Getting Students to Think Critically and Visibly

Abstract

Students can sometimes find the classroom to be an uncomfortable environment; hence, it can be difficult to persuade them to voice their thinking in front of their peers. Students' fear of accidentally recalling incorrect answers in a classroom setting may set a domino effect of instant ridicule from their classmates, which can consequentially inhibit many of them from participating in future classroom discourse. To reduce fears, educators should foster an environment of support that encourages students to think visibly and more critically. The purpose of this article is to explore the literature, which suggests an environment that promotes creative learning and visible thinking inherently develops students' critical thinking skills resulting in them becoming better problem solvers.

How Thinking Routines Enhance Critical Thinking of Elementary Students

“…This stage begins by eliminating requirements that make students focus on a single solution. This stage will motivate students to find solutions in various ways, challenge ideas, and foster persistence in problems (Bowie, 2018). Practically, thinking routines help students see a problem from one point of view and many points of view.…”

Influence of Thinking Style on the Critical Thinking Skills and Creativity in Mathematics

“…In this connection, assessing the mathematical thinking styles of student is significant due to the negative impact it brings on students' self-efficacy particularly if the thinking styles do not match the style required by the educational environment (Honicke & Broadbent, 2016). Students' dread of inadvertently recalling inaccurate responses in a classroom context may set off a chain reaction of quick scorn from their classmates, discouraging many of them from engaging in future classroom discussions (Bowie, 2018).…”