Faculty Faculty DevelopmentDevelopment

Seminar SeminarCritical Thinking, Paradigms and Classroom TeachingCritical Thinking, Paradigms and Classroom Teaching

Dr. Jane Schmidt-WilkDr. Jane Schmidt-WilkDr. Fred TravisDr. Fred Travis

WholenessWholenessCritical thinking involves understanding the logic Critical thinking involves understanding the logic

of arguments using analysis and synthesis.of arguments using analysis and synthesis.

Critical thinking occurs in the context of Critical thinking occurs in the context of paradigms, which are structured by shared paradigms, which are structured by shared experience.experience.

The experience of Transcendental Consciousness The experience of Transcendental Consciousness is required to change the current materialistic is required to change the current materialistic paradigm to a consciousness-based paradigm.paradigm to a consciousness-based paradigm.

Session Overview

• Structure of an argument (Dr. Jane Structure of an argument (Dr. Jane Schmidt-Wilk)Schmidt-Wilk)• Critical thinking as analysis and Critical thinking as analysis and

synthesis (Dr. Fred Travis)synthesis (Dr. Fred Travis)• The relationship between The relationship between

paradigms and critical thinking (Dr. paradigms and critical thinking (Dr. Fred Travis)Fred Travis)

Structure of an Argument

• Issues•Conclusions•Reasons

Structure of an Argument: Synonyms

• Issue– Question

• Conclusion– Claim, position, viewpoint, opinion,

stand• Reason–Evidence, premise, support,

justification, substance

Structure of an Argument: Issues• Issues– Factual or descriptive issues• Is there a connection between the starry

world (Jyotish) and brain areas?– Values or “prescriptive issues”• Are Maharishi Sthapatya Veda homes

worth the cost?– Policy issues• Should the medical arts include the

model of Veda and Vedic literature in Human Physiology?

Structure of an Argument: Conclusions and Reasons

•Conclusions•Reasons

Qualities of a Critical Thinker

• Intellectual humility•Discerning, open-minded,

seeks good evidence

Main Point

An argument has three parts: the An argument has three parts: the issue, the conclusion and the issue, the conclusion and the reasons. Critical thinkers evaluate reasons. Critical thinkers evaluate the reasoning of the argument, form the reasoning of the argument, form conclusions, and make decisions. conclusions, and make decisions. Knowledge is for action, Knowledge is for action, achievement and fulfillment.achievement and fulfillment.

Critical Thinking as analysis and Critical Thinking as analysis and synthesissynthesis

• Critical thinking = analysis and Critical thinking = analysis and synthesis versus repeating the synthesis versus repeating the speaker’s points.speaker’s points.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Knowledge (Repeat back—surface value of learning)

• Comprehension• Application• Analysis• Synthesis• Evaluation (Deepest level of learning that

connects the knower and known.)

How can this assignment engage critical thinking in the student?

• Old assignment: Old assignment: What are 5 What are 5 examples of pseudoscience?examples of pseudoscience?• New assignmentNew assignment: Find a claim on : Find a claim on

the internet. Explain why this claim the internet. Explain why this claim may be based in science or may be based in science or pseudoscience.pseudoscience.

How can this assignment engage critical thinking in the student?

• Old assignment: Old assignment: What are the EEG What are the EEG patterns seen during TM practice?patterns seen during TM practice?• New assignmentNew assignment: Search the : Search the

internet. Find a statement about internet. Find a statement about brain patterns during TM practice. brain patterns during TM practice. Respond to the statement using the Respond to the statement using the information we discussed today.information we discussed today.

How can this assignment engage critical thinking in the student?

• Old assignment: Old assignment: Describe the Describe the functioning of five parts of the brain.functioning of five parts of the brain.

• New assignmentNew assignment: Create five : Create five characters that exemplify the characters that exemplify the functioning of five parts of the brain. functioning of five parts of the brain. Draw a picture that shows how they Draw a picture that shows how they interact.interact.

How can this assignment engage critical thinking in the student?

• Old assignment: Old assignment: How does the How does the brain mature over the first 20 years brain mature over the first 20 years of life?of life?• New assignmentNew assignment: Why can you say : Why can you say

that children are not just small that children are not just small adults?adults?

How can this assignment engage critical thinking in the student?

• Old assignment: Old assignment: Describe brain Describe brain patterns in subjects reporting the patterns in subjects reporting the experience of Cosmic experience of Cosmic Consciousness.Consciousness.• New assignmentNew assignment: What is the : What is the

earliest age someone can live earliest age someone can live Cosmic Consciousness? Why?Cosmic Consciousness? Why?

Main Point

The most superficial aspect of The most superficial aspect of learning is repeating back the learning is repeating back the lecture. Deeper aspects of learning lecture. Deeper aspects of learning involve analysis and synthesis--the involve analysis and synthesis--the keys of critical thinking. Deeper keys of critical thinking. Deeper aspects of learning enliven deeper aspects of learning enliven deeper aspects of the knower.aspects of the knower.

What is a Paradigm?What is a Paradigm?

• Thomas Kuhn, Thomas Kuhn, The The Structure of Structure of Scientific Scientific RevolutionsRevolutions

ParadigmsParadigms• Paradigms are the Paradigms are the

foundation for conducting foundation for conducting science and critical thinking. science and critical thinking. – Body of accepted theoryBody of accepted theory– Successful applicationsSuccessful applications– Model experiments.Model experiments.

A clash with a student may reflect A clash with a student may reflect a clash of paradigms.a clash of paradigms.

Define principles of the paradigm Define principles of the paradigm underlying this video clip.underlying this video clip.• http://www.monsanto.com/america

nfarmer/default.asp?WT.svl=2

And the principles underlying And the principles underlying this one…this one…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rG3SBQYOms

How Might People Within These Two How Might People Within These Two Paradigms Understand These Paradigms Understand These

Statements?Statements?

• US farmers will feed the world.• Farming is a major industry in the US.• Farmers care for the land. They

consider land as a precious resource to be preserved and sent on to the next generation.

Importance of Evidence in Bridging Importance of Evidence in Bridging Conflicting Paradigms Conflicting Paradigms

• We may accept an unsupported “fact” if it We may accept an unsupported “fact” if it fits into our paradigm.fits into our paradigm.– What is the evidence for Jyotish and yagya?What is the evidence for Jyotish and yagya?– What is the evidence for Sthapatya Veda?What is the evidence for Sthapatya Veda?– What is the evidence for Veda and Vedic What is the evidence for Veda and Vedic

Literature in Human Physiology?Literature in Human Physiology?– Does TM practice result in a unique brain Does TM practice result in a unique brain

state? state? –What is the evidence for Yogic Flying?What is the evidence for Yogic Flying?

Paradigms are Structured by Shared Experience

• To accept and use the field paradigms of Maharishi Vedic Science, the knower needs to know his/her universal nature.

Main PointMain PointThe process of critical thinking occurs The process of critical thinking occurs

within specific paradigms that within specific paradigms that determine the meaning and priorities determine the meaning and priorities of models, research questions, and of models, research questions, and evidence used. Maharishi Vedic evidence used. Maharishi Vedic Science is a new paradigm that locates Science is a new paradigm that locates within the simplest form of human within the simplest form of human awareness, pure consciousness, the awareness, pure consciousness, the administering intelligence of each administering intelligence of each individual and all of Nature.individual and all of Nature.

Session Overview

• Structure of an argumentStructure of an argument• Critical thinking as analysis and Critical thinking as analysis and

synthesissynthesis• The relationship between The relationship between

paradigms and critical thinkingparadigms and critical thinking

How can you apply this knowledge of critical thinking in the next

course you teach? • Think for one minute• Turn to neighbor and explain one

way/one thing you can do in teaching your next course to apply what you've learned today about critical thinking.

1. The critical thinker understands the structure of an argument, recognizes the issues under discussion and examines the reasons given to support conclusions.

2. The critical thinker uses the processes of analysis and synthesis to systematically create deeper, more holistic connections between the knower and known.

3. Transcendental Consciousness: is the field of pure wakefulness.

4. Impulses within the transcendental field: the discriminating quality within the field of pure wakefulness creates transformations within the transcendental field.

4. Wholeness moving within itself: In Unity consciousness, the transformation of consciousness into its object-referral quality and back to its self-referral nature displays the dynamism and silence that constitute the nature of Wholeness, Brahm.

Unity Chart: Unity Chart: Critical Thinking and CBECritical Thinking and CBE