24 Mar In both the academic (student) and professional (career) domains, critical thinking is a valued skill. Your professors assess the depth of critical thinking and might urge you to consi

Critical Thinking

Kashisha C

 

Critical thinking can be defined as the way an individual evaluates their beliefs and in a rationalized way. Having effective critical thinking skills can generate mind stimulation to gain information or understanding a set of beliefs. This in return then allows the individual to use these skills to guide their behaviors. Critical thinkers are easy to work with because they have no problem with admitting when they are wrong and are willing to accept other ways of thinking. Critical thinkers will:

· Ask questions

· Gather the most relevant information for effective use

· Think effectively through solutions to come to an effective conclusion

· Consider other alternative ways of thought

· Communicate effectively and efficiently

According to the University of Tennessee (UTC), “There is no official standard list of the skills that make up critical thinking”, (UTC, n.a.). However, most critical thinkers possess the following skills:

· Interpretation

· Analysis

· Evaluation

· Inference

· Explanation

· Self-Regulation

They also have 7 habits that they follow as a guide to their behaviors:

1. They seek the truth by asking questions that follows the data or the evidence that has been provided.

2. They are judicious and can make the best decisions regardless of the uncertainty of the situation.

3. Critical thinkers are extremely inquisitive and are passionate about understanding and knowing a variety of topics.

4. They are confident in their decisions and trust that their experiences and thought process is useful and effective.

5. Critical thinkers are usually systematic and possess problem solving skills.

6. They are analytical and utilizes statistics and the data provided to identify critical consequences related to decision making.

7. Lastly, they are very open-minded and accepts other points of view and is sensitive to others.

We are often challenged with problem-solving in our personal lives or on our jobs. Critical thinking and problem solving have a relationship in terms of utilizing personal knowledge, facts, and data provided to solve a problem effectively. According to QuillBot. “With problem solving, you are specifically identifying, selecting, and defending your solution”, (QuillBot, n.a.,). Leaders, managers, and organizations depend on problem-solving and critical thinking to lay the foundation of their long-term success. For the organization to remain successful and competitive within today’s market, the leaders along with their management teams, must be able to identify problems and use logic to apply a solution. Strategies to this process include, but are not limited to:

· Defining the problem

· Identifying solutions that are available

· Critically and executively selecting the best solution

Using the gathered facts that are relevant to the situation and comparing, analyzing, and contrasting the solution. However, the process also includes being able to identify the consequences the setting goals to overcome these situations if they arise. Evaluating the information and recognizing what is useful and what is not can eliminate failure and time. When working on projects, time means money. Therefore, being able to identify what data, information, and resources are needed up front can minimize unnecessary tangible costs.

Our lives involve critical thinking daily, whether its directly or indirectly. Our brains are wired to conduct some sort of thinking all day every day. There is no way of getting through the day without deciding something or going into deep thought about something. One example that most of us or encountered with each day is deciding what we want to eat. Something this simple can send us into a world wind of decision-making without us even knowing we are utilizing our critical thinking skills.

Kashisha C.

References

QuillBot. Retrieved from  https://www.quillbot.com/courses/effective-learning-strategies/chapter/chapter-7-critical-thinking-and-evaluating-information/

University of Tennessee. Basic Elements of Critical thinking. Retrieved from  https://www.utc.edu/academic-affairs/walker-center-for-teaching-and-learning/faculty-programs/faculty-fellow-programs/faculty-fellow-program-development/basic-elements-of-critical-thinking

 

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Critical Thinking

Kashisha Cunningham

South University Online

MBA5001

Professor Lyle Cady

March 21, 2023

 

Critical thinking can be defined as the way an individual evaluates their beliefs and in a rationalized way. Having effective critical thinking skills can generate mind stimulation to gain information or understanding a set of beliefs. This in return then allows the individual to use these skills to guide their behaviors. Critical thinkers are easy to work with because they have no problem with admitting when they are wrong and are willing to accept other ways of thinking. Critical thinkers will:

· Ask questions

· Gather the most relevant information for effective use

· Think effectively through solutions to come to an effective conclusion

· Consider other alternative ways of thought

· Communicate effectively and efficiently

According to the University of Tennessee (UTC), “There is no official standard list of the skills that make up critical thinking”, (UTC, n.a.). However, most critical thinkers possess the following skills:

· Interpretation

· Analysis

· Evaluation

· Inference

· Explanation

· Self-Regulation

They also have 7 habits that they follow as a guide to their behaviors:

1. They seek the truth by asking questions that follows the data or the evidence that has been provided.

2. They are judicious and can make the best decisions regardless of the uncertainty of the situation.

3. Critical thinkers are extremely inquisitive and are passionate about understanding and knowing a variety of topics.

4. They are confident in their decisions and trust that their experiences and thought process is useful and effective.

5. Critical thinkers are usually systematic and possess problem solving skills.

6. They are analytical and utilizes statistics and the data provided to identify critical consequences related to decision making.

7. Lastly, they are very open-minded and accepts other points of view and is sensitive to others.

We are often challenged with problem-solving in our personal lives or on our jobs. Critical thinking and problem solving have a relationship in terms of utilizing personal knowledge, facts, and data provided to solve a problem effectively. According to QuillBot. “With problem solving, you are specifically identifying, selecting, and defending your solution”, (QuillBot, n.a.,). Leaders, managers, and organizations depend on problem-solving and critical thinking to lay the foundation of their long-term success. For the organization to remain successful and competitive within today’s market, the leaders along with their management teams, must be able to identify problems and use logic to apply a solution. Strategies to this process include, but are not limited to:

· Defining the problem

· Identifying solutions that are available

· Critically and executively selecting the best solution

Using the gathered facts that are relevant to the situation and comparing, analyzing, and contrasting the solution. However, the process also includes being able to identify the consequences the setting goals to overcome these situations if they arise. Evaluating the information and recognizing what is useful and what is not can eliminate failure and time. When working on projects, time means money. Therefore, being able to identify what data, information, and resources are needed up front can minimize unnecessary tangible costs.

Our lives involve critical thinking daily, whether its directly or indirectly. Our brains are wired to conduct some sort of thinking all day every day. There is no way of getting through the day without deciding something or going into deep thought about something. One example that most of us or encountered with each day is deciding what we want to eat. Something this simple can send us into a world wind of decision-making without us even knowing we are utilizing our critical thinking skills.

Kashisha C.

References

QuillBot. Retrieved from  https://www.quillbot.com/courses/effective-learning-strategies/chapter/chapter-7-critical-thinking-and-evaluating-information/

University of Tennessee. Basic Elements of Critical thinking. Retrieved from  https://www.utc.edu/academic-affairs/walker-center-for-teaching-and-learning/faculty-programs/faculty-fellow-programs/faculty-fellow-program-development/basic-elements-of-critical-thinking

 

1, Discussion 1

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Aretha Wright posted Mar 22, 2023 7:45 PM

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Critical thinking is a fundamental aspect of day-to-day life. Critical thinking is used at work, school, and personal activities to find solutions to challenging problems. The following will illustrate what it means to think critically and the various dimensions of critical thinking. Also, this essay will cover how critical thinking applies to leaders, managers, in different organizations.

Critical thinking is the ability to acknowledge and improve the outcomes of a problem or situation and analyze that information before making irrational decisions. According to the Foundation of Critical Thinking, “Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking”. Awareness is a prime factor in the process of critical thinking. People that think critically have the ability to make better informed decisions and apply analytical processes. Self-reflection is key to the process of critical thinking. The Foundation of Critical thinking define a critical thinker as follows:

· Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely.

· Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively.

· Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards.

· Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences

· Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

Critical thinking is comprised of multiple dimensions like problem solving, self-awareness, analyzing and making rational decisions. Strategic planning and risk management aid in the framework of critical thinking and problem solving. Critical thinking plays a key role in how leaders and managers assess situations and operate organizations. In order to maximize on favorable outcomes of critical thinking and problem solving, the problem must be defined, identify causes of the issues, and take action to resolve situation. Self-reflection is the first step and being a disciplined critical thinker. “Our basic concept of critical thinking is, at root, simple. We could define it as the art of taking charge of your own mind. Its value is also at root simple: if we can take charge of our own minds, we can take charge of our lives; we can improve them, bringing them under our self-command and direction. Of course, this requires that we learn self-discipline and the art of self-examination.” (The Foundation of Critical Thinking, 2019). No matter how much someone may think that they are a critical thinker, there is always room for improvement of knowledge of rational thought.

In conclusion, critical thinking should be utilized in everyday situations to determine favorable results. For instance, “As consumers we sometimes buy things impulsively and uncritically, without stopping to determine whether we really need what we are inclined to buy or whether we can afford it or whether it’s good for our health or whether the price is competitive.” Defining a problem, identifying possible causes, and taking action are a framework for critical thinking. Leaders, managers, and organizations all rely on the structure of critically thinking to maximize the best results.

 

 

 

References

Kinicki, A. (2020). Organizational Behavior: A Practical, Problem-Solving Approach (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US).  https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/books/9781260142167

 

The Foundation of Critical Thinking. (2019) Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking.  Our Conception of Critical Thinking

 

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