Critical thinking is thinking that interrogates information to evaluate it and judge whether it is true or false; whether it should be believed or not; and how one should act on it. This type of thinking is of a higher quality as it involves thinking about thinking in search of deeper understanding of things. Critical thinking e powers the learner to think for herself or himself and to have the mental discipline to habitually evaluate knowledge and everyday claims in search of truth and rightness. Critical thinking involves the learner actively in search of an understanding of the underlying ideas and principles. It is in this sense that critical thinking in its own way adds quality to education.
Creativity in undergraduate is so important. Creativity helps teach cognitive skills such as mathematics and scientific thinking. Creative thinking involves imagination, basic use of the scientific method, communication, physical dexterity and exertion, problem-posing, problem-solving, making interpretations, and using symbols which help with future literacy skills.
Creative and critical thinking is more than just a concept, it is a real-life model that can help a university graduate in promoting national development. Here is how this can be achieved.
Through better teamwork and team bonding among undergraduates
Workgroups are the most likely to be creative when they are mutually supportive, and when they have a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. Cross-fertilization occurs and the various points of view often combine to achieve creative solutions to problems. Homogenous teams might argue less but they are often less creative. Getting the mix of team members ‘right’ does require experience and intuition on the leader’s part.
Critical Thinking enables undergraduates to see beyond, not judge, cultural norms and learn how to understand other factors that can influence decision-making. This empathy and understanding are crucial to effective teamwork and leadership hence resulting national growth.
Through increased workplace problem solving and productivity among undergraduates
With Critical Thinking, one of the crucial learning developments is an awareness of differing approaches to a problem, alongside an ability to assess those approaches critically. Not only will you become a more reasoned and balanced problem solver, you will learn the two types of reasoning – inductive and deductive – and when it is appropriate to use one over the other. Grounding decisions in reason and logic over emotion or instinct make for effectual problem-solving. This problem-solving knowledge will create a bond between them and hence, positively translate national development since it will promote peace among university graduate since they can solve their difference amicably without having to grind with each other, thus creating a suitable environment for national development.
Through increased workplace engagement and interaction among undergraduates
By teaching you to analyze and build your evidence for any given premise, Critical Thinking can make university graduate more effective communicator. Enhanced Communication among university graduate will make coordination and be working together efficiently to realize different objectives. This encourages information sharing and collaboration, which lead to the development of expertise needed for creativity and to more opportunities for intrinsic motivation. This will ensure that different task at the national level will be handled faster and as required hence translating to national development.
University graduate will save time with a Critical Thinking mindset by supplying the right resources when needed.
Time and money are important resources for enhancing creativity. Deciding how much time and money to give to a team or project is a tough judgment call that can either support or stifle creativity. Under some circumstances, setting a time deadline will trigger creative thinking because it represents a favorable challenge. False deadlines or impossibly tight ones can create distrust and burnout. To be creative, groups also need to be adequately funded. But it should be noted that creative activities can be achieved at little to no cost with very few supplies, depending on the activities chosen.
You will already know that not all information is relevant to your decision-making, but often we do not know how to filter out the irrelevant from the relevant. Critical Thinking teaches university graduate how to prioritize your time and resources by analyzing what is essential to the process. This also helps them to know that a decision is ultimately a good one. Once a good decision is made in national matters, this will positively impact on national development.
Improve the ability of undergraduate to attract and retain quality employees
In our daily and professional lives, we make hundreds if not thousands of decisions. We decide what to wear, which road to take to work, what to eat, which phone calls to take, etc. In business, decisions have to be made about which product to promote, how to promote that product, who to hire, etc. All of these decisions require different ways of thinking, which can be creative, critical, or a combination of both creative and critical thinking.
Thus, the ability to match people with the right problem-solving experiences, that is, experiences that challenge or stretch them intellectually. This enhances creativity because it supports expertise and intrinsic motivation. This will increase or translate to national productivity thus resulting to national development.
Through increased morale, fun and happiness among undergraduate staffs and working environment.
The most influential step a leader can take to bring about creative problem solving is to develop a ‘safe’ atmosphere that encourages people to think freely. This includes making it okay for people to challenge assumptions and disagree with the leader. If people don’t feel safe, they will only parrot their leader’s ideas. Praising creative work is important because, for most people to sustain their passion, they must feel that their work matters to the organization. Whenever possible, a leader should notice and publicly affirm creative thinking. Creative ideas should also be evaluated quickly rather than put through a painfully slow review process.
Once the staffs are happy and good and favorable working environment is created the national productivity increases and the result will increase in national productivity.
Creativity is one of the greatest qualities any nation can be blessed with, yet many never allow their true creativity to be expressed. Our society and the nation at large need to approve creativity, and encourage it since as we have seen it can greatly positively impact our development as a nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment