaluate it so as to reach a set of conclusions. Critical thinking is, therefore, thinking that has a purpose like solving a problem, for example. The concept of metacognition is presented as selfregulation through which we can examine, check, reconsider and revise statements to change a conclusion. Such concept is a key element within what can be considered a critical mind. This essay is of paramount importance for those who want to support, theoretically speaking, the concept and definition of what critical thinking is in any research paper or investigation. The author also offered specific criteria which can make the process of identification and evaluation of such competence much easier for any researcher who wishes to test the presence or absence of critical thinking skills.