5 Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Digital Resource

5 Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Digital Resource

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is thinking where a person analyzes a situation in order to make a judgment of it. Critical thinking is knowledgeable judgment-making founded on logic where thoughts and stimuli are interpreted using creative and analytic thinking to yield results. Critical thinking is developmental and does not just happen (Weissinger, 2022). Elementary parents need to embrace critical thinking and problem-solving in early childhood learning by encouraging kids to ask questions, work in groups, and encourage decision-making and brainstorming (Waterford.org., 2019). Brain-based learning improves performance and increases knowledge retention in young learners. Students are given open-ended tangled problems that they work on together to promote an optimistic learning environment in school and at home. Parents should create consistent routines of activities at home to train children in transition schedules which improves classroom behavior in classrooms (Waterford.org., 2019).

Metacognition or Self-Reflection

Metacognition or self-reflection is a person’s will to critically think and reflect on the person’s thinking for functional purposes. The role of metacognition in problem-solving and critical thinking is to support and drive the growth of thinking skills as well as the nature and habits to use them (Weissinger, 2022). An Individual is trained to evaluate, select and rectify cognitive strategies vital for creative thinking. Metacognition awareness empowers learners to reflect on their thinking giving them control over their learning process. This also contributes to creativity emerging through different domains. Both teachers and parents of elementary children should practice metacognition to better understand their learners and kids through critical thinking and problem-solving.

Experiential learning involves using experience to acquire information. Problem-based learning is an instructional strategy used to improve critical thinking in students by presenting clear authentic problem outcomes to solutions (Weissinger, 2022). Students develop longtime skills through critical thinking and problem-solving. Parents can identify technical home problems that require critical thinking to engage children in. Students are encouraged to question and direct their personal learning for future professional conduct. Parents are encouraged to allow students to use prior knowledge in real-world challenges, access information resources habitually, and interact with other kids for critical reflection and problem solving through multiple reflections (Weissinger, 2022).

Bloom’s Taxonomy   

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a theory about the progression of skill growth that was initially divided into three domains; cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. However, the cognitive domain is the well-known one and includes six levels of learning skills from higher-order thinking to lower-order thinking skills. These levels are to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create as shown in the diagram below.

Sourced from: Armstrong (2010).

Parents can assist their children in gaining these higher-order skills by assisting their children to envision various situations and ask their opinions. For instance, parents can ask their children questions such as what they would do in given situations, what would happen, how is one concept different from another, or asking them if things remind them of anything to trigger their lower-order recollection skills.

Five Parent Resources and Strategies to Improve Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

1. Asking open-ended questions.
2.  Assisting children to develop their hypotheses by posing questions about cause and effect such as “what do you think will happen if…”.
3. Pause and wait for the children to think when presented with questions to allow them to generate a response on their own.
4. Encourage children to ask questions (Gordon, 2021).
5. Provide them with chances to make choices (Gordon, 2021).

References

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Gordon, S. (2021). How to teach your child to be a critical thinker. https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-teach-your-child-to-be-a-critical-thinker-5190765

Waterford.org. (2019). How to Use Brain-Based Learning in the Classroom. https://www.waterford.org/education/brain-based-learning/ 

Weissinger, P. A.(2022).Critical Thinking, Metacognition, and Problem-Based Learning. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/critical-thinking-metacognition-and-problem-based-learning