Key Takeaways for review
- What is Bloom’s Taxonomy? Why is it important for college students to know about it?
- Define logic and critical thinking. What can you do to develop your critical thinking skills?
- What is creative thinking? What can you do to develop your creative thinking skills?
- In light of current level of readiness to use technology, what kinds of courses do you plan to take next semester? In future semesters? Do you have a plan to increase your level of readiness?
Is Ignorance Bliss?
In “The Story of the Good Brahmin,” French philosopher and writer Voltaire describes a very successful and learned man who is revered for his wealth and his knowledge. Although he has everything in life, the man is very unhappy because he realizes that the more he knows, the more he understands how much he doesn’t know. The more he learns, the more he realizes how much there is to know, so he can’t answer questions such as: Why are we here? How did the world form? Is there a god? What happens after death? His lack of answers to these and other questions tortures his mind.
Next door to the Good Brahmin lives an old, poor woman who has very few possessions, no money, and no education. Unlike the Brahmin, however, this illiterate woman is very happy with her life, doesn’t question her purpose, and has faith in what she’s been told about the afterlife. Although she is noticeably happy and content with her life, which is what the Brahmin says he wants, if given the chance, the wise man would not be willing to trade places with her or give up his knowledge for happiness.
What are your thoughts about these two characters? What are your thoughts about knowledge and thinking? Would you trade knowledge for happiness?
The domains of learning
Consider for a moment the domains of learning. Even without learning about them by taking a psychology or education class, you’re already using all the domains. Provide examples and instances when you have used each of the domains of learning listed below.
- Cognitive domain (what you should know)
- Affective domain (what you should care about)
- Psychomotor domain (what you should be able to do)
- Metacognitive domain (thinking about thinking)
Applying Critical Thinking questions
- What is happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions.
- Why is it important? Ask yourself why it’s significant and whether or not you agree.
- What don’t I see? Is there anything important missing?
- How do I know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was constructed.
- Who is saying it? What’s the position of the speaker and what is influencing them?
- What else? What if? What other ideas exist and are there other possibilities?
respond to quote
Read the following quote and explain what it means to you in your quest to become a more critical and creative thinker.
Critical thinking is a desire to seek, patience to doubt, fondness to meditate, slowness to assert, readiness to consider, carefulness to dispose and set in order; and hatred for every kind of imposture. —Francis Bacon, philosopher
Then and now
In November 2001, an exciting $700 million-dollar project began in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: The public school system would be modernized and upgraded. Part of the renovation would take place in the Emerson School, a 120-year-old building and one of the first public schools built in the city. Slated to be removed and replaced with Smart Boards were four old green chalkboards still hanging on several classroom walls.
When the contractors removed the green chalkboards, though, they made an amazing discovery: They found a set of untouched blackboards hanging behind the green chalkboards, which contained writings and drawing of students and teachers in 1917. On one board, for instance, were notes in a treble clef, apparently from a music class. On another blackboard were illustrations of Thanksgiving pilgrims. On still another was a multiplication wheel—a teaching device of yesteryear that the then-current school employees did not understand. And the Pledge of Allegiance was written on one of the boards in pristine cursive penmanship. The renovators also found old report cards, as well as a newspaper clipping advertising “Women’s shoes, $3.00!”
Teacher Sherry Read reflected on the meaning of this discovery: “I think they [the teachers in 1917] left them there on purpose to send a message to us, to say, ‘This is what was going on in our time.’”
Today, the formerly hidden chalkboards are protected with acrylic glass. Controls are also in place for light and temperature exposure. With this care, the chalkboards could last another one hundred years. To see photographs of the find, visit Oklahoma’s Hidden Chalkboards of Yesteryear.
Indeed, 1917 was another era of classroom teaching. Just imagine if the students and teachers from that day were to visit your college classrooms today. How much culture shock would they experience? Do you think they would be able to catch on to your level of technology skill and awareness?
Resources for Critical Thinking
Examine one of the critical thinking resources below and analyze its usefulness to college students today.
