When educators gather for meetings, conferences, workshops, or institute days, the term critical thinking is always on their lips. Yet, while everyone assumes the meaning is commonly understood, little time is actually devoted to defining what critical thinking is or to exploring the modes of inquiry it encompasses.” Listed below are seven forms of educational inquiry that a critical thinker might use to develop answers to the everyday questions that arise in main offices and classrooms.
| Type of Inquiry | Core Question | Definition | School-Based Example |
| Ontological (What is real?) | What exists? What is the nature of being? | Examines the essence of things — what they are. | What is “learning”? Is it memorizing facts, or developing the ability to think critically? |
| Epistemological (What counts as knowledge?) | How do we know what we know? | Investigates the sources, justification, and limits of knowledge. | Is student knowledge best measured by standardized tests, or by projects and portfolios? |
| Methodological (How do we study it?) | What methods should we use to gain knowledge? | Focuses on the tools and procedures for inquiry. | Should we evaluate teaching effectiveness with test scores, classroom observations, or student feedback? |
| Political (Who decides?) | Who has power and whose interests are served? | Looks at authority, governance, and allocation of resources. | Who decides the curriculum — the state, the district, or the teacher? Why do some schools get more funding than others? |
| Representational (How is it shown?) | How is reality or knowledge represented? | Examines the role of language, symbols, numbers, or images in shaping understanding. | Do grades and test scores truly represent student learning, or do they distort it? |
| Analytical (What does it mean?) | What are the parts, assumptions, and logic of a concept or argument? | Clarifies terms and exposes assumptions through critical analysis. | What do we really mean by “student achievement”? Does it include creativity, growth, or just test performance? |
| Practical (What should we do?) | Given what we know, what action should we take? | Oriented toward decision-making and application in real-world contexts. | How should a school respond to learning loss — more testing, tutoring programs, or curriculum changes? |
Alan C. Jones 