Educational Sciences

SOCRATES

Socrates, one of the greatest spokesperson for 'critical thinking' engaged the same idea in education. The Socrates approach is mainly through questioning a claim and raising counter arguments. The main idea is to invoke curiosity in the the students' minds, reassess whether their pre-notions are correct, to accept them by elaborating on the evidences they have or offer counter arguments with evidences to open up their minds to accept different angles on the subject. The aim of the Socrates theory is to search for answers within oneself, analyzing them and reaching at conclusions with which they acquire a deeper knowledge about the subject.  

The above image is a reflection of the Socrates theory. Suppose the subject is history. Students have different notions on a fact. The teacher can raise a question or a claim on this fact and invoke curiosity in their minds.

(1) The teacher and students can see each other easily to hold open discussions among the members. Anyone can raise a question, test a claim or share their ideas.

(2) The individuals can note ideas or counter-arguments to reflect on it.

(3) A big white board in the classroom to share the conclusions for all to see.

Benjamin Bloom

Bloom's theory is based on six levels for knowledge acquisition. The six levels are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Knowledge helps in recalling the information, comprehension involves understanding the function of the acquired knowledge, application involves applying their knowledge to test in a new situation, analysis involves comparison with a similar situation, synthesis helps them to plan and design a project based on the topic and finally evaluation which is the highest level of cognitive thinking helps them to assess the information and evaluate or judge its significance. This approach invokes an all-round approach on the topic invigorating thinking at six levels.

The above biology classroom is a good reflection of the Bloom's theory

(1) It gives a freedom of space as to study in groups to reflect and respond to different ideas or to do the same individually.

(2) Information in the form of charts and books help in acquiring knowledge. The use of microscopes and other techniques help the students in comprehending the knowledge as well as the use of newer specimens help in applying the knowledge and analysing a similar situation. 

(3) An activity-based classroom like the above, helps the students for a hands-on experience and invokes a collective curiosity to design new projects.

COMPARISON between the two images

The first image of the classroom has nothing very special. It relies entirely on the minds to conceive an image of the topic being discussed. Once the ideas are discussed there are instruments to record it. This is important because once they reach a conclusion writing it down or reading it from the big board helps the students to capture the idea and reflect on it later. Thus the abstract idea becomes a concrete fact in their minds widening their knowledge base.

The second image of the classroom has various tools that help the students to create a basis for knowledge. From this basis they are free to analyse and evaluate newer situations. They have an a opportunity to apply the acquired information then and there itself.

Both the classrooms evoke critical thinking in students' minds.