(The childbirth educator and Church Teacher can be guessed)

Focused Interview Report Tim Donaldson
March 25, 2008

Interview Focus
My interviews focused on the teaching of critical thinking skills to adults. I was particularly interested in whether critical thinking came about because of an individual process of growth, or whether it was something that could be taught. If it could be taught, I wanted to learn to use methods that work towards broadening people’s thinking.

Learning Objectives

Assess past successes in adult education by interviewing 3 teachers of adults in regards to what helps students to reach higher levels of learning

Identify consistent methods that help adults stretch themselves to higher forms of thought

Analyze ways in which I, and teachers in general, can implement these successful methods for adults

Introduction

I interviewed three different teachers of adults; a doula (childbirth educator) who received her degree in Health Education, a Sunday school teacher from Church who has taught adults for many years, and a college professor. Given that a sample size of three will inherently be limited in scope, I did want to reach teachers from different walks of life who could bring multiple perspectives to my study of these issues.

Summary of Findings

All three of my interview subjects expressed the view that critical thinking skill development is in some ways an individual process of growth. The childbirth educator said that “Some people are more ready to start thinking critically; some are more willing to let others think for them. As a teacher, it can be a challenge when working with a group, as you’ll get some who already love to analyze and think about everything they hear, and others who just want to regurgitate. The Church teacher said that a process of critical thinking can be taught, but it is a skill, and a skill which ultimately needs to be practiced and applied at the individual level.
However, even if it is in some ways subject to the attitudes and development of individuals, all 3 interviewees also told me that adults can be taught critical thinking skills. The college professor laid out specific methods for doing this: She has her students look at multiple perspectives, and engage with various viewpoints in the readings. But the reading is followed with the questions: Who is this writing? Whose interests does this perspective represent? Whose knowledge is this? By taking the texts, and applying and critiquing them, rather than laying them out as an objective truth or ultimate reality or anything like that, students are practicing the skill of becoming critical consumers of education. Students are then encouraged to access their prior knowledge and contribute to the dialogue, which, by including multiple perspectives, includes the subjective nature and critical process of incorporating all the viewpoints.
There was also consensus that this could be done respectfully, and had to be done respectfully. I asked them if critical thinking seemed to be a process that dug deeper, and tended to inevitably collide with an adult learner’s political, religious, or ethical views. Everyone thought it would. The Church teacher said that “A teacher needs to present a problem that challenges students’ assumptions and allows the students to work through the problem. Problems don’t step on toes, but teachers do. Teachers should also remember that if they wish to stimulate critical thinking, conclusions may challenge the teacher’s own assumptions. Critical thinking does not lead to obeisance.”
The childbirth educator said that issues of politics rarely come up, “…but I frequently have religious and ethical issues come up in my classes. I have conservative Christians who are adamant that women MUST suffer natural childbirth because of the curse of Eve, and they will take exception to anything I say that might reduce pain or make labor more comfortable… and of course, ethical concerns abound. Is it ethical for Mom to take medications in labor that cross the placenta and may make the baby have trouble breathing at birth? What about medications that may harm the breastfeeding relationship? Does a Mom have the right to refuse something her doctor recommends? Even if it may harm the baby?”
The college professor said that issues of respect and tolerance in the critical thinking sphere were much easier for her, because she had all the advantages of the classroom. A teacher in a room has a selective audience, and has a large degree of control. The classroom teacher of adults can allow students to differ and give these differences in contexts where people must recognize and tolerate them. When one isn’t in a classroom, matters of religion become matters of Religion, and people are more inclined to project their truths outward to being the truth. Teaching critical thinking skills is probably a lot more difficult when someone doesn’t have those format advantages, she said, and keeping such discussions respectful becomes more difficult.
There were very different answers for the questions about methods for teaching higher levels of thought. The Church teacher replied “Is a higher level of thought different from a deeper level of thought? I’d give up this quest (for higher levels of thought) and settle for simply MORE thought. Help students enjoy thinking. The more they enjoy thinking, the more they will, and the deeper they will plough. I prefer that concept over some Sci-Fi concept of higher thought or evolved thought.”
The college professor said that the best step would be to eliminate the banking style of teaching and the assessment method that so dominates education in America today. “Assessment objectifies teaching. If the process is creative, you can’t measure that.” Encouraging students to gather qualitative, not quantitative data, would be another good step. She mentioned that education, in all disciplines, seems to be moving towards a scientific model. The scientific method of inquiry is good, she said, but the idea of rigid and fixed objective truth is not. Even in science, understandings are usually changing, sometimes completely overthrowing old paradigms, if not going deeper and in surprising directions beyond the basics. So critical thinking is needed more in math and science as well. The college professor felt that therefore, the teacher must always be a part of the dialogue, and listen to students as much as learner as well as instructor.
The childbirth educator, when asked about methods for developing higher levels of thought, responded “Definitely! In my childbirth classes, I put them on the spot and make them role play certain situations. I can teach them all kinds of things, like benefits/risks of a procedure, I can tell them about their right to decline things that are Hospital Policy, and give them some steps to negotiation. When I make them role play it, they are forced to think fast and really apply that knowledge. In my teaching of midwifery students, they often come to me with very polarized thought. Things like ANY intervention is ALWAYS bad. Or, Care providers should never touch a woman- just let her be. I have found it very helpful when working with those students to have them argue the other side in a paper. Sometimes having them look at published research, sometimes having them interview several experienced midwives, but generally both. So I would assign something like this: After interviewing at least 3 midwives with 20 years of experience, and doing a review of the medical literature, write a 1000 word paper outlining 3 circumstances where an episiotomy might be an appropriate intervention.” It can really open their eyes and get them away from absolutes and into analysis of the situation.”
Comparison with Course Readings
I found that the methods described by the experienced teachers of adults were the same as those encouraged in our readings. Role play, dialogue, drill, reading literature of differing viewpoints, asking questions that challenge assumptions- all of these methods were described at length in the course readings, and also used as examples of successful past methods by my interview subjects.
There was also agreement about the principles underlying the purpose of adult education. All 3 participants, and the texts in the course, have emphasized the need for respectful dialogue amongst different people with differing viewpoints. Free inquiry and broadening thinking are also key themes.
There was some debate, as their usually is, when it comes to the creation of a philosophical paradigm to add it all up. The Church teacher does not believe in higher levels of thought, which is the basic paradigm framework which many developmental theorists which we have read build up. He sees it more as matter of more thinking vs. not thinking. The childbirth educator seemed to believe in the concept of higher levels of thought, but felt that people not wanting to think for themselves, or having very fixed absolutes in their minds, were big obstacles for a critical thinking teacher to overcome.
Learning Objectives Review/ Implications for Future Research & Practice
This focused interview has helped me to meet my learning objectives. It has allowed me to deeply investigate and discuss both whether a teacher of adults can transmit critical thinking skills to their learners, and to identify methods for doing so. The successful methods described by all 3 will be useful to me in the future as I try to employ similar methods in teaching adults.
As the college professor indicated, I will not expect as much from efforts which take place in realms which are less conducive to this than the classroom. As the Church teacher said, critical thinking will not necessarily, or even usually, lead people to reach conclusions which I may want them to reach. And the specific methods used by the childbirth educator for overcoming a fixed absolute were really fascinating to me. I will certainly remember such methods if I come across a similar hurdle in adult education in the future.