Do you think that we need more emphasis on critical thinking in our higher education system?

Question

I can't believe how many people seem to not practice critical thinking to any extent. They just go by rules, what people tell them and so on. Do you think that there should be more emphasis on logic, analytical thinking and being able to detect the tricks (logical fallacies) that people like politicians and salesmen use to convince people of something?

What ways (courses, course requirements, etc.) do you think would help achieve a better proficiency at critical thinking among college-educated people?

Answer 1

I think that critical thinking should be built into most courses. The results should be able to be seen in the essays and other papers that you pass in. Critical thinking is one of the most important reasons for going to College.

Answer 2

A mandatory Philosophy subject. Critical thinking can be developed if we immerse ourselves in thought, think thoroughly of things, let ideas flow. Because thinking is a continuous process, you don't stop to think, thinking is spontaneous.

Logic is a machine that is built inside every head. Everyone has this inside but one can have a better machine than others. Critical thinking is not taught. What we can do is to make our students think, use their machines, put some grease in it.

We can require them to think. Develop their interest in thinking.
Multiple Intelligences theory suggests that there are 8 different intelligences. What we do is to let everybody take the test. Group them according to their intelligence. Then develop them in their field of interest.

I feel I'm not answering the question. College education should contain critical and analytical thinking. It's a given. The more we grow old, the more that we should know how to think. Hahaha.

Answer 3

I think the problem in colleges these days is the lack of student participation in the classroom. All too often, students will go through an entire semester hardly saying a word in class. Not only does that student lose out on an education, but the other students in the class suffer too. Active participation is key in the workplace and, unfortunately, all colleges are doing today is creating passive participants.

I think that developing analytical thinking skills would be an end-result of class participation. All to often, students accept what they learn as the absolute truth and never bother to question the information they are taught. It's through discourse that people learn how to question those that lead them.

Answer 4

Critical thinking is certainly a good thing, but I would ask critical thinking about WHAT. My impression about many people--college age and up--is that they do not have enough knowledge of basic facts to do effective critical thinking. People seem to know how to do things: e.g. search the Internet; use Excel and PowerPoint, etc. They just don't seem to know much. I'd suggest people check out the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy at www.bartleby.com/59.

Answer 5

Critical thinking is very important. I am a business student and we conducted a survey in my state asking local employers what skills were most important for their future employess to possess. They did not say things like accounting skills, typing skills, finance skills etc (hard skills)... They mentioned the "soft skills". Critical thinking skills was the number one demand of employers followed by communication skills.... You be the judge.

My English teacher is constantly pushing us to think critically by writing and writing and writing about our opinions about certain matters. Perhaps making students take more English/English prose classes? For my major, I have to only take one class my entire college career- its kind of sad.

Answer 6

Analytical thinking, absolutely.
More participation and courses to foster that.
Critical, no.
There are already enough critics in the world.
Already, too few people understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism.

Answer 7

No,
My Critical Thinking class did not teach me anything. I already had all the skills and use them. I think people need to use more common sense If they don't have critical thinking skills maybe they don't need to be in college.