![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking The Peak Performance Center](https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-small-logo-4.jpg)
![](http://writinghelp.online/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
The Peak Performance Center
The pursuit of performance excellence, critical thinking vs. creative thinking.
Creative thinking is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective to conceive of something new or original.
Critical thinking is the logical, sequential disciplined process of rationalizing, analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information to make informed judgments and/or decisions.
Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking – Key Differences
- Creative thinking tries to create something new, while critical thinking seeks to assess worth or validity of something that already exists.
- Creative thinking is generative, while critical thinking is analytical.
- Creative thinking is divergent, while critical thinking is convergent.
- Creative thinking is focused on possibilities, while critical thinking is focused on probability.
- Creative thinking is accomplished by disregarding accepted principles, while critical thinking is accomplished by applying accepted principles.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking critical-thinking-vs-creative-thinking](https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Critical-Thinking-vs.-Creative-Thinking.jpg)
About Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is a process utilized to generate lists of new, varied and unique ideas or possibilities. Creative thinking brings a fresh perspective and sometimes unconventional solution to solve a problem or address a challenge. When you are thinking creatively, you are focused on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, and/or developing various theories.
Creative thinking can be performed both by an unstructured process such as brainstorming, or by a structured process such as lateral thinking.
Brainstorming is the process for generating unique ideas and solutions through spontaneous and freewheeling group discussion. Participants are encouraged to think aloud and suggest as many ideas as they can, no matter how outlandish it may seem.
Lateral thinking uses a systematic process that leads to logical conclusions. However, it involves changing a standard thinking sequence and arriving at a solution from completely different angles.
No matter what process you chose, the ultimate goal is to generate ideas that are unique, useful and worthy of further elaboration. Often times, critical thinking is performed after creative thinking has generated various possibilities. Critical thinking is used to vet those ideas to determine if they are practical.
Creative Thinking Skills
- Open-mindedness
- Flexibility
- Imagination
- Adaptability
- Risk-taking
- Originality
- Elaboration
- Brainstorming
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical Thinking header](https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Critical-Thinking-header.jpg)
About Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the process of actively analyzing, interpreting, synthesizing, evaluating information gathered from observation, experience, or communication. It is thinking in a clear, logical, reasoned, and reflective manner to make informed judgments and/or decisions.
Critical thinking involves the ability to:
- remain objective
In general, critical thinking is used to make logical well-formed decisions after analyzing and evaluating information and/or an array of ideas.
On a daily basis, it can be used for a variety of reasons including:
- to form an argument
- to articulate and justify a position or point of view
- to reduce possibilities to convergent toward a single answer
- to vet creative ideas to determine if they are practical
- to judge an assumption
- to solve a problem
- to reach a conclusion
Critical Thinking Skills
- Interpreting
- Integrating
- Contrasting
- Classifying
- Forecasting
- Hypothesizing
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png)
Copyright © 2024 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes
Creative Thinking vs. Critical Thinking
What's the difference.
Creative thinking and critical thinking are two distinct but equally important cognitive processes. Creative thinking involves generating new ideas, concepts, and solutions by exploring various possibilities and thinking outside the box. It encourages imagination, originality, and innovation. On the other hand, critical thinking involves analyzing, evaluating, and questioning ideas, arguments, and information to make informed decisions and judgments. It emphasizes logical reasoning, evidence-based thinking, and the ability to identify biases and fallacies. While creative thinking focuses on generating ideas, critical thinking focuses on evaluating and refining those ideas. Both thinking processes are essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and personal growth.
Attribute | Creative Thinking | Critical Thinking |
---|---|---|
Definition | Generating new and original ideas, solutions, or perspectives. | Analyzing, evaluating, and making reasoned judgments based on evidence and logical reasoning. |
Approach | Exploratory, imaginative, and open-minded. | Systematic, logical, and objective. |
Focus | Emphasizes novelty, uniqueness, and innovation. | Emphasizes accuracy, validity, and reliability. |
Process | Brainstorming, free association, lateral thinking. | Analysis, evaluation, inference, deduction. |
Goal | Generating creative ideas, solutions, or possibilities. | Developing informed and well-reasoned judgments or decisions. |
Application | Art, design, innovation, problem-solving. | Science, research, decision-making, problem-solving. |
Further Detail
Introduction.
Creative thinking and critical thinking are two distinct cognitive processes that play crucial roles in problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct attributes that set them apart. In this article, we will explore the characteristics of creative thinking and critical thinking, highlighting their differences and showcasing how they complement each other in various contexts.
Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is a cognitive process that involves generating new ideas, concepts, or solutions by exploring possibilities, making connections, and thinking outside the box. It is characterized by originality, flexibility, and fluency of thought. Creative thinkers often challenge conventional wisdom, embrace ambiguity, and are open to taking risks. They are adept at finding alternative perspectives and exploring multiple solutions to problems.
One of the key attributes of creative thinking is the ability to think divergently. This means being able to generate a wide range of ideas or possibilities, often through brainstorming or free association. Creative thinkers are not limited by constraints and are willing to explore unconventional or unorthodox approaches to problem-solving.
Another important aspect of creative thinking is the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts or ideas. This skill, known as associative thinking, allows creative thinkers to draw upon a diverse range of knowledge and experiences to generate innovative solutions. They can see patterns, analogies, and relationships that others may overlook.
Furthermore, creative thinking involves the willingness to take risks and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Creative thinkers understand that not all ideas will be successful, but they are not deterred by setbacks. They view failures as stepping stones towards finding the right solution and are persistent in their pursuit of innovative ideas.
In summary, creative thinking is characterized by divergent thinking, associative thinking, risk-taking, and persistence. It encourages the exploration of new ideas and unconventional approaches to problem-solving.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking, on the other hand, is a cognitive process that involves analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information to form reasoned judgments or decisions. It is characterized by logical, systematic, and objective thinking. Critical thinkers are skilled at identifying biases, assumptions, and fallacies in arguments, and they strive to make well-informed and rational decisions based on evidence.
One of the key attributes of critical thinking is the ability to think analytically. Critical thinkers break down complex problems or situations into smaller components, examine the relationships between them, and evaluate the evidence or information available. They are adept at identifying logical inconsistencies or flaws in reasoning, which helps them make sound judgments.
Another important aspect of critical thinking is the ability to evaluate information objectively. Critical thinkers are skeptical and question the validity and reliability of sources. They seek evidence, consider alternative viewpoints, and weigh the strengths and weaknesses of different arguments before forming their own opinions. This attribute is particularly valuable in today's information-rich society, where misinformation and biased narratives are prevalent.
Furthermore, critical thinking involves the ability to think systematically. Critical thinkers follow a logical and structured approach to problem-solving, ensuring that all relevant factors are considered. They are skilled at identifying assumptions, clarifying concepts, and drawing logical conclusions based on the available evidence. This systematic approach helps minimize errors and biases in decision-making.
In summary, critical thinking is characterized by analytical thinking, objective evaluation, skepticism, and systematic reasoning. It emphasizes the importance of evidence-based decision-making and helps individuals navigate complex and information-rich environments.
Complementary Attributes
While creative thinking and critical thinking have distinct attributes, they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often complement each other and can be seen as two sides of the same coin.
Creative thinking can benefit from critical thinking by providing a framework for evaluating and refining ideas. Critical thinking helps creative thinkers assess the feasibility, viability, and desirability of their innovative ideas. It allows them to identify potential flaws, consider alternative perspectives, and make informed decisions about which ideas to pursue further.
On the other hand, critical thinking can benefit from creative thinking by expanding the range of possibilities and solutions. Creative thinking encourages critical thinkers to explore unconventional approaches, challenge assumptions, and consider alternative viewpoints. It helps them break free from rigid thinking patterns and discover innovative solutions to complex problems.
Moreover, both creative thinking and critical thinking require open-mindedness and a willingness to embrace ambiguity. They both involve a certain level of discomfort and uncertainty, as individuals venture into uncharted territories of thought. By combining creative and critical thinking, individuals can develop a well-rounded cognitive toolkit that enables them to tackle a wide range of challenges.
Creative thinking and critical thinking are two distinct cognitive processes that bring unique attributes to problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. Creative thinking emphasizes divergent thinking, associative thinking, risk-taking, and persistence, while critical thinking emphasizes analytical thinking, objective evaluation, skepticism, and systematic reasoning.
While they have their differences, creative thinking and critical thinking are not mutually exclusive. They complement each other and can be seen as two sides of the same coin. Creative thinking benefits from critical thinking by providing a framework for evaluation and refinement, while critical thinking benefits from creative thinking by expanding the range of possibilities and solutions.
By cultivating both creative and critical thinking skills, individuals can enhance their ability to navigate complex problems, make well-informed decisions, and drive innovation in various domains. These cognitive processes are not only valuable in academic and professional settings but also in everyday life, where the ability to think creatively and critically can lead to personal growth and success.
Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.
Critical thinking vs Creative thinking
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking critical thinking vs creative thinking](https://criticalthinkingsecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-startup-stock-photos-7369.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng%3Awebp%2Fngcb3%2Frs%3Adevice%2Frscb3-1)
Both critical thinking and creative thinking are used for solving problems , only in different ways. For critical thinking, the process is structured and methodical. For creative thinking, the process is fluid and somewhat experimental. Both thinking strategies are useful, with neither being innately superior to the other and in some unexpected ways even being linked. Now without further ado, let us explore the various components of critical thinking and creative thinking.
The Intersection of Critical Thinking & Creative Thinking
Critical thinking:.
The unbiased system attempts to remove all possible biases from thinking. Everybody has some form of bias or another. Perhaps a personal bias that one has towards someone or something. Or be it a more ethnocentric bias that prevents an individual from being able to see past the beliefs instilled in them by their culture. The unbiased analysis aims to view things from an objective instead of a subjective stand-point.
The rationality system is based on obtaining rationality, which can be defined as one being agreeable to reason. What is reason? In philosophical terms, reason is the ability to make sense of the world around us through the application of logic. Logic is a key tenet of the three systems and the cornerstone of critical thinking.
When examining deductive arguments, we begin by not looking at the truth value of the premises, but if they lead to the conclusion in a coherent manner. If they do not then the argument is deemed invalid and unsound. If the argument is deemed valid we then examine the truth value of the premises. If true, then the argument is sound, if they are not true then the argument is still valid but unsound.
Abductive arguments are drawn from the heuristic technique. The heuristic technique entails non-optimal problem-solving solutions, but are none the less sufficient for immediate decisions and approximations. Abductive reasoning includes such tactics as making an educated guess, following the general rule of thumb, or simple trial and error.
Creative thinking:
Creativity itself is the process where something truly new, but also valuable is formed. Be it a new idea, invention, or piece of art. Unlike logical thinking, there is no stringent set of rules or guidelines for how to undergo creative thinking. The process itself isn’t even entirely understood and there is much speculation and theorizing as to how creative thinking works, with no theory currently set in stone. This makes it a little more challenging to explain how to become a creative thinker. In attempting to do so we will go over some general principles of creative thinking and theories that may explain it.
In a sense being open-minded can be viewed as somewhat pragmatic as it allows people to examine, chose, and combine different aspects of various ideas to make something both new and useful. Creative thinking also enhances communications as through being open to new experiences a person is better able to talk and work with those with different beliefs than oneself.
Creative thinking has been hypothesized by some scientists as being a part of the evolutionary process. Some scientists think that by thinking of things in abstract terms we were better able to come up with new and innovative solutions in changing environments. Various scientists and academics have attempted to map out the process of creative thinking, one popular theory being largely developed by the psychologist J.P Guilford. Guilford helped develop the theory of divergent thinking.
Divergent thinking is the process some think is responsible for producing creativity and this is done by examining many possible solutions. Divergent thinking is more spontaneous and doesn’t occur in a linear manner. With divergent thinking a great many possible activities are explored over a short period of time, often with unexpected yet original connections being made. Common activities to help engage in divergent thinking are to create a list of questions, taking the time to think and meditate on ideas, artistic endeavors such as writing and drawing are also encouraged.
You may also like
Thinking critically about your personal finance in a recession, philosophy behind critical thinking: a concise overview, critical thinking puzzles for adults (with answers), 8 real-world applications of critical thinking in everyday decision making, download this free ebook.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Difference Wiki](https://www.difference.wiki/assets/images/logo.png)
Creative Thinking vs. Critical Thinking: What's the Difference?
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.difference.wiki/avatar/0181baa6d88d1f36f72f7d0471d54832.webp?s=50)
Key Differences
Comparison chart, primary focus, typical usage, creative thinking and critical thinking definitions, creative thinking, critical thinking, what is creative thinking, can creative thinking be taught, what is critical thinking, why is critical thinking important in decision-making, how does creative thinking aid in problem-solving, how does creative thinking benefit businesses, what role does critical thinking play in academia, how does critical thinking help in science, can creative thinking lead to unexpected solutions, what are key skills in critical thinking, are brainstorming sessions a part of creative thinking, why is critical thinking essential in healthcare, does creative thinking only apply to the arts, can creative thinking be systematic, do entrepreneurs need creative thinking, how does critical thinking differ from skepticism, what is an example of creative thinking in technology, how do educators foster critical thinking in students, is critical thinking always objective, why is critical thinking important in media consumption.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.difference.wiki/images/phenol-vs-benzoic-acid-55342-sm.webp)
Trending Comparisons
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.difference.wiki/images/arabs-vs-persians-58488-sm.webp)
Popular Comparisons
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.difference.wiki/images/freedom-vs-liberty-7158-sm.webp)
New Comparisons
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.difference.wiki/images/liposomal-glutathione-vs-reduced-glutathione-57220-sm.webp)
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking 121clicks.com](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/121clicks_logo_small.png)
Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking: What’s the Difference?
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/critical-creative-thinking-01-760x610.jpg)
In our modern life, the most common combination of what we do is work, behavior, and social patterns. In these areas, it is important to be able to make decisions and solve problems to be successful in both personal and professional life.
Have you ever counted how many problems you encounter during the day or week? It can be just basic things like a broken plate after breakfast or more professional tasks like business planning and managing the team.
Two major thinking methods that have gained significant attention in recent years are critical thinking and creative thinking. And truly speaking, these two types are often considered to be opposites. Creative thinking and critical thinking are both needed for effective decision-making and problem-solving. So let’s see how to find the balance between them and what are the main differences between critical thinking and creative thinking!
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/critical-creative-thinking-01.jpg)
Critical Thinking
Before we proceed to understand how to find the balance in your lifestyle and work as well, it is important to understand what critical thinking actually is. So it is the type of thinking about any subject, problem, or content.
Moreover, it can improve the quality of your thoughts. Critical thinking will let you make decisions by yourself. In this way, it will help you improve decision-making. It is about asking quick questions and giving quick answers to understand the situation.
There is a huge amount of information we meet every day which needs to be analyzed in order for us to make knowledgeable decisions on it. Critical thinking is an invaluable skill that allows people to think logically and systematically.
This thinking helps analyze information or ideas by breaking them down into smaller components with a view to determining their relevance and completeness. It allows people to question the beliefs and arguments of others, using logical reasoning to come up with good decisions. It can be named as a methodical process that involves analyzing several different sources of information, weighing up information and deductions, and making an informed opinion from them on available facts at hand.
Components of Critical Thinking
Now, it is important to understand what the critical thinking process consists of. According to experts, critical thinking should have:
- Interpretation – meaning or significance of something. This component includes reviewing data through relationships between different groups and making conclusions based on available information while identifying patterns or trends, among other things.
- Analysis – separating complex information into smaller parts to examine their relationships and distinctions. This component refers to evaluating the presented information and identifying any underlying beliefs and arguments presented along with any potential predispositions or errors.
- Evaluation – it is about assessing the strength and validity of presented arguments. Weighing up the evidence presented, evaluating the credibility of sources is a part of this component.
- Explanation. It provides good reasons for the reached conclusion. This component means presenting analytical and assessed findings in a brief format.
- Self-regulation. This component requires one to be aware of one’s discriminations and beliefs, which should be challenged by searching for more information.
Examples of Critical Thinking
As we mentioned, critical thinking helps analyze one question from different sides and then make reasonable decisions. Maybe the most simple example is distinguishing fake news from real news. A person who has critical thinking always does their own research on any problem or idea. This person isn’t satisfied with other people’s opinions, and it is good for them.
So critical thinking is useful in different spheres of life including education, medicine, law, business, and so on. Let’s check some situations, where this type of thinking is applicable.
- Imagine you visit a doctor. The doctor checks your test, analyzes patient’s symptoms, and makes a diagnosis depending on available information. It is also about critical thinking, where you need to analyze different aspects of human health and prepare a conclusion without blood analysis and so on, if possible.
- The next example is a lawyer. A lawyer uses critical thinking in assessing the validity of witness testimonies, weighing down arguments to build a case to protect their client.
- To make a lesson plan that encourages students to think critically, a teacher must use critical thinking, analysis and research, making conclusions from available information on hand and the ability to effectively write plans.
- A business manager who understands market trends and customer preferences through critical thinking can analyze market trends, assess customer preferences, and then make reasonable and effective decisions based on the available data as well.
- A student needs critical thinking when writing papers to ensure a logical structure. Otherwise, such a paper will be chaotic.
So it is important to note that people with good critical thinking skills are able to take in mind some facts before making decisions. And in this way, they can be objective in decisions and findings because they researched the problems from all sides.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/critical-creative-thinking-02.jpg)
Understanding Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is considered one of the key skills of the 21st century. And actually, all enlightened people talk about the importance of its development. It is a complex idea that includes many different aspects. So creative thinking is the creation of unusual and good solutions to the original problem. This definition breaks down the creative thinking process into two stages: creating unusual solutions and choosing solutions that are good enough to deal with the problem.
So creative thinking is the process of generating new ideas, possibilities, or solutions that are original and, in the same way, useful. It is about going away from traditional ways of thinking and finding alternatives. Even if your expertise in the field isn’t skyrocketing, it is possible to achieve excellent results. People tend to think of creative abilities as something that is important only to people in creative professions like musicians, photographers, designers, etc. But in the modern world, the ability to think creatively is one of the most important skills for many specialists. Moreover, employers often try to find people who can think creatively and critically.
Components of Creative Thinking
- Fluency – It is about generating a lot of ideas easily and well. How can we find something that we need? The more ideas our brain generates, the more likely we can find something interesting for the situation.
- Flexibility – As you know, flexibility means finding new perspectives and opportunities. It is important to be willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different from your own; it is all about flexibility.
- Association – It is about the connection between new concepts and ideas that didn’t seem to be relevant in this way.
- Originality – It is like the power of independent thought or constructive imagination. You can change tools, environments, and maybe settings to improve your originality.
Examples of Creative Thinking in Real Life
As you already know, we use creative thinking in different spheres of your life. It can be science, art, design, and so on. So let’s look at some examples:
- A Java developer is coding new software, while a UI and UX designer is working on user-friendly interfaces.
- An artist drawing a new picture. They use new materials and styles to create something special and modern.
- The pastry chef came up with a new dessert – a heart-shaped cake with a watermelon flavor. It is something new, yeah? And it is all about creative thinking.
Creative thinking is a powerful tool for our professional and personal lives. It helps us understand how to unlock our possibilities and use them.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/critical-creative-thinking-03.jpg)
Conclusion: Why is it important to Balance Critical and Creative Thinking?
According to experts’ opinion, these two modes of thinking are important in work. Integrating both critical and creative thinking helps in problem-solving and decision-making. Also, having analytical and creative thinking boosts your possibilities. Finding non-traditional ideas is key to success. For example, by using creativity, teachers can engage more students with lesson topics. If it is interesting enough, more students will be successful in this subject or topic.
These types of thinking must be balanced to increase productivity, improve communication abilities, and develop more creative and efficient ways of dealing with problems.
Related Articles:
- Elevate Your Photography Skills With 20 Creative & Ingenious Hacks
- 9 Photography Composition Tips From Steve McCurry’s Iconic Photos
- Unlocking The Essence Of Photography Composition Through 15 Captivating Images
- Behind The Scenes: Photographers Sharing How To Shoot The Perfect Shot
- Learning & Tutorials
Related Posts
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Why Historical Fashion Items Make Perfect Photography Subjects](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/fashion-items-photography-subjects-01.jpg)
Why Historical Fashion Items Make Perfect Photography Subjects
Tudo sobre o 20bet: slot machines, apostas e pagamentos.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Tips And Tricks To Prepare For Your Individual Headshot Session](https://121clicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/individual-headshot-session-01.jpg)
Tips And Tricks To Prepare For Your Individual Headshot Session
The Synergy of Creative and Critical Thinking
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Critical & Creative thinking compared](https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/images/CCT/CCT_compared.jpg)
More elaboration, excerpted from Preparing Creative and Critical Thinkers by Donald J. Treffinger
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Future Focused Learning](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60bac0878feb3b37b59078d4/f395096f-d9a2-4847-aaf0-efb7d092521b/ffl-logo-new-rev.png?format=1500w)
Critical Thinking vs Analytical Thinking vs Creative Thinking
What are critical, analytical, and creative thinking? How do they differ and how do they complement each other? And what does this mean for our learners?
Like most people, you have probably heard the terms critical thinking and analytical thinking. If so, then it’s possible you’ve also heard the term “creative thinking” in the mix from time to time. All three of these terms are often used interchangeably. However, although they share some universal similarities, there are distinct differences between them.
For example, some assume that analytical thinking and critical thinking are one and the same, but that’s not quite right. Some also consider creative thinking to be creativity, and that’s not quite accurate either.
What we want to do here is try to separate the individual meanings from each other and show you how they differ, but also how they relate.
Recipes for Thinking
Critical thinking as a term is often mentioned as a key skill for employees to have in any organization that wishes to succeed in a changing world (Hoffman, 2023). The problem with this is it's often confused with analytical and lateral thinking, something that many learners are not often taught to do properly (Eider & Paul, 2019).
As for creative thinking, the success of any business depends on having someone highly creative on the team (Florida, 2002). But again, the meaning of “thinking creatively” is often misread. Let’s begin to put an end to the confusion with a simple mouth-watering example:
Analytical thinking would be identifying the exact ingredients, proportions, and processes involved in the recipe for your favourite cookie.
Critical thinking would be considering the criteria for what makes that cookie tasty and then judging the cookie in relation to that criteria.
Creative thinking is imagining your own idea of the perfect cookie and then making it a reality for others to enjoy.
So to put it technically, and in a way less likely to induce cravings:
Analytical thinking is the act of breaking down complex pieces of information into smaller and more understandable components or principles (Thaneerananon, et al., 2016). It involves systematically dismantling data to decipher facts that can be used to build upon information or provide an evidence-based conclusion.
Critical thinking means carefully weighing information or views and interpreting them to make sound independent judgments. One of its components is analytical in nature, in that it also takes a willingness to deconstruct your thinking and put it to some stern tests in order to improve it (Elder & Paul, 2020).
Creative thinking is the mental process of bringing something new into existence through imagination. It involves the input of facts and sensory stimuli, interpolation, and critical reflection to imagine something that does not exist (Crockett, 2011). It can also be thinking about something in a new or different way (Doyle, 2022).
How Do Critical, Analytical, and Creative Thinking Compare to Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) is represented by the following taxonomic levels in this domain, arranged from LOTS (lower-order thinking skills) to HOTS (higher-order thinking skills).
Remembering: To recall from the past
Understanding: To know the meaning or intended significance
Applying: To bring or put into operation or use
Analysing: To examine in detail, breaking down into its component parts
Evaluating: To make an appraisal or judgment by weighing the strengths and limitations
Creating: To bring into existence
It’s important to note that any level of the taxonomy incorporates the previous levels. Analysis, for example, depends on first remembering, understanding, and applying, without which there is no basis for analysis. Additionally, the lower three levels are considered lower-order thinking skills or LOTS.
Personally, I think every maths lesson I experienced in school was limited to just these levels:
Remember the formula
Understand what it is
Apply it (dozens of times on worksheets)
If we really think about it, this type of activity tests a learner’s capacity for multiplication more than any kind of reflective thought, and perhaps that’s why they are referred to as lower-order thinking. If you consider Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy and its relation to learning, it represents a shift from teacher to learner-centered learning.
Creating, on the other hand, is an internal process. A teacher can create the environment and provide opportunities for creativity to flourish, but actual creative metacognition happens within one’s own mind and so it is learner-centered.
The upper three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy—analyze, evaluate, and create—constitute the higher-order thinking skills or HOTS. These are the soft skills or transfer skills that are the focus of curriculum around the world, and that are in such demand in the workplace of today.
Critical, analytical, and creative thinking are often used interchangeably—although they share universal similarities, there are distinct differences between them.
A study performed in 2020 indicated that over 85% of employers have placed a higher emphasis on such soft skills over the last 5 to 10 years, and added that companies consider soft skills more important than the majority of college graduates (Succi & Canovi, 2020).
These HOTS are part of the foundation of being college- and career-ready. They also relate directly to our discussion of analytical, critical, and creative thinking as they are reflected directly at these levels.
This infographic helps explain how the three are distinct yet related. As with the lower-order thinking levels of Bloom’s, the higher-order levels also incorporate the previous levels.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60bac0878feb3b37b59078d4/c235a641-4334-488b-b788-c1c92545ec31/critical-analytical-creative-thinking.jpg)
We mentioned earlier that analysis is dependent upon first remembering, understanding, and applying. Evaluation involves considering the analysis and then making a judgment accordingly, which means critical thinking includes and is built upon analytical thinking. Similarly, creating, as a structured process, includes and is built upon both analysis and evaluation and therefore analytical and critical thinking.
From this, we can see that analytical thinking is a step in the critical thinking process, which is a step in the creative thinking process.
All three processes involve facts, but each for different purposes. As we’re about to see, their individual processes reflect this. Let’s return to our previous definitions of each one, and expand on them by providing some action steps for each.
Analytical Thinking Overview
Analytical thinking is the act of breaking down complex pieces of information into smaller and more understandable components or principles. It involves systematically dismantling data to decipher facts that can be used to build upon information or provide an evidence-based conclusion.
Analytical Thinking Process
This kind of thinking is about simplifying complexity. We begin first by gathering relevant information. Next, we start to break all that information down into more manageable bite-sized pieces. This gives you sub-categories that you now examine even closer, which makes understanding complex masses of data much easier.
A closer examination involves comparison and contrast by looking at data from different sources. You weed out extraneous bits of information, search for cause and effect, and identify patterns and consistencies. The last step is to draw a sound conclusion from the information you’ve processed.
Analytical thinking involves:
Identifying an issue
Gathering facts and evidence
Breaking complex information into smaller pieces
Applying logic and reasoning
Evaluating viewpoints and opinions
Identifying patterns and cause and effect
Eliminating extraneous information
Drawing and testing conclusions
Assessing new knowledge
Critical Thinking Overview
Critical thinking means carefully weighing information or views and interpreting them to make sound independent judgments.
Critical Thinking Process
Critical thinking involves gathering and organizing information regarding the issue or problem. From there, we engage in asking meaningful and essential questions about what we’re addressing. We can then form our own ideas and theories from our evaluation.
Throughout this process, we are also considering existing and emerging information beyond what is present. We are also considering and evaluating the arguments of others as they arise. We explore possibilities and consider various solutions, free from bias and assumption.
Finally, when a conclusion is reached, we test it against the evidence, revise it as necessary, and make our judgments.
Critical thinking involves:
Gathering relevant information
Asking meaningful questions
Considering alternative viewpoints
Applying logic and reasoning skills
Revisiting input in a cyclical manner
Recognizing bias
Avoiding assumption
Considering possibilities
Testing and revising conclusions
Making sound judgements
Creative Thinking Overview
Creative thinking is the mental process of bringing something new into existence through imagination. It involves the input of facts and sensory stimulus well as interpolation and critical reflection to imagine something that does not exist.
Creative Thinking Process
We define the creative thinking process using the 5 Is of Creativity Fluency, which are identify, inspire, interpolate, imagine, and inspect. It begins with determining what the task is and what we want to create. From there, we seek inspiration from a multitude of external stimuli.
Once we start looking for ideas, we begin to see patterns forming, and we begin to connect the dots. This eventually culminates in the birth of our ultimate idea—you know it as the “Aha!” moment.
Finally, with our new creative idea in mind, we step back and evaluate it closely. We consider if it meets the original criteria, its feasibility, and whether or not it can be accomplished within our budget and timeframe.
Creative thinking involves:
Brainstorming and lateral thinking
Sharing personal knowledge and experience
Moving beyond what is known
Using familiar and unfamiliar sources
Seeing new possibilities
Experimenting and imagining
Pattern recognition
Identifying connections/relationships
Combining opposing concepts/elements
Forming mental images/sensations/concepts
Giving meaning to experiences
Constructing with creative mediums
Examining the product and the process
Internalizing and applying the new idea
Re-examining/revising the idea
The truth is that a measure of all three skills is necessary for our lives. Often they also complement each other.
Keep in mind none of us thinks critically, analytically, or creatively 100% of the time. Nevertheless, when the time comes to implement one or the other (or all three), both we and our learners can benefit from having a solid understanding of how to use them.
Building Thinking Skills for Success
Teaching others how to think critically, analytically, and creatively is a tricky business. We live in a world of influence, after all, and there are limitless perceptions and viewpoints our learners will experience throughout their lives. The guidelines I offer in this post will help you differentiate easily between the types of things we discuss. Now it’s up to you to transfer what you’ve learned to your students to help them think proactively and make their own decisions.
Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.
Crockett, L., Jukes, I., & Churches, A. (2011). Literacy Is Not Enough: 21st-CenturyFluencies for the Digital Age. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Doyle, A. (2022). What is creative thinking? Definition and examples of creative thinking. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancemoney.com/creative-thinking-definition-with-examples-2063744 May 3, 2023.
Elder, L., & Paul, R. (2019). The thinker's guide to analytic thinking: How to take thinking apart and what to look for when you do. Rowman & Littlefield.
Elder, L., & Paul, R. (2020). Critical thinking: Learn the tools the best thinkers use. Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Florida, R. (2002). The rise of the creative class. New York; Hachette Book Group.
Hoffman, B. (2023). Why Your Business Needs Critical Thinking. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/brycehoffman/2023/02/22/why-your-business-needs-critical-thinking/ May 2, 2023.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in higher education, 45(9), 1834-1847.
Thaneerananon, T., Triampo, W., & Nokkaew, A. (2016). Development of a Test to Evaluate Students' Analytical Thinking Based on Fact versus Opinion Differentiation. International Journal of Instruction, 9(2), 123-138.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v2/namespaces/memberAccountAvatars/libraries/5f87df6d86d0393a2b5f44eb/63f2c149568449fba8dd5f0ff54d5201/63f2c149568449fba8dd5f0ff54d5201.jpeg?format=300w)
Author and keynote speaker, Lee works with governments, education systems, international agencies and corporations to help people and organisations connect to their higher purpose. Lee lives in Japan where he studies Zen and the Shakuhachi.
The Big List of Critical Thinking Questions for Teachers
Why we must always teach critical thinking.
Please log in to save materials. Log in
- Austin Community College
- Effective Learning Strategies
- Student Success
- https-www-oercommons-org-courseware-module-25864-s
- https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/module/25864/student/206121
Chapter 7: Critical and Creative Thinking
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Chapter 7: Critical and Creative Thinking](https://img.oercommons.org/780x780/oercommons/media/courseware/lesson/image/hans-peter-gauster-252751-1024x684_OCcfa72.jpg)
Learning Framework: Effective Strategies for College Success
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Define critical thinking
- Describe the role that logic plays in critical thinking
- Describe how critical thinking skills can be used to evaluate information
- Perform fact-checking in the form of lateral reading to evaluate sources of information
- Identify strategies for developing yourself as a critical thinker
- Explore key elements and stages in the creative process
- Apply specific skills for stimulating creative perspectives and innovative options
- Integrate critical and creative thinking in the process of problem-solving
Critical and Creative Thinking
Critical thinking.
As a college student, you are tasked with engaging and expanding your thinking skills. One of the most important of these skills is critical thinking because it relates to nearly all tasks, situations, topics, careers, environments, challenges, and opportunities. It is a “domain-general” thinking skill, not one that is specific to a particular subject area.
What Is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is clear, reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do (Robert Ennis.) It means asking probing questions like “How do we know?” or “Is this true in every case or just in this instance?” It involves being skeptical and challenging assumptions rather than simply memorizing facts or blindly accepting what you hear or read.
Imagine, for example, that you’re reading a history textbook. You wonder who wrote it and why, because you detect certain biases in the writing. You find that the author has a limited scope of research focused only on a particular group within a population. In this case, your critical thinking reveals that there are “other sides to the story.”
Who are critical thinkers, and what characteristics do they have in common? Critical thinkers are usually curious and reflective people. They like to explore and probe new areas and seek knowledge, clarification, and new solutions. They ask pertinent questions, evaluate statements and arguments, and they distinguish between facts and opinion. They are also willing to examine their own beliefs, possessing a manner of humility that allows them to admit lack of knowledge or understanding when needed. They are open to changing their mind. Perhaps most of all, they actively enjoy learning, and seeking new knowledge is a lifelong pursuit. This may well be you!
No matter where you are on the road to being a critical thinker, you can always more fully develop and finely tune your skills. Doing so will help you develop more balanced arguments, express yourself clearly, read critically, and glean important information efficiently. Critical thinking skills will help you in any profession or any circumstance of life, from science to art to business to teaching. With critical thinking, you become a clearer thinker and problem solver.
Questioning | Passively accepting |
Skepticisim | Memorizing |
Challenging reasoning | Group thinking |
Examining Assumptions | Blind acceptance of authority |
Uncovering biases | Following conventional thinking |
The following video, from Lawrence Bland, presents the major concepts and benefits of critical thinking.
Critical Thinking and Logic
Critical thinking is fundamentally a process of questioning information and data and then reflecting on and assessing what you discover to arrive at a reasonable conclusion. You may question the information you read in a textbook, or you may question what a politician or a professor or a classmate says.
You can also question a commonly held belief or a new idea. It is equally important (and even more challenging) to question your own thinking and beliefs! With critical thinking, anything and everything is subject to question and examination for the purpose of logically constructing reasoned perspectives.
What Is Logic?
The word logic comes from the Ancient Greek logike , referring to the science or art of reasoning. Using logic, a person evaluates arguments and reasoning and strives to distinguish between good and bad reasoning, or between truth and falsehood. Using logic, you can evaluate the ideas and claims of others, make good decisions, and form sound beliefs about the world.
Questions of Logic in Critical Thinking
Let’s use a simple example of applying logic to a critical-thinking situation. In this hypothetical scenario, a man has a Ph.D. in political science, and he works as a professor at a local college. His wife works at the college, too. They have three young children in the local school system, and their family is well known in the community. The man is now running for political office. Are his credentials and experience sufficient for entering public office? Will he be effective in the political office? Some voters might believe that his personal life and current job, on the surface, suggest he will do well in the position, and they will vote for him. In truth, the characteristics described don’t guarantee that the man will do a good job. The information is somewhat irrelevant. What else might you want to know? How about whether the man had previously held a political office and done a good job? In this case, we want to think critically about how much information is adequate in order to make a decision based on logic instead of assumptions.
The following questions, presented in Figure 1, below, are ones you may apply to formulate a logical, reasoned perspective in the above scenario or any other situation:
- What’s happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions.
- Why is it important? Ask yourself why it’s significant and whether or not you agree.
- What don’t I see? Is there anything important missing?
- How do I know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was constructed.
- Who is saying it? What’s the position of the speaker and what is influencing them?
- What else? What if? What other ideas exist and are there other possibilities?
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Infographic titled "Questions a Critical Thinker Asks." From the top, text reads: What's Happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions (image of two stick figures talking to each other). Why is it Important? Ask yourself why it's significant and whether or not you agree. (Image of bearded stick figure sitting on a rock.) What Don't I See? Is there anything important missing? (Image of stick figure wearing a blindfold, whistling, walking away from a sign labeled Answers.) How Do I Know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was constructed. (Image of stick figure in a lab coat, glasses, holding a beaker.) Who is Saying It? What's the position of the speaker and what is influencing them? (Image of stick figure reading a newspaper.) What Else? What If? What other ideas exist and are there other possibilities? (Stick figure version of Albert Einstein with a thought bubble saying "If only time were relative...".](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images-archive-read-only/wp-content/uploads/sites/1110/2016/02/19004252/Critical_Thinking_Infographic-e1345139343418.jpg)
Problem-Solving with Critical Thinking
For most people, a typical day is filled with critical thinking and problem-solving challenges. In fact, critical thinking and problem-solving go hand-in-hand. They both refer to using knowledge, facts, and data to solve problems effectively. But with problem-solving, you are specifically identifying, selecting, and defending your solution. Below are some examples of using critical thinking to problem-solve:
- Your friend was upset and said some unkind words to you, which put a crimp in the relationship. You try to see through the angry behaviors to determine how you might best support your friend and help bring the relationship back to a comfortable spot.
- Your final art class project challenges you to conceptualize form in new ways. On the last day of class when students present their projects, you describe the techniques you used to fulfill the assignment. You explain why and how you selected that approach.
- You have a job interview for a position that you feel you are only partially qualified for, although you really want the job and are excited about the prospects. You analyze how you will explain your skills and experiences in a way to show that you are a good match for the prospective employer.
- You are doing well in college, and most of your college and living expenses are covered. But there are some gaps between what you want and what you feel you can afford. You analyze your income, savings, and budget to better calculate what you will need to stay in college and maintain your desired level of spending.
Evaluating Information with Critical Thinking
In 2010, a textbook used in fourth-grade classrooms in Virginia became big news for all the wrong reasons. The book, Our Virginia by Joy Masoff, caught the attention of a parent who was helping her child do her homework, according to an article in The Washington Post . Carol Sheriff was a historian for the College of William and Mary and as she worked with her daughter, she began to notice some glaring historical errors, not the least of which was a passage that described how thousands of African Americans fought for the South during the Civil War.
Further investigation into the book revealed that, although the author had written textbooks on a variety of subjects, she was not a trained historian. The research she had done to write Our Virginia, and in particular the information she included about Black Confederate soldiers, was done through the Internet and included sources created by groups like the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization that promotes views of history that de-emphasize the role of slavery in the Civil War.
There’s no question that evaluating sources is an important part of the research process and doesn’t just apply to Internet sources. Using inaccurate, irrelevant, or poorly researched sources can affect the quality of your own work. Being able to understand and apply the concepts that follow is crucial to becoming a more savvy user and creator of information.
Fact-Checking With Lateral Reading
When you find a source of information, how do you know if it’s true? How can you be sure that it is a reliable, trustworthy, and effective piece of evidence for your research? This section will introduce you to a set of strategies to quickly and effectively verify your sources, based on the approach taken by professional fact-checkers. Fact-checking is a form of information hygiene , the “metaphorical handwashing you engage in to prevent the spread of misinformation” (Caulfield). It can minimize your own susceptibility to misinformation and disinformation, and help you to avoid spreading it to others.
In 2017, the Stanford History Education Group conducted a study, “ Lateral Reading: Reading Less and Learning More When Evaluating Digital Information .” Here, they assessed the internet evaluation skills of presumed experts: Stanford undergraduates, History professors, and professional fact-checkers. This fascinating study confirmed that even Stanford students and professors with PhDs in History struggled to identify credible sources on the internet.
For example, in one task, the participants were presented with two websites that provided information on bullying, and they were given up to ten minutes to determine which was the more reliable site. One of the websites (American Academy of Pediatrics) was from the largest professional organization of pediatricians in the world, while the other site (American College of Pediatricians) had been labeled a hate group because of its virulently anti-gay stance. The result?
- Only 50% of the historians identified the reliable website
- Only 20% of the undergrads identified the reliable website
- 100% of the fact-checkers were able to quickly identify the reliable website
Watch this supplemental video that gives an overview of The Stanford Experiment.
The SIFT Method
Mike Caulfield, Washington State University digital literacy expert, has helpfully condensed key fact-checking strategies into a short list of four moves, or things to do to quickly make a decision about whether or not a source is worthy of your attention. It is referred to as the “SIFT” method:
When you initially encounter a source of information and start to read it—stop. Ask yourself whether you know and trust the author, publisher, publication, or website. If you don’t, use the other fact-checking moves that follow, to get a better sense of what you’re looking at. In other words, don’t read, share, or use the source in your research until you know what it is, and you can verify it is reliable.
This is a particularly important step, considering what we know about the attention economy —social media, news organizations, and other digital platforms purposely promote sensational, divisive, and outrage-inducing content that emotionally hijacks our attention in order to keep us “engaged” with their sites (clicking, liking, commenting, sharing). Stop and check your emotions before engaging!
Investigate the Source
You don’t have to do a three-hour investigation into a source before you engage with it. But if you’re reading a piece on economics, and the author is a Nobel prize-winning economist, that would be useful information. Likewise, if you’re watching a video on the many benefits of milk consumption, you would want to be aware if the video was produced by the dairy industry. This doesn’t mean the Nobel economist will always be right and that the dairy industry can’t ever be trusted. But knowing the expertise and agenda of the person who created the source is crucial to your interpretation of the information provided.
When investigating a source, fact-checkers read “laterally” across many websites, rather than digging deep (reading “vertically”) into the one source they are evaluating. That is, they don’t spend much time on the source itself, but instead they quickly get off the page and see what others have said about the source. They open up many tabs in their browser, piecing together different bits of information from across the web to get a better picture of the source they’re investigating.
Watch the following short video for a demonstration of this strategy. Pay particular attention to how Wikipedia can be used to quickly get useful information about publications, organizations, and authors.
Find Better Coverage
What if the source you find is low-quality, or you can’t determine if it is reliable or not? Perhaps you don’t really care about the source—you care about the claim that source is making. You want to know if it is true or false. You want to know if it represents a consensus viewpoint, or if it is the subject of much disagreement. A common example of this is a meme you might encounter on social media. The random person or group who posted the meme may be less important than the quote or claim the meme makes.
Your best strategy in this case might be to find a better source altogether, to look for other coverage that includes trusted reporting or analysis on that same claim. Rather than relying on the source that you initially found, you can trade up for a higher quality source.
The point is that you’re not wedded to using that initial source. We have the internet! You can go out and find a better source, and invest your time there. Watch the followng video that demonstrates this strategy and notes how fact-checkers build a library of trusted sources they can rely on to provide better coverage.
Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media to the Original Context
Much of what we find on the internet has been stripped of context. Maybe there’s a video of a fight between two people with Person A as the aggressor. But what happened before that? What was clipped out of the video and what stayed in? Maybe there’s a picture that seems real but the caption could be misleading. Maybe a claim is made about a new medical treatment based on a research finding, but you’re not certain if the cited research paper actually said that. The people who re-report these stories either get things wrong by mistake, or, in some cases, they are intentionally misleading us.
In these cases you will want to trace the claim, quote, or media back to the source, so you can see it in its original context and get a sense of whether the version you saw was accurately presented. Watch the following video that discusses re-reporting vs. original reporting and demonstrates a quick tip: going “upstream” to find the original reporting source.
Developing Yourself As a Critical Thinker
Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for college students, but it should also be a lifelong pursuit. Below are additional strategies to develop yourself as a critical thinker in college and in everyday life:
- Reflect and practice : Always reflect on what you’ve learned. Is it true all the time? How did you arrive at your conclusions?
- Use wasted time : It’s certainly important to make time for relaxing, but if you find you are indulging in too much of a good thing, think about using your time more constructively. Determine when you do your best thinking and try to learn something new during that part of the day.
- Redefine the way you see things : It can be very uninteresting to always think the same way. Challenge yourself to see familiar things in new ways. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and consider things from a different angle or perspective. If you’re trying to solve a problem, list all your concerns: what you need in order to solve it, who can help, what some possible barriers might be, etc. It’s often possible to reframe a problem as an opportunity. Try to find a solution where there seems to be none.
- Analyze the influences on your thinking and in your life : Why do you think or feel the way you do? Analyze your influences. Think about who in your life influences you. Do you feel or react a certain way because of social convention, or because you believe it is what is expected of you? Try to break out of any molds that may be constricting you.
- Express yourself : Critical thinking also involves being able to express yourself clearly. Most important in expressing yourself clearly is stating one point at a time. You might be inclined to argue every thought, but you might have greater impact if you focus just on your main arguments. This will help others to follow your thinking clearly. For more abstract ideas, assume that your audience may not understand. Provide examples, analogies, or metaphors where you can.
- Enhance your wellness : It’s easier to think critically when you take care of your mental and physical health. Try taking activity breaks throughout the day to reach 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Scheduling physical activity into your day can help lower stress and increase mental alertness. Also, do your most difficult work when you have the most energy . Think about the time of day you are most effective and have the most energy. Plan to do your most difficult work during these times. And be sure to reach out for help i f you feel you need assistance with your mental or physical health (see Maintaining Your Mental (and Physical) Health for more information).
Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is an invaluable skill for college students because it helps you look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective. Creative thinking is a way to develop novel or unorthodox solutions that do not depend wholly on past or current solutions. It’s a way of employing strategies to clear your mind so that your thoughts and ideas can transcend what appears to be the limitations of a problem. Creative thinking is a way of moving beyond barriers and it can be understood as a skill, as opposed to an inborn talent or natural “gift”, that can be taught as well as learned.
However, the ability to think and act in creative ways is a natural ability that we all exhibited as children. The curiosity, wonder, imagination, playfulness, and persistence in obtaining new skills are what transformed us into the powerful learners that we became well before we entered school. As a creative thinker now, you are curious, optimistic, and imaginative. You see problems as interesting opportunities, and you challenge assumptions and suspend judgment. You don’t give up easily. You work hard. Is this you? Even if you don’t yet see yourself as a competent creative thinker or problem-solver yet, you can learn solid skills and techniques to help you become one.
How to Stimulate Creative Thinking
The following video, How to Stimulate the Creative Process , identifies six strategies to stimulate your creative thinking.
- Sleep on it . Over the years, researchers have found that the REM sleep cycle boosts our creativity and problem-solving abilities, providing us with innovative ideas or answers to vexing dilemmas when we awaken. Keep a pen and paper by the bed so you can write down your nocturnal insights if they wake you up.
- Go for a run or hit the gym . Studies indicate that exercise stimulates creative thinking, and the brainpower boost lasts for a few hours.
- Allow your mind to wander a few times every day. Far from being a waste of time, daydreaming has been found to be an essential part of generating new ideas. If you’re stuck on a problem or creatively blocked, think about something else for a while.
- Keep learning . Studying something far removed from your area of expertise is especially effective in helping you think in new ways.
- Put yourself in nerve-racking situations once in a while to fire up your brain. Fear and frustration can trigger innovative thinking.
- Keep a notebook with you, or create a file for ideas on your smartphone or laptop, so you always have a place to record fleeting thoughts. They’re sometimes the best ideas of all.
The following video, Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson, reinforces the idea that time allows creativity to flourish.
Watch this supplemental video by PBS Digital Studies: How To Be Creative | Off Book | PBS Digital Studio for a more in-depth look on how to become a “powerful creative person.”
Problem Solving with Creative Thinking
Creative problem-solving is a type of problem-solving that involves searching for new and novel solutions to problems. It’s a way to think “outside of the box.” Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas— practices and solutions that are unique and effective. It’s about facing sometimes muddy and unclear problems and seeing how things can be done differently.
As you continue to develop your creative thinking skills, be alert to perceptions about creative thinking that could slow down progress. Remember that creative thinking and problem-solving are ways to transcend the limitations of a problem and see past barriers.
1
Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer)
The goal of problem-solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it’s a good solution. Other people may think up solutions that differ from yours, but that doesn’t make your solution wrong or unimportant. What is the solution to “putting words on paper?” Fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, printing press, word-processing… all are valid solutions!
2
The best answer, solution, or method has already been discovered
Look at the history of any solution and you’ll see that improvements, new solutions, and new right answers are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the space shuttle? What is the best and last?
3
Creative answers are technologically complex
Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you’ll encounter need only a thoughtful solution involving personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require technology can be addressed in other ways.
4
Ideas either come or they don’t. Nothing will help— certainly not structure.
There are many successful techniques for generating ideas. One important technique is to include structure. Create guidelines, limiting parameters, and concrete goals for yourself that stimulate and shape your creativity. This strategy can help you get past the intimidation of “the blank page.” For example, if you want to write a story about a person who gained insight through experience, you can stoke your creativity by limiting or narrowing your theme to “a young girl in Cambodia who escaped the Khmer Rouge to find a new life as a nurse in France.” Apply this specificity and structure to any creative endeavor.
Critical and creative thinking complement each other when it comes to problem-solving. The process of alternatively focusing and expanding your thinking can generate more creative, innovative, and effective outcomes.
Problem-Solving Action Checklist
Problem-solving can be an efficient and rewarding process, especially if you are organized and mindful of critical steps and strategies. Remember to assume the attributes of a good critical thinker: if you are curious, reflective, knowledge-seeking, open to change, probing, organized, and ethical, your challenge or problem will be less of a hurdle, and you’ll be in a good position to find intelligent solutions. The steps outlined in this checklist will help you adhere to these qualities in your approach to any problem:
1. Define the problem | |
2. Identify available solutions | |
3. Select your solution |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Critical thinking is logical and reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.
- Critical thinking involves questioning and evaluating information.
- Evaluating information is a complex, but essential, process. You can use the SIFT method to help determine if sources and information are reliable.
- Creative thinking is both a natural aspect of childhood and a re-learnable skill as an adult.
- Creative thinking is as essential a skill as critical thinking and integrating them can contribute to innovative and rewarding experiences in life.
- Critical and creative thinking both contribute to our ability to solve problems in a variety of contexts.
- You can take specific actions to develop and strengthen your critical and creative thinking skills.
LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS
CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL
- Critical and Creative Thinking Authored by : Laura Lucas, Tobin Quereau, and Heather Syrett. Provided by : Austin Community College. License : CC BY-NC-SA-4.0
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTION
- Chapter cover image. Authored by : Hans-Peter Gauster. Provided by : Unsplash. Located at : https://unsplash.com/photos/3y1zF4hIPCg . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
- Creative Thinking Skills in College Success. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/creative-thinking-skills/ . License : CC BY 4.0
- Critical Thinking Skills in College Success. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/collegesuccess-lumen/chapter/critical-thinking-skills/ . License : CC BY 4.0
- Evaluate: Assessing Your Research Process and Findings in Information Literacy. Authored by : Bernnard, Bobish, Hecker, Holden, Hosier, Jacobsen, Loney, Bullis. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/informationliteracy/chapter/evaluate-assessing-your-research-process-and-findings/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA-4.0
- The SIFT Method in Introduction to College Research . Authored by: Walter D. Butler; Aloha Sargent; and Kelsey Smith. Provided by: Pressbooks. Located at : https://oer.pressbooks.pub/collegeresearch/chapter/the-sift-method/ . License: CC BY 4.0
- Why Fact-Checking in Introduction to College Research . Authored by: Walter D. Butler; Aloha Sargent; and Kelsey Smith. Provided by: Pressbooks. Located at : https://oer.pressbooks.pub/collegeresearch/chapter/why-fact-checking/ . License: CC BY 4.0
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED CONTENT
Where Good Ideas Come From. Authored by : Steven Johnson. Provided by: Riverhead Books. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
How to Stimulate the Creative Process. Provided by : Howcast. Located at : https://youtu.be/kPC8e-Jk5uw . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
Version History
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:64:64/1*dmbNkD5D-u45r44go_cf0g.png)
Creative Thinking vs. Critical Thinking: Unlocking the Power of the Mind
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Anindita Roy](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:88:88/1*4xPKmbsDot4Cl2V6TQXx1Q.jpeg)
Anindita Roy
The human mind is a marvel, a sophisticated machine capable of both boundless imagination and sharp analysis. Two of its most celebrated feats are creative thinking and critical thinking. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct mental processes that serve different purposes. To harness the true potential of our minds, it’s essential to understand and appreciate both.
Creative Thinking: The Art of Possibility
Definition: Creative thinking is the process of generating new, original ideas and solutions. It involves stepping outside conventional boundaries, taking risks, and embracing uncertainty.
Characteristics of Creative Thinkers:
- Open-mindedness: They remain receptive to different viewpoints and unfamiliar concepts.
- Risk-taking: They are willing to challenge the status quo and explore uncharted territories.
- Flexibility: They adapt and pivot when faced with obstacles or new information.
Applications: Creative thinking can be observed in artistic ventures, brainstorming sessions, problem-solving where the usual solutions don’t apply, and in innovative scientific discoveries.
Critical Thinking: The Science of Reason
Definition: Critical thinking involves evaluating information objectively and making judgments based on evidence. It’s an analytical process, grounded in logic and rationality.
Characteristics of Critical Thinkers:
- Analytical: They systematically break down information to understand its nuances.
- Objective: They base judgments on facts, not emotions or biases.
- Reflective: They continually assess their own thought processes to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Applications: Critical thinking is crucial in decision-making processes, research, evaluating the credibility of sources, and any situation requiring a reasoned conclusion.
Symbiosis: How Creative and Critical Thinking Interplay
While they might seem opposing, these two modes of thinking are most powerful when used in tandem. For instance:
- Innovation: The creation of a groundbreaking product might start with a creative spark but requires critical thinking to evaluate its feasibility, potential pitfalls, and market fit.
- Problem-Solving: While creative thinking can generate various solutions, critical thinking helps evaluate which one is the most effective.
- Artistic Expression: Even the most abstract art forms require some degree of critical thinking in execution, planning, and presentation.
![](http://writinghelp.online/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
Developing Both Forms of Thinking
To cultivate both creative and critical thinking:
- Embrace Challenges: Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can stimulate both creativity and critical analysis.
- Stay Curious: Regularly expose yourself to new information, experiences, and perspectives.
- Practice Reflection: Dedicate time to introspection. Review your thought processes, decisions, and their outcomes.
- Engage in Diverse Conversations: Speaking with people from various backgrounds can offer fresh perspectives and challenge your beliefs.
In Conclusion
Creative thinking and critical thinking are not just innate abilities; they are skills that can be honed with deliberate effort and practice. By understanding the distinctions and the powerful synergy between them, we can leverage their strengths in both personal and professional spheres. Remember, the brilliance of the human mind lies not just in dreaming up fantastical ideas but also in scrutinizing them with a discerning eye.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Anindita Roy](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:144:144/1*4xPKmbsDot4Cl2V6TQXx1Q.jpeg)
Written by Anindita Roy
"Self-Taught UX Researcher and Digital Product Designer with a Passion for User-Centered Design"
Text to speech
- Skip to primary navigation
- Skip to main content
- Skip to primary sidebar
Growth Mastery
Mastering Growth in Life & Business
Critical and Creative Thinking: What is Which and What are the Advantages
Russell Heisler · March 8, 2018 · Leave a Comment
When dealing with problems, there are two ways to approach them. One might find solutions by applying critical thinking, while someone might find it more suitable to use creative thinking. Critical and creative thinking are essential during the learning process, which requires students to resort to different methods. They can use reason and logic when acquiring their knowledge, or be innovative and use imagination when finding solutions.
What is creative thinking?
Creative thinking is a form of innovation which seeks to find new answers and allow new perspectives on a problem. The outcome of this process should be original and unique. Through it, people might find unexpected solutions and increase productivity.
Through creative thinking, one starts by putting up lists of possibilities on a quest for ideas. Any unconventional proposition is welcome as, in the end, the product consists of various theories on the same issue. To come up with ideas, people can use both structured and unstructured methods.
Brainstorming vs. lateral thinking
Brainstorming is the unstructured type of process. It consists of a free discussion, where everyone contributes with ideas and suggestions. Those who are part of a brainstorming process are encouraged to voice all their ideas. Sometimes, they might have some unorthodox propositions, but this is all for the better.
Lateral thinking is the structured alternative to achieving creative thinking. It might seem a little too critical as, in the end, it reaches logical conclusions. However, the thinking process does not follow the classic line, and the ideas produced are attained from many points of view. In fact, the purpose of creative thinking is to supply some ideas which are then filtered through critical thinking.
Skills related to creative thinking
People who use this process have to be open-minded and flexible to outlandish ideas. Also, they need the imagination to produce the original ideas, and the creativity to make them unique. To produce alternatives and make them possible, it’s necessary to elaborate on a basis and even take some risks.
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking makes use of logic, reason, and analyzing to reach a conclusion. The subjects first have to observe and have a certain experience with the elements of the problem. Then, they closely ponder all possibilities and analyze the reality. The final judgment is empirical and educated.
In critical thinking, people learn how to question everything. They do this by using logic to filter through all the alternatives. For the results to be the best, they also have to remain objective and thoroughly analyze everything that’s given to them.
What to use critical thinking for?
This process is best in debates, when people are trying to build up arguments to support their convictions. Also, some questions require a single answer, but more alternatives are offered. This is the best method of sorting the real one out. As mentioned above, critical and creative thinking are related as the former is used to sift through the variety given by the latter. Cortactors CRM. Best crm for construction companies .
Critical and creative thinking – main differences
Critical and creative thinking both seek to find answers and promote learning, but they use opposing principles and techniques. First of all, creative thinking is all about innovation. It wants to come up with new theories, while critical thinking explores the already existing options and the truth present in them.
Also, creative thinking seeks to generate. The main purpose of critical thinking is to be purely analytical and explore everything that is given. This is offered by the widely accepted principles which are closely followed in critical thinking. In the other variant, they are disregarded and challenged.
In the end, the main purpose of critical thinking is to reach one single answer. Therefore, all the methods are convergent, and carefully remove the options one by one, until the best is left. Creative thinking is clashing, divergent, and encourages diversity.
How do critical and creative thinking work together?
When solving problems, one may opt for one alternative or the other. However, in the context of learning, the two processes are not mutually exclusive. Both are essential for the development of thinking abilities. If students develop both their logic and imagination skills, they will later be able to choose their preferred strategy. Also, they will spontaneously use whatever suits the situation.
Critical and creative thinking in learning
To make kids develop critical and creative thinking, they first have to learn a few investigation techniques. Working in teams teaches them to listen to others’ opinions and thus develop a set of theories. On the other hand, working individually enhances their logical skills, and encourages them to ponder each result.
Critical and creative thinking are good for developing the inquiry skills of the kids. Both of them make the students ask more questions and be more curious about the options they have. Also, they get to compare all the information and be more attentive to where it comes from.
The two processes increase both the creativity and pragmatism of a child
Of course, these techniques increase the creativity of a child. By knowing how to come up with ideas and then judge them, students can then identify common points and find out how they are related. By connecting them, they might even find new solutions, or establish on the best strategy to apply.
These processes are essential for the development of a child into an adult endowed with reason. They teach them how to apply reason and logical concepts, and then reach conclusions. These skills are what it takes to help kids take decisions on their own, as they become capable of analyzing the consequences of their actions.
Drawing to a Close
Critical and creative thinking are two opposed methods to rationalize, which can often complete each other. Although one seeks to generate ideas and the other wants to sort out the existent options, they can both train the brain to be more creative and find solutions quickly. It also develops one’s logical skills, thus improving decision making and the analysis of consequences.
Image sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 .
Reader Interactions
Leave a reply cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking Logo for Milne Publishing](https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/app/uploads/2021/02/cropped-Artboard-1.png)
Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.
Part Two: You are the President and CEO of You
Thinking Critically and Creatively
Dr. andrew robert baker.
Critical and creative thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems. They are some of the most important skills I have ever developed. I use them everyday and continue to work to improve them both.
The ability to think critically about a matter—to analyze a question, situation, or problem down to its most basic parts—is what helps us evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of statements, claims, and information we read and hear. It is the sharp knife that, when honed, separates fact from fiction, honesty from lies, and the accurate from the misleading. We all use this skill to one degree or another almost every day. For example, we use critical thinking every day as we consider the latest consumer products and why one particular product is the best among its peers. Is it a quality product because a celebrity endorses it? Because a lot of other people may have used it? Because it is made by one company versus another? Or perhaps because it is made in one country or another? These are questions representative of critical thinking.
The academic setting demands more of us in terms of critical thinking than everyday life. It demands that we evaluate information and analyze a myriad of issues. It is the environment where our critical thinking skills can be the difference between success and failure. In this environment we must consider information in an analytical, critical manner. We must ask questions—What is the source of this information? Is this source an expert one and what makes it so? Are there multiple perspectives to consider on an issue? Do multiple sources agree or disagree on an issue? Does quality research substantiate information or opinion? Do I have any personal biases that may affect my consideration of this information? It is only through purposeful, frequent, intentional questioning such as this that we can sharpen our critical thinking skills and improve as students, learners, and researchers. Developing my critical thinking skills over a twenty year period as a student in higher education enabled me to complete a quantitative dissertation, including analyzing research and completing statistical analysis, and earning my Ph.D. in 2014.
While critical thinking analyzes information and roots out the true nature and facets of problems, it is creative thinking that drives progress forward when it comes to solving these problems. Exceptional creative thinkers are people that invent new solutions to existing problems that do not rely on past or current solutions. They are the ones who invent solution C when everyone else is still arguing between A and B. Creative thinking skills involve using strategies to clear the mind so that our thoughts and ideas can transcend the current limitations of a problem and allow us to see beyond barriers that prevent new solutions from being found.
Brainstorming is the simplest example of intentional creative thinking that most people have tried at least once. With the quick generation of many ideas at once we can block-out our brain’s natural tendency to limit our solution-generating abilities so we can access and combine many possible solutions/thoughts and invent new ones. It is sort of like sprinting through a race’s finish line only to find there is new track on the other side and we can keep going, if we choose. As with critical thinking, higher education both demands creative thinking from us and is the perfect place to practice and develop the skill. Everything from word problems in a math class, to opinion or persuasive speeches and papers, call upon our creative thinking skills to generate new solutions and perspectives in response to our professor’s demands. Creative thinking skills ask questions such as—What if? Why not? What else is out there? Can I combine perspectives/solutions? What is something no one else has brought-up? What is being forgotten/ignored? What about ______? It is the opening of doors and options that follows problem-identification.
Consider an assignment that required you to compare two different authors on the topic of education and select and defend one as better. Now add to this scenario that your professor clearly prefers one author over the other. While critical thinking can get you as far as identifying the similarities and differences between these authors and evaluating their merits, it is creative thinking that you must use if you wish to challenge your professor’s opinion and invent new perspectives on the authors that have not previously been considered.
So, what can we do to develop our critical and creative thinking skills? Although many students may dislike it, group work is an excellent way to develop our thinking skills. Many times I have heard from students their disdain for working in groups based on scheduling, varied levels of commitment to the group or project, and personality conflicts too, of course. True—it’s not always easy, but that is why it is so effective. When we work collaboratively on a project or problem we bring many brains to bear on a subject. These different brains will naturally develop varied ways of solving or explaining problems and examining information. To the observant individual we see that this places us in a constant state of back and forth critical/creative thinking modes.
For example, in group work we are simultaneously analyzing information and generating solutions on our own, while challenging other’s analyses/ideas and responding to challenges to our own analyses/ideas. This is part of why students tend to avoid group work—it challenges us as thinkers and forces us to analyze others while defending ourselves, which is not something we are used to or comfortable with as most of our educational experiences involve solo work. Your professors know this—that’s why we assign it—to help you grow as students, learners, and thinkers!
Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom Copyright © 2015 by Thomas Priester is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking Skills
Following Calvin Taylor's Model
JGI/Jamie Grill / Getty Images
- Famous Inventions
- Famous Inventors
- Patents & Trademarks
- Invention Timelines
- Computers & The Internet
- American History
- African American History
- African History
- Ancient History and Culture
- Asian History
- European History
- Latin American History
- Medieval & Renaissance History
- Military History
- The 20th Century
- Women's History
The Calvin Taylor creative thinking model describes the talent areas as productive thinking, communication, planning, decision making, and forecasting. This model is best known as Talents Unlimited, a program of the National Diffusion Network of the U.S. Department of Education. The Taylor model incorporates both the critical and creative elements of thinking.
Rather than a taxonomy, this is a thinking skills model that describes the essential elements of thinking, beginning with the academic talent and then incorporating the other talent areas, as described in more detail below.
Productive Thinking
Productivity promotes creative thinking in the Calvin Taylor model. It suggests critical and creative thinking of many ideas, varied ideas, unusual ideas, and adding to those ideas.
Communication
Communication has six elements which include:
- Give many, varied, single words to describe something.
- Give many, varied, single words to describe feelings.
- Think of many, varied things that are like another thing in a special way.
- Let others know that you understand how they feel.
- Make a network of ideas using many, varied and complete thoughts.
- Tell your feelings and needs without using words.
Planning requires that students learn to tell what they are going to plan:
- The materials that they will need.
- The steps that they will need to accomplish the task.
- The problems that might occur.
Decision Making
Decision making teaches the student to:
- Think of the many, varied things that could be done.
- Think more carefully about each alternative.
- Choose one alternative that they think is best.
- Give many, varied reasons for the choice.
Forecasting
Forecasting is the last of the five talents and requires students to make many, varied predictions about a situation, examining cause and effect relationships. Every element of the Calvin Taylor model is used when a child invents.
- The History of Plumbing
- How Does a Jumbotron Work?
- History and Definition of a Solar Cell
- The Interesting History of the Classic 'Speak and Spell' Toy
- A Short History of Duct Tape
- The History of Mr. Potato Head
- Thomas Edison's Greatest Inventions
- Who Invented Fathers Day?
- The History of Zamboni
- The History of Jell-O
- The Invention and History of the Vacuum Cleaner
- The History of Laptop Computers
- The Colorful History of Comic Books and Newspaper Cartoon Strips
- The Most Impactful Inventions of the Last 300 Years
- History of the Helicopter
- History of the Automobile: The Assembly Line
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking James Taylor](https://41ca9140.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/wJamesTaylor-30.webp)
Finding Balance: Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking
Annie Walls
Finding balance between critical thinking and creative thinking is essential in today's fast-paced and complex world. While critical thinking helps us analyze and evaluate information to make informed decisions, creative thinking allows us to generate innovative ideas and solutions. In this article, we will explore the definitions, importance, and development of critical thinking, as well as the benefits and nurturing of creative thinking. We will also examine the relationship between these two types of thinking and how they enhance each other. Finally, we will discuss how critical and creative thinking can be applied in everyday life, specifically in problem-solving, decision-making, and fostering innovation and adaptability.
Key Takeaways
- Critical thinking and creative thinking are both valuable skills that complement each other.
- Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information to make informed decisions.
- Creative thinking allows us to generate innovative ideas and solutions.
- Developing critical thinking skills involves questioning assumptions and biases.
- Nurturing creativity involves embracing curiosity and taking risks.
Understanding Critical Thinking
The Definition of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively, without letting personal biases or emotions influence the process. It involves actively questioning and examining ideas, arguments, and evidence to determine their validity and reliability. Analyzing and evaluating are key keywords in critical thinking.
To better understand critical thinking, it can be helpful to compare it to other types of thinking. For example, critical thinking is different from creative thinking , which involves generating new ideas and solutions. While creative thinking is important, critical thinking provides a necessary balance by ensuring that these ideas are thoroughly examined and tested for their soundness.
In practical terms, critical thinking can be applied in various situations. It can be used to assess the credibility of sources, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments, and make informed decisions based on evidence. By developing critical thinking skills, individuals can become more effective problem solvers and decision makers.
The Importance of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking skills are universal and crucial for the economy. They are essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are universal, meaning they can be applied to any situation or field. These skills are crucial for the economy as they contribute to the development of innovative solutions and help organizations adapt to changing circumstances. Critical thinking skills enable individuals to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make informed decisions. They are highly valued by employers as they enhance problem-solving abilities and promote creativity and innovation.
Developing Critical Thinking Skills
Developing critical thinking skills is essential for navigating complex problems and making informed decisions. It involves the ability to analyze information objectively, evaluate arguments and evidence, and think logically and systematically. By honing these skills , individuals can become more effective problem solvers and decision makers in both personal and professional settings.
To develop critical thinking skills, individuals can engage in various activities and practices. Some strategies include:
- Questioning assumptions : Challenging preconceived notions and beliefs can help individuals gain a deeper understanding of a topic and consider alternative perspectives.
- Seeking diverse viewpoints : Actively seeking out different opinions and perspectives can broaden one's understanding and challenge biases.
- Evaluating evidence : Learning to critically evaluate evidence and sources can help individuals distinguish between reliable information and misinformation.
In addition, it can be helpful to engage in reflective thinking and problem-solving exercises to enhance critical thinking skills. By regularly practicing these strategies, individuals can develop a more analytical and discerning mindset, enabling them to approach challenges with clarity and confidence.
Exploring Creative Thinking
Defining creative thinking.
Creative thinking is the ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas and solutions. It involves breaking free from conventional thinking patterns and exploring new possibilities. Creativity is a key driver of innovation and is essential for problem-solving and adapting to change.
To better understand creative thinking, let's take a look at a comparison table:
Critical Thinking | Creative Thinking |
---|---|
Analytical | Imaginative |
Logical | Intuitive |
Objective | Subjective |
As seen in the table, creative thinking involves a more imaginative and intuitive approach, while critical thinking focuses on analysis and objectivity. Both types of thinking are valuable and can complement each other in various situations.
Here are some key points to remember about creative thinking:
- It encourages exploration and experimentation.
- It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty.
- It values originality and uniqueness.
In the words of a famous creative thinker:
"Creativity is intelligence having fun."
The Benefits of Creative Thinking
Creative thinking offers numerous benefits that can enhance personal and professional growth. By embracing creativity, individuals can unlock their innovative potential and generate new ideas to drive sales and identify new opportunities. Creative thinking also fosters a more innovative and creative culture at work, leading to increased productivity and success.
To develop creative thinking skills, individuals can follow a five-step process that involves generating and developing innovative ideas. Techniques such as brainstorming and mind mapping can be used to stimulate creativity and explore different perspectives. Additionally, evaluating new ideas using creative thinking skills can help individuals make informed decisions and identify the most promising opportunities.
In today's rapidly changing world, creativity is becoming an essential job skill. According to the World Economic Forum, creativity is projected to be the third most important skill required by 2020. However, only 39% of people in the workforce consider themselves to be creative. Therefore, it is crucial to nurture and cultivate creativity in individuals and teams.
As keynote speaker James Taylor M.B.A. F.R.S.A. emphasizes, unlocking the creative potential in people and teams is vital for success. With his extensive experience in managing high-profile rock stars and his expertise in creativity, Taylor is a sought-after speaker who inspires individuals and organizations to embrace creativity and unleash their innovative capabilities.
Nurturing Creativity
Nurturing creativity is essential for fostering innovation and originality. It involves creating an environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and experimentation. By providing opportunities for individuals to think outside the box and explore new ideas, creativity can flourish. Encouraging collaboration and diverse perspectives can also spark creativity by exposing individuals to different ways of thinking and problem-solving.
To nurture creativity, it is important to provide time and space for individuals to engage in activities that inspire them. This could include artistic pursuits , such as painting or writing, or exploring nature and the outdoors. Unstructured play and free thinking can also stimulate creativity by allowing the mind to wander and make unexpected connections.
Additionally, supportive feedback and recognition of creative efforts can motivate individuals to continue exploring their creative potential. By celebrating and valuing creativity, individuals are more likely to feel empowered to take risks and think outside the box.
In summary, nurturing creativity involves creating an environment that fosters curiosity, provides opportunities for exploration, and celebrates diverse perspectives. By doing so, individuals can unlock their creative potential and contribute to innovative solutions and ideas.
The Relationship Between Critical and Creative Thinking
Complementary or contradictory.
The relationship between critical thinking and creative thinking is often seen as complementary rather than contradictory. While critical thinking focuses on analyzing and evaluating information to make logical and rational decisions, creative thinking emphasizes generating new ideas and solutions. These two thinking styles can work together to enhance problem-solving and decision-making processes.
One way to understand the relationship between critical and creative thinking is to consider them as two sides of the same coin. Critical thinking provides the framework and structure for evaluating and assessing ideas, while creative thinking brings innovation and originality to the table. By combining critical and creative thinking, individuals can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and come up with unique and effective solutions.
In practical terms, applying critical and creative thinking in everyday life can lead to improved problem-solving skills, better decision-making, and increased innovation and adaptability. Whether it's analyzing data to identify patterns and trends, brainstorming ideas for a new project, or finding creative solutions to complex problems, the integration of critical and creative thinking can lead to more successful outcomes.
It's important to note that critical and creative thinking are not mutually exclusive. They can coexist and complement each other, allowing individuals to leverage both analytical and imaginative skills to navigate the complexities of the modern world.
How Critical Thinking Enhances Creative Thinking
Critical thinking plays a crucial role in enhancing creative thinking. By critically analyzing and evaluating ideas, critical thinkers are able to identify strengths and weaknesses , potential obstacles, and alternative perspectives. This process of critical examination allows for a deeper understanding of the problem or situation at hand, which in turn fuels the creative thinking process.
Critical thinking also helps to refine and shape creative ideas. By questioning assumptions, challenging existing beliefs, and seeking evidence and logical reasoning, critical thinkers can refine and improve their creative ideas. This critical evaluation ensures that creative ideas are well-founded and have a solid foundation.
Furthermore, critical thinking encourages open-mindedness and flexibility, which are essential qualities for creative thinking. Critical thinkers are willing to consider different viewpoints, explore unconventional approaches, and embrace ambiguity. This openness to new ideas and perspectives allows for the generation of innovative and original solutions.
In summary, critical thinking enhances creative thinking by providing a framework for analysis and evaluation, refining creative ideas, and fostering open-mindedness and flexibility.
How Creative Thinking Enhances Critical Thinking
Creative thinking enhances critical thinking by encouraging individuals to think outside the box and consider alternative perspectives. When engaging in creative thinking, individuals are encouraged to explore unconventional ideas and solutions, which can challenge their existing beliefs and assumptions. This process of questioning and challenging established norms can help develop a more critical mindset.
Additionally, creative thinking promotes flexibility and adaptability, which are essential components of critical thinking. By embracing creativity, individuals become more open to new possibilities and are better equipped to analyze and evaluate different options. This ability to think creatively and critically allows individuals to approach problems and challenges from multiple angles, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.
In summary, creative thinking enhances critical thinking by fostering a mindset of curiosity, exploration, and flexibility. It encourages individuals to question assumptions, consider alternative perspectives, and approach problems from different angles. By integrating creative thinking into the critical thinking process, individuals can develop a more well-rounded and comprehensive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
Applying Critical and Creative Thinking in Everyday Life
Problem-solving with critical and creative thinking.
Problem-solving is a crucial skill that can be enhanced by both critical and creative thinking. By combining these two types of thinking, individuals can approach problems from different angles and come up with innovative solutions. Creativity allows for thinking outside the box and generating unique ideas, while critical thinking helps to analyze and evaluate these ideas to determine their feasibility and effectiveness.
To effectively solve problems using critical and creative thinking, it can be helpful to follow a structured approach. One possible method is the IDEAL problem-solving model , which stands for Identify the problem, Define the problem, Explore possible solutions, Act on the best solution, and Look back and learn. This model provides a systematic framework for problem-solving and ensures that all aspects of the problem are considered.
In addition to structured approaches, it is important to foster a collaborative and open-minded environment when engaging in problem-solving. This allows for the exchange of ideas and perspectives, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and potential solutions. It is also beneficial to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, as it encourages experimentation and the exploration of alternative solutions.
In summary, problem-solving with critical and creative thinking involves combining innovative ideas with analytical evaluation. By following a structured approach and fostering a collaborative environment, individuals can effectively solve problems and generate innovative solutions.
Decision-Making with Critical and Creative Thinking
When it comes to decision-making, both critical and creative thinking play crucial roles. Analyzing the available information and evaluating different options are key components of critical thinking in decision-making. On the other hand, creative thinking allows for brainstorming innovative solutions and thinking outside the box .
To effectively apply critical and creative thinking in decision-making, consider the following:
- Identify the problem: Clearly define the issue at hand and understand the desired outcome.
- Gather information: Collect relevant data and consider different perspectives.
- Generate options: Use both critical and creative thinking to come up with a range of possible solutions.
- Evaluate alternatives: Assess the pros and cons of each option based on logical reasoning and innovative ideas.
- Make a decision: Choose the best course of action based on a balanced consideration of critical and creative thinking.
Remember, decision-making is a dynamic process that benefits from the integration of critical and creative thinking approaches.
Innovation and Adaptability
Innovation and adaptability are crucial skills in today's rapidly changing world. Being able to think critically and creatively allows individuals to navigate challenges, find innovative solutions, and adapt to new situations. Here are some ways in which critical and creative thinking can be applied in everyday life:
Applying Critical and Creative Thinking in Everyday Life is essential for personal and professional growth. It allows us to approach problems and challenges with a fresh perspective, finding innovative solutions and making informed decisions. Whether it's brainstorming new ideas, analyzing complex situations, or exploring different possibilities, critical and creative thinking empowers us to think outside the box and unlock our full potential. If you're looking to enhance your critical and creative thinking skills, visit Keynote Speaker James Taylor's website. James Taylor is an inspiring keynote speaker and internationally recognized leader in business creativity and innovation. With his expertise and insights, he can help you unleash your creative potential and achieve success in both your personal and professional life.
In conclusion, finding a balance between critical thinking and creative thinking is essential for success in today's world. While critical thinking allows us to analyze and evaluate information, creative thinking enables us to generate innovative ideas and solutions. Flexibility is the key to achieving this balance, as it allows us to adapt our thinking approach depending on the situation. By combining the strengths of both critical and creative thinking, we can make well-informed decisions while also fostering innovation and growth. So, let us embrace both critical and creative thinking and harness their power to navigate the complexities of the modern world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between critical thinking and creative thinking.
Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information to make reasoned judgments, while creative thinking involves generating new ideas and possibilities.
Can critical thinking and creative thinking be used together?
Yes, critical thinking and creative thinking are complementary and can be used together to enhance problem-solving and decision-making.
How can critical thinking be developed?
Critical thinking can be developed through practice and exposure to diverse perspectives, as well as by actively questioning assumptions and biases.
What are the benefits of creative thinking?
Creative thinking can lead to innovative solutions, increased adaptability, and enhanced problem-solving skills.
How can creativity be nurtured?
Creativity can be nurtured by fostering a supportive and open-minded environment, encouraging curiosity and exploration, and providing opportunities for brainstorming and experimentation.
How do critical thinking and creative thinking enhance each other?
Critical thinking enhances creative thinking by providing a rational framework for evaluating ideas and identifying potential flaws. Creative thinking enhances critical thinking by generating alternative perspectives and challenging assumptions.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://41ca9140.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Creativity-Blueprint-sq-300x300.png)
Popular Posts
Robert hannigan – the power of neurodiversity in innovation, cybersecurity, gchq and counter-intelligence #342.
Explore key insights on intelligence and decision-making from Professor Sir David Omand’s book, focusing on critical thinking and creativity.
Sam Dixon of Womble Bond Dickinson, The Evolving Role of Lawyers in the AI Era #341
John craske of cms, collaboration between humans and machines in the legal industry #340, jd meier of microsoft, productivity strategies for success #339, sir david omand, author of how spies think – 10 lessons in critical thinking #338, meilleur conférencier principal en teambuilding.
Les conférences virtuelles et les sommets peuvent être des moyens très efficaces pour inspirer, informer
James is a top motivational keynote speaker who is booked as a creativity and innovation keynote speaker, AI speaker , sustainability speaker and leadership speaker . Recent destinations include: Dubai , Abu Dhabi , Orlando , Las Vegas , keynote speaker London , Barcelona , Bangkok , Miami , Berlin , Riyadh , New York , Zurich , motivational speaker Paris , Singapore and San Francisco
Latest News
- 415.800.3059
- [email protected]
- Media Interviews
- Meeting Planners
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Cookie Policy
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
© 2024 James Taylor DBA P3 Music Ltd.
Sage Advice®
Creative vs. critical thinking.
At Sage Collective, we champion our inspired model of 9 Ways of Vibrant living , and encourage everyone to discover new methods to help better their wellbeing. Today, we’re taking you back to Psych 101 to talk about the key differences between critical and creative thinking, why they’re both important, and ways you can practice both in your life to help you live more vibrantly:
What Are Creative and Critical Thinking?
Understanding the difference between critical and creative thinking can be broken down simply this way: creative thinking is approaching problems or situations in new ways and with a new perspective, whereas critical thinking is using logic to analyze a situation in order to make an informed decision. Essentially, creative thinking is more subjective (influenced by feelings) whereas critical thinking is more objective (influenced by logic). Both are important when decision-making, so let’s explore some of the reasons why.
Why Are They Important?
As we’ve discussed in previous blogs , creativity – particularly for adults – can lead to a happier, healthier lifestyle. The same rings true for thinking creatively! Brainstorming new solutions and exploring new ideas are imperative for older adults because it helps provide a sense of self that is innovative and capable. The goal with creative thinking is to have an open mind and to approach situations with diverse perspectives. As for critical thinking, it’s equally important to approach situations constructively and logically, but it is the synergy of both thinking patterns working together that makes us great problem solvers.
How to Improve Creative and Critical Thinking Skills:
To improve critical thinking skills, when you’re problem-solving, make a list of facts and then cause and effects. This will help you logically analyze outcomes, and come to a decision that way. To think more creatively, try asking yourself: what other considerations are there in this situation? What perspective could I be missing? An easy way to practice this is by brainstorming with another person– hearing a different perspective may inspire you to think of others as well, and is great practice for when you’re alone.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://sagecollective.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-vanessa-loring-7869233-768x1100.jpg)
Creativity and Critical Thinking
- First Online: 31 January 2022
Cite this chapter
- Peter Ellerton 6 &
- Robert Kelly 7
1265 Accesses
3 Citations
The twenty-first century has seen a rapid growth of curriculum initiatives that consider the development of cross-curriculum competencies as a core issue, and significant for every discipline area. Both because of such cross-curriculum developments and because of the nature of STEM itself, the integration of the particular core competencies of ‘creativity’ and ‘critical thinking’ across the STEM disciplines has also grown rapidly in educational importance. Creativity and critical thinking in education are best viewed from the perspectives of both learner development and teacher expertise, with the attributes specific to each concept appropriately seen as increasing in sophistication or complexity over time. A broad examination of each of the two concepts and their interrelatedness, and the consequent implications for educational practice concerned with developing them, creates a lens through which to view the application of creativity and critical thinking across the complexity and diversity of the STEM disciplines and their integrated forms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Subscribe and save.
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime
- Available as PDF
- Read on any device
- Instant download
- Own it forever
- Available as EPUB and PDF
- Compact, lightweight edition
- Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
- Free shipping worldwide - see info
- Durable hardcover edition
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Institutional subscriptions
Similar content being viewed by others
Reaching for the Star: A Model for Integrating Creativity in Education
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://media.springernature.com/w215h120/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs13384-022-00521-8/MediaObjects/13384_2022_521_Fig1_HTML.png)
Radical rubrics: implementing the critical and creative thinking general capability through an ecological approach
Conditions for Criticality in Doctoral Education: A Creative Concern
Altan, S., Lane, J. F., & Dottin, E. (2017). Using habits of mind, intelligent behaviors, and educational theories to create a conceptual framework for developing effective teaching dispositions. Journal of Teacher Education, 70 (2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487117736024 .
Article Google Scholar
Amabile, T. (2012). The componential theory of creativity . Boston: Harvard Business School.
Google Scholar
Amabile, T., & Pratt, M. (2017). The dynamic componential model of creativity and innovation in organizations: Making progress, making meaning. Research in Organizational Behavior, 37 , 157–183.
Annas, J. (1995). Virtue as a skill. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 3 (2), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/09672559508570812 .
Bailin, S., & Battersby, M. (2016). Fostering the virtues of inquiry. An International Review of Philosophy, 35 (2), 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-015-9307-6 .
Bowers, S. (2019). Irish teenager wins Google science award for microplastics project . Retrieved from https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/irish-teenager-wins-google-science-award-for-microplastics-project-1.3971256
Dewey, J. (1938). Logic: The theory of inquiry . New York.
Dottin, E. (2009). Professional judgment and dispositions in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25 , 83–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.06.005
Ellerton, P. (2015). Metacognition and critical thinking: Some pedagogical imperatives. In M. Davies & R. Barnett (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of critical thinking in higher education (pp. 409–426). https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137378057_25 .
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction. Research findings and recommendations . Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED315423
Gloor, P. (2017). Swarm leadership and the collective mind . Bingley, UK: Emerald.
Book Google Scholar
Gotz, I. (1981). On defining creativity. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 39 , 297–301.
Guilford, J. (1959). Traits of creativity. In H. Anderson (Ed.), Creativity and its cultivation (pp. 142–161). New York: Harper.
IDEO . (2012). Design thinking toolkit for educators (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://designthinkingforeducators.com
Kallick, B., & Costa, A. L. (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development . http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uql/detail.action?docID=410671
Kelly, R. (2012). Educating for creativity: A global conversation . Edmonton: Brush Education.
Kelly, R. (2016). Creative development: Transforming education through design thinking, innovation and invention . Edmonton: Brush Education.
Kelly, R. (2020). Collaborative creativity: Educating for creative development, innovation and entrepreneurship . Edmonton: Brush Education.
Lipman, M. (2003). Thinking in education (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University.
Lubart, T. I. (2000). Models of creative process: Past, present and future. Creativity Research Journal, 13 (3–4), 295–308.
Mead, G. H. (1910). The psychology of social consciousness implied in instruction. Science, 31 (801), 688–693.
Mulnix, J. W. (2010). Thinking critically about critical thinking. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 44 (5), 464–479. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2010.00673.x .
OECD. (2018a). Teaching, assessing and learning creative and critical thinking skills in education . Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/assessingprogressionincreativeandcriticalthinkingskillsineducation.htm
OECD. (2018b). Fostering and assessing students’ critical and creative thinking skills in higher education . Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/Fostering-and-assessing-students-creative-and-critical-thinking-skills-in-higher-education.pdf
Osborn, A. (1963). Applied imagination . New York: Charles Schribner.
Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21). (2018). Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/members-states/partner-states
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2008). The miniature guide to critical thinking: Concepts and tools / by Richard Paul and Linda Elder (5th ed.). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Piirto, J. (2004). Understanding creativity . Scottsdale: Great Potential.
Plucker, J., Beghetto, R., & Dow, G. (2004). Why isn’t creativity more important to educational psychologists? Potentials, pitfalls, and future directions in creativity research. Educational Psychologist, 39 , 83–96.
Sawyer, R. K. (2012). Explaining creativity: The science of innovation . New York: Oxford University.
Scriven, M., & Paul, R. (2011, November 23). Defining critical thinking . Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
United Nations. (2019). United Nations sustainable development goals . Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
Siegel, H. (1989). Epistemology, critical thinking, and critical thinking pedagogy. Argumentation, 3 (2), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00128144 .
Siegel, H. (2017). Education’s epistemology: Rationality, diversity, and critical thinking . https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190682675.003.0007 .
Sperber, D., & Mercier, H. (2012). Reason as a social competence. In H. Landemore & J. Elster (Eds.), Collective wisdom—Principles and mechanisms (pp. 368–392). New York: Cambridge University.
Chapter Google Scholar
The Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2013). It takes more than a major: Employer priorities for college learning and student success . Retrieved from https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/LEAP/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf
Topping, K. J., & Trickey, S. (2007). Impact of philosophical enquiry on school students’ interactive behaviour. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2 (2), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2007.03.001 .
Van Gelder, T., Bissett, M., & Cumming, G. (2004). Cultivating expertise in informal reasoning. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue Canadienne de Psychologie Expérimentale, 58 (2), 142–152. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0085794 .
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes . Cambridge\London: Harvard University.
Waks, L. J. (2014). Education 2.0: The learning web revolution and the transformation of the school . Boulder: Paradigm.
Wallas, G. (1926). The art of thought . New York: Harcourt Brace.
Willingham, D. T. (2008). Critical thinking: Why is it so hard to teach? Arts Education Policy Review, 109 , 21–32. https://doi.org/10.3200/AEPR.109.4.21-32 .
Willingham, D.T. (2019). How to teach critical thinking . Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/media/exar/How-to-teach-critical-thinking-Willingham.pdf
Download references
Author information
Authors and affiliations.
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Peter Ellerton
Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Robert Kelly
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Corresponding author
Correspondence to Robert Kelly .
Editor information
Editors and affiliations.
Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
Amanda Berry
University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Cathy Buntting
Deborah Corrigan
Richard Gunstone
Alister Jones
Rights and permissions
Reprints and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Ellerton, P., Kelly, R. (2021). Creativity and Critical Thinking. In: Berry, A., Buntting, C., Corrigan, D., Gunstone, R., Jones, A. (eds) Education in the 21st Century. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85300-6_2
Download citation
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85300-6_2
Published : 31 January 2022
Publisher Name : Springer, Cham
Print ISBN : 978-3-030-85299-3
Online ISBN : 978-3-030-85300-6
eBook Packages : Education Education (R0)
Share this chapter
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
- Publish with us
Policies and ethics
- Find a journal
- Track your research
- F-10 curriculum
- General capabilities
- Critical and Creative Thinking
Critical and Creative Thinking (Version 8.4)
In the Australian Curriculum, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking involves students thinking broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.
Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the centre of effective learning. By applying a sequence of thinking skills, students develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the processes they can use whenever they encounter problems, unfamiliar information and new ideas. In addition, the progressive development of knowledge about thinking and the practice of using thinking strategies can increase students’ motivation for, and management of, their own learning. They become more confident and autonomous problem-solvers and thinkers.
Responding to the challenges of the twenty-first century – with its complex environmental, social and economic pressures – requires young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable, with the motivation, confidence and skills to use critical and creative thinking purposefully.
This capability combines two types of thinking: critical thinking and creative thinking. Though the two are not interchangeable, they are strongly linked, bringing complementary dimensions to thinking and learning.
Critical thinking is at the core of most intellectual activity that involves students learning to recognise or develop an argument, use evidence in support of that argument, draw reasoned conclusions, and use information to solve problems. Examples of critical thinking skills are interpreting, analysing, evaluating, explaining, sequencing, reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesising, appraising, testing and generalising.
Creative thinking involves students learning to generate and apply new ideas in specific contexts, seeing existing situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations, and seeing or making new links that generate a positive outcome. This includes combining parts to form something original, sifting and refining ideas to discover possibilities, constructing theories and objects, and acting on intuition. The products of creative endeavour can involve complex representations and images, investigations and performances, digital and computer-generated output, or occur as virtual reality.
Concept formation is the mental activity that helps us compare, contrast and classify ideas, objects, and events. Concept learning can be concrete or abstract and is closely allied with metacognition. What has been learnt can be applied to future examples. It underpins the organising elements.
Dispositions such as inquisitiveness, reasonableness, intellectual flexibility, open- and fair-mindedness, a readiness to try new ways of doing things and consider alternatives, and persistence promote and are enhanced by critical and creative thinking.
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/3450/cct_icon.png?width=24&height=24)
The key ideas for Critical and Creative Thinking are organised into four interrelated elements in the learning continuum, as shown in the figure below.
Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking](https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/4779/cct_diagram.png?width=493.0348258706468&height=500)
Organising elements for Critical and Creative Thinking
The elements are not a taxonomy of thinking. Rather, each makes its own contribution to learning and needs to be explicitly and simultaneously developed.
This element involves students developing inquiry skills.
Students pose questions and identify and clarify information and ideas, and then organise and process information. They use questioning to investigate and analyse ideas and issues, make sense of and assess information and ideas, and collect, compare and evaluate information from a range of sources. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- pose questions
- identify and clarify information and ideas
- organise and process information.
Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
This element involves students creating ideas and actions, and considering and expanding on known actions and ideas.
Students imagine possibilities and connect ideas through considering alternatives, seeking solutions and putting ideas into action. They explore situations and generate alternatives to guide actions and experiment with and assess options and actions when seeking solutions. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- imagine possibilities and connect ideas
- consider alternatives
- seek solutions and put ideas into action.
Reflecting on thinking and processes
This element involves students reflecting on, adjusting and explaining their thinking and identifying the thinking behind choices, strategies and actions taken.
Students think about thinking (metacognition), reflect on actions and processes, and transfer knowledge into new contexts to create alternatives or open up possibilities. They apply knowledge gained in one context to clarify another. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- think about thinking (metacognition)
- reflect on processes
- transfer knowledge into new contexts.
Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
This element involves students analysing, synthesising and evaluating the reasoning and procedures used to find solutions, evaluate and justify results or inform courses of action.
Students identify, consider and assess the logic and reasoning behind choices. They differentiate components of decisions made and actions taken and assess ideas, methods and outcomes against criteria. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- apply logic and reasoning
- draw conclusions and design a course of action
- evaluate procedures and outcomes.
Critical and Creative Thinking in the learning areas
The imparting of knowledge (content) and the development of thinking skills are accepted today as primary purposes of education. The explicit teaching and embedding of critical and creative thinking throughout the learning areas encourages students to engage in higher order thinking. By using logic and imagination, and by reflecting on how they best tackle issues, tasks and challenges, students are increasingly able to select from a range of thinking strategies and use them selectively and spontaneously in an increasing range of learning contexts.
Activities that foster critical and creative thinking should include both independent and collaborative tasks, and entail some sort of transition or tension between ways of thinking. They should be challenging and engaging, and contain approaches that are within the ability range of the learners, but also challenge them to think logically, reason, be open-minded, seek alternatives, tolerate ambiguity, inquire into possibilities, be innovative risk-takers and use their imagination.
Critical and creative thinking can be encouraged simultaneously through activities that integrate reason, logic, imagination and innovation; for example, focusing on a topic in a logical, analytical way for some time, sorting out conflicting claims, weighing evidence, thinking through possible solutions, and then, following reflection and perhaps a burst of creative energy, coming up with innovative and considered responses. Critical and creative thinking are communicative processes that develop flexibility and precision. Communication is integral to each of the thinking processes. By sharing thinking, visualisation and innovation, and by giving and receiving effective feedback, students learn to value the diversity of learning and communication styles.
The learning area or subject with the highest proportion of content descriptions tagged with Critical and Creative Thinking is placed first in the list.
F-6/7 Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
In the F–6/7 Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, students develop critical and creative thinking capability as they learn how to build discipline-specific knowledge about history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business. Students learn and practise critical and creative thinking as they pose questions, research, analyse, evaluate and communicate information, concepts and ideas.
Students identify, explore and determine questions to clarify social issues and events, and apply reasoning, interpretation and analytical skills to data and information. Critical thinking is essential to the historical inquiry process because it requires the ability to question sources, interpret the past from incomplete documentation, assess reliability when selecting information from resources, and develop an argument using evidence. Students develop critical thinking through geographical investigations that help them think logically when evaluating and using evidence, testing explanations, analysing arguments and making decisions, and when thinking deeply about questions that do not have straightforward answers. Students learn to critically evaluate texts about people, places, events, processes and issues, including consumer and financial, for shades of meaning, feeling and opinion, by identifying subjective language, bias, fact and opinion, and how language and images can be used to manipulate meaning. They develop civic knowledge by considering multiple perspectives and alternatives, and reflecting on actions, values and attitudes, thus informing their decision-making and the strategies they choose to negotiate and resolve differences.
Students develop creative thinking through the examination of social, political, legal, civic, environmental and economic issues, past and present, that that are contested, do not have obvious or straightforward answers, and that require problem-solving and innovative solutions. Creative thinking is important in developing creative questions, speculation and interpretations during inquiry. Students are encouraged to be curious and imaginative in investigations and fieldwork, and to explore relevant imaginative texts.
Critical and creative thinking is essential for imagining probable, possible and preferred futures in relation to social, environmental, economic and civic sustainability and issues. Students think creatively about appropriate courses of action and develop plans for personal and collective action. They develop enterprising behaviours and capabilities to imagine possibilities, consider alternatives, test hypotheses, and seek and create innovative solutions, and think creatively about the impact of issues on their own lives and the lives of others.
7-10 History
In the Australian Curriculum: History, critical thinking is essential to the historical inquiry process because it requires the ability to question sources, interpret the past from incomplete documentation, develop an argument using evidence, and assess reliability when selecting information from resources. Creative thinking is important in developing new interpretations to explain aspects of the past that are contested or not well understood.
7-10 Geography
In the Australian Curriculum: Geography, students develop critical and creative thinking as they investigate geographical information, concepts and ideas through inquiry-based learning. They develop and practise critical and creative thinking by using strategies that help them think logically when evaluating and using evidence, testing explanations, analysing arguments and making decisions, and when thinking deeply about questions that do not have straightforward answers. Students learn the value and process of developing creative questions and the importance of speculation. Students are encouraged to be curious and imaginative in investigations and fieldwork. The geography curriculum also stimulates students to think creatively about the ways that the places and spaces they use might be better designed, and about possible, probable and preferable futures.
7-10 Civics and Citizenship
In the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship, students develop critical thinking skills in their investigation of Australia’s democratic system of government. They learn to apply decision-making processes and use strategies to negotiate and resolve differences. Students develop critical and creative thinking through the examination of political, legal and social issues that do not have obvious or straightforward answers and that require problem-solving and innovative solutions. Students consider multiple perspectives and alternatives, think creatively about appropriate courses of action and develop plans for action. The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship stimulates students to think creatively about the impact of civic issues on their own lives and the lives of others, and to consider how these issues might be addressed.
7-10 Economics and Business
In the Australian Curriculum: Economics and Business, students develop their critical and creative thinking as they identify, explore and determine questions to clarify economics and business issues and/or events and apply reasoning, interpretation and analytical skills to data and/or information. They develop enterprising behaviours and capabilities to imagine possibilities, consider alternatives, test hypotheses, and seek and create innovative solutions to economics and business issues and/or events.
In the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, critical and creative thinking is integral to making and responding to artworks. In creating artworks, students draw on their curiosity, imagination and thinking skills to pose questions and explore ideas, spaces, materials and technologies. They consider possibilities and make choices that assist them to take risks and express their ideas, concepts, thoughts and feelings creatively. They consider and analyse the motivations, intentions and possible influencing factors and biases that may be evident in artworks they make to which they respond. They offer and receive effective feedback about past and present artworks and performances, and communicate and share their thinking, visualisation and innovations to a variety of audiences.
Technologies
In the Australian Curriculum: Technologies, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they imagine, generate, develop and critically evaluate ideas. They develop reasoning and the capacity for abstraction through challenging problems that do not have straightforward solutions. Students analyse problems, refine concepts and reflect on the decision-making process by engaging in systems, design and computational thinking. They identify, explore and clarify technologies information and use that knowledge in a range of situations.
Students think critically and creatively about possible, probable and preferred futures. They consider how data, information, systems, materials, tools and equipment (past and present) impact on our lives, and how these elements might be better designed and managed. Experimenting, drawing, modelling, designing and working with digital tools, equipment and software helps students to build their visual and spatial thinking and to create solutions, products, services and environments.
Health and Physical Education
In the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (HPE), students develop their ability to think logically, critically and creatively in response to a range of health and physical education issues, ideas and challenges. They learn how to critically evaluate evidence related to the learning area and the broad range of associated media and other messages to creatively generate and explore original alternatives and possibilities. In the HPE curriculum, students’ critical and creative thinking skills are developed through learning experiences that encourage them to pose questions and seek solutions to health issues by exploring and designing appropriate strategies to promote and advocate personal, social and community health and wellbeing. Students also use critical thinking to examine their own beliefs and challenge societal factors that negatively influence their own and others’ identity, health and wellbeing.
The Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education also provides learning opportunities that support creative thinking through dance making, games creation and technique refinement. Students develop understanding of the processes associated with creating movement and reflect on their body’s responses and their feelings about these movement experiences. Including a critical inquiry approach is one of the five propositions that have shaped the HPE curriculum.
Critical and creative thinking are essential to developing analytical and evaluative skills and understandings in the Australian Curriculum: English. Students use critical and creative thinking through listening to, reading, viewing, creating and presenting texts, interacting with others, and when they recreate and experiment with literature, and discuss the aesthetic or social value of texts. Through close analysis of text and through reading, viewing and listening, students critically analyse the opinions, points of view and unstated assumptions embedded in texts. In discussion, students develop critical thinking as they share personal responses and express preferences for specific texts, state and justify their points of view and respond to the views of others.
In creating their own written, visual and multimodal texts, students also explore the influence or impact of subjective language, feeling and opinion on the interpretation of text. Students also use and develop their creative thinking capability when they consider the innovations made by authors, imagine possibilities, plan, explore and create ideas for imaginative texts based on real or imagined events. Students explore the creative possibilities of the English language to represent novel ideas.
Learning in the Australian Curriculum: Languages enables students to interact with people and ideas from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which enhances critical thinking and reflection, and encourages creative, divergent and imaginative thinking. By learning to notice, connect, compare and analyse aspects of the target language, students develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills.
Mathematics
In the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, students develop critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, ideas and possibilities, and use them when seeking solutions. Engaging students in reasoning and thinking about solutions to problems and the strategies needed to find these solutions are core parts of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics.
Students are encouraged to be critical thinkers when justifying their choice of a calculation strategy or identifying relevant questions during a statistical investigation. They are encouraged to look for alternative ways to approach mathematical problems; for example, identifying when a problem is similar to a previous one, drawing diagrams or simplifying a problem to control some variables.
In the Australian Curriculum: Science, students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, ideas and possibilities, and use them when seeking new pathways or solutions. In the science learning area, critical and creative thinking are embedded in the skills of posing questions, making predictions, speculating, solving problems through investigation, making evidence-based decisions, and analysing and evaluating evidence. Students develop understandings of concepts through active inquiry that involves planning and selecting appropriate information, evaluating sources of information to formulate conclusions and to critically reflect on their own and the collective process.
Creative thinking enables the development of ideas that are new to the individual, and this is intrinsic to the development of scientific understanding. Scientific inquiry promotes critical and creative thinking by encouraging flexibility and open-mindedness as students speculate about their observations of the world and the ability to use and design new processes to achieve this. Students’ conceptual understanding becomes more sophisticated as they actively acquire an increasingly scientific view of their world and the ability to examine it from new perspectives.
Work Studies
In the Australian Curriculum: Work Studies, Years 9–10, students develop an ability to think logically, critically and creatively in relation to concepts of work and workplaces contexts. These capabilities are developed through an emphasis on critical thinking processes that encourage students to question assumptions and empower them to create their own understanding of work and personal and workplace learning.
Students’ creative thinking skills are developed and practised through learning opportunities that encourage innovative, entrepreneurial and project-based activities, supporting creative responses to workplace, professional and industrial problems. Students also learn to respond to strategic and problem-based challenges using creative thinking. For example, a student could evaluate possible job scenarios based on local labour market data and personal capabilities.
PDF documents
![comparison of creative thinking and critical thinking loading](https://www.mindtools.com/start_loading.png)
![Anthony D. Fredericks Ed.D. Anthony D. Fredericks Ed.D.](https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/profile_teaser_small/public/field_user_blogger_photo/anthony_fredericks.jpg?itok=re2IR4DV)
How to Stimulate Creative Thinking via Comparisons
Looking for similarities accelerates our creativity..
Posted August 26, 2024 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader
- Our educational experiences have taught us to be more logical than creative.
- Creative thinking focuses more on similarities than differences.
- A simple strategy, done regularly, has enormous implications for a more creative life.
You may recall lessons in elementary school in which you were asked to note the differences between two items. For example, what is the difference between a horse and a car? Or, which one of the following doesn’t belong: triangle/square/surface/oval ? A lot of our early education was focused on the differences between certain facts. There’s nothing wrong with that, except that when we look for differences, the focus is typically on logical thinking. On the other hand, when we look for similarities, the focus shifts to creative thinking .
Here's an example: What are the similarities between a brick and a rubber band? At first glance, that seems to be an impossible task. “There’s nothing similar between those two items,” you might exclaim. But, dig a little deeper and you will begin to see possibilities. Here are a few similarities for your consideration:
- Both are made from organic materials.
- Both have right angles.
- Both can be used to hold things down.
- Both are inexpensive.
- Both can be obtained in a hardware store.
- Both need the letter “b” to make sense.
- Both come in a variety of colors.
By looking for connections between two very dissimilar objects, you are exercising your creative potential. Instead of looking for the obvious (as you were asked to do in school), with this re-framing you are looking for the less obvious, the less certain, and the less recognizable. This is creativity at its finest.
Exercise #1:
Try some of the following. What are three similarities between:
- An apple and a bulldozer.
- A slipper and a pencil.
- A window pane and a shovel.
- An oak tree and a fan.
- A computer keyboard and a rice patty.
- A driveway and a lighthouse.
- A piece of coal and an email.
- A stapler and a motorcycle.
- A billboard and a diamond ring.
- A fire hydrant and grilled cheese sandwich.
Exercise #2:
Here’s a different approach. Obtain a pack of 5x8 index cards, some cellophane tape, and a tall stack of old magazines. Take a pair of scissors and cut out as many pictures as you can. Don’t look for any particular type of picture or photograph; the only restriction is that it must be less than 5x8 inches. You may want to set a predetermined goal ahead of time; for example, 100 pictures. Afterwards, tape each picture to a card and then turn all the cards face down.
![Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay](https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/article_inline_half_caption/public/field_blog_entry_images/2024-08/telephone.jpg?itok=p4TJq1mu)
For a quick creativity activity, randomly select two cards (you can’t see the pictures on the other side), turn the cards over, and see if you can determine four to five similarities between the two pictures. For example, I recently turned over an illustration of a mountain gorilla and a photograph of an old-fashioned dial telephone. Here are some of the similarities I generated:
- Both are endangered.
- They both make noise.
- They both are difficult to locate.
- They both have black circles.
- They both have a protruding “belly."
- They both have carbon components.
What else can you come up with?
Exercise #3:
Here are some words/items for your consideration. Randomly select any two. Then, jot down several similarities between the two selections. Remember, there are no “right” or “wrong” responses—the “connections” are entirely up to you.
Basket, fork, river, elevator, camel, bugle, curtain, ditch, sheet, caravan, easel, gutter, bonnet, hose, mesa, garbage, chariot, balloon, tent, flower, carton, orange, quarter, ballot, cork, popcorn, magnet, knife, manuscript, ship, menu, socket, garage, book, mattress, lounge, constable, cereal, orchestra, ham, baseball spoon, yam, jar, razor blade, cemetery, advertisement, mouse , robin, jellyfish, tick, word, puzzle, walrus, coffee, speaker, grass, snow, letter, clip, toaster , pipe, skyscraper, tree, basket.
Consider this random pairing: What are some of the similarities between a mouse (the animal) and a toaster ?
- They both have compartments for food.
- They both have a tail.
- They both come in different colors.
- They both generate heat.
- They both work day and night.
By focusing on similarities (rather than differences), we exercise our minds to look at items in a more creative way. This activity, done every week or so, can help you generate creative possibilities quite often unrelated to mice or toasters (or mountain gorillas and telephones). Try it and you, too, will begin generating creative responses you never knew were possible.
Fredericks, Anthony D. Two-Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity (Middletown, DE, 2024).
![Anthony D. Fredericks Ed.D. Anthony D. Fredericks Ed.D.](https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/thumbnail_115x140/public/field_user_blogger_photo/anthony_fredericks.jpg?itok=Pcgbiixf)
Anthony D. Fredericks, Ed.D. , is Professor Emeritus of Education at York College of Pennsylvania. His latest book is Two-Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity.
- Find a Therapist
- Find a Treatment Center
- Find a Psychiatrist
- Find a Support Group
- Find Online Therapy
- International
- New Zealand
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- Asperger's
- Bipolar Disorder
- Chronic Pain
- Eating Disorders
- Passive Aggression
- Personality
- Goal Setting
- Positive Psychology
- Stopping Smoking
- Low Sexual Desire
- Relationships
- Child Development
- Self Tests NEW
- Therapy Center
- Diagnosis Dictionary
- Types of Therapy
![Stand Up For Yourself July 2024 magazine cover](https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/magazine_384x504/public/magazine/2024-06/2024-07.png.jpg?itok=pCeLoQbs)
Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself.
- Emotional Intelligence
- Gaslighting
- Affective Forecasting
- Neuroscience
![](http://writinghelp.online/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking Creative thinking is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective to conceive of something new or original. Critical thinking is the logical, sequential disciplined process of rationalizing, analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information to make informed judgments and/or decisions.
What's the Difference? Creative thinking and critical thinking are two distinct but equally important cognitive processes. Creative thinking involves generating new ideas, concepts, and solutions by exploring various possibilities and thinking outside the box. It encourages imagination, originality, and innovation.
While creative thinking involves generating new ideas, thinking outside the box, and exploring different perspectives, critical thinking focuses on analyzing, evaluating, and questioning information to make informed judgments. Both types of thinking are crucial in today's fast-paced and complex world. By understanding the differences and ...
What is the difference between critical thinking vs creative thinking? This article covers both critical thinking and creative thinking.
Creative thinking and critical thinking are two essential cognitive skills that play a crucial role in problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation.
Creative thinking is the process of thinking in novel and unconventional ways to explore possibilities and generate original ideas. Critical thinking, on the other hand, involves logical, systematic, and objective analysis to evaluate and form judgments. Creative thinking often employs a divergent approach, exploring multiple ideas and solutions.
While critical thinking involves the systematic evaluation of information and arguments, creative thinking is focused on generating novel and innovative ideas and solutions. Balancing these thinking styles results in enhanced productivity, better communication, and more creative and effective problem-solving.
Creative thinking and critical thinking are both needed for effective decision-making and problem-solving. So let's see how to find the balance between them and what are the main differences between critical thinking and creative thinking!
The Synergy of Creative and Critical Thinking. Critical thinking is the active, persistent and careful consideration of a belief or form of knowledge. It includes analysis and judgments about the ideas and conditions that support beliefs and the conclusions that follow. Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating one's own thinking ...
What are critical, analytical, and creative thinking? How do they differ and how do they complement each other? And what does this mean for our learners?
Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas— practices and solutions that are unique and effective.
Problem-Solving: While creative thinking can generate various solutions, critical thinking helps evaluate which one is the most effective. Artistic Expression: Even the most abstract art forms require some degree of critical thinking in execution, planning, and presentation.
Critical and creative thinking are good for developing the inquiry skills of the kids. Both of them make the students ask more questions and be more curious about the options they have. Also, they get to compare all the information and be more attentive to where it comes from.
Critical and creative thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems. They are some of the most important skills I have ever developed. I use them everyday and continue to work to improve them both. The ability to think critically about a matter—to analyze a question, situation, or ...
The Taylor model incorporates both the critical and creative elements of thinking. Rather than a taxonomy, this is a thinking skills model that describes the essential elements of thinking, beginning with the academic talent and then incorporating the other talent areas, as described in more detail below.
Finding balance between critical thinking vs creative thinking is essential in today's fast-paced and complex world.
What Are Creative and Critical Thinking? Understanding the difference between critical and creative thinking can be broken down simply this way: creative thinking is approaching problems or situations in new ways and with a new perspective, whereas critical thinking is using logic to analyze a situation in order to make an informed decision.
Creativity is a process that demands critical analysis and evaluation and shares with critical thinking the need for (to revisit Guilford) fluency, flexibility and originality of thought, the ability and dispositions to reinterpretation and challenge old ideas and to move forward in the face of ambiguity.
Therefore, critical thinking can be regarded as being associated to a kind of thinking that is less dogmatic and more relativistic, which indicates the need for flexible thinking. On the other hand, the creative processes appeared to favor inductive reasoning, which is the ability to comprehend relationships.
Critical and creative thinking involves students thinking broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school. Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the centre of effective learning ...
What is critical thinking and why is it important? Discover key thinking skills that enable you to test assumptions and make better decisions.
1. apply the elements of reasoning and standards of critical thinking to think through concepts and issues : 2. demonstrate the ability to analyze and interpret data 3. demonstrate the decision making and problem -solving skills needed in a business environment 4. cite all sources used in your class work correctly using APA style. Meeting this
Exercise #2: Here's a different approach. Obtain a pack of 5x8 index cards, some cellophane tape, and a tall stack of old magazines. Take a pair of scissors and cut out as many pictures as you can.