Get Your Students Hired
I've come to the conclusion that formative assessment is probably the most effective way to support critical thinking strategies.
This section gave me a more specific understanding on why students my be inherently resistant to developing critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking requires discipline. Because we live in an age of "instant attainability" students are not willing to spend the time needed to develop critical thinking skills. It is my job to help them understand the importance of becoming disciplined in the art of asking appropriate questions in order to make judgments that are sound. These are skills that will carry into their professional lives.
Able to make a judgement after bringing in facts, getting rid of your feelings and gathering as much about the problem or situation. Asking questions that result in more questions
As an instructor it is my responsibility to develop my students as critical thinker. Everything has become microwave all speed, within seconds you have everything you like and want. Life as it is doesn't require a person to think.
Critical thinking is necessary, it helps to build up the students confidence. It helps them to have good judgement. It requires discipline, which will help a person develope logical solutions.
Preparing Critical thinkers better prepares students for the real world rather then standardize test.
I think people forget one of the biggest benifits of attending a post secondary school is, discipline. I mean learning is always a top objective, but combining all of the aspects of school, it brings together the students ability to show being disciplined to be succesful. It encompasses many qualities needed to become succesful. Long term gratification instead of instrant which is where this society is going, so even if had equally qualified candidiates for a job, I would prefer the candidate who attended school even if it was in another discipline as going to school itslef shows many strong qualities.
Discipline, Questioning, Reasoning and Judjement are all important contributing factors to being a good Critical Thinker and for survival.
Some of these have become "naturally challenging" areas for all of us in modern society. We have an expectancy of safety and of our basic needs to be met. We are more and more inclined to seek instant gratification and less willing to put forth effort and practice discipline.
In many areas of life, and education is no exception, it's more about what we like and enjoy doing than it is about what's good for us and what brings results and adequate growth.
"It is interesting that politicians on both the national and state levels are constantly complaining that students are not graduating with problem solving skills. They say students of today cannot think critically and yet these politicians have passed a federal law that requires standardized testing of all students. " --> oh, yes! One might say that the passign of these laws is a sign of poor critical thinking.
Critical thinking is an ongoing learning process. teachers need to develop lessons with this in mind
The section on discipline was especially impactful. It is important we help students develop in this area.
Reasoning, questioning. discipline, Judgment are all things that help us help our students become better critical thinkers.
It is up to the instructor to guide reasoning, ask in depth questions and the practice thereof, show discipline through our work and by example and move towards objective judgment without using inferences or assumptions to lead us to making good decisions.
confidence is needed to become a great critial thinker. As your expeirence and confidence grow over time, your critial thinking skills will naturally increase as well.
Critical Thinking is a preliminary step to ethical decision making. It's not just thinking something through. Ultilmately a decision has to be made and acted upon. That's the practical impact of critical thinking.
The thing that stood out to me the most is that discipline can be trained. While many students will find the task a bit burdensome at first, the more they are required to use this in school the easier it will be for them to apply the process in their daily and professional life.
Self-dicipline is an important component of critical thinking. Critical thinkers develop a pattern of inquiry which can be used in all types of situations.
When teaching, I need to take time to slow down and ask the students more questions in order to help develope their critical thinking skills.