10/30/2008
Critical Thinking and
General Education:
The View From a Perfect World
The problem with perfect worlds…
David L. Ozsvath
Division of Critical Thinking
University of Liberal Education – Stevens Point
My “perfect world” DOES include color,
people I love, and
favorite places…
My “perfect world” DOES include color,
people I love, and
favorite places…
My “perfect world” DOES include color,
people I love, and
favorite places…
…still, nobody likes an elitist
Davebert
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10/30/2008
Critical Thinking and Analysis
• Demonstrate a proper understanding and
evaluation of truth claims.
• Demonstrate a proper analysis and
evaluation of the evidence and arguments
supporting truth claims.
• Create and adequately defend truth claims.
Point 1
Critical thinking is a "value" because it
involves a commitment to learning the
truth, even if that truth contradicts
one's preconceived ideas or biases.
Therefore, critical thinkers are (or at
least should be) completely objective,
which means following the evidence
wherever it might lead.
The “Free T‐Shirt” Syndrome
Intelligence ≠ Critical Thinking
Or…
The “Knowing
Knowing the Answer
Before Collecting the Data”
Disorder
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10/30/2008
300
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100
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0
0
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Clinton
Federal Budget Deficit
View One
Bush
Bush
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1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
300
200
1997
2001
2005
2009
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
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Clinton
Federal Budget Deficit
Closer to Home
View Two
100
-500
1969
0
“If spent
p
more moneyy on education,,
we wouldn’t have to spend so much
on building new prisons.”
-100
-200
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Bush
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Bush
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1969
1973
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1981
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2009
Correlated Effects
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10/30/2008
Point 2
Point 2
Critical thinkingg transcends
academic disciplines
Critical thinkingg transcends
academic disciplines
(with the exception, of course,
of Chemistry and Philosophy)
My Favorite Neil Lutsky1 Quote:
Selected GEOLOGY 100 Topics
• The Scientific Method: Hypotheses, Theories
“The longer I have been teaching
psychology, the less important I
h
have
come tto b
believe
li
th
the
teaching of psychology is!”
• Circumstantial, Direct and Anecdotal Evidence
• Auxiliary Assumptions and Psuedoscience
• Establishing Cause and Effect Relationships
1Quantitative
Literacy presenter, 11th Annual UWSP
Teaching Conference, January 17, 2007
• Spatial and Temporal Correlations
• Effects of Multiple Factors and Thresholds
25
Existing Natural Science GDR
• Provide students with opportunities to draw
conclusions infer relationships
conclusions,
relationships, solve problems
problems,
make predictions, and learn the principles of
taxonomy.
• Give students an appreciation for how natural
science is relevant to life and society.
Squiirrels Per Acre
• Expose students to the scientific method.
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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10/30/2008
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Why are squirrels related to oak trees?
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Don’t even THINK about citing
this graph or inferring anything
from the data!!!
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Squiirrels Per Acre
Squiirrels Per Acre
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WARNING: these data are fictitious!!!
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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80
100
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100
80
100
Why are “Oak Trees Per Acre”
plotted on the X Axis?
20
Squiirrels Per Acre
Squiirrels Per Acre
60
25
Why are squirrels and oak
trees expressed “per acre”?
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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What’s up with this point?
A linear trend?
20
Squiirrels Per Acre
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Squiirrels Per Acre
40
Oak Trees Per Acre
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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Oak Trees Per Acre
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10/30/2008
25
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A threshold?
A non‐linear trend?
20
Squiirrels Per Acre
Squiirrels Per Acre
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Oak Trees Per Acre
What’s going to be on the exam?
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Oak Trees Per Acre
Point 3
What is an oak tree?
Let’s not reinvent the circle…
Describe a squirrel
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10/30/2008
Some Non‐Circular Ideas
Am I an Alice or a Dan?
• Hire a Director of General Education
• Establish
E bli h a Division
Di i i off Critical
C i i l Thinking
Thi ki
Alice
• Decouple Critical Thinking from SCH!!!
(eliminate the “Free T‐Shirt” factor)
Probably a little of both…
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