Critical thinking at the secondary schools of Lithuania

Straipsnyje analizuojama kritinio mąstymo samprata ir jo ugdymo prielaidos Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje. Tuo tikslu pateikiama Lietuvos švietimo dokumentų (Lietuvos švietimo koncepcijos, Bendrojo išsilavinimo standartų, Lietuvos švietimo reformos gairių) analizė ir mokytojų požiūris į kritinio mąstymo ugdymą. Taip pat pateikiami žvalgomojo tyrimo rezultatai, parodantys, kad egzistuojančių teorinių kritinio mąstymo ugdymo prielaidų nepakanka kritinio mąstymo ugdymui bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje.At present the teaching of critical thinking is emphasised in the documents of education. But here the question - how to realise the teaching of critical thinking at Lithuanian secondary schools when society has not been possessing such traditions ant the teachers have not been trained at such universities that would have been teaching critical thinking - rises. So the scientific problem is what premises of teaching critical thinking are at Lithuanian secondary schools. The research object is the teaching of critical thinking. The purpose of this article is to reveal the premises of teaching critical thinking at Lithuanian secondary schools. In order to accomplish the purpose the following objectives are set: to make the conceptual analysis of critical thinking, to evaluate the documents of Lithuanian education in the aspect of teaching critical thinking, and to reveal the standpoint of teachers upon teaching critical thinking. The following research methods were applied: analysis of scientific literature, documents, and statistical data analysis. The structure of the article is as follows: the concept of critical thinking; premises of teaching critical thinking, that are singled out when presenting the analysis of documents on education, and teacher viewpoints upon the teaching critical thinking. The following conclusions are drawn: 1. Critical thinking is the ability to solve problems and take decisions; a new set of affective and cognitive structures; rational, self-improving thinking supporting itself by criteria and depending on content, conditions. 2. The aspects of critical thinking are methodological and process like ones. The methodological aspect reveals that critical is self-improving thinking, and the process aspect shows that in order to improve thinking it is necessary to choose such teaching means, methods, ways, and organisational forms for it to be rational , directive; that it would be the set of affective and cognitive structures; while thinking, one has to support oneself with criteria in order for it to get close the context, conditions. 3. In the documents on education (Conception of Lithuanian Education; Standards of General Education; Directions of Lithuanian Education Reform) positive standpoint of teaching critical thinking, that is favourable premise to teach critical thinking at secondary schools in Lithuania, is reflected. 4. The research data analysis shows that though theoretical premises of teaching critical thinking are found in the documents on education, they are insufficient for teaching critical thinking at Lithuanian secondary schools. 5. The results of pilot research do not reveal the forms, methods, ways for teaching critical thinking; they do not show if teachers have got acquainted with them and if they have been applying them in the didactic process