Developing Critical Thinking: A Review of Past Efforts as a Framework for a New Approach for Childhood Learning

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a theoretically grounded and researchbased framework to support the development of inquiry and critical thinking skills in children. As a first step in developing the framework, a review of the research literature on critical thinking and inquiry learning was conducted. Noteworthy efforts were found primarily in science domains, such as “The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury” and WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment). Earlier attempts to use the Internet to promote inquiry and critical thinking involved such methodologies as webquests and computer-supported intentional learning environments (e.g., CSILE). One approach not involving modern technologies was the effort of Matthew Lipman to teach logic to young children (e.g., Harry Stottlemeier’s Discovery). Given a growing emphasis on twenty-first-century skills (e.g., communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity), and the evidence from prior work that it is possible to support inquiry learning and critical thinking with and without advanced technologies, an effort was made to see how curricula were changing to embrace those skills, especially at a middle school level when abstract reasoning and habits of mind are developing. We found very few examples of systemic or large-scale changes in curricula, although some organizations (e.g., The Critical Thinking Company) offer support materials. Very little empirical research has been done with young children or with the use of interactive technologies across multiple subject areas. Further, we found no efforts to create a sustained developmental path for the relevant skills and subskills, which are clearly emphasized in the literature on twenty-first-century skills, although rarely implemented on a sustained basic across multiple subjects and school years. As a consequence, we decided that it would be worthwhile to consolidate our findings in the form of a theoretically grounded and research-based framework that could be used to guide efforts to support the early development of inquiry and critical thinking skills in young children.