ERIC Number: EJ1432615
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jul
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0092-055X
EISSN: EISSN-1939-862X
Priming Students for Foundational Learning by Investigating Foundational Assumptions: A Critical Thinking Framework
Teaching Sociology, v52 n3 p219-231 2024
Students hold foundational assumptions that interact with information they are introduced to in college. By learning to identify, assess, and restructure these foundational ideas, students' ability to acquire topical knowledge improves. This article presents a format for teaching students how to evaluate their beliefs through four levels of critical thinking: (1) identifying assumptions, (2) assessing the origin and quality of assumptions, (3) seeking out alternative perspectives, and (4) weighing evidence and incorporating new information into thinking. A variety of skills are needed to accomplish each of these levels, such as identifying biases and developing intellectual humility. Self-assessments, assignments, and responses to early and late semester questionnaires suggest students see the value in learning about critical thinking and develop their ability to think critically over the course of the semester. Students become more open-minded, intellectually humble, and self-reflective, priming them to be more receptive to foundational learning.
Descriptors: Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills, Individual Development, Assignments, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Metacognition, College Students, Information Literacy
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A