Critical Thinking in Education: Skills and Strategies

At present, both online and offline lives benefit from the democratization of information. While this, of course, creates several advantages, the question is whether the fast and unlimited access to information leads citizens to be well informed and better equipped to make good use of the information they receive in a time that is characterized by the proliferation of fake news, unethical policy makers, and biased media. The situation requires one to know how to think reasonably, interpret information, make sensible decisions, and solve problems. All along schooling, critical thinking is vital in personal and professional daily life to face present and future challenges. Critical thinking, researchers and specialists agree is neither innate, nor effortless but acquired in a systematic and mobilized way. It is one of “the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals». Before students can become critical thinkers, teachers themselves need to benefit from teacher training opportunities to develop and use critical thinking abilities to ignite and foster students ‘critical thinking as well. In this paper, I will show some effective teaching-learning strategies to develop critical thinking skills and discuss their importance in order to face the multiple changes and challenges of the present and future era.