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Ouch My Brain Hurts!
CHAPTER 25
Cogito ergo sum. What about you?
Critical Thinking Skills
PRODUCT PREVIEW
About 400 years ago, the great French philosopher René Descartes declared “ Cogito ergo sum .” (I think, therefor I am.) For hundreds of years historians and philosophers have debated the meaning of this famous statement. What does it mean to you? Have you ever heard of critical thinking ? By the end of this chapter, you will declare: “I think critically , therefore I am an awesome student!” In 1956, some cognitive psychologists got together in a group headed by Dr. Benjamin Bloom to consider how to classify education objectives. They didn’t examine what students should know. They considered how they should know. The result of their studies is a famous classification of learning objectives called Bloom’s Taxonomy which guides the development of higher order thinking skills in students: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation . The ultimate goal is for students to become critical thinkers. Critical thinking doesn’t mean criticizing someone or something. It is a process of thinking that leads the thinker to the right conclusion or solution. Learning to be a critical thinker is an important skill for high school, college, and career.
Learning Goals By the end of this chapter you will be able to: 1. List higher order thinking skills. 2. Explain the process of critical thinking. 3. Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
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