I'm not convinced that education is structured to encourage profound thinking.  Indeed, if we are limiting observation to the undergraduate level, it isn't providing either knowledge  or thinking ability.  Arum and Rosa (2011) reported that about 40% of undergraduates showed no evidence of improved critical thinking after two full years of university work.  I still remember a study from 20 years ago conducted among undergraduates at the University of Florida, asking participants to look at an outline map of North America and asking them to identify the state of Florida.  Only 11% answered correctly.  More recently, I asked one of my classes to name the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, and no one had a clue.  I had quite a few Japanese students in that class, so I then asked--in all fairness, I thought--the name of the Japanese prime minister.  No one knew, not even the Japanese students.

With regard to ideology, my view is that we all are vulnerable to ideological manipulation.  Young people are no doubt more susceptible owing to the fact that they are naive about people and how the world works.  Consider how eagerly undergraduates here in the States engage in uncivil actions to prevent conservatives from speaking on college campuses, yet how adamant they are in claiming freedom of expression for themselves.  Issues today are so complex that we all struggle to separate right from not-so-right.  Do we believe that all young people should have access to college?  Well, sure.  Do we believe that we should lower the admission standards--a necessary act--in order to achieve that goal?  Well, the answer depends on our ideology and our sense and definition of "fairness."  Both propositions are governed by ideology--but they are in conflict.

No, I don't

Hello James, Oluwafemi and Ben, 

thanks for your profound ideas, I will get back with some reflection and feedback..

As an alternative perspective, I believe most students have the natural ability to think critically about anything if they perceive it as meaningful and relevant to them.  To assume they are indifferent or prone to ideological manipulation seems not to make that assumption.  If one does not believe today's students at capable of or can think critically about anything important -- that leads one to feel pessimistic about the future development and abilities of today's college (or even high school or middle school) students.  My experience as a researcher tells me that starting with the research-validated assumption -- based how students learn and what they are capable of learning and doing -- that students have the innate capacity for critical and metacognitive levels of thinking under the right learning approaches and contexts leads to actually stimulating that by giving students more choice and control -- more ownership and responsibility for their own learning process, progress, and outcomes.  Most college instructors make up all questions, deliver all information, and may or may not even model critical thinking and how to avoid ideological manipulation.  No wonder students seem disconnected and disengaged..

To many of our students it is about their feelings. They have yet to figure out how to turn the theoretical into the practical. They still view things through the lens of: "In a perfect world.........." . As it has often been said: You are entitled to your opinions, but not your own facts. But without dreams we would have no progress.