Problem-Solving Is A Lost Art - Critical Thinking Is The Key

6 April 2025

Our offices moved! We've been settling in but we're back now!

Our April calendars are out, and the May one should be out at least a week earlier than the end of the month. We will be putting out a 2025 - 2026 school year calendar set of downloads for educators. These will be great to supplement your children's (or students') education about the contribution of women and POC STEM trailblazers. Scheduled for release: August 2025.

Also we will be releasing one of our first books The Path to Juneteenth as a FREE download! We would love for anyone interested in the book to sign up for the mailing list.

Go to The Path to Juneteenth Here

Additionally, if you want to donate to show thanks, you can do so as well NOTE: This is not necessary to get the book - we really want as many parents and teachers to download it.We just ask to join our mailing list!

$5.00

Support the Work of LB Educational Publishing

Help us continue to research and develop products that:
Highlight Diverse Innovators: Celebrate the achievements of... Read more

Thank you for your support!

What Happened to Problem-solving?

As a former educator and tech support person, I was baffled by how many people could not (or would not) figure out the easy problems. Of course, there were issues outside the scope of a simple answer or even a searchable answer, and it was understandable that someone would reach out for support. However, in my opinion, waiting for someone else to do something that is well within your abilities to solve seems a bit lazy, a feigning of helplessness for the sake of convenience.

What does that mean exactly, to problem solve? From the American Psychological Association:

The process by which individuals attempt to overcome difficulties, achieve plans that move them from a starting situation to a desired goal, or reach conclusions through the use of higher mental functions, such as reasoning and creative thinking.

The steps include:

Identifying and Defining the Problem
Gathering Relevant Information and Resources
Generating Multiple Potential Solutions
Analyzing and Evaluating Solution Options
Selecting the Most Viable Solution
Implementing the Chosen Solution Strategy
Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Approach
Learning From the Problem-Solving Experience

Crucial to problem-solving is the ability to think critically. Without strong critical thinking capabilities, problem-solving is a weakened process.

In a simple yet somewhat reductive explanation, critical thinking is the ability to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and draw logical conclusions, while problem-solving uses critical thinking to solve challenges.

Critical thinking is defined in several ways. John Dewey (who called it reflective thinking) describes it as:

Active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it, and the further conclusions to which it tends.

Professor D.A. Bensley has described it in this way:

Reflective thinking involved in the evaluation of evidence relevant to a claim so that a sound or good conclusion can be drawn from the evidence.

Critical thinking is just a part of the problem-solving process, but you cannot solve problems well without it.

Critical Thinking and 21st-Century Skills

For at least a decade, if not more, within education, business, and government, there have been discussions about the need for citizens to have critical thinking skills regarding 21st-century skills. The following is an example of one of those lists:

Critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesizing information
Research skills and practices, interrogative questioning
Creativity, artistry, curiosity, imagination, innovation, personal expression
Perseverance, self-direction, planning, self-discipline, adaptability, initiative
Oral and written communication, public speaking and presenting, listening
Leadership, teamwork, collaboration, cooperation, facility in using virtual workspaces
Information and communication technology (ICT) literacy, media and internet literacy, data interpretation and analysis, computer programming
Civic, ethical, and social-justice literacy
Economic and financial literacy, entrepreneurialism
Global awareness, multicultural literacy, humanitarianism
Scientific literacy and reasoning, the scientific method
Environmental and conservation literacy, ecosystems understanding
Health and wellness literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise, and public health and safety

One day, I will discuss these vaunted skills since the focus has shifted off of them because public education and the education system as whole are under attack. Note the importance of critical thinking. Yet here we are, woefully deficient in these skills. Again, a discussion for another time. I would say that we are severely lacking in many of the listed across the board, with the possible exception of ICT literacy.

People are losing the ability to solve problems or, at the very least, the desire to do so. I posit that the main reason is that people are losing critical thinking capabilities. Because of this loss of critical thinking capability, they cannot instruct their children to do so

However, even before generative AI, the lack of criticality applied to social media and the dissemination of disinformation has been a problem. That ability to question if something is true or from a credible source has been a big issue for a long time on the internet. Outrage and lack of true discourse have grown, solidifying into polarization, ad hominem attacks, and a diminishment of safe spaces. There are few spaces online that encourage you to think critically without some cry to “own” some political persuasion or another.

Moving Forward

People seem to mistake being a contrarian for being critical. Or, conversely, many believe that offering thoughtful constructive criticism is being negative, not being supportive, and not being uplifting. Contrarians can be intellectually dishonest, enjoying opposition for opposition's sake without the desire to find solutions. Everything is debatable except for the beliefs they cling to blindly. And the toxic positivity crew of only wanting “positive” commentary impedes real growth. Good vibes only are not a recipe for real progress.

Hope is not a strategy.

The problem, unfortunately, is that we are discouraging people from being critical thinkers (and therefore not effective problem solvers), encouraging them to react uncritically or to depend on others to do the “hard thinking”. The success of the new American government, for example, of “no government”, is relying on an uneducated populace without critical thinking skills, people who want Big Daddy to fix everything and make all the bad things disappear.

This never ends well in any country.

It is vital, now more than ever, to develop, strengthen, and cultivate critical thinking skills for yourself and the children you educate. I would venture to say we could all use some critical thinking skills sharpening. We all need to be better at solving the problems that face us. Moving forward, feigned helplessness and unwillingness to problem-solve will impede your intellectual advancement and, quite possibly, your freedom. Start thinking critically and become a better problem solver. Your children's and students' lives depend on it.