Critical Thinking

Do You Think?

As a teacher I found, students are not able to to think. Even brilliant students are also not able to think or even they do not try to think. Many students who did their home work, write assignments and practicals on time,  and score good marks in academics. but when it time to think answer or think and discuss many are not able to do so. Why?

In classrooms we just learn or hear information and content. But now we have to shift towards critical thinking in education. its about how to think? not about what to think?

Critical thinking means giving your judgement or conclusion. it simply means when when you comment on any problem or any issue or any situation, you give your opinion by giving some logical answer and thoughtful answer. you must not give answer or comment blindly or emotionally.

You pass your conclusion on the basis of facts, data available with you, or any research you done on that topic. In  technical way you can define it ability to give conclusion for everything happen by analysing and evaluating data or information in a systematic logical manner with proof or evidence.

When you are going to think critical on any issue or situation, you have to ask questions like How, what, When, Where and why. You have answer these questions not based on emotions but you have to provide some real facts, evidence, or proof. It simply means you have to think unbiased.

In this method thinker improves the quality of his thinking by thinking in a systematic manner. it is not a magic at all and can not be learned in a day. Its a process and actually a life long learning.

If  a students want to face challenges and get success in this changing scenario (Industry 4.0) he/she must learn to think critically. Think beyond.

Why we need critical thinking as a skill for future ?
1. It improves or help for creativity.
2. It improves decision making process.
3. Students will be able to separate facts, opinions and emotions.

How to be a critical thinker?

1. Be an active listener first.

     

We always listen to react not listen to understand. So first listen problem or situation or issue by giving your full attention. 

2. Analyse information

    Analyse whatever you listen about statement by asking questions

    Who told you that issue?

    Does it matter who told you?

    Does the person have authority or power to say that?

   

   What did he/she say?

   The information given to you is his/her personal opinion or real fact?

   Does he/she give any proof after that?

   Where did he/she said?

   It is told in a group of people or in a public or Private.

   When did they  say it?

   Does timing of  when did they say  is important or not. Think on that.

    How they say it

    How they said in written when they said happy or angry.

Be curious. Lets assume that  if you got a news that xyz electronic company got bankrupt and selling their household items for cheap rate.

Who told you that news

Does your friend told you if yes is he working in that company you got that message on social media by your friend

What did he told exactly

Whatever he said to you is real fact or just his opinion does he give you or show you any authentic proof for that like company advertisement in paper or company website or any other authentic source

Where did he said

Does he only told you or told to many people in a group does it matter think on it

When did he say

Does timing of he said is important think on that does this offer going to launch or already launched

How and why he said that

Why he told you that I think on it

If he happy or sad while telling you you can judge why he said to you

By asking such questions to yourself and analysing the situation will leads to new idea and information about situation

So you can validate the news you hurt and take a right decision accordingly

If you search and found new this pic so you will be alert and make others aware about that by giving proof you have

3. Work and practice

Day to day life example from your life and try to practice on that initially you will find difficulty for asking questions and analysing the situation but keep in practice it is not one day learning activity it is a lifelong learning

4. Take other people's perspective also

While judging or analysing information keep in mind to take other people perspective also as your not a person who knows everything every time so analyse information from other people's perspective to

Many people take their decisions on the basis of other people's experience like if any one of your friend got cough when he had ice cream in winter morning he told you to not have ice cream on winter morning and you blindly started to avoid ice cream in winter because of your friends experience here logic is perfectly clear that ice cream in winter and cough but if you try to think critically you have to ask questions why and analyse the situation It may happen that your friend already infected by cough and he get to know after having ice cream It may be chances of early night he mate a person with suffering from cough and your friend get virally infected There are many reasons for his cough and may  not be a direct connection of winter ice cream and cough If  you get his advise blindly you may avoid ice cream in winter but when you think critically a new idea will be generated which help you to take a better decision

Suraj Pangarkar
Lecturer

# This is article is written for students to aware them about critical thinking.