TƯ DUY PHẢN BIỆN (CRITICAL THINKING) 🧠 | Định nghĩa & 3 cách đặt câu hỏi phản biện

The Present Writer
11 Nov 202121:12

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Chi Nguyen, a professor of education, emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, particularly for students and young professionals. She explains that critical thinking involves asking thoughtful questions rather than passively accepting information. Nguyen highlights three key methods to develop this skill: leveraging knowledge and skills, personal experiences, and curiosity. She also clarifies common misconceptions about critical thinking, such as confusing it with criticism or nitpicking. The video encourages viewers to practice critical thinking for better academic performance, workplace success, and everyday decision-making.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Critical thinking involves asking thoughtful questions to analyze and understand information rather than passively accepting it.
  • 🤔 Vietnamese students often struggle with critical thinking due to cultural norms that discourage questioning authority or teachers.
  • ✍️ Chi Nguyen emphasizes proactive learning strategies, such as taking notes, writing questions while reading, and engaging with the material critically.
  • 🧠 Critical thinking is not about criticizing others for irrelevant issues, but about questioning the methods and content constructively.
  • 📖 Using personal experience and prior knowledge helps in forming critical questions and applying them to new material.
  • ❓ Curiosity can be a powerful tool for developing critical thinking, especially for those with limited experience or knowledge in a subject.
  • 📝 Students should engage with content by questioning what they don’t understand, which improves comprehension and learning.
  • 🚫 Critical thinking is not about nitpicking or personal criticism; it is about improving ideas, methods, or arguments in a respectful and informed manner.
  • 💡 Critical thinking skills are essential not just in education but also in daily life to make informed decisions and avoid being misled.
  • 🌍 Critical thinking also requires cultural awareness—methods that work in one context may not be effective in another, and adapting based on the environment is key.

Q & A

  • What is proactive learning according to Chi Nguyen?

    -Proactive learning, as explained by Chi Nguyen, involves actively engaging with the material rather than passively receiving information. This includes taking notes, writing questions while reading, and thinking critically, as though in dialogue with the author or lecturer.

  • Why does Chi Nguyen believe critical thinking is lacking among Vietnamese students?

    -Chi Nguyen attributes the lack of critical thinking among Vietnamese students to cultural norms in Vietnam's education system, where students are encouraged to listen passively to teachers without questioning or challenging the information presented.

  • How does Chi Nguyen define critical thinking?

    -Chi Nguyen defines critical thinking as the ability to ask questions. It involves questioning the information presented, such as why something is said, how it is researched, and whether it aligns with one's own experiences or knowledge.

  • What are some misconceptions about critical thinking that Chi Nguyen addresses?

    -Chi Nguyen clarifies that critical thinking is not the same as bickering, disputing for the sake of it, or offering unconstructive personal criticism. It should be evidence-based and focused on improving the content or argument, not attacking irrelevant details or making personal critiques.

  • What is the first method Chi Nguyen suggests for practicing critical thinking?

    -The first method is to base critical thinking questions on one's existing knowledge and skills. For example, when reading different books on the same topic, one can compare perspectives and critically evaluate which approach works best for them.

  • How can personal experience be used to enhance critical thinking?

    -Chi Nguyen suggests using personal experiences to relate to and critically assess the information. For example, someone with work experience in marketing could question a lecturer’s emphasis on SEO, suggesting that content quality is equally or more important.

  • What does Chi Nguyen mean by using curiosity for critical thinking?

    -Chi Nguyen encourages students to ask questions based on their curiosity, especially if they lack the knowledge or experience to challenge the information. This can include asking how certain processes work or how the author arrived at specific conclusions.

  • Why is critical thinking important in both education and everyday life?

    -Critical thinking is essential because it fosters independence in learning and decision-making. In education, it helps students go beyond passive learning. In daily life, it prevents individuals from blindly following others or being easily deceived by false information.

  • How does Chi Nguyen suggest students start practicing critical thinking if they find it difficult to form questions?

    -Chi Nguyen recommends starting by identifying areas of curiosity. Students can ask questions about parts of the material they don’t understand, how something was done, or whether something could be explained in a clearer way.

  • What is the ultimate goal of critical thinking according to Chi Nguyen?

    -The ultimate goal of critical thinking is to foster independent, analytical, and multi-perspective thinking. This allows individuals to constructively question others' ideas, notice flaws or gaps, and offer valuable feedback or solutions.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction to Proactive Learning and Critical Thinking

The speaker, Chi Nguyen, introduces herself as an education professor and discusses proactive learning techniques she has shared in previous videos. She explains how students have struggled with applying these methods, particularly in forming questions, and attributes this to a lack of critical thinking skills. She outlines the issue within the Vietnamese educational system, where passive learning is encouraged, leading to challenges when independent thinking is required.

05:01

🤔 Defining Critical Thinking

Chi defines critical thinking as the process of asking questions. She emphasizes that instead of agreeing with everything presented, individuals should challenge information by questioning its logic and purpose. She illustrates this with examples of what kinds of questions to ask when receiving new information, stressing the importance of active inquiry rather than passive acceptance.

10:03

❌ What Critical Thinking is NOT

Chi outlines what critical thinking is not, distinguishing it from unproductive behaviors like disputing irrelevant details or engaging in personal criticism. She uses examples, such as bickering over trivial matters like grammar or punctuation in research, or criticizing someone’s personal appearance, to show that these actions do not constitute critical thinking.

15:08

🔍 Constructive Criticism vs. Non-Constructive Criticism

Chi continues to clarify critical thinking by contrasting it with digging for faults in irrelevant areas or personal details. She advises focusing on the substance of arguments or research rather than minor issues, and explains the importance of making constructive criticisms backed by logical reasoning or scientific evidence.

20:11

📚 Three Ways to Practice Critical Thinking: Knowledge and Skills

Chi introduces three methods to develop critical thinking, starting with leveraging knowledge and skills. She explains that readers can critically analyze content by comparing it with other sources or by using their expertise to question the methods used in research. By extracting insights from previous learning, students can form informed arguments and offer constructive suggestions.

💼 Using Personal Experience in Critical Thinking

Chi highlights the second method: using personal experience. She describes how personal experiences, such as working in marketing, can inform critical thinking. For example, students can apply their real-world experiences to question theories or teachings in class, thereby contributing to discussions with relevant and practical insights.

🌍 Connecting Knowledge Across Contexts

Chi shares her experience as an international student and explains how she used her knowledge of the Vietnamese educational system to critically analyze lectures on U.S. education. She emphasizes how associating unfamiliar content with personal experiences or cultural context can enhance understanding and lead to more thoughtful questions.

🤓 Curiosity as a Pathway to Critical Thinking

Chi introduces the third method: curiosity. She encourages students who lack sufficient knowledge or experience to rely on their curiosity to ask questions. Even simple questions, driven by curiosity, can spark deeper insights and critical engagement with material. Chi provides examples of how students can use curiosity to challenge complex readings and assignments.

🧐 Asking for Clarity as a Critical Thinking Tool

Chi illustrates how students can use their curiosity to seek clarity from authors or lecturers. She praises students who ask thoughtful questions when content is unclear, rather than merely accepting or dismissing it. This approach reflects a deeper engagement with the material, contributing to the critical thinking process.

🚨 The Importance of Critical Thinking in Education and Life

Chi stresses the importance of critical thinking not just in education, but also in everyday life. She warns that without critical thinking, individuals are more likely to follow others blindly or fall prey to manipulation. She encourages the development of independent thinking as a way to protect oneself and contribute positively to organizations and society.

🙌 How Critical Thinking Impacted Chi’s Life

Chi shares her personal journey with critical thinking, explaining how it helped her excel in her studies and career, even when discouraged by traditional educational systems. She encourages younger generations to embrace critical thinking and offers a final reminder of the three basic methods she discussed for applying it in all areas of life.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Proactive Learning

Proactive learning is a method of actively engaging with the material instead of passively receiving it. In the video, Chi Nguyen encourages students to take notes, ask questions, and critically engage with the content rather than just listening or copying notes. This concept is foundational to improving critical thinking and independent learning.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves the ability to question, analyze, and evaluate information instead of passively accepting it. Chi Nguyen emphasizes that this skill is crucial for students to improve their learning and work quality. In the video, she stresses that critical thinking helps students make informed decisions, develop independence, and contribute constructive feedback.

💡Asking Questions

Asking questions is at the core of critical thinking. Chi Nguyen explains that critical thinking starts with asking 'why,' 'how,' or 'what' when engaging with any information, such as a lecture, a book, or a video. She encourages students to actively question the content they consume to deepen their understanding and develop their analytical skills.

💡Independent Thinking

Independent thinking refers to forming one's own judgments and opinions rather than relying solely on external sources. Chi Nguyen discusses how in traditional educational systems, especially in Vietnam, students are often taught to listen without questioning. Developing independent thinking allows students to analyze content on their own and avoid being overly dependent on others’ ideas.

💡Personal Experience

Personal experience can be a valuable tool in critical thinking. In the video, Chi Nguyen advises students to use their own experiences to question and analyze the information presented to them. She gives an example of applying her experience as an international student to critique research on the US educational system.

💡Curiosity

Curiosity drives the process of critical thinking by prompting individuals to ask questions and seek deeper understanding. In the video, Chi Nguyen encourages students to harness their natural curiosity, especially when they lack knowledge or experience, to ask insightful questions and explore content from different angles.

💡Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback involves providing suggestions and critiques that are helpful and based on sound reasoning. Chi Nguyen highlights that critical thinking is not about criticizing or nitpicking, but about offering thoughtful feedback that contributes to improvement. This approach ensures that arguments and critiques are respectful and grounded in evidence.

💡Scientific Foundation

A scientific foundation refers to the evidence and research that support arguments or claims. Chi Nguyen points out that critical thinking should be based on a solid understanding of the subject, and critiques should be grounded in factual evidence, rather than personal biases or irrelevant points.

💡Debating

Debating, in the context of critical thinking, is about discussing and questioning ideas in a reasoned and respectful manner. However, Chi Nguyen clarifies that critical thinking is not about bickering or arguing for the sake of argument, but about engaging in meaningful dialogue that leads to better understanding and improvement.

💡Educational System

The educational system refers to the structured method by which students are taught and evaluated. Chi Nguyen contrasts the Vietnamese educational system with the US system, pointing out how the former traditionally lacks encouragement for critical thinking. This comparison helps frame her argument on why fostering critical thinking is essential for students' development.

Highlights

Introduction to proactive learning: Engaging with material by taking notes, writing questions, and interacting with the content.

Common issues with proactive learning: Students struggle to come up with questions or feedback when reading or listening.

Cultural barriers in Vietnamese education: Students are often taught to passively accept information without questioning.

Definition of critical thinking: It's all about asking questions and challenging the information you're presented with.

Key questions for critical thinking: Asking 'why,' 'how,' 'who,' and 'what' when processing new information.

What critical thinking is NOT: It's not about personal criticism, pointless arguments, or nitpicking over minor details.

First method for critical thinking: Use your existing knowledge and skills to challenge and compare new information.

Second method for critical thinking: Draw on personal experiences to assess whether presented ideas resonate with real-life scenarios.

Third method for critical thinking: Ask questions out of curiosity, especially when lacking prior knowledge or experience.

Practical example of critical thinking: Questioning the effectiveness of SEO versus content quality based on personal work experience.

Importance of independent thinking in education: US education encourages students to think critically and form their own conclusions.

The risks of lacking critical thinking: Blindly following authority or allowing fear to prevent constructive feedback can hinder progress.

Critical thinking in daily life: Protect yourself from scams and manipulative practices by questioning motives and claims.

Vietnamese education system: Critical thinking is underdeveloped in Vietnam, which poses challenges for students in modern careers.

Closing message: Encouraging the younger generation to adopt critical thinking skills to improve their future prospects.

Transcripts

play00:00

Hello every one! Welcome back to my Youtube channel!

play00:03

I'm Chi Nguyen, a professor of education, currently teaching at a university here in the US.

play00:08

On this Youtube channel, I have taught you guys proactive learning...

play00:12

...meaning instead of plainly reading books, plainly listening to the lecture, passively write down everything...

play00:19

...I have guided you to be proactive, to take notes, write down questions while reading books, as if you're talking to the author.

play00:27

Or to proactively divide your notebooks in order to write down your questions, feedback, reviews or debate towards the lecturers or the lecture.

play00:37

While making those videos, I have received so many of your questions saying that...

play00:42

..."I indeed have applied your methods. I have divided my notes in half, I have tried to take my pen with me while reading...

play00:48

...but I couldn't figure out any questions."

play00:51

Or "I couldn't come up with any association to write down, any feedback towards the books, the arguments that I'm reading."

play01:01

This make me realize that, there is something that the Vietnamese students are missing...

play01:06

...which is "critical thinking".

play01:10

This matter has been here for ages. Because during the time I was attending schools in Vietnam,...

play01:17

...it was appeared that in Vietnam's culture, it was normal to just sit still and listen to the teachers...

play01:24

...I should only nod at what they say, and I didn't want to or shouldn't be critical about that.

play01:30

Similarly saying, I haven't been taught how to practice critical thinking.

play01:33

This leads to a problem that, when you have an assignment, a project or a job that demands your own critical, independent thinking...

play01:42

...to improve your working quality, better your book, or anything like that, you actually couldn't.

play01:50

I can clearly notice this when you ask me about your problems through your sharings.

play01:55

Therefore, in this video, I want to show you how to practice your critical thinking.

play02:02

So you can apply, not only on your studying process, but also on your other aspects in life.

play02:07

This is a very crucial skill, especially for youngsters.

play02:11

First, let's define "Critical Thinking".

play02:13

There are many people defining "Critical Thinking" on their own narratives, which you can search online for better understanding.

play02:18

There are also a lot of researches about "Critical Thinking".

play02:21

But, in my opinion, I use one sentence which I always say to my students here in the US to define this.

play02:28

Which is "Critical thinking is all about asking questions".

play02:38

Which questions? For example, when listening to lecture, or watching a Youtube video (such as mine)...

play02:44

...instead of only nodding of approval, or agreeing with everything the authors say...

play02:51

...you should have your own questions.

play02:54

For example, why does Chi say this?

play02:57

Why does the teacher say this? Why does this book state this?

play03:00

How can they do this research? How can Chi make this video?

play03:05

With what reason or what knowledge that makes this Youtuber say things like this?

play03:13

Does this saying differ from what I have experienced? Why didn't I achieve this even though I had done all this?

play03:18

How can I change this? Etc.

play03:21

When you receive a piece of information, you don't just passively receive it, you also question it.

play03:29

You may ask why, what, how, who, by which method that makes this.

play03:35

And whether there is anything differs from your own experiences.

play03:39

By constantly asking questions, you make your brain work constantly, avoid having nothing to do...

play03:44

...avoiding it from always being a receiver, relying on others without any independence.

play03:51

Our thinking needs to be independence, sharp and in multiple perspectives.

play03:57

So we will be able to question others, be able to notice something wrong with something, then be able to give constructive, useful advice for the better.

play04:07

That is the core of "Critical Thinking".

play04:10

But it is also important to know what is NOT "Critical Thinking".

play04:13

Critical thinking is NOT disputing, bickering, especially over-bickering.

play04:20

It is also NOT criticizing others' results, projects, or ideas without any scientific foundation, or evidence.

play04:28

For instance, let's say you're viewing a scientific research.

play04:34

They only did a research on women. But you try your best to bicker them and criticize them for not doing the research on men.

play04:42

Even though in the paperwork they have explained clearly why they only chose women for this study...

play04:47

..., also have explained why doing this research on women would make their outcome more useful and in-depth.

play04:53

Maybe you haven't read that particular part, but you still g on to criticize them nonetheless.

play04:58

That is NOT critical thinking.

play05:00

Critical thinking is also NOT being critical about some irrelevant things other than what they are saying.

play05:08

Such as personal criticism.

play05:10

For example, a teacher uploads their lecture online. A critical thinking person will give questions about their teaching methods, their lectures' content, etc.

play05:18

But a non-critical thinking will bicker on their clothing, their postures while teaching.

play05:24

That's personal criticism.

play05:25

Or let's say you're reading a book, you start questioning things like "Well maybe this author have never experience my living condition, he/she just makes these up..."

play05:35

..."they don't have families, children, they aren't in this situation, so there is no way they understand this."

play05:41

That's a really vague, non-fundamental argument.

play05:44

You only should focus your critical thinking on the main content, the knowledge of the subject.

play05:51

You shouldn't extent your attention to other irrelevant matters that have no use for your critical thinking.

play05:57

Also, you shouldn't use personal criticism disorderly (useless, non-constructive).

play06:00

Critical thinking is also NOT digging dirt on the matter.

play06:05

For instance, we have a research having 20 to 30 pages long. You have no arguments at all about the content, the methods, etc.

play06:14

However, you dig dirt on each and every punctuation, every grammar they use.

play06:18

That is NOT critical thinking, just digging dirt on something.

play06:22

It is true that you can advise or notice these to the author, but this isn't the main thing we should focus on at all.

play06:27

That's the difference between critical thinking and fighting, bickering, aggressively criticizing what has nothing to do with the main subject.

play06:41

Back to the first definition of critical thinking.

play06:44

Lots of Vietnamese and American students asked me that...

play06:50

..., "But how can I ask a good question that truly shows my critical thinking ability?"

play06:56

Like, when they want to ask questions, but then they look at the information, their minds are blank. They agree with everything the author says, have no problems with it at all..

play07:06

...so how can they practice being critical and making arguments.

play07:10

For this problem, I have 3 ways for you to practice and show your critical thinking.

play07:17

The first way to make critical questions is to base them on your knowledge and skills.

play07:22

What is that? For example, you're reading a book about personal finance.

play07:30

The author says that you should make loans so you have a basis to earn more money.

play07:36

But you notice that, in another book, its author states that...

play07:42

...you should avoid being in debts since debts really limit you, take away your freedom and your chance to invest in other things.

play07:52

Something like that! So extracting something from other books to develop critical thinking while reading another book is very useful.

play07:59

Regarding the same subject, different writers give different perspectives.

play08:06

So in conclusion, which one is the best one? Or which one is the best one for you?

play08:10

That's how you use your knowledge and skills for your critical thinking.

play08:14

That knowledge should be acknowledged, meaning it is published as a full book, as a scientific research, or the author has talked about this for a long time.

play08:23

You can also base on your skills.

play08:26

For example, you're reading a research paper using quantitative research method, which has so many numbers in there.

play08:35

Let's assume you have studied about research methods, you might establish questions such as "Why doesn't this study use Mean, Mode, or Median?" (Please look up "mean mode median")

play08:44

What I'm trying to say is you can use your own skills and knowledge to make questions in different fields, different situations.

play08:51

Making questions is the first step of critical thinking since it helps your brain to start working and progressing.

play08:58

After that, we can analyze further.

play09:00

Let's get back to the previous example. You can figure out that maybe they use Mean instead of Mode because (reasons).

play09:06

But you might think that if they actually used Mode, this study would be more in depth, have more valuable information.

play09:12

Then you can advice the author. You can note down that if you were the authors, or had this similar project in near future...

play09:22

..., you would use the Mode method along with the Mean method.

play09:26

Based on your skills, you can make questions, from there, you will be able to explain why...

play09:32

...your method and your advice is useful, lastly, you will establish solutions.

play09:37

That's the full circle of critical thinking flow, which I think it's extremely necessary.

play09:44

If you have enough knowledge and skills, you 100% can making constructive arguments with others' content, or ideas.

play09:51

The second way to improve your critical thinking is using your personal experience.

play09:57

For example, there are a lot of you guys told me that you have just started on this subject, you don't know enough...

play10:03

...you haven't read that many books, nor had much skills, so there are not enough basis for you to use critical thinking towards your teacher, the author, or that book.

play10:13

Therefore, using your personal experience is also necessary.

play10:17

For example, your lecturer is teaching you about marketing.

play10:22

He says that you should pay lots attention to SEO in order to maximize the identify process on Google for your website.

play10:31

You're a listener here. You can write down your questions, or asks the lecturer directly something like...

play10:38

"Sir, I have been an intern in a marketing company."

play10:44

"I worked as a part-timer for a content creator that constantly needed marketing."

play10:48

"By so, I realized that, SEO is important, but improving the content published to the audience is even more important."

play10:55

"If our content is interesting, it is still viral and wide-spread, people still share and like our content despite our SEO being imperfect."

play11:06

That's how to use your critical thinking. It isn't criticizing but rather giving useful, necessary information to improve your lecturer's lesson.

play11:14

Everyone would love that, especially me when I have such students in my class!

play11:18

That's how you use your personal experience.

play11:21

Addition to that, there's one more way that I constantly used while being an international student here in the US.

play11:26

For example, I took lots of classes about "The US Educational System".

play11:30

Although it is familiar to me now, during the beginning, I had little idea of how "The US Educational System" was.

play11:37

The way I made a connection with the lecture and stimulated my critical thinking is that I associated with my experience, my knowledge of this matter in Vietnam.

play11:47

For example, there was a book talked about "Equality in Education in the US".

play11:51

I could see that the advice this book gave worked really well for the US's educational system.

play11:57

But I wondered how it would have been if I had used these methods in Vietnam since it was a whole other situation.

play12:02

Very often, I made questions like that to my lecturer in class.

play12:06

I associated myself like so, or in my assignments, I wrote my paper based on that.

play12:11

For example, I stated that, this research, this advice was very well-said. BUT!

play12:16

It wasn't guaranteed to work in another educational system, situation, culture, or country.

play12:22

It wasn't guaranteed so when using in different circumstances, this advice should be altered in this or that direction.

play12:30

That's how I practiced my critical thinking while being an international student...

play12:36

...and that's how I helped improve the lecture plan, the researchs, which my lecturer really liked.

play12:40

That's an example of how to use your personal experience to associate yourself with the lecture, the knowledge from books or other sources.

play12:50

The third way to show your critical thinking is making questions based on your curiosity.

play12:55

Use your curiosity!

play12:58

Why do I have this advice? It's because a lot of people told me that...

play13:02

..."If I don't have enough skills, knowledge or personal experience since I'm still at a young age...

play13:08

..., or I have only been studying, I haven't been an intern, I rarely have chance to study abroad...

play13:14

...,my life is quite so how can I use your methods for critical thinking namely using my skills, knowledge, or my experience?"

play13:23

My advice is to use your own curiosity.

play13:27

Like, if you can't really make questions that are sharp, you can't really give any useful solutions,...

play13:36

...you still can make questions based on your curiosity.

play13:39

For example, personally for me, when I give assignments, I always tell my students...

play13:45

..."This is what you will have to read today, then write a Critical Reading Response in which you make constructive arguments against this reading."

play13:55

The one that only summarizes the reading, I don't appreciate much. Because I read the article, everyone, indeed, read it for the assignment.

play14:01

Summarizing only wastes time.

play14:03

The thing I want to know the most is how my students understand the readings.

play14:10

For a lot of students, they don't know how to establish questions.

play14:14

I always advice them to start with what they are curious about.

play14:18

For example, you haven't studied anything about quantitative research method, so you wonder how can a freshman like you be able to do a project as such.

play14:29

How can you go on this field trip, or how can you have this data to make this study.

play14:35

Meaning you take advantage of your own flaws in skills, knowledge and experience to establish curiosity from the reader/viewer...

play14:43

...from your lecturer who is grading you, or the researcher of the project.

play14:48

That curiosity leads to a lot of interesting questions, not just plain interest.

play14:54

For instance, I have received a lot of questions from my students. They claimed that they were clueless after reading this.

play15:02

So they wrote in their assignments that they had read this, and only understood about 25% overall.

play15:07

So they are curios about whether the author could rewrite this in a more digestible manner.

play15:13

Maybe in this chapter, instead of writing in this flow, might he write in a different, more reasonable way?

play15:20

Or instead of this words, might he use another synonym to make it more easy to understand, or it is just their own opinion.

play15:27

I found this way of approaching very interesting. Because it shows that my student have tried to understand this reading...

play15:35

...but he/she thinks that the author hasn't made things clear enough so he/she makes questions and arguments like so.

play15:42

I really love that!

play15:43

That's the method... instead of digging dirt on where this book, this writing, or this research makes mistakes...

play15:53

..., you can make a connection with the subject...

play15:56

...if not, you can ask questions based on curiosity about how they did that, or how you can do that yourself.

play16:02

If you don't understand this matter, you can imagine if the author is here right now, can you ask him about this?

play16:09

Can the author write this in a different way so the audience can understand this better?

play16:16

That's how you can use your critical thinking to make polite, respectful and in depth arguments.

play16:26

As I mentioned earlier, critical thinking is very important.

play16:29

If you're lacking critical thinking, it's crucial for you to practice this no matter what type of profession you're currently in, maybe you're a student, an office worker, or anyone.

play16:40

I really hope Vietnam's educational systems can help, encourage their students to practice critical thinking.

play16:48

Because if we don't have this skills, it's really disadvantageous for us in the future.

play16:53

Why? Firstly in education, as I said, in the US, they always encourage students to have independent, critical thinking.

play17:02

If you don't have independent thinking, you will always have to rely on others' to decide what to think.

play17:09

For example, relying on writing samples to decide what to write.

play17:13

Relying on the lecture to decide how to summarize without making any further analysis.

play17:20

It's really limited for your thinking. It limits your opportunity to become a good learner, a good researcher, or a good worker, etc.

play17:31

Secondly for daily life, not just in education.

play17:35

If you don't have critical thinking, you always find what others say, especially the seniors, people who is in charge, authorized, are correct.

play17:44

100% correct without any arguments, or, you get afraid.

play17:48

For example, on your mind, you notice this error, or aren't happy with this, but you don't have the courage to say it out.

play17:55

This causes a lot of damage, not only to yourself, but also to the organization, the company you're working for.

play18:01

Because you don't let others know what is wrong with the discussed subject.

play18:08

I find in a lot of organizations, the leaders told the people under his command to do something.

play18:14

But you, the person who do such work, know that the leader don't understand fully about the drawbacks of that working plan.

play18:21

If they go with the plan that the leader gives, it will fail.

play18:24

But you are too afraid to tell them.

play18:27

That's how the company goes downwards, or the organization doesn't make any progress.

play18:34

Besides from working, in everyday life, if you don't have critical thinking, it's easy for others to fool you.

play18:41

For example, they entice you do to something, tell you to buy this, sell this, it is highly profitable.

play18:47

They tell you to send them money. There are a lot of tricks in this world used to scam you.

play18:54

They take advantage of your innocence, your lack of critical thinking to make profit for themselves.

play19:02

Therefore, if you have critical thinking, as I said, be able to make questions...

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...you can ask why they tell me this, why they want me to send them money, why they want me to do this, do that.

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It isn't doubting everything everywhere. Once more, critical thinking has to be based on some fundamentals,...

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...based on your knowledge, your skills, experience, and also your curiosity.

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It isn't doubting right away whenever someone says something.

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If the person is knowledgeable, has good reputation, then it maybe helpful to listen to them.

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But it doesn't mean not asking questions.

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You must read, asking questions about what you read, until there are no questions, then sign.

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That's how you use your critical thinking to protect yourself and your loved ones from evil, and malpractice in the society.

play19:53

I think that critical thinking is very important.

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And it's a shame that, even we're in 2021 already, a lot of Vietnamese students haven't had this skills.

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Personally, I find myself really lucky when I was born with my mom being a journalist who has a really sharp critical thinking.

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As a result, my mom taught me how to make questions, how to constantly use my critical thinking...

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...to come up with better, more interesting, more efficient solutions.

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Later when I'm older, I was a bit suppressed by my teachers since they wanted me to be docile, they didn't want to be proved wrong at all.

play20:30

Such old school educational mind set.

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But because I always had critical thinking skills in my mind, whenever I had a chance, I could show that.

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This helped me a lot, later when I studied abroad in the US, and became a professor. Helped me a lot!

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So speaking of critical thinking, I really hope the young generation will learn this skill and understand how important it is.

play20:52

What is and what is not critical thinking. And remember 3 basic methods to apply critical thinking in different aspects of your life.

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Thank you for watching! See you next week with a new video! Bye~

play21:05

[Outro]

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Related Tags
Critical ThinkingProactive LearningEducation SkillsIndependent ThinkingPersonal GrowthVietnamese StudentsCuriosityUS EducationProblem SolvingLife Skills