Session Content and Activities
What is Critical Thinking?
One of the most important skills needed for job success.
Rated as the number one skill of increasing importance over the next five years.
Critical thinking can be improved.
Critical thinking requires knowledge.
Thinking is the hardest work there is which is why so few engage in it.
The people in your business will succeed based on the decisions they make and how will they make them. To prepare them for success, it is important to provide opportunities to learn decision making skills such as critical thinking.
When someone is faced with making a decision it is important that they have as much information and understanding about the issue so as to make the right decision or at least the best decision they can make at that time. Developing the skills to make better decisions can lead to better outcomes for the business.
Decisions, both large and small are made every day both at work and home. Being able to make better decisions will help you perform at a high-level, achieve more, advance in your career faster, solve bigger problems and stay ahead of the competition.
Decisions, both large and small are made every day both at work and home. Being able to make better decisions will help you perform at a high-level, achieve more, advance in your career faster, solve bigger problems and stay ahead of the competition.
Who needs to learn Critical Thinking skills?
We all benefit from being able to make better decisions in our lives. Likewise good decision-making can impact everyone in your organisation. Critical thinking skills will help people to understand the information, data, assumptions, ideas, beliefs and values that surround an issue and help them make the right choices. This can have a major effect on an organisation when implemented well.
How to develop critical thinking skills
To develop critical thinking skills you need to first understand what skills are required, learn about these skills and then practice them. These skills can be learned over time and are some of the more complex skills you might learn within the workplace. There at tests, activities, games and training programs that can be used to develop these skills. Once you understand which skills you will need, then gaining a deeper knowledge of each skill will help you in the development of better decision making. This is then followed by practice and the more opportunities you take to use these skills the sooner you will become proficient.
What are Critical Thinking Skills?
These are a set of skills that will help you make better choices that can lead to better outcomes in your work and life.
Reasoning
Analysing
Determining biases
Applying standards
Discernment
Inference
Research
Determining relevance
Logical reasoning
Curiosity
Predicting
Knowledge
Reasoning is the ability to weigh options and alternatives and select the option that makes the most sense and is most likely going to lead to the outcome that you want.
Analysing is the ability to assess the situation or an issue and gain a better understanding of all the information available to you. This will include assessment of the data available, the assumptions that have been made, historical information, current opinions and beliefs, preferences, rules and standards.
Determining biases requires observation and understanding of the people involved, their beliefs, values, preferences and goals. People are easily influenced by their own personal desires, goals and ambitions, so it is important to take these into consideration.
Applying standards to the decision-making process will help you stay within the acceptable parameters that surround the issue. These might be rather rigorous or quite loose, but will require your understanding of them and how to apply and implement them.
Discernment requires an element of intuition to sense or gain a feeling about the issue and the possible outcomes. This is a skill you can develop through practice.
Inference refers to the information you have that suggests or points to the facts or the truth but doesn't necessarily state them directly. The facts might be a little hazy and may require further research. An inference may be the very peace you need to lead you to the facts and help you draw your conclusions.
Research is required to gain a better understanding and deeper insight into the issue. In some cases little research might be required, however for bigger and more important decisions more research may be needed . Gaining research skills such as referencing, cataloguing, sorting, organising, prioritising and comprehension will help you gather more valuable information.
Determining relevance is one of those skills that requires some intuition and an ability to weigh the options and choices; weighing the importance of the information against opinions and preferences to make better decisions.
Logical reasoning will require a balanced assessment of all the facts against preferred outcomes. Logic is applied to assess and weigh all of the data and information at hand.
Curiosity is an interest in finding out more about the issue and a desire to ask “Why?” and “What if?” Your curiosity can lead to new findings, uncover missing information or research and can draw out hidden beliefs, preferences or personal values.
Predicting outcomes from choices can help you in the decision-making process. If you can anticipate a likely outcome from each possible option, this will help you weigh your choices and lead to the right decision.
Knowledge leads to better understanding of your options and can give you greater confidence in your decision making. The more information you have about the issue, the greater your ability to make an informed decision that will lead to the outcome you desire.
Case studies
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Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Activities
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
reading
Websites
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Books
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Summary
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.
Phasellus sodales massa malesuada tellus fringilla, nec bibendum tellus blandit. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Aliquam bibendum, turpis eu mattis iaculis, ex lorem mollis sem, ut sollicitudin risus orci quis tellus. Maecenas non leo laoreet, condimentum lorem nec, vulputate massa. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper.