Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-196). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 276-292). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 276-292). Also available on the Internet.

In this study a phenomenographic theoretical perspective is taken as departure for research on manifested critical thinking in civics among Swedish ninth-grade compulsory school students. According to the phenomenographic perspective students’ manifestations of critical thinking are linked to the way of experiencing the phenomena inducing a manifestation of critical thinking. Thus differences between students’ manifestations of critical thinking are linked to differences in the way of experiencing the phenomena inducing a manifestation of critical thinking. The empirical investigation in this study revolves around how 19 ninth-grade students experience four different tasks designed to induce manifestations of critical thinking. In broad terms the main aim of the study is to describe the students’ different ways of experiencing each specific task and furthermore, to link each specific way of experiencing a specific task to a specific type of manifested critical thinking in relation to that task. A more overarching aim is to offer and test the phenomenographic theoretical perspective as a way of conducting research on manifested critical thinking. The empirical results show how the way of experiencing a specific task plays a decisive roll for the type of manifested critical thinking, made possible in relation to the specific task. A more complex way of experiencing the task can be linked to a more complex manifestation of critical thinking in relation to the task. A less complex way of experiencing the task can be linked to a less complex manifestation of critical thinking in relation to the task. The study also suggests how these empirical results can be used in a pedagogical situation in order to enhance students manifested critical thinking in civics. Concerning the more overarching aim the study strongly points to a further use of the phenomenographic perspective when conducting research on students manifested critical thinking.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis handel oor die volgende: Hoofstuk 1 dek die agtergrond, probleemstelling en ‘n kort oorsig oor die vaardigheidsgapings wat opgemerk kan word binne die konteks van die kennis-ekonomie. Hoofstuk 2 handel oor kernkonsepte, naamlik “kritiese denkvaardighede”, die kenniskonomie en wersvaardighede. Hoofstuk 3 sit ‘n gevallestudie uiteen. Dit beskryf die metode wat gekies is, die monster asook die uitvoering van die projek. Hoofstuk 4 bied ‘n ontleding aan van die data. Die laaste hoofstuk bespreek die resultate en hulle implikasies. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis covers the following chapters Chapter 1: Background and Research Objectives This chapter focuses on the background, the problem and its setting and also includes the overview of the knowledge economy and the existing gap in skills. Chapter 2: Critical thinking and Employability Skills The focus is on an introduction and definitions of key concepts, namely critical thinking skills, the knowledge economy, and employability skills. Chapter 3: The Case Study This chapter offers the chosen research method and design, as well as the reasons for selecting this design, and will describe the methods. The discussion will include the research approach, sampling and data management. Chapter 4: Presentation and Discussion of the Findings The discussion includes data interpretation, specific techniques employed and reasons for such strategies. Chapter 5: Aspects of the Skills Gap This is the final chapter and it discusses the findings, makes recommendations, and concludes the study.

This thesis deals with the application of methods of Critical Thinking in the teaching of Czech language, literature and art education in secondary schools. The work is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. The theoretical part focuses on the definition of teaching methods in general, discusses the principles of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking, classification and description of its each method and also a question best alternative arts curriculum or components of the Czech language for the application of methods of Critical Thinking. The practical part includes ideas for lessons of Czech language, literature and art, created according to the principles of Critical Thinking and using its methods.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur läroböcker för historieämnet riktade mot mellanstadiet framställer källor och det källkritiska arbetssättet. Vidare är syftet att undersöka om framställningarna följer formuleringarna om källkritik och kritiskt tänkande i historieämnets kursplan. Metoden som används är en kvalitativ innehållsanalys som utgår från en funktionell ansats. Resultatet visar att olika läroböckers framställning av källor och det källkritiska arbetssättet varierar. Framställningen sker främst genom att presentera källor som belägg, samt genom att presentera professionen i historieforskningen. Därtill visar resultatet att framställningen mer sällan sker genom att problematisera källor och det källkritiska arbetssättet, eller genom att belysa hur tolkning av källor kan göras genom olika perspektiv. Läroböckerna erbjuder sällan möjligheter för läsaren att förkovra sig i källmaterial för att på så vis bygga eller ifrågasätta teorier, eller möjligheter att utmana sina egna föreställningar om historia. Slutsatsen är att framställningen av källor och det källkritiska arbetet i läroböcker inte fullt ut följer kursplanens formuleringar. Studien visar stor utvecklingspotential i de böcker som undersökts.

The amount of information and variety of situations tackled on a daily basis call for new cognitive functions, namely combining knowledge, experience and intellectual abilities. Critical thinking is valued as a higher-order type of reasoning and a skill transversal to the educational organisms. We introduce some definitions suggested in the literature, and describe the cognitive functions responsible for critical thinking used in learning and problem solving situations. We then present the most used assessment procedures, illustrating with instruments as well as programs and curricular planning implemented in the classroom to teach and develop critical thinking. Finally, we highlight the importance of further investigation, in order to reach a convergence of theoretical and practical elements needed to define critical thinking. / El volumen de información y la multiplicidad de situaciones a enfrentar diariamente exigen nuevas funciones cognitivas, particularmente combinando conocimiento, experiencia y habilidades intelectuales. El pensamiento crítico es valorado como una forma superior de razonamiento y una competencia transversal a los sistemas educativos. Se presentan algunas definiciones presentes en la literatura, describiendo las funciones cognitivas responsables por el pensamiento crítico en las situaciones de aprendizaje y de resolución de problemas. Se exponen los procedimientos más empleados en su evaluación, ilustrando con algunas pruebas y con algunos programas y planificación curricular implementados para la enseñanza y el desenvolvimiento en la clase. Finalmente, se señala la importancia de continuar haciendo estudios que busquen la convergencia de elementos teóricos y prácticos asociados a la definición de pensamiento crítico.

In 2016, “post-truth” was chosen as the word of the year by the Oxford Dictionaries. This is a concept that has come to be associated with a type of political discourse in which objective facts are less important than factual inaccuracies which appeal to emotion to influence people’s attitudes. Due to this recent increase in post-truth politics, critical thinking becomes an important skill to master. Yet, studies have suggested that students often lack the necessary skills for critical thinking. One way of approaching this problem is through the reading of literature. This essay specifically argues that George Orwell’s 1984 provides teachers with an excellent opportunity to develop critical thinking skills among upper secondary English as a foreign language (EFL) students, with the novel as an excellent platform to also promote student reflection on current post-truth politics. In order to work with 1984 to foster critical thinking, this essay utilizes a literature-based, pedagogical model developed by Bobkina and Stefanova that draws inspiration from elements of reader-response theory and critical literacy pedagogy (CLP). To show how 1984 can be used to discuss current post-truth politics, a thematic analysis was performed where central themes and concepts from the novel, such as doublethink, Newspeak and telescreens, were compared to current trends in post-truth politics. The analysis itself was structured around the following themes: the distortion of truth for political gains, the use of language as an instrument of political power and the use of technology to spread misinformation. Following the analysis, a lesson project based on Bobkina and Stefanova’s four-stage model was constructed, focusing on different pre-, while- and post-reading activities aimed at making the students develop their critical thinking skills as well as their awareness of the three themes mentioned above. While this approach is deemed suitable for working with 1984 to discuss post-truth politics, a suggestion for further research would be to use Bobkina and Stefanova’s model together with more contemporary dystopian novels in order to discuss other topics that are more relatable to young adults, e.g. identity issues and social stratification.

Na sociedade contemporânea é cada vez mais importante e necessário que as pessoas tenham habilidades e desenvolvam competências para manusear os computadores e a Internet, que sejam capazes de pesquisar, questionar, que saibam realizar suas tarefas com criatividade e competência, que tenham iniciativa e sejam capazes de solucionar problemas. Essas capacidades são entendidas como habilidades de pensamento crítico que é também preconizado na Lei de Diretrizes e Bases (LDB, 1996) nº 9394/96, que aponta como uma das finalidades para o Ensino Médio, o desenvolvimento da autonomia intelectual e do pensamento crítico dos educandos. Os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCNs), para atender a essa finalidade, sugerem que no Ensino de Física sejam abordadas questões próximas do mundo vivido pelos alunos. Entretanto, em muitos casos, o ensino de Física ainda se caracteriza pela transmissão de informações por meio de aulas expositivas-dialogadas, embasadas e suportadas pelo uso de livros didáticos; pelo excesso de atenção dada a exercícios repetitivos, cuja abordagem privilegia o uso de algoritmos matemáticos em detrimento da compreensão dos conceitos relacionados aos fenômenos físicos envolvidos. O uso do computador, no ensino, tem sido apontado como uma das possibilidades para a promoção do pensamento crítico e da aprendizagem significativa e uma das estratégias de seu uso consiste em trabalhar com materiais educacionais digitais construídos como Objetos de Aprendizagem (OA). Este trabalho investigou a contribuição do uso de Objetos de Aprendizagem no desenvolvimento do Pensamento Crítico (PC) e da Aprendizagem Significativa (AS). A pesquisa realizada incluiu o projeto e desenvolvimento de um conjunto de unidades de aprendizagem na área de Termodinâmica, usando OAs e foram elaboradas de acordo com a metodologia dos Três Momentos Pedagógicos (TMP), organizadas de acordo com a teoria ou ciclo de Kolb, desenvolvidas e testadas em turmas de 2ª série do Ensino Médio na disciplina de Física. A avaliação do desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico foi realizada usando indicadores de pensamento crítico nas manifestações dos estudantes. Verificou-se que os OAs interativos e contextualizados, inseridos no modelo metodológico dos TMP e organizados de acordo com o ciclo de Kolb, trabalhados numa perspectiva investigativa, permitiram desenvolver uma aprendizagem ativa, reflexiva e participativa, não apenas para resolver problemas escolares, mas também problemas cotidianos. Esse trabalho evidenciou a contribuição de OAs na formação de uma postura autônoma e crítica de contínua busca de conhecimentos, co-responsabilizando os estudantes pelos rumos, profundidade e significado de seu aprendizado, levando-os ao desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico e da aprendizagem significativa. / In contemporary society is increasingly important and necessary that people have skills and develop them to handle computers and the Internet, they are able to search, to question, that they can do their jobs with creativity and competence, they have initiative and be able to solve problems. These capabilities are seen as critical thinking skills that is also recommended by the LDB No. 9394/96, which points to as one of the purposes for secondary education, the development of intellectual autonomy and critical thinking of learners. NCPs, to find out this goal, suggest that in the teaching of Physics questions are addressed situations of the real world lived by the students. However, in many cases, the teaching of Physics is still characterized by the transmission of information through lectures, dialogue-based, informed and supported by the use of textbooks; by excessive attention given the repetitive exercises, whose approach emphasizes the use of algorithms at the expense of mathematical understanding of concepts related to physical phenomena involved. The use of computers in teaching, has been pointed as one of the possibilities for promoting critical thinking and meaningful learning strategies and their use is to work with educational materials developed as digital learning objects (LO). This study has investigated the contribution of use of Learning Objects in the development of Critical Thinking (PC) and the Meaningful Learning (AS). The survey has included the project design and development of a set of learning units in the area of thermodynamics using Los and they have been prepared in accordance with the methodology of Three Pedagogical Moments (TPM), organized according to the theory or cycle of Kolb, implemented and tested in groups of two grades of high school in Physics. The assessment of critical thinking was done using indicators of critical thinking in student demonstrations. It was found that the LOs interactive and contextualized, embedded in the methodological model of the TPM and organized according to the cycle of Kolb worked investigative perspective, have allowed to develop active learning, reflective and participatory, not only to solve school problems, but also everyday problems. This work has highlighted the contribution of LOs in the formation of an autonomous and critical attitude of continual search for knowledge, being jointly responsible for course students, depth and meaning of their learning, leading them to develop critical thinking and meaningful learning.