In class we looked at some of the steps we take to approach problem solving or critical analysis: observing, finding facts, inferring, assuming, forming opinions, developing arguments, and finally drawing conclusions. However, the steps listed on the handout may not be the process you actually follow when you are faced with a challenging issue. You may find that you skip or add some steps or rearrange them so they occur in a different order.
To analyze your critical thinking habits, identify a problem you have faced and walk through the steps you took to solve it. Make sure to explain in detail the order of the steps and what actions you took if one of the steps didn't seem to work.
Now analyze your approach. Is this your usual way of dealing with problems? Do you tend to think deeply or decide quickly, without much searching? Do you turn to others for help, or do you tend to work through challenges alone? Is your way of dealing 
with problems
with problems similar to the way others in your family or culture deal with them?
Hello everybody. I want to share some information about my critical thinking habits. First of all, I want to explain about my ways of doing life activities. I think everyone in our class knows that I have a lot of activities to do. For instance, my week day starts at 6 a.m. and finishes at 12 p.m. I wake up, do exercise, pray, make breakfast, make and pack lunch for myself and my family. After that, I wake everyone up. I leave the house at 7-10 a.m. From 8.00 till 2 p.m. I am in BVC as my every classmate. Then I do PLATO till 3 p.m., go by C- train to pick up my daughter from the NE private school. My husband already parked our car in the morning at the Rundle station, and from there I drive to my daughter’s school. We usually get home at 4p.m. I pray and leave for my evening classes at SAIT, which start at 6 p.m. and end at 9.p.m. I am at home by 9:30. After that I do my BVC and SAIT homework till about 11 or 12 p.m. I bring my son to his swimming classes twice a week and for the Karate once in a week. Every Friday I have my volunteering job in NE. On Saturday I have classes from 9 a.m. till 12 a.m. at SAIT. Then I usually go to the park, cinema, and swimming pool with my family. On Sunday, I do my homework and talk by Skype with parents. In the evening time we all read and discuss religious books. Moreover, I translate approximately five or six documents every week for the Immigration Services of Calgary, where I am currently volunteering. In addition I cook, do laundry, and clean the house as all women do. You might ask me why I wrote all of this for you. I wanted to show you that I have a tight life graphic. However, I enjoy my life. I always try to be positive and never give up. Next, I want to explain about solving any problem. First of all, I am easy going with any issues that come my way. Another point is that I am a not deep thinker and I often decide quite quickly. I always try my best to support all my family members, including my parents, siblings, and in-laws. Another question is about steps which sometimes don’t work. Most of the time I try to find solutions and it always works. I don’t have any notebooks or calendar reminders on the cell phone. I keep everything in my mind. I am very social and easy make friends. We lived in Ukraine, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Europe, UAE (Dubai) and in Canada now. I have a lot of friends around the world.
ReplyDeleteIn short, I think most of my habits I inherited from my mother.
In China, our teacher never teach us critical thinking. Shoddy thinking is common for most of Chinese. After I came to Canada, I found out that most of people put critical thinking on their resume. I wondered why critical thinking was very important in work place. I even do not know what critical thinking is at that time. During my ESL studying, I learned that Critical thinking is “self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities”( Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008). I also learned that critical thinking is essential to effective learning and productive living as well. The critical thinking people usually good at solve problem. So it is very important in our life. But I have to say I am not a critical thinking person. I always make decision quickly without any information research and deeply thinking. This characteristic can applied in any way of my life. For instance, when I went shopping, I bought products I liked without thinking if they were good quality or not; I went to hiking without reading the hiking trail condition report. That made me a lot of troubles. After studying elements of critical thinking, I learned how to be a critical thinking person. It is quite different with what I did about thinking. I should learn more how to be a critical thinking person. Maybe next time I can put critical thinking on my resume too.
ReplyDeleteNicole, in my opinion, you are critical thinking person. For instance, you were cited that critical thinking is “self-directed and self-disciplined and corrective thinking”. I know you for a while now; however I found that you always concentrate on your study. Moreover, you have good marks. I think for most of our classmates, the first goal was to start English courses; another one is to get good marks. I can continue this and list many more goals. As well as for some students the last goal is just to get the EAP certificate, for the others is to start a job; or to continue studying in the university or college.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned before, I am a not deep thinking person. Although less people think about their surroundings. For example, no one can predict what will happen next in your life: Will you still be alive or is it your last day on this planet? “Have you ever thought about how mosquitoes, which irritatingly fly around you, move their wings so fast that we are unable to see them? Have you ever thought about how the peels of fruits such as bananas, watermelons, melons and oranges serve as wrappings of high quality, and how the fruits are packed in these wrappings so that they maintain their taste and fragrance?” (Harun Yahya, 2011).
We also learned about paraphrasing. I never thought I could paraphrase or make a seminar or a newspaper summary. It means we added to our knowledge more information which will help us in our life.
What a coincidence, last Friday I attended the CRTP class and listened to a lecture which was also about the process of making a decision. In general, I do not very often follow the steps of critical thinking shown by the paper. Doing a research-collecting some information-analyzing information-making a decision are my steps to deal with problems. What is more, the way of my thinking sometimes makes me unhappy because a simple question (thing) will become a complicated one in my mind. Thus, not surprisingly, the process of making my decision is longer than others. Even, my former teacher sometimes called me an over-thinker. For instance, last term I had a presentation about a famous Canadian figure, I spent two days making a decision, whereas my classmates gave their answers to my teacher pretty soon. During that process, I felt the more information I gathered, the more difficulties I faced to make that decision. At last, I turned to my classmate, even my teacher for help. At that time, Zaheer (one of my classmate) told me, “Tracy, make it simple, stop over thinking!” Now, I think I can shorten the process of making the final decision because I learned how to compare the enormous information effectively. The method is to ask questions while you analyze the collected information (the speaker-Jim Little mentioned asking question skills in the CRTP class last Friday). Therefore, I recognized that how to ask right questions is one of the important steps about critical thinking.
ReplyDeleteTo Angela and Nicole: Both of you make a decision pretty quick. Nowadays, with the development of the science and technology, everything is changing very fast. As a result, it requires people to do things effectively and carry out a decision right away. The way of your thinking will make you feel very easy while I struggle with it. In some cases, I think I need to give the answer very soon like your guys.
Being the critical thinking is necessary for our life, it can help prevents people from making mistakes and also used to solve a problem. As the critical thinker must requires being open-minded, when make the decisions, should be consider about various factors and research statement. When people facing the problems, different people have different opinion. For me, I am not a deeper thinker and usually I make decision quickly without consider about consequence. For instance, last year, I was working in nursing home. As a full time staff, I have the opportunity and benefit to got one month vacation. I am so excited to go back China to have vacationed. Therefore, when I went home I immediately book the air ticket through the internet without check my passport entry visa date was expired or not. In the next day, my friend asks me to check my passport expires date, at that moment, I was completely dumbfounded. My passport in the entry visa date area was already expired about two month ago. It's mean I need to renew my visa, otherwise I cannot go back to China. After this lesson, it reminds me that have the critical thinking is very important. In addition, I am independent person, but when I face the problem I still perform to ask friend give me suggestion. Also I like work with group, it can offer me opportunity to hear the different opinion and idea in order to do best job. Meanwhile, the group work also can help me to build up stronger and deeper relationship among the group members. All in all, being the critical thinker can enhance the knowledge when we face the troubles and have an idea to deal with it.
ReplyDeleteTo Nicole & Tracy:
I think that both of you are critical thinking person, in our class, when we have the activity for study, I have been observed at both of you are focus on studies. All of you are considerate about consequence before make decisions. Critical thinking are requires many skills which will help people to go the right direction and when face the difficult can easy handle the problems. Therefore, I learned about how to become a critical thinker and also I will try to become a deep thinker.
I am not a deep thinker. I always do as well talk whatever I feel. If I have failed, I would not have shared my ehperiences to others as if I did not do anything. When I recognized that some-one talking or thinking in contrast with me, I always would leave the place. In my country, powerful persons(politically as well as economically) always try to break the rules and regulations to show off themselves. It is very difficult to face them. Most of cases, nobody will not give you any instruction to handle them even thouhg they hate those persons. So it is your duty to find a way - how to manage them. I always try to follow one road- follow the main road so that everyone can see me. Each time, I was able to find an alternative way to manage the situations without breaking the rules and regulations as well as to avoid chaous. To me, experience and devotion to work can help being a critical thinker.
ReplyDeleteTracy pointed out the rigt thing that making a good question can solve any problem. But the problem is how to make a good question. To make a good question, we need reaserch and more knowledge about the process as well as materials. Technology can help us to find the materials easily, but cannot help us being knowledgeable. If we want to do something perfect, we have to spend more time. Otherwise, our efforts will not be able to attract people.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a student in High School and University, I was always one of the best students, but lately, I am not thinking critically. I was careless in many tests, for example, in multiple choice questions, when I read a good answer, I choose it right away without reading carefully the rest of the answers. I thought maybe because I am old or because I haven't gone to school and answer questions, which requires critical thinking, for 15 years. Recently, I realized that I am in a class full of critical thinkers, so now, I want to catch up with them step by step.
ReplyDeleteTracy: When I read the email from Patti about the CRTP lecture and heard what the lecture was about, I knew why our teacher suggested us to go there for independent learning. So in my opinion, it was not only a coincidence but it was also good to support the topic lesson in our class because now in the class, we are talking about problem solving.
Critical thinking, in my view, is rational and reasonable thinking before making decisions. Most people are not aware of the importance of risk-assessment before making decision, the comments from Stephanie and Nicole displays that they like to make decisions immediately something attracts their eyes or minds. This kind of action is sometimes effective, at least we not need to regret to do what we had been desperate to do. However, the people who do the risk-assessments prior to making decisions benefit a lot. For example, if you want to buy a car, you should initially take into consideration a lot of facts, such as price, size, color, oil consumption, these overall evaluations will help you choose a great and economic car. Yet I am the victim of quick decision-making, It is common in China that the students will get cellphones that most parents have promised after College Entrance Examination, I strongly asked my parents to get me a cellphone just day after Examination day, we did not make any researches before it, I finally got a Nokia which was discounted for students several day later. Unavoidably, my mother nagged beside my ears about careful decision-making for almost a month,which made me frustrated and annoyed. Emotional intelligence can also be a replace of critical thinking, in other words, be intelligent or think twice before making decision, but it does not mean over-thinking. As Tracy mentioned, she had problem of making resolute decision due to too much thinking, she had some kind of emotional intelligence, but she did not put it into practice effectively. I am not a very emotional intelligent person, either. For example, once in the Junior High School,i often made trouble in the class only because I got angry at the math teacher, as a result, I got punishment very often. In addition, I often think something too deeply so that I get a lot of stress, there are usually a lot of stress, like bad result caused by the failure of test, to me before test, which makes me very nervous in the test. I want eventually to mention my characteristics in team work, i am not a very good team players, also not a good lone wolf. I will do my best to solve trouble that i likely to face, instead of turning someone else for help, this trait brings me a lot of trouble when working in a group, this is also a expression of emotional intelligence shortage. I am trying to find out the way to be a critical thinking by reading books and attempting to putting some opinions in my situations.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes, whether I am a critical thinking person or not. It depends on problems when I face it. If problem is interesting or important, I can’t do anything before solving the problem. For instance, I am interested in design such as construction design, drawing, color design through the computer programs that are Flash, Namo, Photoshop. When I was young, I really liked to make homepages. At that time, I am not a professional designer, creator. My prospective was just average. So I just practiced to make homepage similarly as what others had done. When I was making it similar to other, I always astonished and admired by someone’s homepage. So I bought a lot of books and gathered a lot of information through the internet, and asked someone or e-mail them. Sometimes I am a crazy person; I don’t even know which problems are more important to me in reality. Just I am a self contentment person about my favorite thing. However, if the problem is not interested, I just skip that.
ReplyDeleteJames
You are a very emotional intelligent person. Also you know which problem is more important now. You always did your best when you get some assignment or problem. Sometimes I don’t understand why you live a so tight life. However, I am sure you will be achieve what you are pursuing.
First time I knew critical thinking was from my previous teacher in ESL. At that time, I thought critical thinking was creative and deep thinking. But after read you guys comments I found critical thinking is not only what I thought before, but also include self-directed and self-disciplined and corrective thinking. For me I think I am learning to become critical thinking person. Before I came to Canada I am an assistant. My work was organizing meeting, connecting with tax departments. At first, I did real bad work. I made many mistakes. I lost list of guests who would attend meeting. I made mistake on legal documents. My boss was real mad of me; I thought he might be wanted to fire me. However, he was kind boss he taught me before you do anything think twice, and imagine what kinds consequents would be after this decision. In Canada, critical thinking is real important in academic and work place. They require people thinking deep and creative. When I started my education in Canada I have this opportunity to think more deep and creative. When I have problem I’d like to ask help from other people. I think other can see my problem clearer and deep than I can.
ReplyDeleteTo Angela: I real admit your experiences. You do real good job both in study and family. You organize your life well. Also I think you have critical thinking, because you make your life organized and treat your family very good. I hope I can do as well as you do.
I can't understand what is the question. What do you want to know ?
ReplyDeleteWhenever I have to make a decision, I tend to decide quickly because much more information and researching do not give me benefits everytime. During I think deeply and gather lots of information, this make me get more stess and confusions. Therefore, it bothers me to decide. In my opinion, every decision has advantages and disadvantages. You will regret and have to be resposible for your dicision, after you make a any side of choices. Usually, I tend to work alone and try to be more independent. However, every time my parents and friends want to help me and then I accept their considerations. I do not mind that I solve problems alone or achieve by myself without helps, but also I am happy to recieve advice or help from someone, if someone wants to do that. However, I always try to be more independent and do not look forward recieving help from my peers or co-workers. My parents want me to deal with problems by myself because I am the only child so they want me to be stronger and be able to suceed by myself. In Korea, people respect and think positively of someone who gets high score in exam for enterinf universities and succeds in career by oneself without special trainings or taking expensive courses.
To LIA
I have the same problems with Lia. When testing, I usually choose answer without deep thinking and reading carefully so I tend to make many mistakes. Unlike you, I was not the top of sutdents all the time. I knew I needed to be careful but in tests I became to rush myself and made quick decisions.
To James
ReplyDeleteYour stories are very interesting. I think that we all need to find a balance between critical thinking and over-thinking.
I think troubleshooting is a kind of problem solving. When I was an Electrical engineer, I need to do this duty every day. As engineer, we have a strict process for the trouble shooting.
ReplyDelete1. Problem definition.
In this step, we have to definite the problem. We need to answer several questions. What is the problem? Is it really a problem? Did the problem have a time and area limit?
2. The problem effect
In the stage, we figure out the effect of the problem. We need to mad it clear that what is the result of the problem? Do we get any benefit from the problem? What is the advantage after we solve the trouble? Do we really need to solve the problem?
3. The cause of the problem
In this step, we need to find what cause the problem is. Can we control the cause? Is the cause inside or outside?
4. The possible solution
Try to the find the possible solution for the problem. We compare the solution based on time, cost, effect, possibility and reliability to find the best one.
5. Taking action
Based on the solution, we call the suitable technician and worker to make a team. We need to apply the financial support. We make an exactly schedule and start the first step the settle the trouble.
6. After finishing the problem, we review the result and write a report. According the report, we can solve the same problem in a no time.
To Mj:
ReplyDeleteI think we are talking the solving of problems. It does matter that you deal with the problem along or with you family or with your co-worker.
when we need to solve the problem in our work place, we would like to working with our colleague.
To start with, I think that it is a very difficult task to analyze our own approach to problem solving because usually we solve problems and not think how we do that. In my case, I am used to solve problems quickly sometimes with my first impulse and the result usually it is good. This skill I learned and improved during my work in Moldova because it was a fast-paced environment. It means that I really do not have time to think about the solution so I had to decide quickly. I think this ability helped me a lot. However, sometimes I face problems that require more time to solve. In situations like this, I usually start to think about the problem, after I leave it for some time at the second approach the solution came faster because I use the time between to think on the solution. Occasionally I use others help in solving problems because another person can bring valuable ideas he can be more experienced in that field than I am. Even though, every person has his own way to solve problems, I believe that there are also some cultural specifics.
ReplyDeleteto Stephanie
I agree with you that working in a group offer not only different ideas but also a different perspective in the problem you face. It also offer an opportunity to understand and to analyze someone’s ideas but it requires some special skills, to interact with people that it is very important in Canada. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to practice working in groups in school.
I've just finished reading all of your entries, and I've realized a couple of important things. First, the topic was much too broad! I asked you to do and comment on far too many things, so some of you were a little scattered in your answers. Quin gave an excellent breakdown of the steps of problem solving/critical thinking tha the uses as an engineer, so he answered the first part very well. Others talked more about what kind of thinkers they are. In short, there were many different approaches to the questions--wonder MJ didn't know what the question was!
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with some of you in your comments about whether you are critical thinkers or not, simply because there is the assumption that hard work is the same thing as critical thinking. I know several critical thinkers who are pretty lazy, and some hard workers who are happy to accept the status quo.
I can see that the next few weeks as we work more with problem-solving and the research paper are going to be very informative! Thanks for all of your comments!
I've just finished reading all of your entries, and I've realized a couple of important things. First, the topic was much too broad! I asked you to do and comment on far too many things, so some of you were a little scattered in your answers. Quin gave an excellent breakdown of the steps of problem solving/critical thinking that he uses as an engineer, so he answered the first part very well. Others talked more about what kind of thinkers they are. In short, there were many different approaches to the questions--no wonder MJ didn't know what the question was!
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with some of you in your comments about whether you are critical thinkers or not, simply because there is the assumption that hard work is the same thing as critical thinking. I know several critical thinkers who are pretty lazy, and some hard workers who are happy to accept the status quo and not think too deeply about issues.
I can see that the next few weeks are going to be very informative as we work more with problem-solving and the research paper! Thanks for all of your comments!