Abstract
The information flood—ever present in today’s society—requires students, teachers, and the general public to think at a higher level, critically and analytically. However, higher order, critical, and critical analytic thinking lack practical and precise definitions, and therefore, researchers and practitioners have adopted disparate characterizations of these constructs. This special issue presents a collaboration of international scholars invested in documenting the growth and development of human thinking and reasoning through their different perspectives and disciplinary frameworks. The special issue illustrates the similarities and differences of higher order, critical, and critical analytic thinking from these varied perspectives and frameworks. The final paper integrates these perspectives to sketch a map of higher order, critical, and critical analytic thinking that researchers, educators, and policymakers can use when navigating this conceptual murkiness.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Surkes, M. A., Tamim, R., & Zhang, D. (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: a stage 1 meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 1102–1134. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308326084
Alexander, P. A. (2014). Thinking critically and analytically about critical analytic thinking: an introduction. Educational Psychology Review, 26(4), 469–476. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9283-1
Alexander, P. A. (2023). “Here be dragons!” Mapping the realm of higher order, critical, and critical analytic thinking. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09762-0
Allchin, D. (2022). Ten competencies for the science misinformation crisis. Science Education, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21746
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: a revision of Blooms taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Bellanca, J. A. (2010). 21st century skills: rethinking how students learn. Solution Tree Press.
Bloom, B. S. (Ed.), Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook 1: Cognitive domain. Longman.
Brookhart, S. M. (2010). How to assess higher order thinking skills in your classroom. ASCD.
Byrnes, J. P., & Dunbar, K. N. (2014). The nature and development of critical analytic thinking. Educational Psychology Review, 26(4), 477–493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9284-0
Collins, R. (2014). Skills for the 21st century: Teaching higher order thinking. Curriculum & Leadership Journal, 12(14). Retrieved July 15, 2022 from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/teaching_higher_order_thinking,37431.html
Conrad, J. (1906). The mirror of the sea. Harper & Brothers.
Dinsmore, D. L., & Fryer, L. K. (2023). Critical thinking and its relation to strategic processing. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09755-z
Ennis, R. (1991). Critical thinking: a streamlined conception. Teaching Philosophy, 14(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.5840/teachphil19911412
Evans, J. S. B., & Stanovich, K. E. (2013). Dual-process theories of higher cognition: advancing the debate. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(3), 223–241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691612460685
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: a statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction. In Executive summary: The Delphi Report. The California Academic Press.
Facione, P. A., Sanchez, C. A., Facione, N. C., & Gainen, J. (1995). The disposition toward critical thinking. The Journal of General Education, 44(1), 1–25. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27797240
Geary, D. C., & Xu, K. M. (2022). Evolutionary perspectives on educational psychology: motivation, instructional design, and child development. Educational Psychology Review, 34, 2221–2227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09710-4
Glaser, R. (1984). Education and thinking: the role of knowledge. American Psychologist, 39(2), 93–104. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.39.2.93
Greene, J. A., & Yu, S. B. (2016). Educating critical thinkers: the role of epistemic cognition. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 45–53. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199917662.003.0004
Griffin, P., & Care, E. (2014). Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills: methods and approach. Springer.
Halpern, D. F. (2014). Thought and knowledge: an introduction to critical thinking (5th ed.). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315885278
Hatano, G. (1990). The nature of everyday science: a brief introduction. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 8(3), 245–250.
Holyoak, K. J., & Morrison, R. G.. (2012). The Oxford handbook of thinking and reasoning. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199734689.001.0001x
Keren, G., & Schul, Y. (2009). Two is not always better than one: a critical evaluation of two-system theories. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(6), 533–550. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01164.x
Kozyreva, A., Wineburg, S., Lewandowsky, S., & Hertwig, R. (2022). Critical ignoring as a core competence for digital citizens. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214221121570
Kruglanski, A. W., Chun, W. Y., Erb, H. P., Pierro, A., Mannett, L., & Spiegel, S. (2003). A parametric unimodel of human judgment: integrating dual-process frameworks in social cognition from a single-mode perspective. In J. P. Forgas, K. R. Williams, & W. von Hippel (Eds.), Social judgments: implicit and explicit processes (pp. 137–161). Cambridge University Press.
Kuhn, D. (1999). A developmental model of critical thinking. Educational Researcher, 28(2), 16–46. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x028002016
Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: a literature review. Pearson’s Research Reports, 6(1), 40–41. http://images.pearsonassessments.com/images/tmrs/CriticalThinkingReviewFINAL.pdf
Lipman, M. (1987). Critical thinking: What can it be? Analytic Teaching, 8(1). Retrieved July 15, 2022 from https://journal.viterbo.edu/index.php/at/article/view/403/197
List, A., & Sun, Y. (2023). To clarity and beyond: situating higher-order, critical, and critical-analytic thinking in the literature on learning from multiple texts. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09756-y
Lombardi, D. (2022). Climate crisis mitigation and adaptation: educational and developmental psychology’s responsibility in helping face this threat. Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 39(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/20590776.2021.2012834
Lombardi, D., Shipley, T. F., & Astronomy Team, Biology Team, Chemistry, Engineering Team, Geography Team, Geoscience Team, & Physics Team. (2021). The curious construct of active learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 22(1), 8–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100620973974
Loyens, S. M. M., van Meerten, J. E., Schaap, L., & Wijnia, L. (2023). Situating higher-order, critical, and critical-analytic thinking in problem- and project-based learning environments: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09757-x
McNamara, D. S. (2011). Measuring deep, reflective comprehension and learning strategies: challenges and successes. Metacognition and Learning, 6(2), 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-011-9082-8
Murphy, P. K., Ogata, T. M., & Schoute, E. C. (2023). “Valued” thinking in education: liberating the narrative. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09754-0
National Council for the Social Studies. (2013). The college, career, and civic life (C3) framework for Social Studies state standards. Retrieved July 15, 2022 from https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf
National Governors Association. (2010). Common core state standards. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved July 15, 2022 from https://learning.ccsso.org/common-core-state-standards-initiative
National Research Council. (2011). Assessing 21st-century skills: summary of a workshop. National Academies Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32690/
National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165
Newell, A., & Simon, H. A. (1961). Computer simulation of human thinking: a theory of problem solving expressed as a computer program permits simulation of thinking processes. Science, 134(3495), 2011–2017. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.134.3495.2011
Overton, W. F. (2014). Relational developmental systems and developmental science: A focus on methodology. In P. C. M. Molenaar, R. M. Lerner, & K. M. Newell (Eds.), Handbook of developmental systems theory & methodology (pp. 19–65). Guilford Press.
Richland, L. E., & Simms, N. (2015). Analogy, higher order thinking, and education. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 6(2), 177–192. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1336
Rios, J. A., Ling, G., Pugh, R., Becker, D., & Bacall, A. (2020). Identifying critical 21st-century skills for workplace success: a content analysis of job advertisements. Educational Researcher, 49(2), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x19890600
Rips, L. J., & Conrad, F. G. (1989). Folk psychology of mental activities. Psychological Review, 96(2), 187–207. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.96.2.187
Saavedra, A. R., & Opfer, V. D. (2012). Learning 21st-century skills requires 21st-century teaching. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(2), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171209400203
Sinatra, G. M., & Hofer, B. K. (2021). Science denial: why it happens and what to do about it. Oxford University Press.
Stanovich, K. E. (2016). The comprehensive assessment of rational thinking. Educational Psychologist, 51(1), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2015.1125787
Starkey, L. (2020). A review of research exploring teacher preparation for the digital age. Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(1), 37–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2019.1625867
Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2002). The domain specificity and generality of disjunctive reasoning: searching for a generalizable critical thinking skill. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 197–209 https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-0663.94.1.197
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: learning for life in our times. John Wiley & Sons.
Wardle, C., & Derakhshan, H. (2017). Information disorder: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policymaking, Council of Europe. Retrieved on July 15, 2022 from https://firstdraftnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/PREMS-162317-GBR-2018-Report-de%CC%81sinformation-1.pdf?x29719
Wentzel, K., & Skinner, E. (2022). The other half of the story: the role of social relationships and social contexts in the development of academic motivation. Educational Psychology Review, 34, 1865–1876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09713-1
Willingham, D. T. (2007). Critical thinking: why is it so hard to teach. American Educator, 31(3), 8–19 https://eduq.info/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11515/19710/Crit_Thinking.pdf
Yuruk, N., Beeth, M. E., & Andersen, C. (2009). Analyzing the effect of metaconceptual teaching practices on students’ understanding of force and motion concepts. Research in Science Education, 39(4), 449–475. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-008-9089-6
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Lombardi, D. On the Horizon: the Promise and Power of Higher Order, Critical, and Critical Analytical Thinking. Educ Psychol Rev 35, 38 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09763-z
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09763-z