Critical and Creative Thinking Skills - Literature review Example

Creative and Critical Thinking (Student Name) (Student ID) (Course Code) October 25, 2011 Introduction Critical and creative thinking skills are recognized as some of the most important skills that all human beings need to posses. Facione (2011) defines critical thinking as a disciplined cognitive action of evaluating points of views or suggestions as well as making judgments which offer guideline to the development of beliefs and taking courses of actions. Unsworth (2001) argue that critical thinking entails scrutinizing, distinguishing as well as appraising information as well as reflecting on information in the verge of making judgments that would allow individuals to make informed decisions. Rubenfeld & Scheffer (1995) asserts that identifying as well as testing suppositions and analyzing them for validity is paramount to critical and creative thinking skills. Scholars suggest that, since critical thinkers hold curiosity as well as skepticism, they easily get be motivated to offer solutions that would bring solution to various contradictions. Creativity skills are those that convey something innovative as well as valuable (Facione and Facione, 2008). People who are creative often break away from out-fashioned patterns, find alternatives as well as diverge from well-known patterns, and more importantly they develop new solutions. Scholars stipulate that creative individuals make tough decisions concerning what the things that should be included and those that need to be eliminated. There is a wide connection between critical and creative thinking skills. Facione (2011) contends that that creative thinking is a facet of the progress of critical thinking. There are various commonalities connecting critical thinking and creative thinking. The two appear to be in opposition to one m there are individuals who argue that the two aspects do not overlap simply because critical thinking skills involves skills that are used in evaluation of ideas whereas creative thinking skills are inclined towards expansion of ideas. Both skills involve thinking as recognized in the levels of Bloom's taxonomy (Mauzy and Harriman, 2003). When people mention higher-order thinking skills, they often focus on the top three echelons stipulated in Bloom’s Taxonomy, they are, analysis, synthesis as well as evaluation (Brown and Duguid, 2001). Unsworth (2001) points that evaluation can be equated with critical thinking where as synthesis are an aspect of creative thinking. Synthesis and evaluation skills have much in common as Andriopoulos (2001) suggested even if they are different in purpose. For instance, evaluation is inclined towards focuses on making assessments or judgment on the ground established in an analysis of statements and proposition. On the other hand, synthesis requires a person analyze parts as well as relationships and afterwards put them together in a novel and unique way. This shows an overlap of the two skills. Creative thinking is commonly well thought-out to be involved with the creation as well as ideas generation and processes them. On the other hand, critical thinking is focuses on their evaluation. This shows that the two overlap each other It is worth noting that the tools that are used to carry out evaluation in critical thinking are very useful in enhancing creativity of individuals. As individuals become creative, they require critical skills such as questioning skills; people need to question various arguments as they develop their own ideas concerning a particular subject. Both concepts are used by individuals in solving problems. The two types of skills are essential to individuals in developing problem solving skills. When human beings are confronted by some problems, they need to interpret various circumstances that surround the problems and clarify them. Thy also need to analyze the situations by examining and identifying their causes. More importantly, people have to evaluate possible outcomes in the verge of solving the problem after evaluation, individuals are able to make inferences which are based on the evidence thy have acquired. However, such steps do not solve the problems. Therefore, it becomes apparent that creative thinking skills are required in order to complete the cycle of problem solving. Creative thinking skills therefore bring a vital aspect of problem solving. When individuals are confronted by various problems, they often opt to brainstorm whereby thy search for various ideas that could lead to effective decisions. Therefore, at times thy present the problem in figure forms or even form mental images. They also break down the problem into various simple components in order to aid in coming up with effective solutions. It is worth noting that by inferring on previous methods that were used to solve the problem, individuals are able to modify the strategies in a more creative manner. This therefore shows that here is a clear overlap between creative and critical thinking (Facione, 2011). There appears to be a clear-cut difference between critical and creative skills. Critical thinking entails logical thinking as well as reasoning whereas creative thinking entails coming up with something new or rather innovative. Mauzy and Harriman (2003) also argues that, while critical thinking can be thought of as originating from the left-brain of the human being, creative thinking occurs in the right brain. Some scholars argue that the difference between creative and creative thinking is that, critical thinking makes evaluation on the aspects surrounding a particular situations whereas creative thinking are skills that does not focus on evaluation, rather, they are directed towards finding possibilities of pursuing a particular decision. Scholars argue that critical skills can be developed through association. Association is heuristic approach that operates people are taught to use one word or certain idea in order to reminds them of something else. For instance, some individuals associate the word sunshine with happiness (Facione, 2011). Such kind of associational reckoning responses usually help people in various circumstances. For instance, if associating dangerous driving with accident leads one not to drive carelessly. This is one way of developing critical skills by evaluating the circumstances that may arise if someone drove carefully and therefore, one is able to make inferences on circumstances that lead to previous accidents and therefore, they avoid repeating similar mistakes. In other circumstances, association may sway an individual to make reckless decisions. For instance, people may associate cancer with death and this may make them to develop fear and they become pessimistic such that they do not go for check ups when they develop cancer symptoms until it is at a late stage when the treatment may not be effective. Argument mapping: This is one of the methods scholars contend that it help individuals to develop effective critical thinking skills. Facione and Facione (2008) suggest that critical thinking skills of the students usually progress more rapidly when training is grounded on argument mapping. There are others who assert that when opinions are offered in diagrammatic structure, people are able to effectively follow critical thinking measures. Since argument maps are mostly visuals are transparent, they are capable of making core critical thinking operations more clear-cut. In this respect, scholars feel that argument mapping helps individual to analyze various situations from different points of views as they seek solutions to solve a particular problem. Rubenfeld & Scheffer (1995) however causations that belief perpetuation is a tendency of human beings and it may hinder their criticality since in some instances individuals tend to take evidence inferior to beliefs. People tend to seek out evidence that are in line with their beliefs and therefore overlook evidence which goes against beliefs. Accounting professions requires a rigorous organization, processing as well as interpretation of the data which are used to establish an opinion that would assist the management to make valid decisions concerning an organization. Therefore, while auditing accounts, attesting, carrying out accounting duties as well as reporting, accountants requires critical skills in order to enhance a careful analysis, research, understanding, communicating as well as passing correct judgment based on the findings of the reports. Facione (2011) suggest that accountants require relevant attributes since their organizations entirely relies on their reports in evaluating their financial positions and the steps they need to take. In addition to this, other parties and stakeholders rely on the reports provided by organizations while making decisions. For instance, financial institutions have to look at organizations accounts report while advancing loans to an organization. The government on the other hand relies on the same reports while deciding on the taxes an organization should pay. More importantly, financial reports are used by the managers to making strategic plans of the company (Mauzy and Harriman, 2003). Unsworth (2001) argued that it is beyond reasonable doubts that accountants should withhold high degree of integrity which would be enhanced by development of critical skills. Therefore, accounting profession requires individuals who are able to recognize and evaluate various issues that are related to business environment even as they evaluate an organizations’ financial position. Scholars have in the past contended that accountants need to pass solid judgments based on the information they gather through a careful research on various accounting issues. Effective communication is a very important aspect that they need to have in order to pass information to the concerned parties in a clear and precise manner. Even as universities develop various schemes that are geared towards utilization of these skills in the universities, there are scholars who debate whether critical thinking skills can actually be learned. Some of them contend that the skills arise in the developmental process that is often synchronized by motivations, individuals’ dispositions as well as personality traits. regardless of the disparities of opinion, universities have recognized that critical thinking is decisive, self-regulatory judgment which allows effective interpretation, analysis, evaluation, as well as inference, and clarification of the evidential, theoretical, practical or contextual deliberations upon which students base their judgments on (Brookfield, 1987) Based on this knowledge, universities have formulated various strategies that help students improve their critical thinking skills in their learning. Some of the measures put in place include; Creative and creative thinking course is being taught at the universities. Various universities have developed CCT course and it is made mandatory to all students irrespective of the course they undertake in the universities. There are universities that cannot allow students to graduate if they have not undertaken the subject, which in most cases is a core unit for all the courses. This is one method that universities use to ensure that students are taught how to develop critical skills in various situations in order to improve their problem solving skills as well as decision-making skills. Additionally, Talents Unlimited program are developed in universities. These programs usually describe the talent aspects such as communication, planning areas, decision making as well as forecasting. Therefore, universities have been on the fore front enhancing these programs in the verge of developing the skills in students (Sackatachawan Education, 2003) Universities are now teaching courses through using Simulation methods. Lecturers at universities teach students simulation skills in order to develop analytical reasoning skills among them. In most cases, students are requested to consider various factors that lead to a particular situation. For instance, students in undertaking nursing course in some universities are sometimes asked to evaluate various etiological factors, presenting symptoms, as well as various signs of a patient with certain conditions during their learning. Their tutors usually argue that, as they scrutinize the causal patholophysiology, the critical thinking skills are developed since they are able to assess assessing duration as well as the frequency in which the symptoms appear and more importantly they get to critically analyze additional triggers. Such students are also anticipated to appraise their understanding concerning the probable pathophysiological implication. After that step, they develop the skills by focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of certain treatments as well as drug actions and the most likely side effects that could arise on the patient (Facione, 2011). The next step is being able to explore the effectiveness of the results. Lecturers who teach nursing course argue that critical thinking developed in this phase usually determine the accomplishment of the treatment. It also determines complications that may arise and students are able to think of ways that could resolve such complications as they consider reasons for the development of the patient’s. This clearly shows that critical thinking is highly recognized by the universities in preparing the students to resolve various issues in their career. Simulation is also utilized in other course such as psychology and business use simulation in order to develop critical skills in students. For instance, students in psychology class are presented with cases which require them to utilize DSMIV criteria to assess a client’s information as well as develop treatments of the client’s problems (Unsworth, 2001). Universities have been using think-aloud seminar as a teaching method in order to develop critical skills in the students. In this method, students are often presented with a particular case and the lecturers ask them relevant questions concerning its contributing factors as well as influencing factors. By utilizing this method, students are able to rule out underlying causes of various situations they are presented with. In the process of evaluating the more significant factors that influence the presented problems, students are taught to think critically and they are also encouraged to explicitly articulate the rationales behind their suggestions (Andriopoulos, 2001). Conclusion Critical and creative thinking skills are very paramount to individuals as they pursue their endeavors. The two types of thinking skills usually overlap and they appear to be interrelated even though they may serve different purposes. However, it is worth noting that there are notable differences between the two aspects. Scholars have been interested in evaluating these aspects and more importantly, advancing knowledge on the ways through which the two types of skills may be developed. Some of those approaches have been utilized by universities to develop critical skills among the students. Critical skills are very important in various professions. Accounting profession is one of the areas that significantly require critical skills. This allows accountants to effectively analyze process and report in an acceptable manner. It is worth noting that financial reports presented by accountants are used by various stakeholders in order to make solid judgments. References Andriopoulos, C. (2001). "Determinants of organisational creativity: A literature review." Management Decision 39(10): 834. Brookfield, S.D. (1987). Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting. San-Francisco, CA: Josey Bass Publishers. Brown, J. S. and Duguid P. (2001). "Creativity versus structure: A useful tension." MIT Sloan Management Review 42(4): 93. Facione, Noreen C, and Facione Peter A. (2008). Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment in the Health Sciences - An International Teaching Anthology. Millbrae CA: The California Academic Press. Facione, P.A . (2011). Think Critically, Pearson Education: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Mauzy, J. and R. A. Harriman (2003). "Three climates for creativity." Research Technology Management 46(3): 27. Rubenfeld, M. G, & Scheffer, B. K. (1995). Critical Thinking in Nursing: An Interactive Approach. J. B. Philadelphia PA: Lippincott Company Sackatachawan Education, (2003). Critical and Creative Thinking. Understanding the Common Essential Learnings. Regina, SK: Saskatchewan Education. Unsworth, K. (2001). "Unpacking creativity." Academy of Management. The Academy of Management Review 26(2): 289. Read More