by Prof. Dr. M.

Majid Mahmood Bagram

Critical Thinking

FACILITATOR
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Majid Mahmood Bagram
0333-5188677, majidbagram@yahoo.com

Listening

Any problem, big or small, always seems to start

with bad communication. Someone isn't listening.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Seven Levels of Listening

Seven Levels of Listening

1 Not listening: Not paying attention to or ignoring the other

persons communications.

5 Interpretive listening: Going beyond just paying attention but

really trying to understand what the other person is communicating.

2 Pretend listening: Acting like or giving the impression that you

are paying attention to another persons communications, but in
actuality not really paying attention to that individual.

6 Interactive listening: Being involved in the communications by

asking clarifying questions or acknowledging understanding of the
communication.

3 Partially listening: Only focusing on part of the other persons

communication or only giving it your divided attention.

7 Engaged listening: Being fully engaged in communications

involves listening to the other persons views, feelings, interpretations,
values, etc., In engaged listening, both parties are given the
opportunity to fully express their views, feelings, and ideas.

4 Focused listening: Giving the other person your undivided

attention to his or her communication.

Your Thinking
can either

Trap
You

hold you
hostage within
uncritically
held
beliefs

Free
You

Open your
mind
to new ways
of thinking

Who SHOULD think critically?

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Who SHOULD think critically?

Imagination is
more important
than knowledge

- Einstein

Thinking Outside the Box: Einstein

Everything we know,
believe, want, fear and hope
for, our thinking tells us.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Thinking determines:

Thinking tells us:

what is happening
what our problems are
what our options are
what threatens us
what is important
what is unimportant
who our friends are
who our enemies are
what our history is
who we are
who loves us

what we learn
how we learn
what we think is important to learn
what effort we should expand
what we think is true
what we think is false
how things should be viewed
whether our learning is of high or low quality
whether our learning is deep or superficial

Thinking - examples

Thinking - examples

If I feel humiliated in the classroom because I think I

have been treated unfairly by the teacher, I will avoid
actively participating in group discussions

If I think that I dont need a college degree to get a good

job, I will feel satisfied with a high school education.
Therefore I will not pursue higher education.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Thinking - examples
If I think that learning should be easy, I will feel frustrated
when it is difficult. Therefore I will avoid difficult learning
situations
If I value what I am learning, I think that it is relevant to
my life. Therefore I will feel excited about learning

Definitions of Critical Thinking

In everyday language:
Thinking outside the box
Thinking about thinking
Unlimited thinking
Different thinking

Thinking Critically means

Examining different viewpoints
Learn to think from different perspectives.
View those opinions which differ from
yours.
Avoid automatic responses.

Definition of Critical Thinking

...the ability to analyze facts, generate and

organize ideas, defend opinions, make
comparisons, draw inferences, evaluate
arguments and solve problems.
(Chance,1986, p. 6)

Chance, P. (1986). Thinking in the classroom: A survey of programs. New York: Teachers
College, Columbia University.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Definitions of Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

reasonable reflective thinking that is focused on deciding

what to do and what to believe
OR
interpreting, analyzing or evaluating information, arguments
or experiences
OR
examining the thinking of others to improve our own

In undertaking your critical thinking, you should be:

Persistent and careful and do not jump to conclusions
Look for the grounds that support a belief or position:
Reasons

Be aware of the further conclusions to which it tends:

Implications
Ennis, R. (1992). Critical thinking: What is it? Proceedings of the Forty-Eighth Annual Meeting
of the Philosophy of Education Society Denver, Colorado, March 27-30.

Critical Thinking helps

To recognize propaganda
To analyze hidden assumptions in arguments
To recognize deliberate deception
To assess credibility of information
To work through problems/decisions in the best
way
Harpern, 1996

We dont achieve excellence in

thinking with no end in view.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Thinking that Grasps

the Logic of Things
A product of intellectual work that makes no sense, that cannot
be rationally analyzed and assessed, that cannot be incorporated
into other intellectual work, or used and hence that cannot play
a role in any discipline is meaningless.
Whether we are designing a new screwdriver, or figuring out
how to deal with our childrens misbehavior, we must order our
ideas into a system of meanings that make sense to us.
Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder,
The Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2010

Critical Thinking
is a self-directed process
by which we take
deliberate steps
to think at the
highest level of quality.

ALL THINKING
IS NOT OF THE SAME QUALITY
Aimless Thinking:
We are naturally proficient at daydreaming and fantasizing.
Lacks a purpose.
Few people need training in aimless thinking.
Thinking that is random, that roams aimlessly is not critical.

High Quality Thinking:

Has a purpose.
We originate and produce with a sense of why we are doing so.
When thinking takes on a challenging task, the mind comes alive, ready for
intellectual labor for the achievement of its goal.
Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder,
The Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2010

Should You Believe

Everything You See?

Perception is learned from both our own

experience and through interaction with others.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Perception

What does the absence of

Critical Thinking look like?

We often see and hear what we want to see and

hear, based upon our past experiences,
interests, motives, expectations; to stay within
our comfort zone.

We blindly accept all statements.

We blindly believe TV commercials.
We blindly follow others.

Uncritical Thinkers
Pretend to know more than they do.
Get annoyed by problems.
Are impatient.
Judge on first impressions and
intuition.
Focus on their own opinions.
Look only for ideas like their own.
Are guided by feelings rather than
thoughts.
Claim that thinking gives them a
headache.

Dont think
about it, just
sign it!

People Dont Always Use

Critical Thinking Skills
It is not uncommon for people to say
I thought it was no big deal.
I just wasnt thinking
How was I supposed to know?
I cant think of everything!
My bad luck
People who have poor critical thinking skills are
their own worst enemies.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

A Necessary Condition
to the Development of
Critical Thinking is:

Ask Questions
One quality of a good critical thinker is the ability to ask
on-target questions.
If you dont usually ask questions, is it because you

A Questioning
Mind!

Language
The landscape of the mind.
The software of the brain.

Fear embarrassment?
Worry what others will think of you?
Worry that the instructor will think your question is strange?
Worry that others will think youre showing off?

When you dont ask questions, you sacrifice your

education.
If you dont take risks, you wont get the maximum
benefit in developing your mind.

Language
Words can have two kinds of meaning:
Denotative
Connotative
What does each mean?

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Language

Connotative:

Denotative:
Dictionary meaning:
What is an apple?
edible, usually rounded fruit.

Classification of Brain
Left Brain Thinking

Right Brain Thinking

Logical
one thing at a time
sequential operation
writing & symbols
mathematical
spoken memory

Language

Emotional
integrating inputs
dreams
holistic solutions
intuition
visualizing

Springer, S., & Deutsch, G. (1993). Left brain, right brain (4th ed.). New York: W. H.
Freeman and Co.

Suggestions beyond the dictionary

meanings.
What do you think of when you hear the
word apple?

Brain Fitness
Like the body, the brain has its own form of fitness or
excellence.
To achieve brain fitness, the brain must learn to:
take charge of itself,
energize itself,
press forward when difficulties emerge,
become attentive, and reflective
Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder,
The Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2010

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Quotes

Thinking is the hardest work, which is probably

why so few engage in it.

Henry Ford

Some peoples minds close up & they live on their

intellectual fat.
William Lyon

We cant solve problems by using the same kind of

thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein
Discovery is seeing what everybody else has seen, and
thinking what nobody else has thought.
Unknown
The human mind once stretched by a new idea never
goes back to its original dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Homes

Thinking Errors

Thinking Errors

Denial

Personalization

Refuse to accept reality.

Projection
We see in others what is really happening to

us.

Rationalization
Lying to ourselves about the real reasons for

our behaviors and feelings.

Thinking in which the world revolves

around an individual

Polarized Thinking
There is only black or white no gray

Catastrophizing
Always consider the worst possible

outcome (all the time)

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Thinking Errors
Selective abstraction
Focusing on one detail of a situation and

ignoring the larger picture

Overgeneralization
Drawing broad conclusions on the basis of a

single incident.

Thinking & Winning

Your Mind is Your Most Important Weapon:
With a good one, other weapons are more useful,
sometimes unnecessary
With a poor one, other weapons are useless to
achieve victory
Exercise your brain as well as your body

Thinking & Winning

So . . .

You are only as good as your mind--it is your best

weapon for survival

You must PRACTICE good thinking skillsthey

dont happen by accident

Knowledge is a force multiplier and the key to

successful adaptation

If you dont do it, it wont get done

Learn how to learn for yourself

If not now, when? If not here where? If not you,

who?

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

Characteristics of
Critical Thinkers:

Strive for understanding

Are honest with themselves
Base judgment on evidence
Are interested in other peoples ideas
Control their feelings/emotions

Conclusion

Characteristics of
Critical Thinkers:
They keep an open mind

They are highly observant

Identify key issues and raise questions
Obtain relevant facts
Evaluate findings and form judgments

Sometimes when I consider what

tremendous consequences come from
little things I am tempted to think
there are no little things
Bruce Barton

In thinking critically,
we take command of the meanings
we create.

by Prof. Dr. M. Majid Mahmood Bagram

May Allah Reward You

.

FACILITATOR
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Majid Mahmood
0333-5188677, majidbagram@yahoo.com