Skeptical Thinking in the Classroom and its Impact - School of Arts ...

means science fiction, and fiction is not real. One of the things that make some of these
paradigms difficult for the people to make a clear decision based on facts is that many are
insulated from disproof. When haunting and the like are debunked there are always
hundreds more that have not been debunked and more cases arise everyday. That
coupled with the pseudoscience of ghost hunting that ensnares people in a guise that it is
hard science, while not employing the integral method, adds to the proliferation of an
unsubstantiated claim. A viewing and careful debunking of one of the Ghost Hunter
programs as a class activity may be a more effective test for the ghost activity.
The ending activity can be broadened to include more questions that probe students’
opinions better. That coupled with an effective introduction will give a better assessment
on how student thinking has evolved.
I think that the main hindrance to a more effective research project was my inexperience
as a researcher. Input from peers and colleagues would have improved the project
immensely. Brainstorming activities and assessments with others would have yielded
better results. A broadening of subject matter to include conspiracy theories may have
been a better choice. Starting by honing the students’ critical thinking skills as to reliable
sources and how to distinguish fallacious arguments from valid ones using conspiracy
theories could start the students on a better critical thinking path. Introducing
pseudoscientific claims like free energy to be evaluated would have made a good second
step. Finishing the project with the paranormal would have given the research a broader
palette of phenomena to see student distribution of what topics were most prevalently
credulous and would show student growth in critical thinking in a much clearer light.
After I have finished here at the University of Penn I plan to find other researchers to join
with to study the subject further. If the goal of education is to produce true critical
thinkers, then research into the propensity of people to be credulous and effective
practices that help students not fall into credulity are needed to guide students into being
better critical thinkers in their lives.