Critical thinking can be defined as: (1) a cognitive process that is formed by analysing, comparing and evaluating information obtained as a result of experience, as well as through observations and verbal communication; (2) a kind of combination of logical and creative thinking; (3) mental functions that are performed based on judgments and argumentation, which allows you to identify a problem, put forward a hypothesis, give reasoned arguments, justify, anticipate consequences and accept or reject alternative points of view; and (4) the ability to apply basic cognitive skills (knowledge and understanding) to compare, analyse and evaluate complex and ambiguous situations and problems.
The purpose of my research is to offer means to help students develop skills in analysing cause-and-effect relationships and evaluating facts and phenomena that are part of critical and historical thinking.
Our task, as educators, is to teach objective thinking and to form certain transferable critical thinking skills in our students.
In many cases, students fail to express their point of view, prove it with the necessary arguments and make informed judgments. The components of critical thinking are considered components of global thinking and determine the learning goals, lead to overcoming stereotypes, promote a holistic understanding of the world and contribute to the knowledge of the world in all its aspects in order to ensure a person’s openness to an alternative and develop the ability to see other ways of solving a problem.
Background of critical thinking
Critical thinking is usually contrasted with archaic or dogmatic thinking, which, by its logic, structure and functional purpose, even excludes critical approaches and analysis in some cases. Dogmatic thinking is based on agreements and arrangements, the main task of which is to form stereotypes.
It is worth mentioning that the description of the world and the real perception of the same world is different. For example, for thousands of years people in Christian Europe were based on their knowledge and were convinced that everything revolves around the Earth; when Galileo, Bruno and Copernicus began to make knowledge-based statements about a system oriented towards the sun, society did not accept this new knowledge at first. Moreover, they opposed to it.
In the modern world, the importance of critical thinking increases even more, because many events such as information leakage force society to take a critical approach, differentiate knowledge, filter, implement new tools and methods and classify information that is of paramount importance.
Teaching critical thinking
Critical thinking is one of the 24 main types of thinking, and it interacts with other types, such as conceptual thinking, logical thinking and deductive thinking.
By ‘critical thinking’, we mean the mental process of actively and skilfully systematising, applying, analysing, synthesising and evaluating information collected through observation, experience, judgment, reasoning or communication.
The ability to think critically is the ability to identify problems and assumptions, recognise important relationships, draw the right conclusions and evaluate facts.
Critical thinking is closely related to philosophy, which is part of the reason for its existence. They can be considered as similar under this definition, with the difference being that philosophy constructs and systematises critical thinking into an academic subject.
In addition, we can see critical thinking in other disciplines and other work applications, although with less frequency than in philosophy. For example, in journalism, or when a judge must evaluate and store truthful information in order to establish a correct judgment.
Some critical thinking questions that will allow students to develop an examination analysis in the classroom are: “What’s going on?”, “What is your point of view?” and “How do you solve this problem?”.
On the topic “why and how to develop critical thinking in my subject?”
Critical thinking develops the ancient culture of reading and writing. It represents a broad opportunity for students to analyse, compare and contrast facts with phenomena. This makes it possible for students in social studies and history lessons to compare historical events and to contrast them in order to find the right and wrong sides, which will allow students not only to develop critical thinking within the subjects, but also to conduct healthy critical analysis in the future as a student or businessman.
And why? Because critical thinking is an important skill that has a special place in history lessons, during which students do not think the same way, but give different answers and offer new approaches to a specific problem. This change in thinking will lead to a comparison of historical events, drawing parallels with the comparison of the past and the present.
By teaching history and social studies in the classroom, students can independently conduct a comparative analysis of texts, identify positive and negative sides and express their own opinion without restrictions. During these lessons, they can (with the help of images) conduct free discussions and maintain statements of their points of view, which will allow the development of critical thinking and the analysis of historical events. A safe, healthy atmosphere and respectful attitude to each other are very important in history and social studies classes.
Critical thinking is a truly important skill within the framework of history and social studies without which is impossible to imagine a subject, as it offers the possibility to adopt an important point of view. While mathematics, for example, is considered to be an exact science, history allows the student to consider events from all points of view, to distinguish right from wrong, to learn about social science and the rules of law, as well as from another point of view that the majority accepts, considering it to be reasonable or true.
If there is no critical thinking in social studies and in history, it will be difficult to prove which side’s arguments are justified. At the heart of it all is the analysis of facts and comparison and in the end the real solution to the questions is given.
Conclusion
The development of any field is based on proper education, and it is no coincidence that educational reforms are strategic in nature.
Critical thinking, in its applied and objective manifestation, is an approach in which every communication is analysed in its own way, from the point of view of what power is at its core, i.e. how it directs communication to other people and how they manifest or interpret what they hear or see.
In addition, everyone should be able to develop analytical thinking, which is closely linked to other disciplines related to media literacy, as well as to be able to compare, identify problems and solve them. In order to master the skills of critical thinking properly, a person needs to develop positive thinking. This means having values that should respond to criteria, so that there is no deep gap between their activities and the goals of their behaviour, and that they aim at achievable goals, so that words and knowledge are reasoned.
When they express their point of view, they must be convincing and audible. Their position on the comparison of facts, the point of view of the variant and the ability to analyse have become one of our educational tasks. Subject programmes, teaching methods, the leadership role of the teacher, the availability of literature, the duration of the course and, of course, how well the teacher personally masters the skills of critical thinking are all equally important aspects.
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About the author
Suzanna Hovsepyan is a 2023 STEM Ambassador, author of numerous articles and co-author of a methodological manual. She works with love and encourage all teachers to join this network for self-improvement and sharing their own experience.
Tags: 21st century skills, Analysis, analytical thinking, creativity, critical thinking, dogmatic thinking, Education, experiment, History, media literacy, project-based learning, Science, science education, Scientix, STEM education, Students, teachers, technology, Workshop
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