critical thinking skill is a vital skill in the education sector. It is the ability to analyze facts in a skeptical, rational, unbiased way. It is usually supported by factual evidence of data and statistics. Critical thinking skill enables a student to reflect on an idea, reason, and logically relate ideas.
Essay writing work requires the application of critical thinking skills. This help to reflect on the arguments, learn about the topic and draw conclusion. In mathematics, a student with critical thinking skills can determine accuracy. It is also an attribute that employers consider for employability.
Importance of critical thinking in education
1. Enhance academic independence
Critical thinking enables students to handle studies without completely depending on classroom learning. They are able to handle their assignments on their own. without much challenges. Such students can study and retain knowledge because the mind is continuously engaged in building thinking capabilities.
2. Improves communication skills
Critical thinking enhances the student’s ability to express their ideas clearly and systematically. This is if they are able to break down the text into forms they can easily comprehend. They hence can communicate the ideas fluently if they comprehend and internalize.
3.Promotes creativity
Practicing critical thinking help the student come up with creative ideas and solve problems in a creative way. They can therefore analyze ideas and adjust to them.
4. Key for career success
Critical thinking is a determinant of career entry for students. According to humanities research papers done by scholars, Critical thinking is one of the most desirable skills to have in career fields.
Employers specify this skill as one of the requirements for job recruitments. They base the interviews on factors that will test critical thinking skills.
5. Improves relationships
Students who possess critical thinking skills co-exist with all kinds of people. They are, therefore, able to understand and respect the opinions of others.
They are open-minded to views, share their ideas with intention of giving information without intimidating them. Such aspects enable them to be approachable when others need their opinion.
6. Gives the courage to work with others
Students with critical thinking skills are able to work with others. They can confidently express ideas. They can, however, confidently ask questions and trust their instincts and thoughts hence contribute to group work.
7. Help to link ideas
Critical thinking enables the student to take into consideration different ideas. The student can easily link the ideas to come up with detailed information on a given topic.
8. Enables critical evaluation
Good students don’t absorb any information they get. With critical thinking, they place the information under evaluation to determine the relevance and validity before drawing conclusions.
9. Help in making a decision
Decision-making is a critical aspect that depends on the power of critical thinking skills. A student with strong critical thinking skills is able to make rational decisions. They are able to stop considering facts before acting. The role of critical thinking in decision-making help to prevent mistakes that result from poor decision-making.
10. Enables the student to have alternative
Having one way of doing things or solving problems can land you in trouble. Critical thinking enables the learner to be able to consider several other ways of doing things.
11. Forms the basis for science and technology
Scientific invention and innovations are a product of critical thinking. Theories are backed up by the knowledge that is based on critical thinking.
The scientific ideas that bear technological development are required to have a foundation of strong knowledge. Critical thinking is, therefore, a great contributor to development in the scientific field.
