1. Western Education and Critical Thinking

2. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Many students who come from countries outside of the West have difficulty understanding Western education.

3. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Many students who come from countries outside of the West have difficulty understanding Western education.
Western students don’t do a lot of memorizing

4. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Many students who come from countries outside of the West have difficulty understanding Western education.
Western students don’t do a lot of memorizing
Western students can disagree with professors

5. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Many students who come from countries outside of the West have difficulty understanding Western education.
Western students don’t do a lot of memorizing
Western students can disagree with professors
Western students are required to use critical thinking

6. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Education is different in their home countries:

7. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Education is different in their home countries:
There is more of an emphasis on memorization

8. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Education is different in their home countries:
There is more of an emphasis on memorization
Students respect professors and accept their views

9. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Education is different in their home countries:
There is more of an emphasis on memorization
Students respect professors and accept their views
The goal is to learn the knowledge of the society, not to create unusual new ideas

10. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For many countries outside of the West, knowledge is considered “Traditional”:

11. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For many countries outside of the West, knowledge is considered “Traditional”:
The knowledge base is required for survival

12. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For many countries outside of the West, knowledge is considered “Traditional”:
The knowledge base is required for survival
The goal of education is to teach the knowledge base

13. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For many countries outside of the West, knowledge is considered “Traditional”:
The knowledge base is required for survival
The goal of education is to teach the knowledge base
Professors are the experts

14. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For many countries outside of the West, knowledge is considered “Traditional”:
The knowledge base is required for survival
The goal of education is to teach the knowledge base
Professors are the experts.
Students are not qualified to create knowledge

15. Western Education and Critical Thinking
In traditional education, knowledge is seen as a treasure and resource that must be protected for the survival of society.
Knowledge has been developed over time and development of new knowledge is a task for experts.
The task of students is to learn the knowledge.

16. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Western education is not better than traditional education. It is just different.

17. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Why is the western view of knowledge so different?
Most people in the West have come from somewhere else. They have left behind their traditional cultures.

18. Western Education and Critical Thinking
While most countries see the learning of the nation’s knowledge as the most important goal of education, the West uses knowledge like a tool rather than a goal.

19. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The West does not see the value of knowledge in the same way as traditional societies do.
For those in the West, knowledge is important only for what it can do – Help to develop more knowledge.

20. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The West does not see the value of knowledge in the same way as traditional societies do.
For those in the West, knowledge is important only for what it can do – Help to develop more knowledge.
Knowledge is important only if it is useful.

21. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The most important goals of Western education:

22. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The most important goals of Western education:
Learning how to use the knowledge we have to create new knowledge

23. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The most important goals of Western education:
Learning how to use the knowledge we have to create new knowledge
Learning how to evaluate our knowledge for quality and relevance

24. Western Education and Critical Thinking
In Western education, there are facts to be learned, but the main emphasis is on solving problems with what we know:

25. Western Education and Critical Thinking
In Western education, there are facts to be learned, but the main emphasis is on solving problems with what we know:
Students ask questions and identify issues to resolve

26. Western Education and Critical Thinking
In Western education, there are facts to be learned, but the main emphasis is on solving problems with what we know:
Students ask questions and identify issues to resolve
Often there is no one clear answer. Students must evaluate evidence and decide for themselves.

27. Western Education and Critical Thinking
For Western education, critical thinking is very important.

28. Western Education and Critical Thinking
What is the definition of critical thinking?

29. Western Education and Critical Thinking
What is the definition of critical thinking?
Critical thinking is problem-solving using evidence

30. Western Education and Critical Thinking
What is the definition of critical thinking?
Critical thinking is problem-solving using evidence
Critical thinking requires that you ask questions

31. Western Education and Critical Thinking
What is the definition of critical thinking?
Critical thinking is problem-solving using evidence
Critical thinking requires that you ask questions
Critical thinking requires you to evaluate points of view

32. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Here is an example: Most scientists today believe that climate change is due mostly to human activity. A few scientists say that climate change is not caused by human activity but is due to the cycles of nature itself.

33. Western Education and Critical Thinking
How would critical thinking deal with this problem?

34. Western Education and Critical Thinking
How would critical thinking deal with this problem?
First, identify the problem with a question: Is climate change caused by human or by natural activity?

35. Western Education and Critical Thinking
How would critical thinking deal with this problem?
First, identify the problem with a question: Is climate change caused by human or by natural activity?
Second, gather evidence from both sides of the issue

36. Western Education and Critical Thinking
How would critical thinking deal with this problem?
First, identify the problem with a question: Is climate change caused by human or by natural activity?
Second, gather evidence from both sides of the issue
Third, evaluate the evidence

37. Western Education and Critical Thinking
How would critical thinking deal with this problem?
First, identify the problem with a question: Is climate change caused by human or by natural activity?
Second, gather evidence from both sides of the issue
Third, evaluate the evidence
Fourth, make a decision based on the best evidence

38. Western Education and Critical Thinking
With critical thinking, you might ask what your professor believes, but you don’t have to accept your professor’s position on the issue.
Most professors want you to present good evidence for your position, even if it disagrees with the professor.

39. Western Education and Critical Thinking
The Differences:
Traditional education emphasizes preserving and learning the knowledge base.
Western education emphasizes using information as a tool to solve problems and advance knowledge. Critical thinking is very important.

40. Western Education and Critical Thinking
We should not misunderstand critical thinking.

41. Western Education and Critical Thinking
We should not misunderstand critical thinking.
It is not thinking that criticizes everything:

42. Western Education and Critical Thinking
We should not misunderstand critical thinking.
It is not thinking that is rude and unkind:

43. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Critical thinking recognizes that there are many problems to solve in our world and that not everyone holds the same viewpoint on a problem or issue:

44. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Critical thinking recognizes that there are many problems to solve in our world and that not everyone holds the same viewpoint on a problem or issue:
Critical thinking means listening to all views

45. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Critical thinking recognizes that there are many problems to solve in our world and that not everyone holds the same viewpoint on a problem or issue:
Critical thinking means listening to all views
It means evaluating evidence carefully

46. Western Education and Critical Thinking
Critical thinking recognizes that there are many problems to solve in our world and that not everyone holds the same viewpoint on a problem or issue:
Critical thinking means listening to all views
It means evaluating evidence carefully
You must, in the end, reach your own conclusion

47. Western Education and Critical Thinking
A biblical example:
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Acts 17:11