Liberal Arts Education For People With Critical Thinking
Liberal arts educations are very valuable to a students learning while in college. Information is thought about in depth and fully used as information is not memorized and tested. Students should cultivate critical thinking skills via a liberal arts education rather than testing and teaching methods that utilize memorization which results in an impaired ability to learn. This reduces ones awareness of how to act in society. Memorization does not bring any of this to students education.
A study done by The Pennsylvania State University provides further evidence to be used with the first source. The study “Cultivating Critical Thinking: Insights from an Elite Liberal Arts College.” was conducted to show the important aspects of critical thinking. Tsui states that critical thinking is basically thinking outside of the box. What this means is that it “refers to achieving greater insight on a subject by transcending traditional perspectives and approaches.” (Tsui 206) Tsui gives the reader of the idea that critical thinking development is aided by the ideology that teachers cultivate in the classroom. To further develop this thought, she states that there is no good way to “capture growth in areas affected by narrowly focused instructional interventions.” (Tsui 202) This can show that teachers who give out multiple choice tests aren’t truly testing a students critical thinking skills. Unlike a liberal arts college, this does test that by allowing students too critically think about what they are learning. She also states that there is enough research done to suggest that a students engagement in class discussions involving high-order thinking processes allows a student to critically think.
A study in Indonesian schools provides support for the ineffectiveness of memorization as learning. “Investigating Critical Thinking Skill of Junior High School in Solving Mathematical Problem” examines the critical thinking skills of students’ by examining their ability to solve math problems (Hasan Basri 746). Results from the research carried out, determined that the majority of students lacked critical thinking skills to solving new math problems on their own. An interpretation test showed an issue that occurred with students that were incorrect was a failure to recognize learned ideas within the context of a new problem. 27% of students held incorrect interpretations for the problem (Hasan Basri 749-750). . In a test of inference, 71% of students could not make a proper inference based on given materials and previously learned concepts (Hasan Basri 751-752). 83% of students were unable to evaluate an image and explain it in words (Hasan Basri 751) This study provides data in support of the teaching of critical thinking skills by showing the importance of such abilities and the ineffectiveness of memorizing information.
An alternative opinion is presented in the paper 'Critical Thinking Skills': In Pursuit of a Humanizing Pedagogy by Morgan Anderson in 2015, Anderson gives the reader an idea that critical thinking is not needed as there is a “lack thereof, contribute to creating learning environments that are antithetical to critical thinking” (Anderson 83) Anderson also throws out the idea of critical thinking has been treated as a must have in our education system. “The term is wielded with such indiscretion among educators, reformers, and education policy makers that is has become commonsensical to believe that imparting critical thinking skills is an indispensable aspect of education”. (Anderson 83) She also brings up that in the Common Core State Standards for “English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects,” Grades K–12 has no definition in what critically thinking actually is. What she means by this is that critical thinking has no strength in determining someones skill. To sum it up critical thinking can be seen as un-ethical
Although 'Critical Thinking Skills': In Pursuit of a Humanizing Pedagogy” by Morgan Anderson brings good points as to why memorization is better as critical thinking is sought as a must have in our education system. It still must be a must have as by the first two articles given can show that it is better than memorization. This is because it does not cultivate learning for a student. An education that favors a students critical thinking is far better for a child than giving them a pat on the back for memorizing what they learn. It is obvious that memorized information does not benefit students in any way. Learning concepts does not come from memorizing half of a concept.
An education where students learn to process information does not make a student wiser, but it allows them to have tools to pursue wisdom. As is evidenced in the studies, students are ignorant to new circumstances and surroundings when they try to connect them with previous knowledge, rather than analyzing it. Critical thinking is a vital skill for humans to survive and coexist within the world. It is obvious memorization is not a good way to be learning, but critical thinking is. A Liberal Arts education is the proper method of education to produce citizens who have a greater social awareness than those who achieve a normal public college degree in their life time. As Seneca once wrote in an essay on liberal studies, “Why… do we give our sons a liberal education? Not because it can make them morally good but because it prepares the mind for the acquisition of moral values” (Seneca 16). This is how critical thinking can be a great aspect to a students education as it allows them to achieve a greater social awareness in the long run.
