Handbook on best practice methods for Basic skills trainings Best practice handbook | Seite 17

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Critical Thinking Skills
State and implanting organisation
United Kingdom - Almond Vocational Link Ltd
Short Description
Critical thinking is not widely taught as a separate subject and was not introduced or factored
into training as such until ten years ago. We have developed our training for the piloting of the
critical thinking course so that individuals can acquire knowledge which will assist them in
their personal development so that they can negotiate the complexities of the employment
process. The critical thinking process can then be amplified to cover any situation they
encounter in life.
Target Group
Adults in Employment such as apprentices and young trainees.
Products and Outcomes
We have based our training on the five job descriptions and the need to understand what
critical thinking is and how it should be applied to all aspects of life, career choices and
employment situations. Critical thinking is not something that we naturally apply in our lives as
it has a very different approach and requires to be learnt. The application of critical thinking
has a specific format although there are different approaches, they all contain a very similar
formula. According to the Foundation for Critical Thinking “Critical thinking is the art of
analysing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.”
We have based our process on the substantive approach which was developed by Dr Richard
Paul “It is relevant to every subject, discipline, and profession, and the process of reasoning
through the problems of everyday life. It entails five essential dimensions of critical thinking:
1. The analysis of thought.
2. The assessment of thought.
3. The dispositions of thought.
4. The skills and abilities of thought.
5. The obstacles or barriers to critical thought.
Understanding the process of critical thinking and its application is fundamental to being able
to apply it to a variety of situations which is exactly what we have implemented in our training.
Mapping Of Critical Thinking Skills
As there is a structure to Critical Thinking then this could be mapped against the process that
is applied, however, the outcome will vary according to the situation that is applied against.
So, mapping would be applicable to the process and its implementation.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-where-to-begin/796
How to motivate for this kind of training
Motivation of learners to accept a new methodology in the thinking process is not an easy
procedure as many have adopted the normal way and rely on this technique in their everyday
approach to situations in their lives. During our piloting we have endeavoured to get the
students to think about their mindset and how to adopt a progressive approach by