CRITICAL THINKING
What Exactly Is Critical Thinking?
The word critical is often used in the sense of criticism directed at a person or an event, often negatively judgmental evaluation or, in turn, the former.
Critical thinking is a disciplined and self-controlled way of thinking, revealing a perfect thought about the meaning or form of special thinking. Therefore, thinking is not enough, it is necessary to think critically. Critical thinking should not be seen as an option for educational goals. The reason for this is that critical thinking is an ethical right that every individual should have.
By adding critical thinking skills to lesson plans, educators can ensure that students are sensitive in every subject and use the information they have learned clearly, completely, and accurately in daily life. In recent years, extensive and intensive research has been conducted on the meaning of critical thinking, its transferable ability to various subject areas, and how to teach critical thinking skills.
In parallel with the changes in the world, developments have occurred in terms of acquiring and using information. In these years when information flows rapidly, the way to be a developed society is hidden in solving problems or making decisions on any subject.
Creativity in Critical Thinking
Education programs have a priority in raising individuals in today’s society. Those who think, criticize, produce, and know the ways to reach information will achieve success more easily. Critical thinking evaluates opposing situations or openness of ideas. Creative thinking is to generate and develop new ideas. Critical thinkers can make a logical relationship between variables. Correct thinking is required by generating new information from the information set. Correct thinking is a compound skill and includes four basic thinking skills. These; it is critical, creative, thoughtful, and hopeful thinking. Correct thinking takes place if all are used.
Critical thinking appropriate environment takes place and develops. It cannot thrive in an unsuitable and oppressive environment where critical thinking is not allowed, so problems arise. In critical thinking, one reaches judgment easily and accurately.
Elements in Critical Thinking
• Open-Mindedness: Being tolerant and sensitive to different approaches,
• Analytics: Being careful about situations that may cause problems and reasoning in difficult times,
• Systematicity: Organized, planned, and careful research,
• Self-Confidence: Confidence in one’s own reasoning processes,
• Curiosity: The desire to obtain information and produce new things without any interest or expectation,
• Maturity: It is mental superiority and cognitive disposition.
For critical thinking, systematic, open-minded, understanding the truth, and being able to interpret the truth is required.
If we summarize the subject; Critical thinking is a disciplined and self-controlled way of thinking that brings out perfect thinking about the field or style of private thinking. In this way, we understand, interpret, analyze the problems, and take a position by simplifying the solution.
