chunk1

ABSTRACT. Twenty-first century children and adolescents need cognitive tools to find their way through the mass of available information, and to become actively engaged in an evolving world. The tool suggested by UNESCO is the development of Critical Thinking (CT) and, in order to stimulate this development, the introduction of philosophy in classrooms as early as elementary school. In this paper, we first present Pragmatist philosophers’ definitions of CT. Second, we describe Philosophy for Children (P4C) as a pedagogical approach intended to stimulate CT and critical dialogue in pupils. Third, we present research results related to: a) the developmental process of CT as it emerged from analyses of exchanges within groups of apprentice philosophers aged 4 to 12 years; b) a comparison between philosophizing and non-philosophizing pupils. Finally, we discuss these results and their consequences on the quality of the individual and social experience, and point out major obstacles to the mobilization/development of CT in children. pp. 42–65

Keywords: critical thinking; epistemology; critical dialogue; philosophy for children; elementary school pupils; responsible education

doi:10.22381/KC5420174

MARIE-FRANCE DANIEL
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Department of Kinesiology,
Université de Montréal
(corresponding author)
GABRIELA FIEMA
Department of Kinesiology,
Université de Montréal

Home | About Us | Events | Our Team | Contributors | Peer Reviewers | Editing Services | Books | Contact | Online Access

© 2009 Addleton Academic Publishers. All Rights Reserved.

 
Joomla templates by Joomlashine