Critical Thinking about Parenting

A. What is critical thinking?

B. Critical thinking is used in personal, academic and professional contexts.

C. Critical thinking requires critical reading

1. tips on critical reading

 

 

 

 

2. questions to consider as you are reading

 

 

 

II. Critical Thinking and Parenting

A. In discussion, keep in mind...

 

 

 

 

B. Discuss how a parent might engage in critical thinking in order to make a decision about television viewing for his/her child.  

III. Evaluating Sources of Information

Key areas to consider:

• the Authority of the author and the publisher

 

 

 

• the Objectivity of the author

 

 

 

• the Quality of the work

 

 

 

• Coverage of the work

 

 

 

 

• Currency of the work and its sources

 

 

 

 

IV. Science and Parenting 

A. Science as a "way of knowing"  about parenting

B. Science and non-science

C. Evaluating a scientific study and its source

 §  Does the author make a good argument for the research question?

 

§  Who participated in the study? How large was the sample and is the sample generalizable?

§  What were the methods used to collect data? Do they seem valid?

§  Does the author provide accurate explanations for the results? Does the author draw accurate conclusions?

§  When was the study conducted? Is it current and do the results apply to today’s children and families?

§  What is the source of the article? Internet? Popular Journal? Scholarly Journal? Book?

 

DISCUSSION - The science and practice of parenting...