Course: Critical Thinking and Reflective Practices (8611)

Assignment No.1

Q.1 Justify the statement that “critical thinking is important for teachers and learners in
the 21st century”. Support your arguments with logic.

Answer:
Today, critical thinking is considered as one of the most important skills for career success and
an essential component of life in the information age.
Academia, business and policy makers all concur on its importance. The USA-based Partnership
for 21st Century Skills (P21) organization and the American Management Association list it as a
key 21st century skill “expected to become even more important in the future.”
In the context of the UAE and the national agenda, it gains even more importance as ensuring
students are equipped with critical thinking skills is primordial to achieving a competitive
knowledge based economy.
Critical thinking has been identified as a key skill to foster innovation. Research shows that
critical thinking and creativity are correlated. Critical thinking training is becoming common
practice in the workplace to help develop employees’ innovation skills.
It is a required building block for a STEM education. Subjects in the STEM curriculum teach
students how to think critically and how to solve problems — skills that can be used throughout
life to help them get through tough times and take advantage of opportunities whenever they
appear.
On both accounts, critical thinking is key to the fulfillment of the UAE’s aspiration outlined in
the Vision 2021 that “science, technology and innovation become the real drivers for sustainable
socio-economic development” and tangible goals outlined in the recently launched Science,
Technology and Innovation (STI) policy. In fact, it permeates many of the strategic sectors and
focus areas outlined in the policy.
In this context, critical thinking becomes more than a skill; it’s a mindset, often requiring a
culture shift. For us educators, we recognize that is easier to create a culture rather than shift it.
Therefore, we believe that nurturing critical thinking from a young age at school is essential for
it to become a constructive, life-long habit.
One educational system that has adopted critical thinking as an essential part of its curriculum
and teaching method is progressive education.
It is a system that relies on active learning methods for children, starting from a very young age.
It provides a framework for the learning and teaching methods that can encourage critical and
independent thinking in children and facilitates the process of learning in students. Leading
educators agree that a curriculum aimed at building thinking skills would benefit not only the
individual learner but also the community, and society at large.
Against this new paradigm, the role of education, teachers and students inevitably must change.
Today the role of the teacher in a progressive environment is very much different to that in a
traditional classroom. Teachers need to move from primarily being the information keeper and
information dispenser to being an enabler of learning where knowledge is co-constructed with
the student.
Teachers will become facilitators, guides, mentors, sources and resources that support children in
acquiring independent thinking and ‘learning for life’, stemming from the unique blend of
traditional and experiential learning that progressive education offers.
At Clarion, the only school to date offering progressive education in the UAE, our teachers have
the benefit of experience with and education from the world’s leader in progressive education,
the NY-based Bank Street. In recognition of the increasing importance of progressive education,
Bank Street has been tasked by the US Department of Education to guide the development of the
curricula of schools around the United States to equip the students with the optimal education to
prepare them for STEM-based and other priority 21st century careers.
Empowered with the right education and values, children who grow up in the UAE have an
opportunity to become truly global citizens and role models to children all over the world.
As educators, it is our responsibility to ignite in them a natural curiosity for the world around
them, the confidence to develop their independence of thinking and harness their joy for
learning. It’s a gift they will carry with them throughout their entire lives and one that will serve
them well as they grow into the leaders, innovators, scientists and shapers of tomorrow.
Q.2 How can you apply any one of the theories of critically thinking in the secondary
classroom of Pakistan? Give a specific example.
Answer:
Critical Theory (or "social Critical Theory") is a school of thought that stresses the reflective
assessment and critique of society and culture by applying knowledge from the social sciences
and the humanities. As a term, Critical Theory has two meanings with different origins and
histories: the first originated in sociology and the second originated in literary criticism, whereby
it is used and applied as an umbrella term that can describe a theory founded upon critique; thus,
the theorist Max Horkheimer described a theory as critical insofar as it seeks "to liberate human
beings from the circumstances that enslave them".
In sociology and political philosophy, the term Critical Theory describes the neo-Marxist
philosophy of the Frankfurt School, which was developed in Germany in the 1930s. This use of
the term requires proper noun capitalization, whereas "a critical theory" or "a critical social
theory" may have similar elements of thought, but not stress its intellectual lineage specifically to
the Franfurt School. Frankfurt School theorists drew on the critical methods of Karl Marx and
Sigmund Freud. Critical Theory maintains that ideology is the principal obstacle to human
liberation. Critical Theory was established as a school of thought primarily by the Frankfurt
School theoreticians Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Walter Benjamin,
and Erich Fromm. Modern Critical Theory has additionally been influenced by György Lukács
and Antonio Gramsci, as well as the second generation Frankfurt School scholars, notably Jürgen
Habermas. In Habermas's work, Critical Theory transcended its theoretical roots in German
idealism, and progressed closer to American pragmatism. Concern for social "base and
superstructure" is one of the remaining Marxist philosophical concepts in much of contemporary
Critical Theory.
While critical theorists have been frequently defined as Marxist intellectuals, their tendency to
denounce some Marxist concepts and to combine Marxian analysis with other sociological and
philosophical traditions has resulted in accusations of revisionism by Classical, Orthodox, and
Analytical Marxists, and by Marxist-Leninist philosophers. Martin Jay has stated that the first
generation of Critical Theory is best understood as not promoting a specific philosophical agenda
or a specific ideology, but as "a gadfly of other systems".
CRITICAL THEORY AND EDUCATION
Though relatively few educators--including educational technologists--appear to concern
themselves directly with critical theory (McLaren, 1994a), a number of influential educators are
pursuing the theory in one or more of its current manifestations. Henry Giroux and Peter
McLaren are among the best known of today's critical theorists, and we find critical theorists
working across a spectrum of intellectual frames: postmodernism (Peters, 1995); critical
pedagogy (Kanpol, 1994); power (Apple, 1993; Cherryholmes, 1988); teaching (Beyer, 1986;
Gibson, 1986; Henricksen & Morgan, 1990; Simon, 1992; Weiler & Mitchell, 1992); curriculum
(Apple, 1990; Giroux, Penna & Pinar, 1981; Beyer & Apple, 1988; Pinar, 1988; Castenell &
Pinar, 1993); feminist pedagogies (Ellsworth, 1989a; Lather, 1991; Luke & Gore, 1992); teacher
education (Sprague, 1992); mass media/communications studies (Hardt, 1993); vocational-
technical studies (Davis, 1991); research summaries about critical theory (Ewert, 1991); and
research using methods of the critical sciences (Carr & Kemmis, 1986; Grumet, 1992).
At least two publications attend in depth to Habermasian critical theory in education. Ewert
(1991) has written a comprehensive analysis of the relationships of Habermasian critical theory
to education, and in A Critical Theory of Education, Young (1990) tries to present a rather
complete picture of Habermas's critical theory and its relations to education. Young says that
critical theorists believe that extreme rationalization has lent itself to the further development of
an alienated culture of manipulation. In the science of education, this led to a view of pedagogy
as manipulation, while curriculum was divided into value-free subjects and value-based subjects
where values were located decisionistically. The older view of pedagogy as a moral/ethical and
practical art was abandoned (p. 20).
Young (1990) further points out that Habermas and other critical theorists believe that:
We are on the threshold of a learning level characterised by the personal maturity of the
decentered ego and by open, reflexive communication which fosters democratic participation and
responsibility for all. We fall short of this because of the one-sided development of our rational
capacity for understanding (p. 23).
Another seminal thinker who is responsible for several notions of critical theory in education is
Paulo Freire. Freire's work, especially Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Freire, 1969), has been very
influential in critical-education circles:
Freire's project of democratic dialogue is attuned to the concrete operations of power (in and out
of the classroom) and grounded in the painful yet empowering process of conscientization. This
process embraces a critical demystifying moment in which structures of domination are laid bare
and political engagement is imperative. This unique fusion of social theory, moral outrage, and
political praxis constitutes a kind of pedagogical politics of conversation in which objects of
history constitute themselves as active subjects of history* ready to make a fundamental
difference in the quality of the lives they individually and collectively live. Freire's genius is to
explicate ... and exemplify ... the dynamics of this process of how ordinary people can and do
make history in how they think, feel, act, and love (West, 1993, p. xiii).
Q.3 Elaborate any three strategies of developing critical classroom interaction, which is the
best among these in your opinion.
Answer:
Teaching critical thinking skills is a necessity with our students because they’re crucial for living
life. As such, every teacher is looking for exciting ways to integrate it into classrooms. However,
what exactly are these skills, and what are some of the best strategies teachers can use for
teaching them?
Thinking critically is more than just thinking clearly or rationally; it’s about thinking
independently. It means formulating your own opinions and drawing your conclusions regardless
of outside influence. It’s about the discipline of analysis and seeing the connections between
ideas, and being wide open to other viewpoints and opinions.
You can use these techniques for teaching critical thinking skills in every lesson and subject. Get
creative and find different ways to incorporate them into your teaching practices.
1. BEGIN WITH A QUESTION
Starting with a question is the most straightforward foray into the subject. What do you want to
explore and discuss? It shouldn’t be a question you can answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ You want
to develop essential questions here, ones that inspire a quest for knowledge and problem-solving.
They’ll support the development of critical thinking skills beautifully.
When you pose your question to students, encourage brainstorming. Write down possible
answers on a chalkboard or oversized pad as a student reference. Having open discussions with
students is a big part of defining the problem in Solution Fluency.
2. CREATE A FOUNDATION
Students cannot think critically if they do not have the information they need. Begin any exercise
with a review of related data which ensures they can recall facts pertinent to the topic. These may
stem from things like:
  reading assignments and other homework
 previous lessons or exercises
 a video or text
3. CONSULT THE CLASSICS
Classical literary works are a perfect launch pad for exploring great thinking. Use them for
specific lessons on character motivation, plot predictions, and theme. Here are some links to
explore for resources:
 Skeptic North
 Shakespeare and Critical Thinking
 The Critical Thinking Community
4. CREATING A COUNTRY 
This could be a tremendous project-based learning scenario about learning what makes a
country. In the process, students learn history, geography, politics, and more. Here are some
resources to help you:
 The Geography Site
 Could You Start Your Own Country?
 How to Start Your Own Micro-nation
5. USE INFORMATION FLUENCY
Mastering the proper use of information is crucial to our students’ success in school and life. It’s
about learning how to dig through knowledge to find the most useful and appropriate facts for
solving a problem. Students must learn to amass the proper expertise to inform their thinking.
Teaching critical thinking skills can be supported by an understanding of Information Fluency.
6. UTILIZE PEER GROUPS
There is comfort in numbers, as the saying goes. Digital kids thrive in environments involving
teamwork and collaboration. Show kids their peers are an excellent source of information,
questions, and problem-solving techniques.
Q.4 Critically analyze the relationship between teachers’ classroom questioning
behaviors and a variety of students’ outcomes, including achievement, retention and level
of participation.
Answer:
Cooperative teaching and learning has been a popular area in educational circles for more
than a decade. This area gained its strength with the emergence of two major schools of thought
one is “Constructivism and the other is “Connectivism”. Researchers and practitioners have
found
that students working in small cooperative groups can develop the type of intellect ual exchange
that fosters critical and creative thinkin•p, and productive problem solving. Cooperative teaching
is a successful strateqv in which small teams, each Student.s have always congregated together to
perform  and learn. Rat there is a growing recognition that combined with whole group
instruction and individual learning, cooperative learning should be a customary part of the
classroom instruction. Student communication makes cooperative learning meaningful. To
accomplish their group’s task, students must exchange ideas, make plans, and propose solutions.
Thinking through an idea and presenting it collectively can be very helpful and understood by
others in a better way. Such interaction promotes intellectual growth.
The exchange of different ideas and viewpoints can enhance the growth and inspire broader
thinking. It is the teacher’s job to persuade such exchanges and organize the students’ work so
their communication is on-task and creative. In addition to academic growth, cooperative
learning helps in students’ social development. Students’ lives are full of interactions with
friends and family members and their futures will find them in jobs that require cooperation. The
skills that are essential for productive group work in the classroom are relevant for today and the
future. Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small groups, with
students of different ability levels, use a variety of learning activities to improve their
understanding. Each member of a team feels responsible for learning what is being taught and
also for helping group fellows thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Cooperative
classroom activities result in students striving for mutual uplift so that all group members:
1. · benefit from each other's efforts.
2. · recognize that all group members share a common goal.
3. · realize that one's performance is mutually caused by oneself and one's team members.
4. · jointly celebrate when a group member is recognized for achievement.
Relative to .students taught individually; cooperatively taught students to show higher academic
achievement , determination, better high-level reasoning lower anxiety and stress, greatest
motivation, grgater ability to view .
Articles on the subject of classroom questioning often begin by invoking Socrates. Researchers
and other writers concerned with questioning techniques seem to want to '‘ remind us that
questioning has a long and venerable history as an educational strategy.
And indeed, the Socratic method of questions and answers to challenge assumptions, expose
contradictions, and lead to new knowledge and wisdom is an undeniably powerful teaching
approach.
In addition to its long history and demonstrated effectiveness, questioning is also of interest to
researchers and practitioners because of its widespread use as a contemporary teaching
technique. Research indicates that questioning is second only to lecturing in popularity as a
teaching method and that classroom teachers spend anywhere from thirty- five to fifty percent of
their instructional time conducting questioning sessions.
A question is any sentence which has an interrogative form or function. In classroom settings,
teacher questions are defined as instructional cues or stimuli that convey to students the content
elements to be learned and directions for what they are to do and how they are to do it.
The present review focuses on the relationship between teachers' classroom questioning
behaviors and a variety of student outcomes, including achievement, retention, and level of
student participation.
This means that certain other subtopics within the general area of questioning are excluded from
the present analysis. It does not deal, for example, with the effects of textual questions or test
questions, and it is only incidentally concerned with methods used to impart study skills,
including questioning strategies, to students. Questioning plays a critical role in the way
instructors structure the class environment, organize the content of the course and has deep
implications in the way that students assimilate the information that is presented and discussed in
class. Given that questioning can be a tremendously effective way to teach, and recognizing that
teachers are willing to engage in the process of asking questions while instructing.
Numerous researches indicate that teachers largely have been asking the wrong questions.
The focus has been primarily on questions regarding the specific information students
In such an investigation
l. one asks questions to identify the reason or reasons for the investigation
2. questions are asked to direct been discovered the search for information and to synthesize
what has
3. The conclusions resulting from investigations are evaluated vs questions.
Q.5 Write a dairy of a shopping day? Write down a detailed reflection in a day using the
guideline of reflective writing?
Answer:
"Your words are the bricks and mortar of the dreams you want to realize. Your words are the
greatest power you have. The words you choose and their use establish the life you experience."
- Sonia Choquette.
Whether we are young or old, we all have a story to tell, something to express and to offer the
world. Writing activities, and in particular reflective writing, fosters our creativity which is
driven by our life experiences. A growing body of research finds that writing about our responses
to events, situations or new information can have a variety of health benefits.
Reviewing aspects of our lives (its setbacks and positive aspects) can help manage stress, anxiety
and depression, improve mood, self-esteem and positive thinking, help process broken
relationships, help ease symptoms associated with trauma, chronic pain and illness, and even
strengthen our immune system.
Writer Ann Turkle says that, in effect, journaling "becomes a record of generous attention paid to
the immediate moment." Setting aside time to write and reflect helps us make sense of the world
around us, validates our experiences, helps us regroup and find balance in our busy lives, and be
a vehicle for decision making, change and growth.
By writing, we have the opportunity to build a blueprint, a moral compass by which we live and
how we treat others.
If journal writing helps us become better communicators, how do we get started?
1. Begin with a gracious heart: writing for ourselves is not about being the best writer, having
the correct spelling and grammar, or even having the nicest handwriting. Letting go of what we
think we should write about requires courage and can lead to boundless creative possibilities. A
journal is a safe place for us to work things out, express our innermost feelings and engage with
our own thoughts.

2. Set the tone: Carve out a special time and place to write. We each have a time of day when
we are more productive. For some, writing in the mornings is more productive and helps face the
day while others prefer writing in the evening to help process the day's events. Whether in a quiet
area of the house, or in a bustling coffee shop, finding the right time and environment for
reflective writing can help us relax. Carrying a small journal in our bag or purse can help us
record and retrieve special moments in our day.

3. Decide what type of journal to begin: Gratitude journals focus on life's blessings, prayer
journals record life moments or people in need prayer, and personal development journals track
career goals. Fitness journals help maintain accountability and encouragement with healthier
living choices, travel journals record experiences encountering new places and people, and art
journals serve as a way to collect inspirational thoughts, images, sketches and clippings. Take
your pick!
4. Use a variety of reflective prompts: a) Ask questions with a limit: Write about two moments
you'll never forget, five words that best describe you and 10 things that make you smile.
Limiting ourselves to certain parameters helps us focus.b) Stream of consciousness writing:
Based on Julia Cameron's The Artists Way, write down whatever comes to mind for three
minutes. Putting un-edited thoughts to paper is an excellent meditative practice for our busy
lives. c) Write a letter to yourself: Record your goals, what you want your life to look like in a
year's time, and ways you can attempt to achieve it. Seal it and open it in six months to see how
you are doing. d) Pick a memento: Choose an object and write about when, where and from who
it was received. Discuss its importance and meaning. Objects have the power to open floodgates
to meaningful memories.
5. Seek out community resources: Look for local writers' groups either at the library or
community centre, local creative arts classes that have writing components, or even swap ideas
with friends and family.
Remind yourself there is not a right or wrong way to write reflectively; it's a "space for questions
that may not have answers, a place for thoughts that may otherwise not have a home and a safe
container for emotions so that they do not have to be loose in the world." (Kelly Brown).