Abstract
This chapter considers the development of critical thinking education in China. On the one hand, progress in critical thinking education in China has been made since the late 1990s, including textbooks, courses, articles, projects, conferences, etc. On the other hand, the development in reality is sluggish, difficult, and with undesirable “Chinese characteristics.” In our analysis, the most important factors underlying the problems are not traditional Chinese collectivism or difficulties in teaching Chinese students. We argue instead that the main resistance comes from the uncritical cognitive dispositions in the Chinese tradition and the materialistic values of modern Chinese society. Based on this understanding, we outline a strategy for achieving progress and steering critical thinking education to a better and faster track.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bell, D. 2008, D. 2008. “Chinese Students’ Constructive Nationalism.” Chronicle of Higher Education. October 21, 2013.
Browne, M. N., and Keeley, S. M. 1994. Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking. Translated by Xiaohui Zhang and Jinjie Wang. (third edition). Beijing: Central Compilation & Translation Press. Original edition, 1990.
Chen, B. 2002. What Is Logic? Beijing: Peking University Press.
Chen, J. 2013. “On the Characteristics of a Critical Thinking Teacher.” Newsletter for Critical and Creative Thinking Education 2013 (14): 28–30.
Chen, M. 2013. “Critical Thinking: From a Logician’s Point of View.” Newsletter for Critical and Creative Thinking Education 2013 (14): 28–30.
Chen, S. B. 2013. “Reflections on Critical Pedagogy Workshops.” Newsletter for Critical and Creative Thinking Education 2013 (12): 10–22.
Chen, M., and Yu, J. 2011. Logic and Critical Thinking. Beijing: China Renmin University Press.
Chuah, S. 2013. “Teaching East-Asian Students: Some Observations.” The Economics Network 2010. July 30.
Davies, M. 2007. “Cognitive Contours: Recent Work on Cross-Cultural Psychology and Its Relevance for Education.” Studies in Philosophy and Education 26 (1): 13–42.
Dong, Y. 1992. “Russell and Chinese Civilization.” Russell 12 (1): 22–49.
Dong, Y. 2010. Principles and Methods of Critical Thinking: Toward the New Knowledge and Action. Beijing: China Higher Education Press.
Dong, Y., and Liu, Y. 2013. “Critical Thinking: Foster New Type of Creative Engineers.” Higher Engineering Education 2013 (1): 176–180.
Ennis, R. H. 1991. “Critical Thinking: A Streamlined Conception.” Teaching Philosophy 14 (1): 5–25.
Ennis, R. H. 1996. Critical Thinking. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Ennis, R. H. 1998. “Is Critical Thinking Culturally Biased?” Teaching Philosophy 21 (1): 15–33.
Ennis, R. H. 2011. “Critical Thinking: Reflection and Perspective, Part I.” Inquiry: Critical Thinking across the Disciplines 26 (1): 4–18.
Facione, P. 1990. “The Delphi Report: Critical Thinking.” A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. Millbrae: California Academic Press.
Facione, P., Facione, N., Tiwari, A., and Yuen, F. 2009. “Chinese and American Perspectives on the Pervasive Human Phenomenon of Critical Thinking.” Journal of Peking University (Philosophy & Social Sciences) 46 (1): 55–62.
Fisher, A., and Scriven, D. 1997. Critical Thinking: Its Definition and Assessment. Point Reyes, CA: Edgepress.
Gan, Y. 2010. “Shaping Critical Thinking Courses with Critical Thinking.” Journal of Southwest University (Social Sciences Edition) 36 (6): 51–55.
Gu, Z. 2000. Argumentation and Analysis: Application of Logic. Beijing: People’s Publishing House.
Gu, Z. 2011. “Basic Thinking Skills and Critical Thinking.” Guangming Daily, May 16.
Gu, Z., and Liu, Z. 2006. Critical Thinking Text. Beijing: Peking University Press.
Hitchcock, D. 1983. Critical Thinking: A Guide to Evaluating Information. Toronto: Methuen.
Hitchcock, D. 2012. “Critical Thinking as an Education Ideal.” Journal of Higher Education 2012 (11): 54–63.
Kember, D. 2000. “Misconceptions about the Learning Approaches, Motivation and Study Practices of Asian Students.” Higher Education 40 (1): 99–121.
Kirby, G., and Goodpaster, J. 2010. Thinking: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Critical and Creative Thought. Translated by Guangzhong Han (fourth edition). Beijing: China Renmin University Press. Original edition, 2007.
Levin, D. 2012. “A Chinese Education, for a Price.” The New York Times, November 22, A6.
Levin, R. 2010. “Role of General Education in China’s Education Development.” May 5. Accessed November 8, 2012. Available from http://edu.people.com.cn/GB/8216/188867/189175/11524636.html.
Li, M. 2012. “History and Reflection of Researches on Thinking Skills of English Major Students in China.” Newsletter for Critical and Creative Thinking Education 2012 (9): 6–17.
Li, P., Xu, X., and Chen, G. 2012. “The Causes of the Practical Education Problems in Engineering Education.” Higher Engineering Education 2012 (3): 7–12.
Littlewood, W. 2000. “Asian Students Really Want to Listen and Obey?” ELT Journal 54 (1): 32–35.
Moore, B., and Parker, R. 2012. Critical Thinking. Translated by S. Zhu. (ninth edition). Beijing: China Machine Press. Original edition, 2009.
Ng, A. K. 2001. Why Asians Are Less Creative Than Westerners. Singapore: Prentice-Hall.
Nisbett, R. E. 2004. The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently… and Why. New York: The Free Press.
O’Sullivan, M., and Guo, L. 2010. “Critical Thinking and Chinese International Students: An East-West Dialogue.” Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education 5 (2): 53–73.
Paul, R., and Elder, L. 2010. Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life. Translated by Wei Ding. Shanghai: Genzhi Publishing House. Original edition, 2002.
Peng, K. 1997. Naive Dialecticism and Its Effects on Reasoning and Judgment about Contradiction. Michigan: University of Michigan Press.
Peng, K., and Nisbett, R. 1999. “Culture, Dialectics, and Reasoning about Contradiction.” American Psychologist 54 (9): 741–754.
Richmond, J. 2007. “Bring Critical Thinking to the Education of Developing Country Professionals.” International Education Journal 8 (1): 1–29.
Ruggiero, V. 2010. Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking. Translated by Shu Gu and Yurong Dong. (eighth edition). Shanghai: Fudan University Press. Original edition, 2007.
Steele, L., and Lynch, S. 2012. “The Pursuit of Happiness in China: Individualism, Collectivism, and Subjective Well-Being during China’s Economic and Social Transformation.” Social Indicators Research 2012 (September): 1–11.
Upton, T. 1989. “Chinese Students, American Universities and Cultural Confrontation.” MinneTESOL Journal 7: 9–28.
Vandermensbrugghe, J. 2004. “The Unbearable Vagueness of Critical Thinking in the Context of the Anglo-Saxonisation of Education.” International Education Journal 5 (3): 417–422.
Wang, L. 2003. “Why Students Do Not Respect Teachers.” Composition King 2003 (5): 22–23.
Watkins, D., and Biggs, J. 1996. The Chinese Learner: Cultural, Psychological and Contextual Influences. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Watkins, D., and Biggs, J. 2001. Teaching the Chinese Learner: Psychological and Pedagogical Perspectives. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong, ACER Press.
Wen, J. 2012. “Actively Meet Challenges of New Revolutions of Science and Technology.” June 11. November 8, 2012. Available from http://www.gov.cn/ldhd/2012–07/02/content_2175033.htm.
Weston, A. 2011. A Rulebook for Arguments. Translated by S. Qin. (fourth edition). Beijing: Xinhua Publishing House. Original edition, 2009.
Wu, H., and Liu, C. 2005. Critical Thinking: Based on the Tools of the Logic of Arguments. Taiyuan: Shanxi People’s Publishing House.
Wu, H., and Zhou, J. 2010. Critical Thinking: From Perspective of Logic of Arguments. (revised edition). Beijing: China Renmin University Press.
Xiong, M. 2006. “On the Relationship between Critical Thinking and Logic.” Modern Philosophy 2006 (2): 114–119.
Xu, J. C. 2007. “Individualistic Teaching and Its Critique.” Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method 2007 (8): 20–25.
Xu, J. L. 2009. “The Dissolution of the Big Self: The Transformation of Individualism in Modern China.” Chinese Social Science Quarterly Spring.
Yang, W. 2007. Logic and Critical Thinking. Beijing: Peking University Press.
Yu, H. 2013. “Report on Critical Pedagogy Workshops.” Newsletter for Critical and Creative Thinking Education 2013 (12): 22–26.
Zhang, A., and Jin, M. 2010. “Respect Scholarship of Teaching, Practical Solution to Improve Quality of Teaching in Higher Education.” China University Teaching 2010 (11): 20–23.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2015 Martin Davies and Ronald Barnett
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dong, Y. (2015). Critical Thinking Education with Chinese Characteristics. In: Davies, M., Barnett, R. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Thinking in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137378057_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137378057_22
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-47812-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-37805-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Education CollectionEducation (R0)