No tags yet.
Learning does not always have to come from instructor. Students can get any lesson from their surroundings. In this case, students have to work on their own by solving problems, answering questions, and doing projects, then the instructor will be the guider in case students face problem that cannot be solved. When students are reading their material in the library, doing inquiry, working on projects, and evaluating the learning, this is so-called critical thinking. Only if the teacher let the students express themselves, students’ critical thinking will be encouraged.
Critical thinking can be taught. Some experts assume it as a skill that can be learned. Critical thinking is important since students can get better marks and achievements with it. In addition, critical thinking makes student more dependable, so that they do not have to rely on teacher and textbook as usual. Once students master critical thinking, they can read critically, write consciously and speak clearly. As cited it www.usyd.edu.au, In order to display critical thinking, students need to develop skills in interpreting, analysing, reasoning and evaluating.
The first skill is in interpreting, meaning students have to understand the significance of data and clarify its meaning. This skill is crucial since students will only be able to read, write, or speak once they understand the meaning of the data. Then, they can translate it into various creative ways. Nevertheless, if teacher always be the one who translate it to them, the students’ mind will be limited by the teacher’s doctrine. This will interfere students’ critical thinking. Therefore, teacher should let the students to be the active participant in the classroom.
The second skill is analyzing. When students can break the information down and recombining it in different ways, then they have a skill in analyzing. Students can work on analyzing questions and problems in their environment which is given by the teacher. The teacher’s role is as guider and consultant to any problems faced by students. Again, student-center approach is promoted here.
The next skill is reasoning. After analyzing the questions and problems, students have to create an argument through logical steps to support their analysis. They have to provide evidence related to the arguments they have made. This, require their total work on perseverance. They have to do inquiry, study hard and so forth. Yet the works are not done if the teacher just watches them behind his desk. The support from the teacher is desperately needed by the students.
Finally, evaluating which means students can judge the worth, credibility or strength of accounts. Not only have the students to create the argument then to provide proper evidence to support it, but also they have to judge whether it has credibility or not. Then the teacher may assess their work for the final result.
All the skills to display critical thinking can be developed through student-center approach. This does not mean that the teacher have nothing to do at all. The teacher can be the bridge to the deeper understanding among students and also to clarify whenever students make mistakes or errors. In short, critical thinking on students can be thought to students only if the teacher give students chance to explore themselves broadly.