Name: Offei Mante Samuel

Ref. No: 20848004

Index No: 8137221

Programme: Accounting/Banking and Finance

CRITICAL THINKING AND CREATIVE THINKING

Let’s begin matters off with critical thinking definition. Depending on wherein you
look, you would possibly discover variations among definitions. First, we’ll depend
upon an easy definition: Critical thinking is the evaluation of real proof to shape a
judgment.

However, a better inspection of the time period and it’s that means indicates that there
are numerous components to critical thinking. What’s more, research have highlighted
a large variety of definitions. A thorough manner of defining critical thinking is made
with the aid of using the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. They summarize the
center ideas of critical thinking because the manner of ‘cautious goal-directed
wondering.’

We also can flip to our open step on important wondering at university, which
capabilities this definition:

“Good critical thinking consists of recognizing exact arguments even if we disagree

with them, and terrible arguments even if those guide our very own factor of view.”

Creative thinking method means thinking out of doors the box. Often, creativity
entails lateral thinking, that's the capacity to understand styles that aren't obvious.

Creative thinking would possibly imply devising new approaches to perform tasks,
resolve issues, and meet challenges. It method bringing a sparkling, and now and
again unorthodox, attitude for your work. This manner of thinking can assist
departments and agencies be more.

Creative thinking is a manner of searching at issues or conditions from a sparkling

attitude to conceive of something new or original.

Creative Thinking vs Critical Thinking

Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking are expressions that display the distinction
among them with regards to their internal meanings. Creative Thinking goes past the
restrictions and being authentic and sparkling in one’s ideas. Critical Thinking, on the
alternative hand, is greater evaluative in nature and analyses a selected thing. Hence,
you'll finish that at the same time as Creative thinking is generative in purpose,
Critical Thinking is analytical in purpose. This is one of the primary variations among
creative thinking and critical thinking this article tries to offer a knowledge of the two
phrases at the same time as elaborating the distinction.

What is Critical Thinking?

First, Let us begin with Critical Thinking. Unlike with inside the case of Creative
thinking, Critical thinking adopts a far greater inflexible position. One of the functions
of Critical thinking king is that it isn't always so expansive like creative thinking. In
fact, it is able to be stated that critical thinking is judgmental in nature. It is exciting to
note that critical thinking is selective too. On the opposite hand, creative thinking isn't
always selective. It is pretty unfastened through nature. The thoughts is unfastened to
assume whatever innovative within the case of creative thinking. On the contrary, the
thoughts is restricted to assume within the case of critical thinking. Creative thinking
is hired in regions such as poetry, novel writing, quick tale writing and fiction writing.
On the opposite hand, critical thinking is hired in organizations, enterprise regions and
the like. Critical thinking is geared toward enhancing the pleasant of merchandise
produced through a company, purchaser care service, and the like. It analyses the
elements governing the system of strolling a company. One can declare that after
being critical, someone is hired in a system of assessing in place of imagining. He
might be analytical and ruin down a selected idea into numerous components and
examine them. This consists of listening to the plus and minus, the professionals and
cons, whilst thinking critically. As human beings, we want to have a few potential for
each creative and critical thinking.

l
What is Creative Thinking?

Now, let’s move directly to Creative Thinking. In colleges or even in universities the
scholars are requested to be creative in their thoughts. This highlights a want to be
unique and to assume out of doors of the box. If someone is constantly taking note of
the constraints and boundaries, it's miles pretty hard to be creative. Creative thinking
is non-judgmental and expansive. There isn't any stop to critical thinking. In fact, it is
able to be stated that the sky's restricted for creative thinking. This is the
distinctiveness of Creative thinking. It permits the character to interrupt far from the
same old boundaries and consider the unimaginable. Also, Creative thinking isn't
always selective. The thoughts is loose to assume something creative within the case
of creative thinking. Unlike within the case of Critical thinking wherein you're certain
to make some selections, in Creative Thinking it's miles different. Various styles of
selections aren't made within the case of creative thinking. In fact, creative thinking
goals at producing new and concept scary ideas. This is why you can actually declare
that creative thinking is all approximately creativeness and imagery. Hence, its miles
first-class applicable to creative arts like poetry and painting. Now allow us to sum up
the variations within the following manner.
Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking – Key Differences

1. Creative thinking tries to create something new, while critical thinking seeks to
assess worth or validity of something that already exists.
2. Creative thinking is generative, while critical thinking is analytical.
3. Creative thinking is divergent, while critical thinking is convergent.
4. Creative thinking is focused on possibilities, while critical thinking is focused on
probability.
5. Creative thinking is accomplished by disregarding accepted principles, while
critical thinking is accomplished by applying accepted principles.

Critical and Creative Thinking Skills

 
Critical Thinking Skills

Richard Paul (1988) defines critical thinking as reaching to the conclusion according
to the objectives and knowledge, while Norris (1985) mentions it as students’
application of previous knowledge and changing it after valuation process (as cited in
Demirel, 2012). Generally, critical thinking is a kind of ability to look at events,
conditions or thoughts with a careful eye and making comments, decisions, studying
on the reliability and validity of the knowledge according to standards of logic and the
mind (Seferoglu & Akbıyık, 2006). This higher order thinking ability provides the
opportunity to reason the existed knowledge or situation to correct the mistakes and
complete deficits in order to reach appropriate situations (Howard, Tang & Austion,
2015; Watson & Galser, 1980).

Indeed, critical thinking skills involve identification and analysis of informational

sources for credibility, indicating previous knowledge and making connections and
deducing to conclusions (Thurman, 2009). Shortly, the general characteristics of
critical thinking can be listed as the following;

➢ Reasoning and suspecting

➢ looking at situations from multiple perspectives and dimensions

➢ to be open to changes and innovations ➢ To look at thoughts without prejudices

➢ Being open minded

➢ thinking analytically

➢ Paying attention to details Advantages of critical thinking;

➢ People who are critical thinkers think freely and independently ➢ People don’t

behave without thinking

➢ Individuals can state the problem explicitly (Demirel, 2012).

In educational perspective both critical and creative thinking skills should be

developed because in each branch of area, to analyze a discussion, to make inferences
from meanings and comments, to make extensive and comprehensive reasoning and
to judge toward assumptions are some competences through which every individual
can evaluate what they see, hear or learn. (Samli, 2011). Also, creating clear and
convincing presentations should be one of the capabilities of the learners. As an
illustration, how many individuals could ask if 2+2 = 4 consistently, or in which
mathematical sets? Can negative words be understood as positive in the case of
rhetoric speech? Why is there distributive property of multiplication over addition but
not that of division? How frequently “What is the reason behind...?” type of questions
are asked or encouraged to be asked?
 
Creative Thinking Skills

Creative thinking can be defined as the entire set of cognitive activities used by
individuals according to a specific object, problem and condition, or a type of effort
toward a particular event and the problem based on the capacity of the individuals.
They try to use their imagination, intelligence, insight, and ideas when they face to
such situations. In addition, they try to suggest an authentic and new design, generate
different hypotheses, solve the problem with the help of discovering and finding new
applications (Glass, 2004; Young & Balli, 2014) whereby each individual realizes
his/her knowledge deficits and tries to bridge this gap while obtaining new viewpoints
by looking at the problem from multiple perspectives with the help of making unusual
connections and taking risks based on their insights to produce alternative solutions
toward the problem or situation with great patience and determination.
Generally, creative thinking is correlated to critical thinking, and problem solving.
Actually, there are three dimensions of creative thinking as synthesizing, articulation
and imagination having the following qualities (Aslan, 2007; Rhodes, 1961;
Sternberg, 2009)

➢ Synthesizing: This dimension includes various activities such as getting benefit

from analogous thinking, deducing original result from small parts, presenting novel
and authentic suggestions to the solution of the problem.
➢ Articulation: It involves forming the old and new knowledge or expanding the

current knowledge with the help of the new one, constructing unusual relationship to
produce authentic solutions and making thoughts concrete with the help of
imagination and use of the materials.

➢ Imagination: This dimension is consisted of constructing relationship between

valid and reliable thoughts, presenting flexible ways of thought with the help of
imagination, to come up with different insights during idea producing process.
Based on the dimensions of the creative thinking, its general characteristics can be
listed as the following (Gilhooly, Ball & Macchi, 2015; Kember & Leung, 2009; Liu,
He & Li, 2015);

➢ Flexibility

➢ Authenticity

➢ Multiple thinking

➢ Wondering

➢ Thinking fast and independent

➢ To be open to criticism

➢ Rationalism

➢ Being suspicious

➢ To come up with different solutions

➢ To realize and define the problem

➢ To suggest possible solutions

The conjecture that only particular types of people can be creative is demoded thanks
to educational developments because creative thinking is not merely based on art-
based activities such as dance, music, drama,...etc., as previously assumed. In recent
years, creativity has been valued as universal capability that it can be applied in
everyday situations. It is interpreted as capability of human intelligence instead of a
subject. Sternberg defines creativity as an imaginative action fashioned so as to
produce outcomes which are both original and of value (Craft et al. 2006; Sternberg,
2003; as cited in Robson, 2013). Also novelty is necessary rather than originality
meaning that “someone’s idea does not have to remark thinking that has never been
thought before by anyone”. This thinking should be new for that individual, not
necessarily for society as a whole.

According to a set of skills, creative thinking is distinct from analytical and practical
thinking. Choices and critical evaluations, however, are made by participants and
observers as a part of creativity process. Wright (2010) also points out that creativity
integrates both problem setting and problem-solving skills with meaningful solutions
(cited in Robson, 2013). In addition, according to Newbill and Baum (2012) for
today’s technology-driven, problem-riddled world, creative and critical thinking skills
are vital for students who are faced with situations. In this purpose, idea generation,
reflective judgment, self-regulation and attitude-disposition, which are both intuitive
and teachable, are needed.

For instance, in the idea generation phase, children can have an opportunity to look
at their idea from various perspectives and expand them on a theme. In reflective
judgment, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating ideas from the idea generation phase
become utilized as consistent with higher order thinking ability. It expands
participant’s creative thinking ability beyond their comfort zone. While in self-
regulation phase monitoring and reflecting on progress and product are valued, during
attitude disposition part, someone present idea while others not only listen but also
add to the idea (Newbill & Baum, 2012).

Creative and Critical Thinking Skills in Instructional Design

Thus far, the definitions and qualities of both critical and creative thinking skills are
discussed. What can be said about their role in instructional designs with respect to
general elements of an instructional design process?
Table 1. Creative and Critical Thinking Skills with Instructional Design Dimensions
   I
Instructional Design Dimensions  Reasons
Construct

  Creative Thinking Skills  

  (Different solutions toward To determine the needs for
Learner Analysis different problems) which instruction is the
solution

  Critical Thinking Skills  

(Looking at events and
conditions skeptically)

Context Analysis Organized teaching and To select instructional

learning environment in strategy, method and
school climate technique
        

Organization of Instructional    
Objectives As consisted with learner and To write measurable
context analysis objectives for target
instruction by considering
learner and the context

  Creative Thinking Skills: Thought development &

  Brainstorming, Problem analytical thinking
  solving, case study, project,  
Development of Instructional PBL, demonstration, role
Strategy playing

  Critical Thinking Skills: Thought development &

Questioning, discussion, analytical thinking
PBL, project

Implementation Process Instructional delivery in the classroom environment

Assessment Techniques Formative by performance Multiple thinking & solution,

assessment or authentic looking at problem from
different perspectives,
encourage higher order
thinking skills

 
Instructional systems are described as learning environments including many
elements in the process of supporting learning activities. Learning theories and
educational philosophies are the supported elements in an instructional system.
Instructional systems provide the framework for development process of the fruitful
learning environments. An instructional design process has several dimensions as
illustrated in Table 1. It begins with the analysis of target learners to determine the
needs of them. Then, context is analyzed to be able to select accurate instructional
strategy, method and technique. Measurable objectives are written by considering
outcome of learner and the context analysis. By using these objectives, instructional
strategies are developed to promote the learners’ analytical thinking. However, if the
aim is to help the learners improve their creative thinking skills, instructional strategy
should be selected from the set of demonstration, problem based learning or role-
playing activities. If it is to help them improve critical thinking skills, instructional
strategy should be selected from the set of questioning, problem based learning or
discussion activities. After the delivery of instruction, assessment techniques of
objectives might also be one of the formative assessment techniques so that not only
product but also process itself might be evaluated. According to Table 1 it can be
highlighted that problem-based learning approach can be integrated into instructional
strategy order to foster both critical and creative thinking skills.
Besides aforementioned instructional design dimensions, many researches and studies
also reveal the effect of PBL on these thinking skills with the pros and cons. For
instance, Batdı (2014) applied a meta-analysis study with 90 studies had been made in
national and international field between the years 2006 to 2013, 19 theses and 6
articles, in which pre-test and post-test experimental design had been applied. And he
found problem-based learning approaches were more effective when compared to
traditional teaching techniques. On the contrary, there are some studies, which
highlight non-significant effects of PBL. Temel (2014) worked on 49 pre-service
teachers in chemistry to compare the effects of PBL and direct instruction on their
critical thinking dispositions and perceptions of problem-solving ability. According to
research results of pre-test-post-test control group design, PBL and direct instructional
method did not have different effects on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-
service teachers and they had different effects on their perceptions of problem-solving
ability. In addition, Choi, Lindquist and Song (2014)’s quasi-experimental non-
equivalent group pre- test post-test design study was aimed at exploring the effect of
PBL. In this study, first-year 90 nursing students, who had been recruited from two
different junior colleges in two cities in South Korea, were exposed to 16 weeks PBL
instruction. The findings pointed out only positive trends apart from significant
difference between teaching methods due to the fact that it was discussed as a small
underpowered study.

Furthermore, through the context of effect of PBL on creative thinking skills, Ulger
and Imer (2013) studied determining the effect of PBL approach on seventy-two 7th
grade students in their visual arts education. It was a quasi- experimental pre-test post-
test research design in which the students randomly assigned to experimental and
control groups. In experimental groups, the students were exposed to 9-week PBL
experience whereas control group students were taught demonstration, lecture and
question answer method in that time. It was shown that PBL method has a significant
effect on students’ creative thinking ability in the visual arts education.
 
It can be concluded that while creative thinking is generative in purpose, critical
thinking is analytic in purpose.

Creative thinking and critical thinking are often used interchangeably due to wide-
ranging similarities but it is to be noted that

Critical thinking is helpful when we are looking for a clear-cut picture, on the other
hand creative thinking involves generating ideas, possibilities and intuition. It is
simply thinking outside the box. The mind is free to wander about in Creative
thinking, but in the case of Critical thinking it is not so.

Critical and creative thinking skills are perhaps the most fundamental skills involved
in making judgments and solving problems.

For better results, it is important to use both techniques because it is what helps us
evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of statements, claims, and information we read
and hear.

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