Critical Thinking: Developing Skills
Introduction
Every day we solve problems and make decisions and choices. This process includes relying on your prior knowledge, common sense, and experience. My mother used to call this figuring things out with “the good sense you were born with”. Sometimes our prior knowledge and experience isn’t sufficient to meet some of the challenges we face today. That is why learning the strategies and skills of a critical thinker is so important at a time when we are bombarded with so much information.
A key element we use as strong critical thinkers is analyzing multiple viewpoints about a situation. We need to be able to think beyond our own opinions and desires. You should strive to see problems and issues from others' perspectives. When you do this, you not only give other people respect but also strengthen your own viewpoint. If you truly consider all the options including others' perspectives, then you are better able to defend and find your own solution.
When you face a decision, investigate your options, using resources from the library and the Internet, as well as by talking to professionals and friends you know who have more information than you do. Once you have investigated, you can examine your options and make a decision.
Visit
- https://bit.ly/3eSJBZg Links to an external site. – Densho Ed. “Comparing Multiple Perspectives” (YT 5:02)
Key Ideas
- As human beings we are born with the ability to think. Sometimes more complex thinking processes are needed to make an informed decision.
- One thought process is analysis. We can look at issues from multiple perspectives to help us formulate our own ideas on an issue.
- In personal decision making, you can research and evaluate options from a variety of sources to come up with the right solution for you.
Apply
- Think about two characters from your reading this week. What are their perspectives or differing points of view on an issue? Is there a third perspective on this issue?
- Here´s a great group activity for you and your classmates. goo.gl/NDfqeL Links to an external site. from The Six Thinking Hats-Problem-Solving-Technnques.com.
- Which of these quotes about critical thinking relates to multiple perspectives and weighing options? Why? https://bit.ly/2Mw8f5w Links to an external site. Quotes about Critical Thinking – ProCon.org.