Critical thinking, education and employability

Abstract

This chapter explores the practical teaching of critical thinking within the context of career education and employability. The author argues that effective critical thinking instruction requires developing three essential components: knowledge about critical thinking, skills to utilize critical thinking, and a positive attitude toward critical thinking. The first section reviews foundational theories of critical thinking—focusing primarily on the philosophy of John Dewey, alongside insights from Richard Paul, Harvey Siegel, and others—to examine different educational approaches and debate whether critical thinking is general or domain-specific. The second section focuses on classroom methodologies that empower teachers and students, specifically advocating for the Philosophy for Children (PFC) approach developed by Matthew Lipman and the Evocation, Realization, and Reflection (ERR) method developed by Meredith and Steele.