Kritinio mąstymo ugdymo raiška Lietuvos aukštųjų mokyklų studijų programose

Abstract

Growing interest in the phenomenon of critical thinking is driven by the requirements of the 21st century labour market, which demands that employees succeed in everyday personal and interpersonal environments, pursue professional success, and become an integral part of a smart society. Critical thinking is highlighted in policy documents as a competency that is necessary to respond to labour market demands and contribute to the progress of society. Higher education systems need to correspond to labour market needs, therefore the teaching and learning of critical thinking is becoming one of the most important tasks in higher education. It is emphasised that higher education institutions should not only train employees for a specific profession, but should also educate personalities with innovative skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and cooperation, flexibility, and emotional intelligence. Knowledge remains important, but it becomes much more important to be able to find a solution in an unknown situation, to know where to search for information, to be able to assess its reliability, and to behave safely in virtual reality. It is noted that the development of graduates’ critical thinking skills is becoming one of the most important goals for higher education studies both in Europe and globally.