Why are thinking skills considered to be important?
Most educators, around the world, are currently concerned with raising educational (business and life) standards. But it is also argued, as the OECD points out, that the minimal requirements of , ie; mastery of the basics (personal and professional) skills required to adequately perform a set of tasks, however well taught, are not sufficient to meet the demands of an increasingly demanding labour market. It is now recognised that a broader range of competencies, redefined as higher order thinking skills, is required because: The banking theory of knowledge based upon rote learning has been discredited as it is recognised that individuals cannot store sufficient knowledge in their memories for future use. Information is expanding at such a rate that individuals require transferable skills to allow them to address different problems in different contexts at different times throughout their lives. The complexity of modern jobs requires staff who demonstrate comprehension and judgement as
