Deconstructing Critical Thinking

1. Welcome to Critical Thinking……. So just what is critical thinking? By definition critical thinking is simply problem solving. Just think of the numerous times you solved a problem in the last twenty four hours. For instance you were required to contact your professor via email but your computer malfunctioned. So what did you do? Pick up the phone, go to the professor’s office or ignore all of the above? Regardless of your decision you solved your problem. We must “demystify” critical thinking. The following modules are designed to do just that and help you become a critical thinker. It is really fun!!!!

2. Deconstructing Critical Thinking Think about a problem. Pick a simple one. Ready……. So how do you apply the elements of problem solving or critical thinking in real life?

3. Step One: Understand the problem. Wait just one moment now! This sounds pretty simple until you try to really understand a problem. For instance you work in a hospital where people frequently complain of having to wait long periods of time for admission. The administrators hire a consulting firm and pay a hefty amount of money to the firm (there goes next year’s salary raise!). The consulting firm suggests the solution is to hire more clerks for the admission desk. During all this someone decides to add an aquarium to the waiting area. Suddenly the complaints stop! What happened???

4. The Answer • The original problem solvers (consultants) did not understand the problem. The waiting time was not the real problem. The boredom and anxiety people experienced while waiting was the real problem. Adding more clerks would not have solved the problem!

5. The Requirements for Problem Understanding According to Greeno (1977, 1991) understanding depends on three requirements: • Coherence • Correspondence • Relationship to background. Yes, big words but easy to understand!!!

6. Coherence Coherence means that you are able to connect a pattern, so that all parts make sense. For example, what does the following analogy mean? Tree trunks are straws for thirsty leaves and branches (Greeno, 1977). This means nothing unless you are able to make the connection of tree trunks, straws, and moving liquid. Once you see the connection the statement makes sense and is understood!!!

7. Correspondence • Correspondence means there is a relationship between the individual’s internal representations and the material being understood (Greeno, 1991). Think of it this way. You go into a patient’s home to check their post operative recovery. While in the home you hear the patient tells her daughter “You must go to the strand to get the fish for dinner”. What is a strand? A grocery store, a fast food restaurant ????? No, a strand is a beach however you may not understand this unless you were raised in a location where this is a commonly used phrase.

8. Know the Basics First! • The third component of understanding is the most basic. You must have some background knowledge in order to understand. You must know the basics first!! Have you ever tried to run before you walk? Have you ever attempted to take an upper division course without taking the prerequisites? Before you understand and problem solve you must have some basic knowledge!!!!

9. With this in mind lets move on to understanding the basics of pharmacology. You must have some basic level knowledge regarding pharmacology if you expect to be able to use critical thinking skills to master more complex patient issues. The following module provides the basics of pharmacology. Review and complete the activities.