Critical Thinking High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking High School - Essay Example Critical thing in Australian universities is a key factor in upgrading student's study skills (Triyoko, 2007). Critical thinking is an examination of the structures or elements of thought contained in all reasoning, such as purpose, problem, question-at-issue, assumptions, empirical grounding, reasoning towards conclusion, implications and consequences, obstructions from alternative view point, and frame of reference. Critical thinking can also be reflected through a person's curiosity to respond to variable subject matter, issues and purposes. Critical thinking is a concept that is incorporated in a company of intertwined modes of thinking, such as scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking and philosophical thinking. Critical thinking exists in two components; one, critical thinking is viewed as a set of information and belief generating and processing skills. Two, critical thinking is viewed as a habit whose basis is strongly laid on intellectual commitment to use those skills to in guiding behavior. Critical thinking therefore, is very different from; mere acquisition and retention of information, because critical thinking has a peculiar way of seeking, attaining and treating information. Again, critical thinking is different from sheer possession of a set of skills, because, critical thinking is only complete if it exercises use of those skills continuously (Scriven & Paul, 1987). Critical thinking is not made a concept merely by acquiring skills and putting them into practice; it is fulfilled if the skills put into practice are observed to produce results which must be analyzed and accepted to be important into a certain body of knowledge. Critical thinking is governed by some specific motive guidance. Critical thinking which is guided by selfish motives is characteristic of skillful manipulation of ideas to suit the personal interests. Such motivated critical thinking is void of intellectuality, however practically successful it might be. Although such kind of motivated critical thinking can be directed by fair mind and intellectual integrity, it produces results of high order in terms of intellectuality; however, it is not innocent of biasness from idealism connected to its selfish motive. Critical thinking lacks universality in any individual (Scriven & Paul, 1987). All people are culprits of irrational thought. Its quality therefore depends on the quality and depth of experience in a particular field of thinking. The development of critical thinking is continual. It never stops. No one is a critical thinker all along. There are several strategies that are relevant for developing critical thinking in any individual, students included. In this paper, I will evaluate only three of the most common strategies of developing critical thinking used by tutors and students in the Australian Universities. These are, Affective Strategies, Cognitive Strategies - Macro-Abilities, and finally, Cognitive Strategies-Micro-Skills. Under Affective strategies, there are 9 strategies which generate ability to develop exercise critical thinking. I will discuss only one of these. This one is, Thinking Independently.