Latest Published articles |
Critical thinking has gradually become one of the most sought-after workplace skills. The relative importance of critical thinking for employers now outranks several other key skill groups – including technology use and development and working with people – according to 2020 research by the World Economic Forum.
Behind this rise to workplace prominence is the crucial role critical thinking plays as economies shift from heavy historical reliance on resources towards technology-enabled knowledge, says Professor Deborah Brown, director of the University of Queensland’s Critical Thinking Project. “It is no longer enough to know the content and methods of a particular discipline, or to be able to regurgitate knowledge,” Brown says. “Being able to question existing practices and generate new solutions are foundational for an innovative economy, and there is no successful innovation that does not depend on a critical analysis of a problem.” Critical thinking is also seen as an essential antidote to the serious global problems arising from the abundance of misinformation and disinformation found within the information being created online every day. Organisational psychologist Charlotte Rush of behavioural change firm Inventium says the ability to analyse and evaluate “that sea of information, to work out what is actually relevant, credible and valid to reach a conclusion” is what will ultimately set people apart. Critical thinking may not be an innate skill, but Brown believes it is one that can – and should – be taught. “There is a lot of psychological evidence that shows we are naturally susceptible to certain kinds of biases in our thinking and decision-making. “These get in the way of thinking critically, but we all have a capacity to become critical thinkers,” she explains. To read about the five habits for critical thinkers suggested by the experts, read the full story at INTHEBLACK Comments are closed.
|
