A process that involves asking appropriate questions, gathering and creatively sorting through relevant information, relating new information to existing knowledge, re-examining beliefs and assumptions, reasoning logically, and drawing reliable and trustworthy conclusions. Critical thinking calls for persistent effort to apply theoretical constructs to understanding the problem, consider evidence, and evaluate methods or techniques for forming a
judgement. The cognitive skills of analysis, interpretation, inference, explanation, evaluation, and of monitoring and correcting one’s own reasoning are at the heart of critical thinking. (Source: Seel 2012). Attributes such as curiosity and flexibility and a questioning attitude are closely related to critical thinking. Increasingly referred to as a key competence/competency and 21st century skill.
