Critical Thinking Overview

Critical Thinking  banner with badge

In the 21st century, being a critical thinker means you can reason logically and rigorously. The best critical thinkers have four main skills: they can find and evaluate important information, spot patterns, question assumptions, and come up with well-reasoned conclusions. Being able to think critically is super important because it helps you make smart choices, solve tricky problems, and communicate your ideas clearly. 

     Woman with hands on hips.


Who, What, Where, When, Why, How

 

WHO?

everyone can benefit from good communication skills

Who Benefits from Critical Thinking?

Having strong oral communication skills can benefit individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Effective verbal communication is a vital asset in personal relationships, professional settings, and public speaking engagements. In the workplace, clear and persuasive communication can lead to career advancement and success. Employers value employees who can articulate ideas, collaborate effectively, and engage in meaningful conversations. Additionally, proficient oral communicators are better equipped to navigate diverse environments in a globalized world where cross-cultural interactions are common. Strong oral communication skills also empower individuals to advocate for social and political causes, express their ideas eloquently, and connect with others personally.


WHAT?

Critical thinking is all about analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information in a logical and systematic way

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is all about analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information in a logical and systematic way. It's like questioning assumptions, considering different perspectives, and making informed judgments based on evidence and reasoning. This skill is super important in many areas of life, like school, work, and making decisions. It helps you avoid biases, make better choices, and solve tricky problems like a boss.


WHEN?

When to use critical thinking.

When Should You Use Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a pretty useful skill that can come in handy in many different situations. It's all about analyzing information, evaluating arguments, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. You should use critical thinking whenever you need to make an important decision, solve a complex problem, or figure out if someone's argument or claim is legit. This could be in your personal life, your school or work, or even when you're checking out the news or other sources of information. By using critical thinking, you can avoid making quick or uninformed decisions and instead make choices that are well-informed and based on good reasoning.


 

WHERE?

anywhere

Where can Critical Thinking be Used?

Critical thinking is a pretty useful skill that can be applied in many different situations and fields. It's great for school, where you can use it to analyze and evaluate information presented in textbooks, lectures, and research papers. But it's also important in the workplace, where you can use it to solve complex problems, make informed decisions, and evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies. And it's not just for school and work - critical thinking is also useful in everyday life. You can use it to evaluate news articles, advertisements, and political speeches. It can also help you make important decisions about your money, health, and relationships. So, if you want to be a smart cookie, it's a good idea to develop your critical thinking skills!


WHY?

it helps us make smart decisions and solve tough problems

Why do we Need Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is super important because it helps us make smart decisions and solve tough problems. It means looking at information, checking arguments, and thinking about different points of view to come up with a good answer. Nowadays, we're always getting hit with information from all over the place, so critical thinking is more important than ever. It helps us tell what's true and what's not spot biases and assumptions, and make good choices based on facts. Without critical thinking, we might fall for fake news, make quick decisions, and miss chances to learn and grow. So, it's really important to learn how to think critically if you want to do well in your personal and professional life.


HOW?

 You can tell if someone is good at critical thinking if they have a methodical and thorough way of solving problems.

How do you Spot Good Critical Thinking?

Good critical thinking means being able to look at information in a fair way, check arguments and evidence, and come up with logical conclusions. You can tell if someone is good at critical thinking if they have a methodical and thorough way of solving problems. This might mean they're open to different points of view, they like to gather and check evidence, and they can spot and question assumptions. People who are good at critical thinking can also explain their ideas well and are happy to get feedback. The best way to see if someone is good at critical thinking is to watch how they deal with tricky problems and decisions.


 

 

NEXT UP: Real-World Examples and Applications 

Skills_BottomBanner

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN THE LESSON. FRAMEWORK INSPIRED BY AND SOURCED FROM EDUCATION DESIGN LAB.