Student Name. Sidra Abro Tutor Name.

JUNAID AKHTAR

Roll No.  CB648573 Tutor Name Address. AAGHI LMS portal

Student Address. E74/A Railway Colony Nawabshah.

Course Name. CRITICAL THINKING AND REFLECTIVE PARCTICES.

Course Code. 8611. Semester. Autumn 2020

Assignment No. 01

Program:       B.ED(2.5YEARS)

Date of sending:__20.02.2021_, Date of submittion:__ 20.02.2021,

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 elementary
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.
Young (1990) further points out that Habermas and other critical theorists believe that:

We are on the threshold of a learning level characterized by the personal maturity of the
decantered 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.

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.

Q. 3 enlist three strategies for developing critical thinking in the classroom interaction.
explain which one is best and why is it so?

Answer: Developing critical thinkers in the classroom is essential to creating a classroom full of
excited and motivated learners. What exactly is a “critical thinker”? Critical thinkers don’t just
think clearly or rationally; they use skillful analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing to make
decisions every day. When we develop critical thinkers, this happens seamlessly. According to
Educational Psychologist Dr. Linda Elder, “Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined
thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People
who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically…”

Students who master their critical thinking skills will be able to differentiate between which
influences will shape their personality and which influences will not. But how do we develop
critical thinkers in the classroom? All you need are a few simple strategies to develop critical
thinkers in your classroom.

#1 – Questioning Techniques

Questioning is an essential tool for developing critical thinking skills. This is the simplest and
easiest strategy to start implementing in your classroom right now. Develop questions that
require students to dig deeper. Ask open-ended questions instead of “yes” or “no” questions. For
example, instead of asking students, “Is learning important?” ask, “WHY is learning important?”
Open-ended questions give students an opportunity to examine their own knowledge on the topic
in question. I like to ask my students “why” multiple times during a lesson to help them dig
deeper. Sometimes they get frustrated, but by the time I’ve asked my last “why,” I can tell if a
student understands the concept well or has barely skimmed the surface. When thinking of
questions to ask, it’s helpful to take a look at Bloom’s Taxonomy.

#2 – Student-Led Discussions

Student-centered learning environments promote critical thinking skills by requiring students to

reflect metacognitively. In a student-centered classroom, students rely more on their peers for
answers to their questions than on the teacher. One activity I like to use in my classroom is a
mystery game. In this game, students rely solely on their classmates to solve the mystery of who
stole the Mona Lisa from La Louvre museum in Paris. It is amazing to see students engaged in
their learning. They are so focused throughout the entire lesson, they barely even know I’m in
the classroom. The whole group discussion at the end of the lesson is very powerful and an
excellent way to get students collaborating.

#3 – Inquiry-Based Learning

We want our students to be interested in what they’re learning. Inquiry-based learning is an

excellent strategy to get students involved in the learning process and to engage critical thinking
skills. Inquiry-based learning is more than just asking what students want to learn; it’s about
activating interest and curiosity. The first step in successful inquiry-based learning is to get
students to develop questions they want answers to. We want our students to ask and answer
higher-order thinking questions.

#4 – Collaboration

One of the most important aspects of critical thinking is the ability to ask questions and analyze
the answers. When students collaborate with their peers, they take ownership of their work,
which promotes independence and critical thinking. Give students time throughout your lessons
to converse with peers and share ideas. Oftentimes, students will learn from each other, which
can eliminate confusion and misunderstandings. Collaborating also expands students’ thinking
by demonstrating that not everyone has the same thought process.
#5 – Problem-Based Learning

Problem-based learning, or PBL, is a strategy that encourages students to use critical thinking
skills by providing a structure for discovery that helps students deepen their understanding. The
steps are simple and can be repeated for each new topic:

1. Explore a specific issue or problem – Give students a problem and have them gather
information to form a solution.
2. Research and brainstorm – Have students research their problem and brainstorm possible
solutions. Consider and discuss every solution presented.
3. Develop a solution and present it to the class – Students learn from each other, and it’s a
very powerful teaching tool.
4. Create a call-to-action and steps to be taken – Students should explain the steps that need
to be taken in order to solve the problem.

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: The resulting analysis and interpretation provides a description of major behaviors
and a variety of students’ outcomes, including achievement, retention and level of
participation, themes that developed regarding strong teacher student relationships, as well as,
specific components to the interactions considered essential for her students’ learning
environment. At this point I was listening for specific components of the teacher’s interaction
with her students that she considered essential to the learning environment she created. Another
shorter observation followed. This information would allow me to begin to answer my second
research question, which was ‘to describe the process this teacher uses for building relationships
with her students’.

Until recently, many training courses focused on the assimilation learning style;reflection and
theory building. People were taught how certain things interrelate and how they can be
considered in a theoretical framework. Often, little attention was paid to the accommodating
learning style (experimentation and experiencing). By doing something, people gain experience
(doer). Then people look back on what happened (reflector). Subsequently, people establish links
between these reflections and observations and they create a theory (thinker). Finally, people
think how things can (still) be improved and they will try and implement this in practice
(decider). All round learners are often proficient in all of the four learning styles.

Q. 5. Write a dairy record of a full day of your life? 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.”
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)