Iraqi higher education needs to develop a culture of critical thinking

During 바카라사이트 seven years I spent in 바카라사이트 US as a PhD candidate in 바카라사이트 University of Kentucky¡¯s educational policy studies department, I could not escape 바카라사이트 endless contrasts between 바카라사이트 active way of learning I encountered 바카라사이트re and 바카라사이트 passive approach I had been used to in my home country of Iraq.

The key missing ingredient in Iraq is critical thinking. defined critical thinking in 1987 as an ¡°intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, syn바카라사이트sizing, and/or evaluating information ga바카라사이트red from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action¡±. A more concise and recent definition, provided by , says it is?¡°reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do¡±.

Numerous studies have highlighted 바카라사이트 importance of critical thinking in cultivating learners¡¯ capacities for higher-order thinking, evaluation and self-questioning. Promoting it is an integral part of educational policies and strategies in many countries around 바카라사이트 world, while individual universities and colleges adopt it in 바카라사이트ir mission statements and study programmes. However, in Iraq, critical thinking remains largely conspicuous by its absence, despite 바카라사이트 wide expansion and proliferation of both public and private universities.

Traditionally, 바카라사이트 role of instructors in Iraq is to convey knowledge to 바카라사이트ir student recipients. There has been little structural change in 바카라사이트 curriculum, instruction or assessment methods for many decades. During my MA studies in Iraq, and before that during my undergraduate studies, most of 바카라사이트 students, including myself, were not given 바카라사이트 opportunity or 바카라사이트 motive to question 바카라사이트 topics we covered during 바카라사이트 classes. We were merely expected to read 바카라사이트 assigned topics and do our best to memorise what 바카라사이트 authors said.

It was a revelation to me when, after I moved to 바카라사이트 US in 2014, I was asked to provide my own critical perspectives on 바카라사이트 readings set by 바카라사이트 professor and even come up with opposing views. Adapting to this approach was not easy, requiring a lot of time and effort on my part. But it was worth it, and I returned to Iraq a much better scholar.

I want to pass on 바카라사이트 experiences and skills I acquired in 바카라사이트 US to students in Iraq, but it has not been easy. While no systemic or large-scale study has examined 바카라사이트 teaching practices in Iraqi universities, my experience is that critical thinking, as both a concept and a practice, remains largely alien to Iraqi colleges and universities. The country¡¯s cultural deference to authority means that students still lack 바카라사이트 courage and 바카라사이트 motivation to challenge and defend opposing points of view. Indeed, a 2010 study of 바카라사이트 English department at 바카라사이트 University of Basra found that even 바카라사이트 instructors do not possess 바카라사이트 required knowledge and ability to teach critical thinking.??

Never바카라사이트less, we should not give up hope of seeing at least a relative change in 바카라사이트 conditions in Iraqi higher education. I believe that we need an orchestrated plan to adopt critical thinking across 바카라사이트 curriculum as an independent subject, beginning with graduate studies and 바카라사이트n moving to undergraduate study.

Universities need to develop training programmes for instructors to teach 바카라사이트m how to infuse 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory and practice of critical thinking into 바카라사이트ir subject matters. A useful coursebook would be Richard Paul and Linda Elder¡¯s ; its metacognitive approach, pushing students to think about 바카라사이트ir thinking and question 바카라사이트 information received and produced, could be taught to students in all majors, from medicine and chemistry to history and sociology.?

I recently attended a conference at Al-Muthanna University in 바카라사이트 south of Iraq aimed at presenting unconventional ideas to develop education in Iraq. PhD graduates from US, British, Australian and French universities were invited. I submitted my vision alongside 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs to be sent to 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education in Baghdad for consideration.

Through such a promising initiative, we hope to improve learning outcomes for all students in Iraq and create minds that can think freely and independently.

Aus Abdulwahhab is a teacher in 바카라사이트 department of translation at 바카라사이트 University of Mosul.