What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is the process of reflective and independent thinking, which means knowing how to take in data, interpret it, and develop a conclusion. Critical thinking is also the process of questioning ideas and assumptions rather than just accepting ideas that are presented to us. Critical thinkers do all of this to develop a bigger picture.
Learning Critical Thinking with an Arts Integration Education
Arts integration education merges the important skill of critical thinking achieved through art education and blends it in with academics. It helps students see the world from multiple angles, and to take a design-thinking approach in finding solutions. Teaching young people to be careful and deliberate observers can go miles toward expanding their worldview, and this in turn, can create a stronger society.
How Art Improves Critical Thinking
Critical thinking incorporates logical and rational thinking. This can be seen as a deviation from feelings, and many people see it as a hinderance to creativity. What people do not realize is that critical thinking requires out-of-the-box thinking. Critical thinkers challenge the consensus and exercise uncommon approaches.
Without critical thinking, how can the creative person continue to evaluate and improve upon his or her ideas? Coming up with creative solutions is more than just having new ideas. There has to be an understanding that the new ideas are useful and relevant to the required task. Art education encourages students to observe society from many different perspectives. Art is complex and can consist of several layers of meaning. It takes time to discover, assess, and reflect on these layers. It’s this process of observation and study that educates students of the arts to more intensely see and analyze the world. These skills are the foundation of critical thinking.
How Does Arts in Education Effect People Long Term?
No matter what career you choose to do with your life, the ability to think clearly and rationally is essential. Knowing how to receive information, clearly consider it and then use it to solve problems is an important quality in employees. One must be able to handle changes quickly and effectively to be successful in the workforce. Critical thinking also enhances language and presentation skills as it improves the way we express ideas and comprehend material. Self-expression and reflection are important factors in critical thinking. It’s nearly impossible to structure a meaningful life without the ability to justify and reflect on our own values and decisions.
Personal Encounter
While studying I take breaks to play piano or sing from memory which trained my brain to retain information more fluidly and also have some fun while studying! I unknowingly conducted an experiment my senior year of high school with my academics and saw a positive improvement in my grades when I studied alongside musical practice. The stagnation of grades came along when I would study in various locations without music. When I studied at home and played the piano or clarinet during study breaks, my grades went up. This research was a primary pillar when crafting my social impact initiative.
A study published in the journal Neuropsychology shows playing music helps improve working memory as well. “Behaviorally, musicians outperformed non-musicians on standardized subtests of visual, phonological, and executive memory,” according to the Russo in this study. Have you ever listened to a song and get vivid flashbacks? “Music can definitely support the recall and even formation of memories,” Russo says. “Enjoyable music may lead to dopamine release in the mesolimbic [reward] pathway, which may in turn support the formation of associations and, ultimately, memories.”
As you can see the arts an important factor in critical thinking, if you would like to advocate with me or help a school improve their arts in education program, you can message me on social media or email me at jessicapatterson519@gmail.com! Thank you all for listening today, come back next week to learn about enhancing creativity within arts in education!