Juliet,
This is an often forgotten part of problem solving. Self discipline takes time and effort but the results pay off big time. By stopping and thinking through situations solutions can be selected and the problem solved.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think discipline can help with critical thinking because most people tend to react or speak without thinking things through beforehand. Discipline will make a person be patient, take their time to think things through, analyze all the possible outcomes and ultimately make a good sound decision.
Mary Jane,
This is a good point. Students want to rush to a decision and many cases do not take the time needed to get the information that will help them to make better choices. The more you can help them to do this the better prepared they will be as they enter their career area.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My main objective this past year was "Informed decisions make for better choices." At first the students did not understand what I was saying but after we did a couple of simulations the students realized the importance of being informed and doing their own research and validating their information sources. Checking information sources is critical in order to know if your data is fact or fiction.
Emeka,
This is a great point and one that many of our students today miss. In our entitlement culture and instant society self discipline has taken a back seat for many students. Self discipline is a life long asset that yields big dividends whether it be in one's professional or personal life.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Personal discipline is key to the critical thinker because it ensures proper application of logic in a timely manner for specific missions r responsibilties. We as instructors need to set examples for our students with personal discipline.
Jeanne,
Discipline, discipline, discipline. It has to be developed and refined if success is going to come. Thank you for these comments about the value of developing self discipline for life long success. Nothing comes easy so a strong investment needs to be made in one's self discipline.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Discipline is essential for critical thinking. Data must be collected and analyzed. When analyzed, you may find the need for more data collection and further analysis. Then there is the need to decide how the data applies to the particular problem or situation. What are the particular issues involved? What are some possible solutions? How will you intervene with some solutions? Once you have intervened with possible solutions, you need to evaluate the effects of these and change and tweek them as necessary until you start getting some resolution to the issue. This is time consuming and takes consistent effort, reasoning through the issues and judging the effects until you find viable answers to the problem. When one follows this process consistently over time it not only becomes easier but it becomes the way of thinking you apply to everything you do.
Sticking with the process when first learning it and asking for help when you are getting stuck and feel lost in a maze is the frustration I see with my beginning nursing students. It takes discipline to keep struggling with the process and thesteps but it is a joy to see when they make that connection and comprehension starts to occur. Then their time and effort start to feel worthwhile.
Daniel,
This is such an important part of critical thinking. When doing critical thinking we need to recall what experiences we have had and how they worked out in relation to the problem that is before us.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Taking the time to reflect on former situations and use the data available in a calm, controlled state of mind can definitely help with critical thinking
Mabel,
I have the same problem with many of my students as well. They have a sense of entitlement and do not want to work at acquiring the skills needed for career success. When the students that do put forth the effort are successful then the other students can't seem to figure out why those students are doing well and they aren't able to catch a break. You make your success through hard work and effort. Keep up your effort because those students that do put forth the effort appreciate what you are doing for them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
According to the information in this module, "Discipline implies TIME, EFFORT, and DEDICATION to a specific mission." I may have 5 students out of 20 who show this type of "discipline." I find some students even feel it is unreasonable for the instructor to assign in-class as well as homework projects.
Discipline implies an INVESTMENT OF TIME. Too many, today, want to so as little as possible and still take home a paycheck. I find this one of the most frustrating attitudes to deal with in my classes.
Robert,
Good analysis of many students today. The result I see from all of this is frustrated students when they don't get the "breaks" other students get in terms of employment. Those are not breaks my top students have put forth much effort, and sought input from experts in the field so they have a wider knowledge base and greater skill set than the other students. When they get the sought after internship in a kitchen the other students seem to wonder how they got it. They got it from hard work and effort!
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students today are so dependent of their technological "buddies" that it is exremely hard to communicate to them the importance of investing time, dedication and effort into their studies, which of course is the foundation for the "critical thinking process>" Many students feel that they are entitled to their education and do not strive to derrive new information or communicate with others to find answers or resolutions to their situations. No effort is ever put forward to meet their commited appointments and assignments, and little critical thinking is ever involvrd in solving matters that will affect them in their future job positions. They seem to depend on U-tube or google for answers and assistance, rather than ask their chef with my 41 years of expertise in the culinary field. Investing any time after or before class to resolve any problems with course curriculum is also unheard of?
Unfortuinately, discipline is also lacking in the majority of non "critical thinking" students.
Robert Falite
RAJINI,
Many students today do not want to put forth the effort required to acquire the knowledge and skills in their area. Personal discipline is essential if they are going to be successful in their careers. They need to understand this early in their educational journey so they can practice it over and over.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Personal discipline: sharing and demonstrating examples of past successesful actions and their results enhances the critical thinking in students.
Aprilyn,
This has been my observation as well. These students are clear on their expectations and know what it takes to be successful. I try to use them in learning groups to assist the students that are still developing their identities in relation to their careers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is easy to spot the students who are highly disiplined in class. They adhere to the rules of the classroom such as dresscode and attendance. They organize study groups together and attend tutoring sessions. They complete assignments and and participate in classroom discussions. I also think discipline is tied in with the student's motivation and maturity level. Functioning adult students have more at stake with their education and fully understand that critical thinking is needed for their profession that they are studying. Whereas,some immature students lack the discipline to help develop their critical thinking skills.
Unfortunately perhaps, discipline is not something you can give a student. I have recently tried to have students reserve judgement on statements of fact from me when I sense they simply don't believe them. Then I ask them to pursue their own answer if it is important enough to them and they can see a benefit to themselves in finding the answer that works for them. I point out alternative examples of ways of looking at a situation and encourage them to at least equal number of alternatives I have offered. They then provide (when this works: it doesn't always) their own sense of mission to the task and then discipline is not imposed, but embraced.
Henry,
You hit upon a key point that is missing in much of today's approach to problem solving. Discipline is a must in every field. Learning the basics and expanding expertise in the field helps individuals to become problem solvers that are desired in the workplace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
