Session 1C

CRITICAL THINKING AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Tamer Ceylan1 and Lang Wah Lee2

Abstract – This paper is on the cultivation of critical question information, conclusions, and points of view. They
thinking in undergraduate engineering education. The strive to be clear, accurate, precise, and relevant. They seek
quality of our thinking determines the quality of what we to think beneath the surface, to be logical, and fair... Critical
design, produce, or build as engineers. As is the case for thinking is that mode of thinking – about any subject,
many professionals, graduates of engineering schools need content or problem – in which the thinker improves the
strong critical thinking skills in a world of rapid change and quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of
greater complexity. Critical thinking is essential to get to the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual
the root of problems and to develop reasonable solutions. standards upon them... A well-cultivated critical thinker
Engineers need to continually improve and learn throughout raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly
their professional lives. Our goal is to help undergraduate and precisely; gathers and assesses relevant information,
engineering students perceive the usefulness of critical comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing
thinking and grasp the principles of critical thinking. The them against relevant criteria and standards; thinks open-
anticipated educational benefits for engineering students are mindedly, recognizing and assessing assumptions,
improved thinking skills and increased ability in identifying implications, and practical consequences; and communicates
and comprehending a problem, determining the key effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex
parameters in a problem, making meaningful connections, problems... It entails effective problem-solving and
and developing higher quality solutions. Assessment aspects communication abilities...”
of this project are also discussed.
As Facione stated [7], critical thinking goes beyond the
INTRODUCTION classroom. According to Facione, core critical thinking
skills are interpretation, analysis, inference, explanation,
What is critical thinking? It is possible to find many evaluation, and self-regulation. He addresses the approaches
definitions of critical thinking [1]-[2] such as the examples to life that characterize critical thinking and states that good
below. critical thinkers approach specific problems, questions, and
issues with clarity, orderliness, diligence, reasonableness,
"An active, purposeful, organized cognitive process we care, persistence, and precision.
use to carefully examine our thinking and the thinking of
others, in order to clarify and improve our understanding." If supervised properly, Wheeler and McDonald report
[3] that writing allows students to develop and use critical
thinking skills [8]. They provide classroom examples,
"Critical thinking is simply the careful, deliberate address practical issues, and explain how writing enhances
determination of whether we should accept, reject, or active learning.
suspend judgement about a claim - and of the degree of
confidence with which we accept or reject it. The ability to There are critical thinking appraisal tests, such as
think critically is vitally important; in fact, our lives depend certain ACT tests and Watson-Glaser Test [9]. It seems that
on it. The way we conduct our lives depends on what we it is not possible to measure critical thinking but it is
believe - on what claims we accept. The more carefully we possible to assess it. In addition, there are institutions and
evaluate a claim and the more fully we separate issues that universities that can serve as resources in the subject of
are relevant to it from those that are not, the more critical is critical thinking (e.g., [10], [11]). They are very useful to
our thinking." [4] gain valuable insight and gather information. Longview
Community College maintains a website [10] that has a
“Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or wealth of information with many useful links. Faculty
strategies that increase the probability of a desirable members interested in critical thinking should also be aware
outcome.” [5] that the National Science Foundation Chautauqua Short
Course Program offers short courses on enhancing and
According to Paul and Erder [6], “...critical thinkers are promoting critical thinking.
clear as to the purpose at hand and question at issue. They
1
Tamer Ceylan, Dept. of Mech. & Ind. Eng., University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818, [email protected].
2
Lang Wah Lee, Dept. of Mech. & Ind. Eng., University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818, [email protected].

American Society for Engineering Education April 4-5, 2003 – Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
2003 IL/IN Sectional Conference
41
Session 1C

interview a number of students to have a better

As is the case for many professionals, graduates of understanding of how it seems from their side. Finally, in
engineering education need strong critical thinking skills in a multiple-section classes, we plan to compare certain
fast-changing world of increasing complexity. Critical indicators (e.g., level of success in class, results in a
thinking skills can be applied in professional and personal standardized test on critical thinking) for a section in which
life, and are especially important to engineering education determined efforts are made to cultivate critical thinking
and engineers in solving problems, and designing products, skills with a section taught as in the past.
systems, or processes.
Intermediate-term assessment will consist of two
GOALS, ANTICIPATED BENEFITS, AND elements. At three points in time in the engineering
ASSESSMENT student’s undergraduate education, we plan to use a written
survey designed to gage the impact of our efforts and a
Most of our students are willing to work hard and like standardized test on critical thinking. The first time will be
making things. As engineering educators, we can build on the beginning of their first sophomore-level engineering
these qualities. Keeping our students in a listening or course, which is Thermodynamics. The second will be at
responsive mode is not educationally sound. An appropriate the mid-point in their undergraduate years, our course in
general goal for engineering educators would be to Heat Transfer. Finally, immediately before they graduate,
encourage our students to continually improve and keep we will do it at the end of the Senior Design Project course,
learning throughout their careers. In this context, excellence which is taken by graduating seniors only.
in thought needs to be systematically cultivated.
Engineering students need to be able to state the problem (or Long-term assessment will consist of surveying two-
question) clearly and break it into sub-questions. They need and five-year alumni to have an understanding of the level of
to be able to identify their assumptions and determine our long-term success. Appropriate questions for the
whether they are justifiable. They should gather sufficient interviews and surveys are in the formulation stage and
information and avoid unsupported conclusions. All evolving.
information used should be clear, accurate, and relevant to
the question. MAIN FINDINGS TO DATE
Our goals are helping undergraduate engineering This section will summarize our experience and main
students begin to understand how important critical thinking findings thus far in our ongoing project on critical thinking
is, instilling in the student a love for thinking and respect for and engineering education. This is a project with a large
the power of thinking, helping them grasp the principles of scope and has a long timeline. We believe that the following
critical thinking, and developing the student’s ability for findings are warranted at this stage and would be beneficial
critical thinking. If grasped and cultivated properly, this will to an engineering educator who is planning to embark on a
help them become more successful in their professional lives similar critical thinking project.
as engineers and as leaders among other professionals.
Critical thinking is an essential need if they are to get to the Most people think they are already critical thinkers.
root of problems and issues, and develop reasonable This is a widespread self-delusion that needs to be overcome
solutions. We realize that one learns more in life after in the process of cultivating appropriate critical thinking
school than in school. Our aim is to provide a key to young skills. The most important ingredient in critical thinking
women and men during their undergraduate years. How appears to be a set of attitudes such as an intellectual
well they use it in the future will still be up to individual disposition, a sense of responsibility to learn and use most
students and vary from person to person. effective analytical tools, and dedication to the principles of
critical thinking [12].
Improved critical thinking skills in the student would
result in increased ability to identify and comprehend a Most seminars and workshops offered on critical
problem. Also, they would be able to determine the key thinking do not appear to be effective. Studying the subject
parameters in a problem more successfully. With higher or reading books about it do not seem to help much either.
levels of critical thinking, one can substantially improve They don’t address the fundamental issues. Most
analysis on complex engineering problems and expect higher participants of such workshops simply expect some
quality solutions. exercises and this attitude is not conducive to critical
thinking. There is no magic bullet. A realistic conception
We view assessment of this project as a three-stage and a systematic approach over a period of time are
process. Short-term assessment will consist of three necessary.
elements. Our subjective assessment based on classroom
observations and discussions will be recorded. We plan to
American Society for Engineering Education April 4-5, 2003 – Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
2003 IL/IN Sectional Conference
42
Session 1C

A course in symbolic logic provides a sound foundation [7] Facione, Peter, “Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts”,
California Academic Press, 1998 Update.
in the principles of reasoning. However, it seems that this is
neither absolutely necessary nor sufficient. Yet there is [8] Wheeler, Edward and McDonald, Robert, “Writing in Engineering
some evidence to conclude that it helps a person who is Courses”, Journal of Engineering Education, October 2000.
committed to become a better critical thinker. With the [9] Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking appraisal, The Psychological
possible exception of symbolic logic, critical thinking is not Corporation.
something one can learn from books or courses alone. Once [10] Critical Thinking Project, Longview Community College, Lee’s
its principles are grasped, they must be cultivated, practiced, Summit, Missouri.
and made second nature. Becoming a critical thinker is a [11] The Foundation for Critical Thinking, Sonoma, California.
process. It can improve with practice. One starts as a
[12] Personal communication with Larry Parker, Ohio Center for Critical
beginner and progresses in stages to become good at it. As Thinking Instruction (OCCTI), July, 2001.
engineering educators, we can play a vital role in the
beginning phase of this process.

What can be done in a classroom environment to help

students to become better critical thinkers? In addition to
keeping all of the above in mind, an educator can take
specific steps to stimulate, foster, and improve critical
thinking in the student. Demonstrating critical thinking
skills in the classroom and explaining how this would help
them are essential.

At the present time, the authors are experimenting with

a number of apparently very promising classroom activities.
The challenge before us is sorting out which ones are most
suitable in the context of engineering education. In general,
questions that can be answered by using a methodical
procedure to estimate an unknown quantity can be used for
this purpose. Carefully-selected engineering problems, as
well as certain types of mathematics and probability
questions, provide ample opportunities in this regard.
Studying how increasing or decreasing a key parameter in an
engineering problem would affect other variables and results
is also helpful. In addition, uncertainty analysis has been
found to be a good subject in the development of critical
thinking skills.
Finally, engineering educators need to search for ways
to make critical thinking more palatable to the student.
Examples that illustrate the power of critical thinking
generate enthusiasm in the student.

REFERENCES
[1] Compiled by Murrell, Greg and Houlihan, Patrick, Critical Thinking
Across the Curriculum, http://planet.tvi.cc.nm.us/ctac/definect.htm.
[2] Contributed by Fowler, Barbara, Longview Community College,
Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum Project, Critical Thinking
Definitions,
http://www.kemetro.cc.mo.us/longview/ctac/definitions.htm,.
[3] Chaffee, John, Thinking Critically, p. 48.
[4] Moore, B.N. and Parker, R., Critical Thinking, p.4.
[5] Halpern, Diane F., Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to
Critical Thinking, 1996.
[6] Paul, Richard and Erder, Linda, The Miniature Guide to Critical
Thinking Concepts and Tools, The Foundation for Critical Thinking.

American Society for Engineering Education April 4-5, 2003 – Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
2003 IL/IN Sectional Conference
43