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Displaying Critical and Creative Thinking In the very beginning it is crucially to understand that critical thinking is of high significance (if not crucial) virtually for any kind on education, and Loyola Marymount University is no exception. Besides, one should be aware of the difference between intensive and critical thinking. There are situations, in which students simply cannot find the correct answer, which is sometimes not that easy to find. I cannot but agree with Dr. Martin Luther King that intelligence combined with character is the aim of true education. Those who think critically need a character to prove their point of view, and, thus, critical thinking requires strong character. At the same time, those who dare think critically and defend their viewpoint on this or that issue, strengthen their character by way of thinking in such a way. For example, when asked in a class, it is not always easy for every student to answer what s/he really thinks. Quite often, ones own viewpoints are not that easy to be articulated. Expressing ones own opinion requires a character, but at the same time one needs knowledge to be able to have the authentic opinion. On the other hand, knowledge can be obtained by way of intensive and critical thinking. Thus, students choices will contribute not only to his or her intelligence, but character as well. In general, critical thinking is an unbiased study of the subject or problem. For example, after determining what issue to take into consideration, the student has to begin searching for facts, consider options and analyze the issue based on the facts revealed. Then the student is to compare motives, biases and prejudices both of himself/herself and specialists. Only after these stages are passed, the student gets the foundation for his/her own judgment. Besides, according to good.is, critical thinking implies the ability to infer and to meaningfully investigate. The specifics of educational technology development of critical thinking is that the learning process should be based on the science-based patterns of interactions of personality

and information. In addition, the teacher must be as flexible and authentic during the learning process. All training should be based on the principles of cooperation, joint planning, and reasoning. This is how critical reasoning can be achieved. During the learning process I encounter many situations, which are truly difficult to be solved, and some choices are truly hard to be made. Even now, when looking back, I am not quite sure, if the choices that I used to make are right ones. Sometimes I am proud of my choices, and sometimes I wish I could turn the time back, but, alas, this is impossible. Personally, I try to think in a critical way not only while studying or attending lessons, but in my daily life as well. I suppose it to be a good and useful habit of mine. I do believe that critical thinking on many ideas strengthen not only my intelligence but my character as well. Formation of critical thinking does not arise spontaneously in the process of studying, but occurs during the course of solving problems in a group interaction of the teacher and the student, through special training, the use of special pedagogical tools, and the right choice of organization of learning process. Ultimately, the critically thinking students are expected to see the parallels and intersections; perceive linkages between historical moments, between the period and the art, between the circumstances then and now (good.is)

Works Cited Can We Teach Creative and Critical Thinking? Good.is, n. d. Web. 1 Oct 2010. <http://www.good.is/post/can-we-teach-creative-and-critical-thinking/> The Purpose Of Education by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse College Student Paper, The Maroon Tiger, in 1947. Drmartinlutherkingjr, n.d. Web. 23 Sep 2009. <http://www.drmartinlutherkingjr.com/thepurposeofeducation.htm>