Thinking skills can be taught at school<\/p>\n
By Hendra Gunawan<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): In his article \"Education: Learning from a
\ncrisis\" (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 7, 1998), David Harries suggests
\nthat in dealing with the crisis and preparing for its aftermath,
\nwe must not only think about medicine for the present, but also
\ninsurance for the future.<\/p>\n
In practice this means that we must take care of the young,
\nwho will be the managers and leaders of the next generation.<\/p>\n
Harries also reminds us of the importance of education in
\nsustaining national development and increasing prosperity.<\/p>\n
Unlike those concerned about the impact of present turmoil on
\neducation, Harries believes that education is one of the causes
\nof the crisis and has potential to contribute toward further
\ncrises in the future.<\/p>\n
He asserts that our education system has failed to encourage
\ncritical thinking, analysis and creativity. Moreover, it has
\nfailed to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills
\nrequired to survive and thrive in our competitive world.<\/p>\n
I recall a television interview between Dr. Sjahrir and his
\nguest, Dr. Edward De Bono, broadcast by Indosiar on Nov. 22,
\n1997, during which Bono stated that we are no longer in the
\ninformation era but have entered the thinking era.<\/p>\n
In today's world, we are inundated with information. But if we
\ndo not absorb the information and reflect upon it, we will gain
\nnothing. Instead, we will become confused.<\/p>\n
Bono went on to argue that thinking is not useful just to
\nsolve problems, but also for making things better.<\/p>\n
Our greatest asset is our brain. But if we don't train our
\nthinking skills, then possessing a brain is akin to owning a
\npowerful car when you can't drive.<\/p>\n
How then can our capacity to think be developed? Insight and
\nthought develop from birth. Parents nurture this capability in
\ntheir infant, which is then honed when the child enters school.<\/p>\n
Therein lies the problem. Our schools adhere to a traditional
\ncurriculum and teaching methods which revolve around subject
\nmaterial, not learning ability and creative or critical thinking.
\nThis develops the left hemisphere of the brain, which absorbs
\nanalysis and procedures, to the neglect of the right hemisphere
\nof the brain, where nodes of creativity, synthesis and design
\nreside. Our students learn \"what\" and \"how\", but not \"why\" and
\n\"what if\". For example mathematics, a subject through which
\nthinking skills can be easily taught to students, has been
\nreduced to procedural and soulless calculations.<\/p>\n
In tests and examinations, teachers appear more concerned with
\nanswers rather than how the answers were obtained. Accordingly,
\nmultiple choice questions are more popular than essay based
\nexaminations. Through multiple choice exams, all wrong answers
\nare treated as equally wrong and the analysis used to derive an
\nanswer is disregarded.<\/p>\n
Daily classes leave little room for students to express their
\nown ideas or think creatively. Essentially the government's
\nnational curriculum has crippled both students and teachers.<\/p>\n
Like Harries, I believe that teachers' salaries should be
\nincreased if their performance in front of students is to be
\nimproved. But this is not the only thing that the government
\nneeds to do.<\/p>\n
The current national curriculum must be trimmed. A good
\ncurriculum is lean, flexible and consists only of essential
\nmaterial, allowing scope for students to study subjects of their
\nown choice.<\/p>\n
Nationally, our education system must be reviewed and improved
\nbecause now, even as we await an end to the current crisis, seeds
\nof future woe are being sown in our classrooms.<\/p>\n
The writer is a lecturer at the Department of Mathematics of
\nthe Bandung Institute of Technology.<\/p>",
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