The decline of critical thinking
the American occupation, to the post- war Philippines before, during and after Martial Law.”
This problem stems from the rote memorization pedagogy of schools, which most people agree have been present in our recitations and examinations reward students who memorize lessons, which do nothing more than temporarily storing information in their brains.
What is more concerning, however, is the decline of critical thinking from an already low base. This is because of the widespread use of smartphones, social media, and video gaming that now play a bigger role in our daily life.
In fact, a study by Patricia - sor at UCLA and director of the Children’s Digital Media Center in Los Angeles, revealed that learners have changed because of their exposure to technology. It changed to the point that their skills in critical thinking and analysis have deteriorated.
What is even more disconcerting is that critical thinking is one of the skills required now and in the future, when artificial intelligence and robots replace jobs so fast that employees need to upgrade their skill sets to do more data analytics and complex problem- solving.
Can this problem be reversed? Yes, but it needs a long- term solution.
Since education plays a crucial role in developing critical thinking among young people, our educational system, both public and private, needs to develop teachers who employ “reflective teaching.” That is, allowing students to raise questions, explore different possibilities and scenarios, and engage in substantive discussions and debate.
Teachers’ pay, especially in public schools, should reflect the competency of educators who can use this approach. The government should make this a top priority.
Parents should take up the cudgels for their children by allowing them to develop their own viewpoints. They should expose them to meaningful television and multimedia programs, and instilling discipline in using gadgets at a young age.
How about the adults, who are responsible for making our country one of the most ignorant in the world?
For those with solid critical thinking skills, they can be further developed through training and practice. In my graduate business classes, I see my adult students transforming into hardcore analysts and debaters when we discuss business case studies. Employers can implement training programs and sustaining activities to improve, if not reverse, the critical thinking skill inventory of their workforce.
New graduates entering the workforce should take it upon themselves to continue their education and exposure to meaningful media that promote reflection, thinking, and analysis of various issues, instead of wallowing in wretched discourse on social media. The rest are either relegated to a lifetime of blissful ignorance, until a new generation of critical thinkers enters the workforce; or transformed through a massive multisectoral national initiative to overhaul social and mainstream media that promote open debate and issues discussion instead of continuing with the mindless content that aims to only entertain.
I choose the latter option. The author is the president of Hungry Workhorse Consultancy, a digital and culture transformation consultancy firm; and co-founder and counselor of Caucus Inc, a data-privacy consulting firm. He teaches strategic management in the MBA Program of De La Salle University. He is also an adjunct faculty of the Asian Institute of Management. E-mail: reylugtu@gmail.com.