Subscribe
Subscribe
SubscribeCritical-Thinking Skills for the Work Force of Tomorrow … Today!
New Thomson Gale Online Resource Helps Students Engage in Self-Directed Learning
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Jan. 19, 2007 – According to a recent article in Time Magazine, * in order to compete in the 21st Century, American students need to be taught a curriculum that balances core knowledge, such as math, science and reading, with what educators call “portable skills,” such as critical thinking, making connections between ideas and knowing how to continue learning. This shift is forcing teachers and library media specialists to put a greater emphasis on teaching collaboration and problem solving in small groups, and having students apply what they’ve learned to the real world. With this challenge in mind, Thomson Gale, a part of Thomson Learning, has designed Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking.
Scheduled to release in March 2007, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking is a new solution that helps students develop critical-thinking skills while supporting their personal development and mastery of curricula. The new Critical Thinking module of Thomson Gale’s popular Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center offers activities, assessments and tools that encourage students to interact with, argue about and analyze issues and concepts, fostering learning beyond rote memorization.
Additionally, students may use Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking as a self-directed learning tool, as a resource for group projects and in their classrooms. Students will master core curriculum content and develop skills while engaging in self-discovery of their opinions across a broad spectrum of issues.
“Librarians appreciate how Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking represents a new vision for reference” said Michael Eisenstein, Thomson Gale’s Senior Vice President of Learning and Research Solutions for the K-12 market. “This database is demonstrative of the trend in 21st Century learning – it represents a movement away from static resources toward a personalized learning experience. Teachers will applaud this resource’s content and the fact that it maps back to their curriculum, while librarians will love how this educational tool aligns the library’s collection with classroom studies.
“Opposing Viewpoints Resource CenterCritical Thinking is a must-have addition for any high school, public library or two-year college dedicated to developing 21st Century knowledge and skills and preparing today’s students for the real world,” he added.
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking provides challenging activities, quizzes and audio entries that promote engaged learning, and the content aligns with state curriculum standards and library programs. Features like “Questions to Think About,” “Words to Know,” and “Find Out More” encourage interaction, problem solving and critical thinking. Each topic has three entries: an overview and two viewpoint essays to foster balanced, unbiased research. The content is comprised of reference and periodical resources, and covers 250 of the most assigned topics such as:
- Crime prevention
- Drug abuse
- Euthanasia
- Illegal immigration
- School violence
- Stem cell research
Fully aligned with today’s learning goals, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Critical Thinking bolsters students’ advanced applied-thinking capabilities with these 18 important 21st century skills:
- Evaluating the credibility of information sources
- Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant facts
- Distinguishing fact from opinion
- Recognizing contradictions
- Recognizing bias
- Clarifying issues, conclusions, or beliefs
- Developing criteria for evaluation: clarifying values and standards
- Analyzing arguments, interpretations, beliefs, or theories
- Identifying assumptions
- Making plausible inferences, predictions, or interpretations
- Analyzing or evaluating actions or policies
- Comparing analogous situations: transferring insights to new contexts
- Recognizing cause and effect
- Demonstrating reasoned judgment
- Identifying alternatives
- Exploring implications and consequences
- Generating or assessing solutions
- Drawing and testing conclusions
For more information, contact Vanessa Birch at vanessa.birch@cengage.com.
* Wallis, Claudia, and Sonja Steptoe. "How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century. (Special Issue: The Best Photos of 2006) (Society) (Cover story)." Time 168.25 (Dec 18, 2006):50. InfoTrac OneFile. Thomson Gale. Trial Site Database. 16 Jan. 2007.
About Thomson Learning and Thomson Gale
Thomson Learning delivers state-of-the-art, tailored learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, reference centers, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. These solutions are delivered through specialized content, applications and services that foster academic excellence, professional development and provide measurable advantage to its customers. Thomson Learning's mission is to shape the future of global learning by delivering consistently better learning solutions for learners, instructors, and institutions. Thomson Gale(TM) (www.gale.com) serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs - from homework help to health questions to business profiles - in a variety of formats - books and eBooks, databases and microfilm.
