This presentation discusses competencies and dispositions required for survival in the 21st Century, including Critical Thinking and Mindfulness.

2. A Model for Curriculum Innovation and Proposed
Collaborative Research in the Pacific Region
Reasoning, Judgement, and Reflective Action
Jay Hays
Pacific Research Symposium
26 November 2014

3. RJRA
Reasoning
Judgement
Reflective Action

4. Presentation built on a draft research
brief that outlines a proposed study
and presents review of the literature.
Research brief began in another life as a
plan for a cross-cultural study of post-
graduate management and MBA students
in Australia and Malaysia.
Research team members have all relocated
interstate or internationally.

5. I come before you today seeking
individuals and teams who might
like to “spin off” our original
proposal and
conduct one or
more studies in
New Zealand and
the Asia-Pacific
region.

6. Study involves development and
validation of:
•An instructional unit for RJRA
•An evaluation regime (measures and
process) permitting baseline and post-
intervention assessment

7. At the centre of the study is
a proposed model for RJRA.

9. Critical
Thinking
Decision
Making
Reasoning
Judgement
Reflective
Action
LITM
Global Context
Situational Context
Perspective
Complex
Problem
Solving
Planning
Dynamic model of RJRA
Figure 1. Model depicting assumed relationships amongst key elements.

10. Elements are individually (and
sometimes partially collectively)
the focus of instruction, touted
as skills graduates will possess,
and sought by stakeholders.
They are generally dealt with discretely in the
literature, if attended to with any rigour at all.

11. While reasonable from an instructional
(and research) point of view, this treatment
of elements in isolation is problematic,
reducing:
• appreciation of the systemic nature of RJRA
• opportunities to leverage holistic learning.
The elements operate synergistically in
concert.

12. The study is founded on the belief
that most individuals capable of
university study can develop
higher-order
thinking cap-
abilities, and that these capabilities
can be measured in meaningful and
credible ways.

13. While emphasising higher-order thinkingWhile emphasising higher-order thinking
capacities, we are not merely concernedcapacities, we are not merely concerned
with fulfilling cognitive potential in termswith fulfilling cognitive potential in terms
of thought, but also of demonstrating itsof thought, but also of demonstrating its
outcome in practice—in effective, ethical,outcome in practice—in effective, ethical,
and sustainable behaviour.and sustainable behaviour.

14. We want to see, for example, effectiveWe want to see, for example, effective
problem-solving, decision-making,problem-solving, decision-making,
planning, and implementation inplanning, and implementation in
authentic settings.authentic settings.
This is especially important in anThis is especially important in an
institution promoting applied practice.institution promoting applied practice.

15. I’m really in to this.
Unconsciously, RJRA has
permeated my thinking and
teaching.

16. 21st
Century
Survival
Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Leadership
• Ethics
• Teamwork
• Entrepreneurship

17. Critical Thinking is an assessment and inquiryCritical Thinking is an assessment and inquiry
process needed to solve problems and makeprocess needed to solve problems and make
decisions where no definitive answer may exist.decisions where no definitive answer may exist.
It is, thus, related to judgement: one must comeIt is, thus, related to judgement: one must come
to a reasoned and defensible conclusion—theto a reasoned and defensible conclusion—the
best possible solution or decision givenbest possible solution or decision given
information available at the time.information available at the time.
Critical Thinking is a search for truth.

18. Qualities of a critical thinker include:Qualities of a critical thinker include:
 Raises questions and problems, formulating themRaises questions and problems, formulating them
clearly and precisely.clearly and precisely.
 Gathers and assesses relevant information.Gathers and assesses relevant information.
 Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and thenComes to well-reasoned conclusions and then
tests them out against relevant standards.tests them out against relevant standards.
 Thinks open-mindedly about alternative systemsThinks open-mindedly about alternative systems
of thought and seeks alternative perspectives, andof thought and seeks alternative perspectives, and
assesses their assumptions, implications, andassesses their assumptions, implications, and
practical consequences.practical consequences.
 Communicates with others effectively inCommunicates with others effectively in
determining solutions to complex problems.determining solutions to complex problems.

19. Qualities of a critical thinker include:Qualities of a critical thinker include:
THEY HAVE A DESIRE TO THINK AND THETHEY HAVE A DESIRE TO THINK AND THE
DISCIPLINE, PERSISTENCE, AND COURAGE TODISCIPLINE, PERSISTENCE, AND COURAGE TO
PURSUE BEST-POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ANDPURSUE BEST-POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND
DECISIONS…DECISIONS…
EVEN WHEN THESE SOLUTIONS ANDEVEN WHEN THESE SOLUTIONS AND
DECISIONS DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE CRITICALDECISIONS DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE CRITICAL
THINKER’S INITIAL BELIEFS OR DESIRES.THINKER’S INITIAL BELIEFS OR DESIRES.
THEY ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO “CHANGETHEY ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO “CHANGE
THEIR MINDS”.THEIR MINDS”.

20. Qualities of a critical thinker include:Qualities of a critical thinker include:
Critical Thinkers are reflective and mindful.Critical Thinkers are reflective and mindful.
 They “follow” their own thinking and work hardThey “follow” their own thinking and work hard
to keep it objective and methodical.to keep it objective and methodical.
 They reflect on their behaviour, including theirThey reflect on their behaviour, including their
patterns of thought, learning and improving aspatterns of thought, learning and improving as
they go.they go.

21. RJRA seeks to deepen and extendRJRA seeks to deepen and extend
cognitive capacities, promote habitscognitive capacities, promote habits
of mind, and cultivate dispositions toof mind, and cultivate dispositions to
behave in ways that are constructivebehave in ways that are constructive
and sustainable.and sustainable.

22. These capacities and dispositions can be
developed outside of particular disciplines,
but are perhaps of most relevance within
them.
In any event, there probably always needs
to be a context within which RJRA apply.

23. We are not talking about advanced skills in
the discipline, though we are alluding to a
contextually-suitable application of
sophisticated thinking... a big picture kind
of thinking.

24. Some of the meta-abilities we
are concerned with in the 21st
Century:
 Ingenuity
 Creativity
 Vision
 Insight
 Mindfulness
 Inspiration
 Intuition
 Inventiveness
 Receptivity
 Resourcefulness
 Improvisation
 Tolerance for ambiguity
and paradox

25. Where do they come from?
How do you measure them?

26. These questions are atThese questions are at
the heart of this proposedthe heart of this proposed
research program.research program.
If you are at all interested in theseIf you are at all interested in these
questions, or know someone whoquestions, or know someone who
might be, get in touch!might be, get in touch!

27. Training in reasoning, judgement, decision-making,
and associated problem-solving and critical thinking
skills is neglected in Higher Education.
This despite the fact that they epitomise professional
competence, and could reasonably be considered
Desired Graduate Attributes and Key Generic Skills,
qualities many universities, governments, and
industry agree are essential in university graduates.
CONCLUSIONS

28. This shortfall may be because educating for
RJRA is seen as too hard or someone else’s
responsibility, or assumed to develop organically,
either through normal university coursework or
professional employment, or in combining study
and work.
It may be difficult to educate for RJRA, though is
in no way impossible.
CONCLUSIONS

29. Nevertheless, educating for reasoning, judgement,
and reflective action must be different, for
conventional units fail to consistently engender
higher-order capacities.
Traditional coursework and teaching methods may
increase subject knowledge and relevant skills, but
they don't necessarily equip graduates with
transferable skills they can bring to bear in novel
contexts.
CONCLUSIONS

30. Meaningful learning enables transfer: the student's
ability to solve novel problems or extend what has
been learned in one context to new contexts
If what university students learn cannot transfer it is
of little practical value.
CONCLUSIONS

31. Teaching a new way of thinking is entirely different
than teaching specific knowledge and skills. It cannot
be approached directly. Employing principles and
processes of meta-cognition and meta-learning, it
requires the learner developing a conscious
appreciation for new ways of thinking and
approaching problems and supplanting existing
unproductive ones.
This holds equally true for students and teachers.
CONCLUSIONS

32. The way we approach teaching and study now is
deeply ingrained, and does not always permit optimal
learning.
These habits can change.
Recognising what may be limiting us, what we need
to do differently, and how we can make change a
reality can and should be the focus for reasoning,
judgement, and reflective action.
CONCLUSIONS

33. Thank you for your
attention and forbearance.
And, remember…

34. Every master
must find his own
path to inner
peace.