The Goal of Critical Thinking: from Educational Ideal to Educational Reality.

This monograph examines the issues surrounding the educational movement toward emphasizing critical thinking in our schools. The emergence of the critical thinking movement in education in today's schools is discussed in the light of the historical role of schools in our society and the developing complexity of educational needs. The concept of critical thinking is defined and research findings on the importance of early development of critical thinking skills in children are reviewed. The responsibility of the schools in developing sound approaches to teaching children to think for themselves in creative ways is underscored by a discussion on instructional and curriculum improvement. A section of the monograph is devoted to means for evaluating critical thinking skills. Recommendations are made for changes in educational policy and practice and the increasingly crucial role of the professional teacher is discussed. Sample questions requiring critical thinking in various disciplines are appended as well as a glossary of critical thinking terms and references for further reading. (JD)