ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors explore the meaning of critical thinking. In order to move forward in adopting critical thinking and making a difference in student learning, there must be a “shared vision” of what the concept means. They discuss the works of two theorists, John Dewey and Matthew Lipman. Students must learn about their responsibilities to government, but learning how to behave with others is equally, if not more, important because it would govern their everyday lives and also has implications for how they make judgments about important life decisions, including political decisions. In Dewey's description “suggestion of a possible solution” is equivalent to developing a hypothesis. So, there are parallels between Dewey's definition and the so-called scientific method and given that he wrote for elementary school teachers, it follows that he had no doubt that children can engage in thinking that parallels the scientific method.
