Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

I think this is a good post about critical thinking even though I am by no means in agreement with all of it. In particular, I wish Philip Kerr hadn't defaulted so quickly to an account of critical thinking as ' media information literacy'. Far from being a 'weasel word' (as Kerr suggests) the term 'critical thinking' has a wider and more precise meaning (as I have previously argued). Still, I agree with both he and danah boyd in the observation that we can't "fact check and moderate our way out of this conundrum" of fake news and misinformation. Critical thinking doesn't work unless people have the power to use it, and students don't currently have that power. "Children... are enjoined to be critical thinkers, but only about certain things and only up to a certain point." And that's the problem.

Today: 1054 Total: 1061 [Direct link] [Share]


Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

Copyright 2024
Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 05:06 a.m.

Canadian Flag Creative Commons License.

Force:yes