Readings in the American Experiment to develop Critical Thinking skills
Abstract
Thinking is an old term that keeps renewing itself all the time. It was known by humans since eternity, and was referred to by Abrahamic Religions. The word “thought” and its derivatives were mentioned in the Holy Quran eighteen times. Such emphasis indicates the Creator’s call on humans to reflect upon the faculty of thinking that he endowed them with, in addition to reflecting upon life and creation. Man put the theoretical framework of the science of thinking in the modern age, more specifically in the twentieth century. The credit in such theorization must be attributed to the American scientist, Guilford, President of the American psychological Association at the time, who distinguished thinking as one of the most important mental abilities of humans, calling for studying such ability and paying attention to it. After that, a large series of studies appeared providing definitions, classifications, ways of development and ways of teaching such ability. Due to the fact that the United States has the largest and the most resilient and developed educational system in the world, it became the leading country in educational innovation, and all other countries benefit from the result of its experiments. Furthermore, the United States surpasses all other countries in term of the budget allotted for psychology, and consequently for its applications in various areas including education. This study aims discover and evaluate the efforts made by the United States in order to introduce critical thinking, being a significant mental ability, into the field of education, in order to create within a society that is capable of thinking and adapting to its environment. The efforts of developing critical thinking skills are divided into four major lines representing the pillars of the American experiment. Those lines are presented and supported by examples of application. The study is concluded by the efforts that can be employed by as in order to get benefits from such experiment.
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