Critical thinking produces lasting knowledge : A litterateur study on why critical thinking is necessary for student’s development, Illustrated through the high school subject religion and science in religion studies

Sammanfattning: This essay will present a discussion about why critical thinking is crucial for student’s long-term development with the subject religion and science in high school religion as an example of how this can be fulfilled. Three different theories will be applied in this essay in order to form a comprehensive discussion. The three different theories presented in the theoretical framework are, John Dewey ‘s pragmatism, Hannah Arendt’s Natality and Paulo Freire’s Marxist theory. The subject religion and science was only recently added to the most updated curriculum, which has led to teachers taking it more seriously. Prior to that it was only a topic, which could or could not have been excluded. Now that it is included in the curriculum, new teaching approaches and learning strategies are necessary because of its density. The relationship between religion and science has several different perspectives and attitudes meaning that student’s can freely adapt their own because basically, no opinion or answer is wrong. Student’s can analyze, think critically and then develop his or her own understandings of the topic. The teacher must remain unbiased when teaching this topic so student’s can eventually develop his or her own creative views and opinions on the subject being studied. The schools curriculum emphasizes the fact that student’s are to develop his or her own creative opinions in life that will eventually contribute to society. The curriculum also stresses the importance of developing critical thinking and the ability to reflect. Critical thinking is a useful skill for all subject and matter and life however, it is not something that can develop on its own. Through reflection, and sufficient amount of guidance, the student’s ability to think critically will develop and progress into life long knowledge. Moreover, new knowledge that is reflected upon and critically analyzed will be memorized competently.