Education Commons^™

Incorporating Critical Thinking: Self-Perception Of Teachers’ Ability To Promote Critical Thinking Skills In Primary Grades (K-2), Courtney Milligan

Dissertations

The ability to think critically is a fundamental life skill and is an essential part of being a productive and contributing member of society. “Research shows that elements of critical thinking need to be taught explicitly” (Haber, 2020). The practice of developing critical thinking skills while students are initially "developing as thinkers" in primary grades is essential. According to Wagner (2008), his research finds that children should begin developing critical thinking skills as soon as they “are capable of abstract thinking” (p.17). Wagner (2008) argues that students need to develop these essential skills to effectively participate in our democracy and …

Is Critical Thinking Really Critical? A Research Study Of The Intentional Planning For The Teaching Of Critical Thinking In The Middle Grades, Michelle Smith

Dissertations

Critical thinking is an integral part of human life. However, it is not intentionally planned for and implemented in most public educational institutions. Due to this lack of planning, not everyone thinks critically. Critical thinking is a skill that must be fostered and developed over a period for it to be applied consistently. Individuals who exhibit critical thinking are increasingly likely to be successful in life.

This study focused on the teaching of critical thinking and was conducted at Wildcat Middle School, located in a suburb of Chicago, IL. The research examined the extent to which teachers intentionally planned for …