Roots of Criticality in Education

Abstract

To evaluate the role of reflection in the development of critical thinking, this chapter takes a cross-disciplinary approach. Criticality is rooted in the philosophical debate about subject-object notions of truth, reflected in a widening educational divide and impact on the reflective practice paradigm, flaws in epistemology reveal the dilemma in approaches to verifying truth. The subject-object paradox is mirrored in competing models of reflection linked to the theory practice divide. Questions of validity and context have polarised current thinking about the role of reflective practice in learning. The work throws light on issues impacting the scope of reflective activities in education and wider socio political implications. The discourse supports embedding critically reflective practice through a reconciled, contextualised approach of reasoned reflection described as ‘reflective rationalism’.