18 Free Mind Mapping Tools for Teachers and Students 1- SpiderScribe This is a great mind mapping tool that allows users to easily visualize their ideas by connecting various pieces of information together and create free style maps. It also combines elements like text, images, files, calendar events and geographic locations. 2- EdistormEdistorm is a great web2.0 tool for educators. 4- Bubbl.usBubbl.us allows its users to create concept maps in such an easy way with the minimum tools possible .You can create your project and invite your colleagues to join you in editing its content and when done you can share it with others via a generated link . 5- Wise Mapping Wise Mapping is a free online mind maps editor that allows you to create and share your mind maps with others. 6- Lucid ChartLucid Chart is a flowcharts and mind map making tool . 7- Text 2 Mind MapText 2 Mind Map is a cool website . 8-Spicynodes It allows its users to create a visually attractive nodes for their blogs, websites or wikis .
Teaching Rigorous and Reflective Thinking By Derek D. Turner, Connecticut College Before we can enlist faculty across the disciplines to teach critical thinking, we must decide exactly what we mean by the term. The first characteristic of an ideal critical thinker, we might say, is that he or she has excellent pattern recognition skills. The critical thinker sees that two arguments are both disjunctive syllogisms, in much the same way that most people in our culture can see, without thinking much about it, that two cars are both Toyotas. The second characteristic that distinguishes the critical thinker is vocabulary. Third, and most important of all, becoming a rigorous and reflective thinker means adopting a certain ethical stance: habitual skepticism with respect to one's own views, a charitable attitude toward the views of others, and a recognition that getting to the bottom of things together always matters more than winning a dispute. Teaching critical thinking through writing assignments From peer editing to joint inquiry
Critical Thinking On The Web Top Ten Argument Mapping Tutorials. Six online tutorials in argument mapping, a core requirement for advanced critical thinking.The Skeptic's Dictionary - over 400 definitions and essays. The Fallacy Files by Gary Curtis. Best website on fallacies. What is critical thinking? Nobody said it better than Francis Bacon, back in 1605: For myself, I found that I was fitted for nothing so well as for the study of Truth; as having a mind nimble and versatile enough to catch the resemblances of things … and at the same time steady enough to fix and distinguish their subtler differences; as being gifted by nature with desire to seek, patience to doubt, fondness to meditate, slowness to assert, readiness to consider, carefulness to dispose and set in order; and as being a man that neither affects what is new nor admires what is old, and that hates every kind of imposture. A shorter version is the art of being right. More definitions... Program for Critical Thinking Program for better decision making
Questioning – Top Ten Strategies “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein Questioning is the very cornerstone of philosophy and education, ever since Socrates ( in our Western tradition) decided to annoy pretty much everyone by critiquing and harrying people with questions – it has been central to our development of thinking and our capacity to learn. Most research indicates that as much as 80% of classroom questioning is based on low order, factual recall questions. Effective questioning is key because it makes the thinking visible: it identifies prior knowledge; reasoning ability and the specific degree of student understanding – therefore it is the ultimate guide for formative progress. 1. 2. Taken from ‘Mock the Week’, this simple little technique sparks the inquisitiveness within students – just by quickly reversing the standard question and answer dichotomy it can deepen their thinking. 3. 4. 5. Q1. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Added Extras:
Educator Resources | The Right Question Institute We’ve developed this resource page to help educators deepen their understanding of the QFT and offer materials to support implementation of the strategy. Our materials are available under a Creative Commons Sharealike license, which means you may use, adapt, revise, re-purpose, and share our materials. We ask that you reference the Right Question Institute by including “Source: rightquestion.org” on any materials you use or develop. * If you are already a member please login first to download our resources. Make Just One Change Use these resources to learn the process and how to facilitate the QFT. Experiencing the QFT This guide describes the key components of the QFT and includes a template that will allow you to experience the process. Introducing the QFT Into Your Classroom Practice This powerpoint will help you prepare for introducing your students or colleagues to the QFT. Steps of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) & Video Guide Make Just One Change Companion Guide
Critical Thinking Model 1 To Analyze Thinking We Must Identify and Question its Elemental Structures Standard: Clarityunderstandable, the meaning can be grasped Could you elaborate further? Could you give me an example? Standard: Accuracyfree from errors or distortions, true How could we check on that? Standard: Precisionexact to the necessary level of detail Could you be more specific? Standard: Relevancerelating to the matter at hand How does that relate to the problem? Standard: Depthcontaining complexities and multiple interrelationships What factors make this a difficult problem? Standard: Breadthencompassing multiple viewpoints Do we need to look at this from another perspective? Standard: Logicthe parts make sense together, no contradictions Does all this make sense together? Standard: Significancefocusing on the important, not trivial Is this the most important problem to consider? Standard: FairnessJustifiable, not self-serving or one-sided Do I have any vested interest in this issue? Think About... Gather...
critical-thinking - home Discovery Education - Curiosity in the Classroom Critical Thinking Worksite: Introduction I. Just What is Critical Thinking? When you hear "critical thinking", it is natural to think of criticism---that is, of unpleasant episodes involving your parents or your boss. We can say a bit more about how it is intended to enhance your critical thinking ability. II. When your beliefs are at stake, it's time to think critically. At this worksite, we concentrate on argument analysis. Argument Identification: The first step in argument analysis is knowing that you are in the presence of an argument. In the next three sections, we develop each of these stages, exercising your mastery of them element by element. High School Teachers These Thinker's Guides are available through electronic license for educational institutions. Faculty and administrators - email cct@criticalthinking.org to inquire. This set includes the thinker’s guides which focus on the foundations of critical thinking.