This title considers the philosophical debates surrounding the existance, teaching and transferability of thinking skills. "Teaching Thinking Skills" by Steve Johnson was initially published by the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain in 2000. In this new edition, Johnson has updated his argument, Harvey Siegel has contributed a counter-argument and Christopher Winch has provided a foreword and afterword, drawing the debates together. The issues debated in this new edition of "Teaching Thinking Skills" include: Do thinking skills exist? What are the aims of education? Can thinking skill be taught? Are thinking skills transferable? "Teaching Thinking Skills" raises issues not only for those concerned with thinking skills per se but more broadly for those concerned with the role of thinking in professional and vocational activities and with the extent to which abilities are broad or narrow, transferable or non-transferable. This innovative series is addressed to practitioners and policy-makers. It highlights the critical perspectives that philosophy can bring to bear on current education policy and provides a lively discussion of the issues. It aims to stimulate debate and to contribute to better informed educational initiatives.
Author(s): Stephen Johnson, Harvey Siegel, Christopher Winch
Series: Key Debates in Educational Policy
Edition: 2
Publisher: Continuum
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 144
Contents......Page 6
Series Editor’s Preface – Key Debates in Educational Policy......Page 8
Foreword......Page 12
The policy background in the United Kingdom......Page 15
1. The argument......Page 18
2. Present interest in thinking skills......Page 19
3. Thinking as a skill......Page 24
4. General transferability......Page 30
5. Conceptual errors......Page 37
6. The direct teaching of thinking and the importance of content......Page 42
7. Thinking as mental processes......Page 45
8. Examples of general thinking skills......Page 49
9. The dangers......Page 53
10. Conclusion......Page 59
References......Page 64
1. Introduction......Page 68
2. Problems with thinking of thinking as a skill......Page 71
3. ‘The myth of general transferability’......Page 78
4. The ‘direct’ teaching of thinking and content/subject matter knowledge......Page 92
5. Mental processes and general thinking skills......Page 95
6. The educational dangers of thinking of thinking in terms of skills......Page 97
7. Conclusion......Page 99
References......Page 100
Further reading......Page 101
Afterword......Page 102
1. Skills......Page 105
2. Skills and transferability......Page 113
3. The question of efficacy......Page 118
4. What is thinking?......Page 120
5. Mental processes......Page 121
6. A summary of Johnson’s claims......Page 124
7. Reasoning......Page 126
8. The role of philosophy......Page 129
9. Reason and argument......Page 130
10. Inductive arguments......Page 137
11. Concluding remarks......Page 139
References......Page 140
E......Page 142
P......Page 143
W......Page 144
