Critical Thinking
As perviously mentioned one needs be reflective to be successful, to be reflective is important to think critically. In University of British Colombia Vancouver, Canada as part of their student toolkit. They have published five very important points to assist their students to think critically. These points are not only important for a developed country students but its much more important for students in developing country like Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries students in general but particularly for students from school to university level. Practicing critical thinking from the beginning (school level) to later stages (university level) students will develop the habit to think critically, which will not only help them during their academics but in their practical life as well.
Eight Elements of thoughts by (Paul & Elder)
- Point one is focusing on the balance this is very important word by itself, in our life we always need to keep the balance between our family and friends, brothers and sisters, rather our feelings, beliefs, cultural, societal influences as well as scientific influences. Does it mean I have many friends in facebook, i should not take care of my real friends? or does it mean that i have a good job with high salary and not take care of my parents, brothers and sisters or does it mean that your highly socially and economically stable and not taking care of our society. these are the question which bring us back to keeping the balance. what ever we are learning is basically teaching us the way we live and the way we are surrounded by our surrounding and the way we respond to them.
- Point two, mentions reading for understanding using the text coding strategy, to read and understand one need to think every critically at every step of the way. While coding the text with different colours makes it much easier to review and understand the reading critically. This strategy is particularly useful when coding in writing transcription of our thesis/dissertation.
- Point three, talks about clarify your thinking and using eight elements of thoughts (Paul & Elder (nd), p. 14), when asking a question. In academics furthermore in our personal life its very important to talk logically with a purpose behind it. Giving example, elaboration and giving analogy is making our writing, reading and understanding easier to remember and long lasting.
Eight Elements of thoughts by (Paul & Elder)
- 1. Whenever we think, we think for a purpose…
2. …within a point of view…
3. …based on assumptions…
4. …leading to implications and consequences.
5. We use data, facts, and experiences…
6. …to make inferences and judgment…
7. …based on concepts and theories…
8. …to answer a question or solve a problem. when asking a question
- Point four, using one of the nine strategies a day to improve your critical thinking. Thinking critically is one higher level thinking as compare to normal thinking. In critical thinking one takes some time to think of things, which happens for one or the other reason and the critical thinker is questioning why this happened, what if it would not happen, what are the advantages or disadvantages of what happened. How to get things right next time. Basically a critical thinker is asking many questions to understand an issue to its depth.
- 1. Use “Wasted” Time.
2. A Problem A Day.
3. Internalize Intellectual Standards.
4. Keep An Intellectual Journal.
5. Reshape Your Character.
6. Deal with Your Ego.
7. Redefine the Way You See Things.
8. Get in touch with your emotions.
9. Analyze group influences on your life.
- Point five, talks about cultivate habits of mind. Which relates to personal commitments, values and standards one has about the principal of good thinking. Its rather very personal and depends on the characteristics of an individual. On one hand, there are people even with some little practice can be a good critical thinking, this is because either the high order thinking of one is already developed or is developing very fast that is why that individual is developing in his/her personal and professional life. On the other hand, there are people who have the capacity but the only problem will that that individual takes longer time to develop the skills of critical thinking and understanding a concept in to its depth, furthermore it also depends on the interests of the individual who is preforming a task. For instance, one might have much interest on reading book while the other takes time to read a book.
http://learningcommons.ubc.ca/student-toolkits-2/thinking-critically/files/2013/06/CriticalThinkingCheatSheet.pdf
The university of british Columbia, 2014
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inferences
Dictionary
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-in-everyday-life-9-strategies/512
Critical Thinking Community
The university of british Columbia, 2014
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inferences
Dictionary
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-in-everyday-life-9-strategies/512
Critical Thinking Community