Denisse Sitoe Diana Mavunga

Student Number: 25318063 Student Number: 25099833

How does critical thinking assist graduates to become effective professionals?

ATS1369 Understanding University Learning Mr. Frikkie Korf

Denisse Sitoe;25318063 Diana Mavunga; 25099833

Denisse Sitoe Diana Mavunga

Student Number: 25318063 Student Number: 25099833

Critical Thinking is commonly defined as a collection of analytical skills that graduates should acquire (Johnson, 1992, as cited in Jones, 2007). To be an effective professional means to be a qualified individual who is capable, productive. In this essay, an analysis of how critical thinking assists graduates to become effective professionals will be presented, due to the fact that it is a skill that enables one to make better decisions, to understand and solve complex problems. Firstly, critical thinking will be discussed. Secondly, what it means to be effective professional will be presented. Lastly, how does critical thinking help graduates to become effective professionals will be discussed.

Globally, for a graduate to be considered as an effective professional, critical thinking is an inevitable attribute. According to Allen(1997, p.6) smart thinking is critical thinking, which involves asking questions of ourselves about views, beliefs, assumptions and conclusions which makes one metacognitive. He further states that critical thinkers need to reason and explore the relationship between many events, objects and ideas in our world. Brookfield (1987) argues that critical thinking is a productive and positive activity, which involves emotions and varies in its manifestations according to the contexts in which it occurs. Moreover, Marshall and Rowland(2006), view critical thinking as debating and negotiating positions, as well as resolving conflicts and dealing with difference and opposition; this usually calls for reflective thinking that is focused on what we believe or do. Reflective thinkers therefore are sceptical, deeply analyse and evaluate situations, events and circumstances which enhance the ability to solve problems. They assert that critical thinking requires a good attitude, which includes being open-minded to different points of view.

Effective professionals who are critical thinkers possess an array of skills, attitudes as well as knowledge that enables them to be competent experts in a particular field, especially in the workplace. Allen (1997,p.135) argues that effective professionals are self-motivated, confident, responsible and convey information accurately. They work endlessly to change the aspects of this world by training for a living. In addition, Paul and Elder (2010, p.91) adduce that one of the
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Denisse Sitoe Diana Mavunga

Student Number: 25318063 Student Number: 25099833

underlying values of critical thinking is reasoning. Similarly, Toulman, Rieke and Janik (1987, as cited in Allen, 1997, p.3) also state that reasoning is one of the abilities that an individual should have, as it aids to perceive other peoples viewpoints, to illustrate a complex idea, come up with reasons for ones points of view, establish which information is relevant.

Due to the fact that critical thinking is considered a valuable skill by employers, graduates should leave university with the ability to be autonomous and to apply principled, reflective judgement (Facione, 2010, as cited in Thomas, 2011, p.27). Allen(1997,pp.7-9) claims that a professional who is a smart thinker ought to constantly assess their structures and frameworks, with the purpose of developing awareness of situations and events in depth and in a more effective way. He then asserts that in order to make use of reasoning, one must depend on structures of connections (generalizations and specific cases, causes and effects, similarities and differences) between different scenarios in the world. And once these connections are formed, graduates are then capable of functioning in a more effective manner, by relating to different concepts and acquiring knowledge from their surroundings. In particular, the observations obtained through smart thinking will assist in the advancement of effective communication skills. Furthermore, critical thinking involves emotions because one has to learn to think about what they do and college education opens up to new dimensions of knowledge and understanding (Gutting,2011,p.4).

In conclusion, it is clear that critical thinking has become a vital skill that a graduate should have as it assists graduates to become effective professionals, because the ideal critical thinker transits from a basic graduate to an effective professional by acquiring knowledge, being open-minded, and fair-minded in evaluation. Critical thinking is about thinking beyond the obvious, and the innumerable possibilities, ideas and assumptions. By approaching situations, events and circumstances with this state of mind, decision-making is improved; therefore one is entitled to think in depth about complex ideas, different viewpoints, which is crucial when one is an effective professional. According to Facione, Sanchez, Faune, and Gainer(1995,p.3) critical
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Denisse Sitoe Diana Mavunga

Student Number: 25318063 Student Number: 25099833

thinking should become widely recognized as a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in ones personal and civic life thereby producing effective professionals.

Denisse Sitoe Diana Mavunga

Student Number: 25318063 Student Number: 25099833

Reference List Allen, M. (1997) Smart thinking, Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing, Oxford: Oxford University Press: 1-8. Brookfield, S. (1987) Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to exploring Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting, Milton Keynes: Open University Press: 3-14 Facione, P.A., Sanchez, C.A., Facione, C.T. &Gainen, J. (1995).The Disposition toward Critical Thinking. The Journal of General Education. Vol 44,No 1,pp. 1-25. Penn University Press. Retrieved 5 February 2014 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27797240. Gutting, G. (2011). What is College for? The New York Times. Opinion Pages. Retrieved from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/what-is-college-for/. Johnson, R. (1992). The problem of defining critical thinking. In Norris, S. (Ed.), The generalizability of critical thinking: Multiple perspectives on an educational ideal. New York: Teachers College Press. Jones, A. (2007). Multiplicities or manna from heaven? Critical thinking and the disciplinary context. Australian Journal of Education, 51(1), pp.84-103. Marshall, L., & Rowland, F. (2006). Critical thinking. In A guide to learning independently (4th edition, pp.42-44). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Longman. Paul, E. & Elder, R. (2012). Standards for Thinking. Critical Thinking: tools for taking charge of your learning and your life (pp. 92 113). Boston: Pearson. Toulman, S., Rieke, R. and Janik, A. (1984). An Introduction to Reasoning, p.6. New York: Macmillan.