1970年代以來,美國教育界努力進行增進學生批判思考能力的教育改革,我國近十年的教育改革,也希望培養中小學學生手腦並用、解決問題、適應變遷等能力,因此,培養批判思考能力已成為中外教育改革的共同趨勢。本文分析批判思考能力是民主社會的重要基礎、資訊社會的學習工具及合理生活的必要條件,因此批判思考被視為公民教育的重要目標;進而由學理及實證研究探討批判思考教學的可能性,認為學生可透過歷史、經濟、社會議題的探討,學習敘述定義、邏輯推論、價值判斷等思考過程來提升批判思考的能力。最後再提出在公民教育上增進批判思考能力的教學條件,如教師應有的態度、可行的教學方法及具體教學建議,提供實際從事教學的教師參考。
To develop student's critical thinking ability is a trend of global educational reform. It is the basis for democratic society, the crucial learning skill for information society, and the necessary condition for reasonable life. So critical thinking is an important goal for citizenship education.The purpose of this article is to investigate the possibility of teaching critical thinking in terms of theory and practice. Students' critical thinking abilities can be developed and improved through discussion of historical, economic, or social issues. In discussion, students can learn to state definitions, infer logic, and decide value. Finally, teaching conditions for the promotion of critical thinking, including teachers' proper attitude, possible teaching methods and specific teaching suggestions, should be brought up for teachers to deal with citizenship education.