This book clarifies the idea of critical thinking by investigating the 'critical' practices of academics across a range of disciplines. Drawing on key theorists - Wittgenstein, Geertz, Williams, Halliday - and using a 'textographic' approach, the book explores how the concept of critical thinking is understood by academics and also how it is constructed discursively in the texts and practices they employ in their teaching. Critical thinking is one of the most widely discussed concepts in debates on university learning. For many, the idea of teaching students to be critical thinkers characterizes more than anything else the overriding purpose of 'higher education'. But whilst there is general agreement about its importance as an educational ideal, there is surprisingly little agreement about what the concept means exactly. Also at issue is how and what students need to be taught in order to be properly critical in their field. This searching monograph seeks answers to these important questions.
This book clarifies the idea of critical thinking by investigating the 'critical' practices of academics across a range of disciplines. Drawing on key theorists - Wittgenstein, Geertz, Williams, Halliday - and using a 'textographic' approach, the book explores how the concept of critical thinking is understood by academics and also how it is constructed discursively in the texts and practices they employ in their teaching. Critical thinking is one of the most widely discussed concepts in debates on university learning. For many, the idea of teaching students to be critical thinkers characterizes more than anything else the overriding purpose of 'higher education'. But whilst there is general agreement about its importance as an educational ideal, there is surprisingly little agreement about what the concept means exactly. Also at issue is how and what students need to be taught in order to be properly critical in their field. This searching monograph seeks answers to these important questions.
1. Introduction: The Problem of Critical Thinking 2. Critical Thinking: History, Definitions, Issues 3. In Search of Critical Thinking 4. The Ineffability of Critical Thinking 5. Critical Thinking: The Disciplinary Dimension 6. Critical Thinking: So What Is It? 7. Conclusions & Implications for Teaching Bibliography Index
Explores what it means to be 'critical' in different disciplines in higher education and how students can be taught to be effective critical thinkers.
Tim John Moore is a Senior Lecturer at the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia and an Adjunct Research Associate at Monash University, Australia
Tim John Moore makes abundantly clear that his goal in writing
Critical Thinking and Language was to facilitate better teaching of
critical thinking at university level ... I applaud both Moore's
intentions with the book, and also his overarching method ... I
have not found a more concise yet in-depth handling of the topic
... [and] was won over ... by the depth and breath of the
investigation, by Moore's adroit discourse analysis and
interpretations ... and by the heuristic value of his insights and
conclusions ... The study served a valuable purpose for me.
*Discourse Studies*
[A] well-written and thoughtful study ... University teachers and
program administrators looking to foster critical thinking ... can
find much food for thought in this contribution.
*JALT Journal*
In this informative, well-researched and accessible book, Tim Moore
traverses the critical thinking landscape to ascertain exactly what
the term encompasses ... The strength of this book is that it does
make you think.
*Australian Review of Applied Linguistics*
The topic ... is a timely one as discussions reverberate around the
world about possible dilutions of undergraduate academic standards
as the pools of students entering tertiary education continue to
increase. The topic also has considerable intrinsic interest
since the precise nature of what is meant by "critical thinking" is
both contested and variable; in effect, "criticalness", for many,
can stand as a surrogate for one of the defining characteristics of
the academic world. Interestingly, the author explores this
issue not -- as might be expected -- through whether first year
undergraduates can indeed be suitably critical in their tutorials
or written work, but through the lenses of their instructors,
through what they say in interviews, write in their introductory
manuals, or ask for in their exercise and essay rubrics.
*Professor Emeritus John M. Swales, University of Michigan,
USA*
A beautifully written analysis of the key term "critical thinking"
as defining academic expectations of students, especially
international students, and an illuminating exploration of the
notion of disciplinarity. This book is a "must-read" for those
framing policy in higher education, for researchers on academic
literacy, and for writing and language instructors helping students
to face its complex demands.
*Tim McNamara, Professor of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics,
The University of Melbourne, Australia*
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