A Comparison of Critical Thinking Perspectives: Dewry to Ennis

This essay provides a comparative analysis of the critical thinking philosophies of John Dewry, Edward Glaser, Richard Paul, and Robert Ennis. It delves into Dewry's emphasis on reflective thinking and open-mindedness, Glaser's structural approach focusing on reasoning and skills, Paul's focus on systematic reasoning, and Ennis's FRISCO method. The essay also explores the justification for teaching critical thinking, highlighting its importance in education from the early stages to tertiary levels. It emphasizes how critical thinking encourages inquiry, problem-solving, and self-analysis, ultimately aiding in career choices and decision-making throughout life. The essay concludes by underscoring the continuous engagement needed for enhanced psychological and emotional performance.

Running head: TEACHING PRACTICE
Teaching Practice
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Comparison of the views of John Dewry, Edward Glaser, Richard paul and Robert Ennis
on critical thinking
According to John Dewry, thinking critically is referred to as thinking in a reflective
mode. In this process of thinking, Dewry asserts that the mind is free from judgments and
focuses on a healthy skepticism. The thinking process includes disregarding the complex thought
process and considering thinking with an open mind. In simpler terms, Dewry’s critical thinking
involves the use of both emotional and intellectual grounds (Cottrell, 2017). In this type of
thinking process the tutors or the supervisors enable the students to delve deep into a thought
without tearing the topic, that is, without breaking down the topic into fragments or components.
The students are taught by the teacher to make a critical evaluation of any topic through the
application of features like questioning the topic, making a skeptic derivation of the topic and by
making a proper reflection of the topic (Key & Noble, 2017).
In this context it would be worthy to assert that John Dewry developed some principles
about critical thinking. He related those principles with critical thinking strategies and formed
some basic strategies that would enable an individual to develop critical thinking process. The
forst point that was addressed by Dewry was to Learn Meaningfully. That is, before a critical
thought can be applied to a particular subject, Dewry claims that it is imperative to acquire
fluency about the subject (Fuller & Moore, 2017). In order to achieve fluency and complete
control over a particular subject, it is important to learn understanding the meaning of the
subject. Only then critical thinking can be applied over a particular subject.
Edward Glaser describes critical thinking as a structural process that necessitate the
assessment of all the elements incorporated in thought based reasoning like presumptions,

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assumptions, conceptions, consequences, goals and conclusions. Edward Glaser also moves on to
say that mode of critical thinking quintessentially depends upon the family heredity. That is the
mode of thinking process like mathematical, analytical, and logical or whatever the thinking
process may be is carried from generation to another. Edward Glaser developed three structures
upon which he builds up the concept of his version of critical thinking. The three aspects are as
follows:
 An individual must have an attitude to judge a particular topic in a thoughtful
manner, particularly considering the frame of experience and events that occurred
until date.
 A person must have a complete knowledge regarding the method and techniques
of logical answering and reasoning.
 The final aspect that Edward Glaser considers an individual to have in order to
think critically is an individual must possess some specific skills and attributes for
the application of the methods to think critically.
Critical thinking includes a lot of efforts on the part of an individual. The most important
criteria to apply critical thought over any topic is maintaining persistency. In over to think
critically, an individual needs to have persistent efforts towards a particular topic or context. An
individual must have certain qualities to analyze and recognize the issues or the problems and
identify the source of the problems. Once the source of the problems are identified, an individual
may find it easier to apply critical thought to the problems in order to overcome it. Further, it
should also be noted that while critically thinking and applying solutions one must be aware of
all the pros and cons and the consequences related to the strategies applied to overcome the
issue. Apart from that, individuals are also expected to establish a logical relationship between

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the problems and the remedies applied to the problems. The remedies should not be illogical and
should be practical.
Richard Paul makes his primary focus on the key aspects reasoning, that is, analyzing and
assessment of reasoning. Richard Paul asserted that in order to think critically, it is imperative to
link all the aspects of reasoning into a seam line. That is, Richard Paul specified that critical
thinking requires the working of reasoning in a systematic approach. Only then an individual will
be able to think critically over a particular topic and attain a conclusion. According to Richard
Pau, there are certain criterion that an individual needs to meet to apply critical thinking over a
particular topic. The abilities that are imperative in order to thik critically according to Richard
Paul are as listed below:
 Congregating of similar information
 Differentiating between logical and illogical reasoning
 Spawning assumptions and perceptions that are justifiable and acceptable
 Tracing the implied connotations and following the same
 Cross checking all the available information and resources and analyzing the
accuracy of the same.
Robert Ennis best conceptualized critical thinking in his book “Critical Thinking”
published in the year 1996. Robert Ennis observes that the process of critical thinking is best
approached by a method FRISCO, which is essentially a term coined by him (Miletzki & Broten,
2017). FRISCO can be expanded as Focus, Reason, Inference, Situation, Clarity and Overview,
which are the major components of the process of critical thinking according to the author.

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Robert Ennis developed a few points that would ideally characterize ideal critical
thinkers. According to Ennis, critical thinkers should be able to dispose themselves into a mental
structure wherein they needs to have a form belief that their thoughts and decisions are true,
realistic and justified. The critical thinkers are also expected to take others thought into
consideration and not only establish his or her own thought or ideals. Apart from that, ideal
critical thinkers are also expected to maintain the focus of the topic in the discussion and never
exaggerate or move out of the topic.
Justification of teaching critical thinking:
It has been observed that the learning aims are inconsistent and in most of the cases
misinterpreted since the very infant stage of education. The students read, lean and write the
syllabus, appears for examination but on the same hand it is questionable as to why are the
particular syllabuses taught and about the need of the topics in the long run (Roderick, 2016). To
make the students understand that whatever is taught since the very initial stage corresponds to
the moral and ethical development of the students, critical thinking must be applied as a course
in the curriculum.
Critical thinking encourages students be inquisitive in the right way. That is it enables the
students to ask the right questions whenever necessary (Shamim, 2017). Students when taught to
think in a critical way, from the very childhood are able to figure out the existence of problems.
Once the problems are figured out, it is easier for the students to solve the same. Teaching to
give a critical thought also helps students to make proper assumptions and presumptions.
Critical thinking though is not a course that can be taught to students; still the fairer part
is that with regular practice critical thinking can be improved. Since it is not a course rather a

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concept or a practice that needs to be developed, with continuous practice and regular efforts the
same can be achieved.
In higher standards, practice of critical thinking would help students to figure out the
characteristic skills that they posses. The prime benefit that the students would be having is self-
analysis (Roderick, 2016). Self- realization would be helping students to figure out their carrier
goals and to chart out their life. That is, it is imperative to understand self -need and likings.
Critical thinking would certainly help students in secondary level to draw a fine line of
demarcation between fantasies and realistic life and ambition, which would make them more
sorted. Apart from that the students if being taught to think critically in secondary schools would
also help the students to analyze the pros and cons of the carrier choice that they makes without
the guidance of parents or carrier counselors. As such it is quite evident that critical thinking also
enables to develop self confidence and take responsibility (Ma & Schapira, 2017). For instance,
having critical thought would enable a student of secondary level to make his carrier choice and
align all the external factors related to it like the source of income to support the course fees,
future higher education opportunities related to it and all the other external and internal aspects
related to it.
Developing the concept of critical thinking in grown up adults in tertiary education
system is even more beneficial (McPeck, 2016). Applying critical thought to real life situation
helps to solve problems and issues regarding all the sectors of life. It enables individuals to take
apt business decisions, make worthy investment plans, chalk out carrier objectives and fix
realistic deadlines to meet the goals.

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It must be noted that mind is a gadget rather than an organ of human body. Being
stagnant for too long would not only rust mind but at the same time would lessen the ability of
critical thought (Young & Killick, 2017). Critical thought is a continuous engaging process that
would only result in better psychological and emotional performance. It essentially results in
better thinking and decision-making power.

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Reference List
Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills. Macmillan Education.
Davis, N. (2017). The selfish gene. Macat Library.
Fuller, M., & Moore, R. (2017). The death and life of great American cities. Macat Library.
Key, L. E., & Noble, B. P. (2017). Course in general linguistics. Macat Library.
Ma, C., & Schapira, M. (2017). The bell curve: Intelligence and class structure in American life.
Macat Library.
McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge.
Miletzki, J., & Broten, N. (2017). Development as freedom. Macat Library.
Roderick, G. (2016). Teaching critical thinking: Dialogue and dialectic. Routledge.
Shamim, T. (2017). Critical-thinking skills. The Journal of the American Dental
Association, 148(1), 4-5.
Young, S., & Killick, H. (2017). Religion and the Decline of Magic. Macat Library.