Life is coming toward us at such a rate that every second displays a new scene of potentially new challenges. Therefore, we must expand our thinking abilities in order to survive. Technology is also growing rapidly, thus we are continually influenced and pushed to find new alternative options. Thinking is a process of response, and if it is productive, it results in changing our world views and knowledge. It is an independent action that happens continually whether we choose it or not. Buddha argued that, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” As a result, we affect the world with the way we think about it. Our brains are regularly dealing with thoughts which are reflected in our facial expression, speech, and attitude. There are two ways in which we think, convergent and divergent, which were introduced first by Joy Paul Guilford in 1967. When multiple options are offered, the best one is chosen and that is convergent thinking. However, divergent thinking offers just one option with a variety of outcomes. While convergent thinking is essential in academic achievement, divergent thinking is essential to succeed in today’s world.
Convergent thinking has the ability to reduce a large set of ideas to a few and provide just one right answer. It is characterized with a strong emphasis on speed, accuracy, and logic. Those thinkers have clear goals where the path to a solution and obstacles are based on the facts given. As White points out, “It is the correct answer, the known answer, the general response extended in intelligence and academic tests” (7). Accordingly, convergent thinkers gather all relevant information and, in the end, come up with the best pos...
... middle of paper ...
...ractices And Perceptions Of Western Australian Teachers." Australian Journal Of Language & Literacy 34.3 (2011): 279-292.Academic Search Elite. Web. 17 Jan. 2012
Pink, Emily C., and Paul J. Silvia. "Are Intelligence And Creativity Really So Different?: Fluid
Intelligence, Executive Processes, And Strategy Use In Divergent Thinking." Intelligence 39.1 (2011): 36-45. Academic Search Elite. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.
Shu-Chen, Huang. "Convergent Vs. Divergent Assessment: Impact On College EFL Students’ Motivation And Self-Regulated Learning Strategies." Language Testing 28.2 (2011): 251-271.
“True Enlightenment”, Buddha Quotes for Enlightenment! May 13, 2005
White, William “It's All In Your Mind." Scholastic Parent & Child 19.2 (2011): 67-72 Professional Development Collection. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.
His anecdotes presented in the article are appropriate in terms of his subject and claims. The author responds back to the naysayers by saying that people only look at the test scores earned in school, but not the actual talent. He says, “Our culture- in Cartesian fashion- separates the body from the mind, so that, for example we assume that the use of tool does not involve abstraction. We reinforce this notion by defining intelligence solely on grades in school and number on IQ tests. And we employ social biases pertaining to a person’s place on the occupational ladder” (279). The author says that instead of looking at people’s talent we judge them by their grades in school or their IQ score, and we also employ them based on these numbers. People learn more each time they perform a task. He talks about blue collared individuals developing multi-tasking and creativity skills as they perform the task they are asked to
Howard Gardner used to define intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or to create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings” (Gardner 33). The modern day human being would most likely include the words “smart” and “dumb” in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief of only one intelligence so he created his own theory that involved seven different discoveries. He didn’t want to call these discoveries “skills” or “talents” or gifts” because those all suggested a drawback so he decided on the word “intelligence,” creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences including, linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture.
The key difference between Walter Isaacson’s, author of “The Genius of Jobs”, and Carol Dweck’s, author of “The Secret to Raising Smart Kids”, perspective of intelligence lies in their thought of inherent ability; Isaacson believes that intelligence is a natural gift that can be expanded upon, but Dweck would respond by agreeing to a degree but believing that the beauty of intelligence lies in that expansion.
General intelligence tends to relate to various degrees with each other (Cohen 2012). An example of this is that if an individual is good in math, they may also be good in spelling. In this weeks reading we reviewed several different models of measurement of intelligence. In regard to these theories and general intelligence (g), the theories are various but have commonality and overlap. The Spearman's two-factor theory is if a test has high correlation with other test than the measurement of g is highly saturated (Cohen, 2012). The greater the importance of g on a test, the better the test is believed to predict intelligence
People spend their whole lives trying to gain knowledge in many different areas, while others stay focused on a single topic. Once vertical and horizontal thinking are combined people can gain more knowledge and understanding within several different topics. Sven Birkerts, the author of “The Owl Has Flown” explains in many ways how vertical and horizontal thinking are used in everyday life. Vertical thinking is a way in which a person goes more in depth to gain a better understanding of a certain topic. On the contrary, horizontal thinking is gaining more understanding on several different topics, but not as in depth as vertical thinking. There are other components to consider when trying to reach vertical and horizontal Engagement. Finding
Paul, R. and Elder, L., (2008). The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking-Concepts and Tools, 5th. Ed., Foundation for Critical Thinking Press: Dillon Beach, CA
... Unquiet Mind, p.72). Such unique ideas and associations provide significant evidence for aid in all types of creativity.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence focuses more on how numerical expressions of human intelligence are not a full and accurate depiction of people’s abilities (McFarlane, 2011). He includes and describes eight intelligences that are based on skills and abilities that are valued within different cultures. The eight intelligences include visual-spatial (e.g. sailor navigating with no navigational systems), verbal-linguistic (e.g. poets, writers, orators, and communicators), bodily-kinesthetic (e.g. dancers, athletes, surgeons, craftspeople), logical-mathematical (e.g. mathematicians and logicians), interpersonal(e.g. salespeople, teachers, clinicians, politicians, and religious leaders), musical (e.g. musicians and
Sternberg, Robert J. & Janet E. Davidson, eds. 1995. The Nature of Insight. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
The concepts of critical thinking and creative thinking are both gaining increasing importance in the world today. Critical thinking allows people to understand difficult concepts in a manner that is clearer and more defined. They can more readily understand those concepts if they employ critical thinking. In all portions of everyday life, a person is expected to make independent judgments. Those judgments are based on experience and knowledge. Without the ability to think critically, every situation that a person comes across would have to be considered in isolation from all other situations. When a person encounters a problem that is a new one, he or she may be able to use critical thinking to solve those problems.
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2004). Critical Thinking: Nine Strategies for Everyday Life, Part I.
Critical thinking is the skill of examining and assessing thinking with an outlook to improving it. This entails thinking cautiously with clarity, precision, depth, accuracy, and logic. Critical thinking entails a course of thinking in a particular manner. Critical thinking is the practice of thinking clearly, with precision and diligence; of thinking carefully, with reason and deepness; and of thinking open-mindedly, by investigating points of view and recognizing assumptions and biases within a given point of view. Thinking critically exposes one to examine and to evaluate ideas against what one already know and thereof making resolutions about their worth. A critical thinker tries to uphold an objective position and attempts to compare all side of an argument and appraise its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, critical thinking skills involve: vigorously looking for all sides of an argument, testing the reliability of the claims made and testing the accuracy of the evidence used to sustain the claims. Since a critical thinker is objective, he/she is supposed to be an open minded. Questioning is at the backbone of critical thinking because it permits one to go ahead of the basic information. A critical thinker becomes vigorous examiner by asking questions (Moore, et al. 2007).
The chair of the UK Government had a test made to see the ability to think in “divergent or non-linear ways” between the ages 3- 25. Out of 1,600 children aged three to five showed that 98% of them can think divergent. Out of the same number of kids age’s eight to ten, 32% could think divergently. When the same test was applied to 13-15 year olds, 10% could think divergently. Then when the test was us...
Kirby, G., Goodpaster, J., (2007). Thinking: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Critical and Creative Through. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Retrieved January 18, 2007, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, MGT350-Critical Thinking: Strategies in Decision Making Course Web Site.
It is believed that cultivating critical think and disposition is critical in the 21st century. Yang & Chung set out to ascertain whether introducing critical thinking within the parameters of a civic class would help students to better retain the skills taught. The research comes on the heels or potential in response to the Ministry of Education of Taiwan announcement of the development of a 9 year integrated curriculum which focused on independent critical thinking and problem solving ability as educational goals.