Epistemic Analysis: A Tool for Ascertaining Epistemic Characteristics of Teacher-Pupil Dialogue

Abstract

Introduction:  In relatively recent times there has been an increase of interest shown by educators in the area of what has been variously called 'critical thinking', 'good reasoning', 'creative thinking', 'rational thinking', and 'thinking skills'.  There is a growing body of literature which indicates this, see for example Ennis (1985); McPeck (1990a); Siegel (1988a); Girle (1991); Mackenzie (1991); Henderson (1990); Norris (1985); Schlecht (1989); Dauer (1989).  Independently of this growth of interest, there has been in existence since the 1970s a movement called Philosophy for Children.  This emerged in New Jersey, U.S.A., where the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children was established by Matthew Lipman in 1974.  Advocates and practitioners of his program, with its booklets and teacher manuals, can be found also in U.K., Australia, and European countries.  In Australia the movement has been taken up by, in particular, Dr. Laurance Splitter who now heads a Centre of Philosophy for Children located at the premises of the Australian Council of Education Research (ACER) in Melbourne.