1. Critical Thinking: Definitions and Dispositions
Library Instruction Round Table Program
ALA/CLA Conference
Toronto, Ontario
June 22, 2003
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

2. What is Critical Thinking?
Classic definitions:
“reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do” (Ennis)
“thinking that assesses itself” (Center for Critical Thinking)
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Craig Gibson

3. What is Critical Thinking?
Classic definitions:
“the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communications, as a guide to belief and action” (Scriven & Paul)
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Craig Gibson

4. Critical Thinking Definitions: Common Elements
Self-discipline, self-assessment
Standards for thinking
Meta-level of thinking: more than just skills or abilities
Thinking as a basis for informed action
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Craig Gibson

5. Barriers to Critical Thinking
(Think-Pair-Share)
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Craig Gibson

6. Critical Thinking: the Two Traditions
Philosophers
-normative standards
-formal reasoning and logic
-”intellectual virtues”
Psychologists
-empirically based
-informal reasoning
-thinking processes
-expert-novice distinctions
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

7. Critical Thinking: Other Issues
Is critical thinking “generic” or discipline-specific?
How does critical thinking relate to learning “basic” skills?
How does critical thinking support the learning of concepts?
How does critical thinking relate to “constructivism?”
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

8. Critical Thinking Principles (Richard Paul)
Knowledge is an “achievement”;
Students must be actively engaged in learning process
Multiple perspectives are important in solving problems
Students should learn standards for assessing the quality of their own thinking
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Craig Gibson

9. Critical Thinking: Another Perspective
Tell about a time when you knew you were thinking critically. What caused you to think that way?
(Think-Pair-Share)
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

10. Critical Thinking Dispositions
What is a disposition? different from (or larger than) abilities or skills tendencies to think, act, behave in a certain way under given conditions
(David Perkins, Shari Tishman, Robert Ennis, Stephen Norris)
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

11. Critical Thinking Dispositions: A Triad
Sensitivities: alertness to appropriate occasions for using critical thinking
Inclinations: the tendencies to actually behave in a certain way, to use critical thinking
Abilities: capabilities and skills required to carry through and think critically
(Shari Tishman, Albert Andrade)
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

12. Thinking Dispositions: A List
1. The disposition to be broad and adventurous
2. The disposition toward sustained intellectual curiosity
3. The disposition to clarify and seek understanding
4. The disposition to be planful and strategic
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

13. Thinking Dispositions: A List (cont’d)
5. The disposition to be intellectually careful
6. The disposition to seek and evaluate reasons
7. The disposition to be metacognitive
(Shari Tishman, Eileen Jay, David Perkins)
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

14. Dispositions,Information Literacy, and Kulthau’s Process Approach
“Broad and adventurous”: topic exploration
“Sustained intellectual curiosity”:persistence
“Seek understanding”: seeking meaning
“Planful and strategic”: search strategies
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson

15. Creating a Culture of Thinking
Assumptions: Critical thinking develops in an “immersive environment” --Critical thinking needs social supports
--Critical thinking depends upon models and standards Critical thinking is not just skill development, but acculturation
(Shari Tishman, David Perkins)
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Craig Gibson

16. Teaching Thinking Dispositions
Create a culture of thinking
-provide exemplars of critical thinking dispositions provide explanations of thinking dispositions
-create opportunities for interactions that promote critical thinking dispositions
-teach the disposition directly
(Tishman, Andrade)
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Craig Gibson

17. Critical Thinking Dispositions and the “One Shot”
(Exercise)
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Craig Gibson

18. Resources
Center for Critical Thinking (1996). Three Definitions of Critical Thinking. [Online]. Available at
Ennis, Robert (1992). Critical Thinking: What is it? Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society, Denver, Colorado, March
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Craig Gibson

19. Resources
Paul, Richard (1990). What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. Rohnert Park, CA: Center for Critical Thinking and Moral Critique.
Scriven, Michael, and Paul, Richard. (1996). Defining Critical Thinking: A Draft Statement for the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking. [Online]. Available at
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Craig Gibson

20. Resources
Tishman, Shari; Jay, Eileen; and Perkins, David (1992). Teaching Thinking Dispositions: From Transmission to Enculturation. [Online]. Available at
Tishman, Shari, and Andrade, Albert (n.d.) Thinking Dispositions: a Review of Current Theories, Practices, and Issues. Available at
2/17/2019
Craig Gibson