UkrainianProfessional Education

Abstract

The article explores the philosophical and educational foundations of critical thinking formation in the professional training of future specialists. Critical thinking has become an important educational competence at the request of contemporary intellectual culture. The reasons for the importance of critical thinking in the knowledge society, as well as the philosophical and pedagogical tools for its formation, are considered. The achievements of researchers in various fields (philosophy, psychology, pedagogy) concerning critical thinking in defining its essence and development opportunities are analyzed. The article shows how the definition and interpretation of critical thinking have changed with the shift of the educational paradigm and pedagogical (educational) model. The article also highlights the mutual influence of the social environment and information technology that leads to forming a «knowledge society». In a society where information and knowledge are becoming the determining resources, the skill of critical perception of information, independent analysis, and effective use of it are becoming more important. Therefore, mastering critical thinking is a task for the upbringing of a contemporary specialist who can think and act outside the box and effectively. Critical thinking is viewed as an interdisciplinary concept since achieving this skill requires using information from various fields of knowledge. At the same time, attention is drawn to the philosophical foundations of the definition of critical thinking: reflective, meaningful, and justified. The role of philosophical disciplines in studying and teaching of critical thinking is indicated. The theoretical basis for the definition of critical thinking is the distinction between two ways of perceiving the world: subjective (non-reflective, unconscious, inattentive) and critical, i.e. reflective thinking, characterized by awareness of what is happening, attentiveness, ability to question, ability to distinguish between stereotypes, recognize manipulation, etc. The analysis made it possible to identify the essential features of this concept, as well as to define critical thinking as conscious, independent, reflective, purposeful, well-founded, and self-organized. Among the tools for developing critical thinking, it is important to involve students in solving problems and dialogue, using interactive forms of learning and reflection on cognitive activity

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