The purpose of this research is to test the validity of claims that instruction in critical thinking increases students' levels of abstract thought in terms of the following cognitive processes: inductive and deductive reasoning, assumption identification, and credibility. So that the undertaken research may be placed within the context of the existing body of knowledge on critical thinking, this chapter of the study presents a review of the pertinent research.
The review begins with a brief definition of critical thinking and discusses how it differs from regular or ordinary thought. This discussion is followed by a description of some of the standard instructional strategies used for teaching critical thinking skills. The third section of the review examines research investigating for the effects of critical thinking instruction on the development of students' abstract levels of thought, while the fourth and final section of the review presents a series of conclusions formulated on the basis of the reviewed material.
Critical Thinking: Definition of the Process
Matlin (1994) defines "thinking" as a volitional effort to "figure things out." She states that it is a cognitive process of going beyond the information given. Another way of saying this is that the thinker manipulates information in order to solve a problem, reach a conclusion, or make a decision.
According to Ornstein and Hunkins (1993), critical thinking may be distinguished from ordinary or regular thought as follows:
Ordinary thinking is simple and lacks standards; critical thinking is more complex and is based on standards of objectivity, utility, or consistency. (p. 122)
The authors provide ten examples of differences between ordinary and critical thought. Specifically, Ornstein and Hunkins (1993) state that critical thinking shifts ordinary thought from:
(5) Inferring to inferring logically;
(6) Associating concepts to grasping ...