Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting

by Stephen D. Brookfield

Book Overview

1989 Winner of the Cyril O. Houle World Award for Literature in Adult Education This award-winning book offers a practical, straightforward guide to helping adults develop their critical thinking skills in four key arenas of adult life: in their personal relationships, in their workplaces, in their political involvements, and in their responses to the media.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555420559
• ISBN13: 9781555420550
• Release Date: September 1987
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 293 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A good review of practice

This book takes the approach of viewing critical thinking as reflective thinking starting off with a recognition of the narrative elements considered axiomatic by the adult being taught to think critically. There is no first emphasis on thinking correctly, so it is to be assumed that logical skills are already something the adult student has learned. Since it has been my experience over 10 years teaching adults and late adolescents that our school systems in general do not prepare people to think correctly (that is Logic 101) this should be a first issue in a text meant to be used in a Logic and Reasoning course in college. As a result I would not recommend this text as a requirement for a Logic and Reasoning course or as an Introduction to Logic course but perhaps as a book for a course like Truth, Beauty, and Goodness where it might do well as the first book dealing with the nature of truth. As a description of this approach B quotes Boyd and Fales as saying that reflective learning is "the process of internally examining and exploring an issue of concern, triggered by an experience, which creates and clarifies meaning in terms of self, and which results in a changed conceptual perspective". (p. 14) Part 1 of the book describes this process. In this section the book assumes the adults are already conceiving of reality as socially constructed (at least "to some extent"). (p. 17) Descriptions of examples do not fit metanarrative conflict but instead reevaluation of basic assumptions within the context of a narrative. The phases of critical thinking are described in much the typical pattern but there is a nice section on the role of "helpers" - "psychological demolition experts". (p. 30) Dewey gets credit here. Much of the book is a who's who is saying what on this subject so it is more for instructors than students. In chapter 3 critical thinking of this sort is promoted as a way of escaping the confines of our uncritical points of view. I like this phrase "authentic frameworks of understanding". (p. 47) Chapter 4 is titled "How Critical Thinking Sustains a Healthy Democracy." I have a sneaking suspicion reading this that B would be most comfortable as a Unitarian Universalist. Part 2 is titled "Practical Approaches for Developing Critical Thinkers". I like the role play section but found most of this fairly routine considering I use it every day. It reminds me of parts of Pascarella and Terenzini's "How College Affects Students" and it surprises me not to find them in the references. Part 3 applies these to different areas of adult life. Chapter 8 deals with the workplace. Chapter 9 is interesting in dealing with politics since it is more carefully done than I would have suspected. There is no side taking other than the encouragement to critical thinking about political issues. Who does B read? Some interesting names that are in the bibliography: Howard Zinn (but not Ambrose), Dewey, Peter Berger, Bourdieu, Habermas, Kohlberg, Perry, Neil

Necessary Andragogy Supplement

Brookfield makes clear how critical thinking is a necessary part of adult education. It is necessary for the adult educator to develop the skills necessary to be cognizant of the critical thinking process, through practice and developing the ability to articulate the concept and process to students while assisting them into putting the critical thinking process into practice.Brookfield outlines in this book how critical thinking is necessary in decipering media coverage, developing political positions, negotiating family vacations, and even in building and maintaining intimate relationships. Further, Brookfield advises that the critical thinking process affords students the ability to recognize perspectives other than their own held beliefs. Finally, through the epilogue, the educator is given some clear direction in implemeting and incorporating critical thinking dialouge and questioning in the classroom.Excellent supplement to any andragogy focused course or to improve the quality and efficacy of adult education.

A valuable read except for two things

As an organizational psychologist, I found this book very well-written and informative. For those who are not educators or counselors, Dr Brookfield's thorough discussion in Part One of just what constitutes critical thinking, how to recognize it and learning to think critically as adults is well worth the read. Parts Two and Three deal in-depth with developing critical thinking in adults, particularly college students. There are only two things I feel distract from the book. First, almost all of Dr Brookfield's examples employ very politically liberal themes. I'm afraid Dr Brookfield, as a member of the Academy, is so steeped in this persuasion that he didn't consider that more moderate examples might appeal to a wider audience. The second weakness, ironically, involves an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. Someone (probably his editor or a Jossey-Bass marketeer) prevailed on the author to periodically insert references to the workplace, political institutions and the media. At the end of the book, Part Three contains whole chapters dedicated to these areas, and the back cover suggests that the book should be placed in either the Higher Education or Management sections of the bookstore. Unfortunately, I found his references to business and the workplace to be rather superficial and, well, forced. At the end of the day, however, I found the book interesting and well-written and a valuable find particularly for educators.

Phill1SPHR@aol.com, Dallas, TX, April 13, 2000

If you are looking for a practical and, yet, profound work that allows you to develop critical thinking skills Stephen D. Brookfield has written what you are seeking. Brookfield defines critical thinking and articulates a method to help you recognize it in action. He proposes that to be critically analytical concerning the assumptions underlying our actions and those of others is organizationally and culturally beneficial as well as personally liberating. I have utilized the critical debate method that he recommends as a means to help others examine their assumptions as part of a diversity exercise within an organizational setting. The lessons learned were tremendous. The participants had to select a position (for or against) regarding a topic on which they held strong opinions. An example topic would be "physician assisted suicide". I then asked for ten volunteers who said they were for physician assisted suicide to form a debate team. Next, I asked for volunteers who said they were against physician assisted suicide to form a debate team. Then, I asked the debate teams to prepare an argument that was counter to their position. The debate team that was composed of people for the position had to develop an argument against it. The debate team that was composed of people against the position had to develop an argument for it. They had to present their final arguments in a debate format to approximately sixty observers. The observers were paired during the debate teams' preparation time and they had to discuss with their partner how they would argue a counter position to their original belief. The participants were able to experience in real time that they could "try on" a perspective which they had not held and be able to effectively support it. In doing so, they had to allow themselves the opportunity to take in new data which required them to place their original position on hold. In many cases, they learned that they were not as informed as they should have been about their original position. The dynamics within the group and effect of the presentations on the observers were also interesting. The diversity exercise was a means for the group to begin to understand the need for us to challenge the underlying assumptions that we have about people. Brookfield provided an excellent and fun method for this exploration. You must read the book to get further information about methods Brookfield proposes to help develop alternative ways of thinking. It was said by Albert Einstein that the significant problems that we face can not be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. I am convinced that the root cause of many of the issues we face organizationally and personally can be traced to unchallenged and, perhaps, faulty assumptions. This is a classic work that should be required reading at appropriate levels within our school system. I also highly recommend that ser