Latest news with #criticalthinking
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
What Major Should I Choose? How To Navigate Career Plot Twists
graduate's career choices Spoiler alert: No college major guarantees you a beachside office, dream salary, or a LinkedIn headline that sparks professional envy. No degree comes with a golden ticket, just the chance to build one, piece by piece, through skills, curiosity, and real-world hustle. But before you switch majors for the third time this year, know that the real path to a fulfilling career may not lie in what you are studying, but in how you are learning. Today's job market rewards lifelong learning, adaptability, and a mashup of skills more than any single academic track. In her Forbes article, Dr. Diane Hamilton identifies curiosity as the most valuable asset in today's workplace. As the World Economic Forum's 2025 Future of Jobs Report points out, employers are increasingly prioritizing skills like critical thinking, AI literacy, and flexibility over traditional credentials alone. So no, your major is not a magic spell. But it can be a powerful part of your toolkit, if you treat it as a launchpad, not a label. Today's job market is more like a group project, at times messy, unpredictable, and usually carried by that one person who somehow went from studying philosophy to working in cybersecurity. From College to Career: Navigating Your Educational Journey The truth is, your degree is just one piece of the puzzle. It can help you get in the door, but it is your ability to learn quickly, work well with others, and handle change that really helps you stick around. In fact, a report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2024) shows that most employers care more about things like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving than your exact major. The McKinsey & Company State of Organizations 2023 report found that transferable skills—like adaptability, digital fluency, and collaboration are key to career growth, especially as roles evolve and industries keep changing So no, your major does not lock you into one path. In fact, that is the exciting part. Many of today's most successful professionals started in one field and ended up thriving in another. What matters more than the title of your degree is how you build on it, through real-world experience, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning as the world around you changes. While certain majors often grab the spotlight for their popularity, the reality of career paths is far less predictable. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), no single major guarantees a set career trajectory or income level. What truly shapes career outcomes is a mix of skills gained, ongoing learning, and adaptability in a shifting job market. Skills like critical thinking, effective communication, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning are increasingly prized by employers across industries, regardless of the field of study. In fact, a 2022 report from Burning Glass Technologies highlights how the modern job market increasingly demands hybrid skill sets that blend technical know-how with strong interpersonal and analytical abilities, skills that many college majors help develop. The four skills the report focuses on, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Product Management, and Social Media are rapidly reshaping job requirements across many fields. These transferable skills equip graduates to tackle complex problems, adapt to a wide variety of industry challenges, and make valuable contributions across many professional settings. Young woman recording an audio podcast in a modern studio, wearing headphones and hipster glasses, ... More speaking to the microphone and holding a notepad WHAT'S NEXT? Your degree is not a guaranteed pass, but it lays an essential foundation. True success comes from combining classroom knowledge with hands-on experience and a continuous commitment to learning new skills, challenging yourself through projects across different fields. The most valuable asset is your ability to keep learning and adapting in an ever-changing world. Your major is a meaningful part of your journey, not a label that boxes you in. In today's fast-changing job market, those who thrive are not just degree holders but lifelong learners who embrace new challenges and develop a broad set of skills employers value. So whether your path feels traditional or unexpected, remember this: your education matters deeply because it equips you to think, solve problems, and grow. What truly sets you apart is how you build on that foundation throughout your career. The most important skill? Knowing that learning never stops.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
One thing at a time: Why Gen Z wants to stop multitasking
It was between 15 and 20 years ago that I first got comfortable on a computer. As a kid, I swung more Millennial with access to my parents' Macintosh personal computer and a pearl white iBook, but as a teenager I had my own phone, and later iPad, and then computer. In between, I had computer classes (Information and Communications Technology at school in Al Ain) where I learned... well, everything we learned. How to use a glossary and index, how to organise folders digitally and navigate databases online and in-person, how to use the office suite, how to verify what I was seeing or reading online was real, and how to maintain the functionality of my devices. These are forgotten skills in 2025. We forget that 15-20 years ago the ability to do the most basic sums in a spreadsheet was worth putting on your CV. Critical thinking and the garnering of soft skills are far more important in this day and age. I can teach you how to use a screwdriver — righty tighty, lefty loosey — but it needs to be obvious which end goes where. There are a few things in my head as I write this column. Young people aren't paid enough to multitask, and we have no evidence that hard work, determination, or devotion to the craft will get us anywhere other than convincing our boss the job can be done by someone less qualified for less money, who they can mistreat more. We reach out seeking mentorship, guidance, or advice on everything from career to professional development, and we hear the same things. This relates to multitasking because we know in 2025 what the enlightened and self-actualised around the world already knew — the result is important but so is the work. One thing at a time Multitasking is splitting focus. It's piling more on before you finish something or starting too many things at once because of a current energy level, feeling, or myth about your capacity. In journalism, you see this every day. The tail wags the dog with KPIs of traffic, reach, and reaction. There's lots to follow a lot of the time, and plenty of plates to keep spinning, and obligations one must keep in mind, but in the moment, what must take precedence is the rhythm of the task and the rhythm of the person doing the task. In simpler terms, you are more likely to burn yourself out trying to do 10 things half as well as you can than doing one thing with all your focus and doing it well in half the time. Take this column. I could ideate 10 things at once, do a little research here and there over a two-week period, and send my editor 10 columns that require a lot more work on her end. Or, I could do as I have done; have a backlog of ideas and topics, then devote a single block of time to a single column, and produce a few some weeks, and none some weeks. Not only am I one and done with the column faster, which can then be sent to my editor immediately, but then my mind is free to move on. Ending our multitasking goes deeper than not listening to a podcast while you walk your dog; it's about respecting your own time. Folks love to say, 'this is the way things are done' and then share their many complaints with having to work inside such a system. But when a mundane laptop can do what an entire office suite used to do 15-20 years ago, the attitude must be of facing tasks one at a time and knowing when your batteries are empty.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong students must embrace creativity to complete globally
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@ or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Hong Kong's education system stands at a critical crossroads. While our students consistently achieve impressive academic outcomes, our exam-focused framework is insufficient for preparing them to navigate a rapidly evolving world. Technological disruption , global uncertainties and complex societal shifts demand far more from students than rote memorisation and standardised responses – they require creative thinking. Creativity in education is often misunderstood as merely artistic talent or extracurricular enrichment. Fundamentally, creative learning involves cultivating essential skills: critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. This point was brought home at last week's Knowledge Exchange Festival in Hong Kong, organised by the non-profit organisation Aftec with funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. There, Professor Anne Bamford, who's known for her research in creativity and lifelong learning, emphasised the urgent need for creative education. She said, 'To cope with all these challenges – globalisation, rapid technological changes, AI – you need an immense amount of creativity.' Hong Kong's schools, however, typically discourage creative expression through an emphasis on standardised testing and rigid curriculums. This approach promotes conformity. The consequences are evident: while Hong Kong students excel at examinations, their below-average ranking in creative thinking in a recent global assessment suggests they may struggle to cope with real-world challenges – a significant disadvantage in today's innovation-driven landscape. By contrast, Singapore scored first in the global assessment. At last week's event, May Tan, a director at Singapore's National Arts Council, explained how Singapore intentionally integrates creativity into education from early childhood, noting that sustained creative education significantly improves students' adaptability and lifelong engagement.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
AI Anxiety. Are We Witnessing The Decay Of Our Brains?
The digital age promised freedom from tedious tasks, a future where machines would handle the routine, allowing human minds to focus on bigger things. Artificial intelligence, in its growing presence, has delivered on some of that. From crafting eloquent emails to optimizing complex logistics, AI offers immense convenience, a smooth handover of mental effort. Yet, beneath this easy efficiency, a quiet, unsettling worry has begun to stir. Are we, in our quick adoption of artificial cognition, unintentionally seeing our own thinking skills fade? This isn't a sci-fi scenario, but a real question for a generation at a unique point in history. You and I remember a time before ChatGPT, before AI became a constant helper in our intellectual lives. We grew up tackling tough problems, putting information together, and in the process, gradually sharpened our critical thinking skills. We learned to solve challenges with limited digital aid. But for those who were born after the rise of generative AI in November 2022, AI is the norm. This raises important questions about the legacy we are creating for their minds. Neuroscience has long supported the idea that our brains need to be used to stay strong. Our brains aren't fixed; they are active, adaptable structures capable of amazing change, a process known as neuroplasticity. When we do challenging mental tasks – like learning a new language, solving a difficult problem, or even finding our way in an unfamiliar city – our brains build new connections and strengthen existing ones. If we don't give our brains enough mental stimulation, our thinking abilities can decline. Cognitive training studies demonstrate that engaging in mentally demanding activities can improve memory, attention, and problem-solving skills throughout life. On the other hand, environments that lessen the need for active mental engagement can lead to a noticeable drop in brain activity in key areas. If AI consistently gives us answers, solves equations, and even writes our stories, what happens to the brain pathways that once did those jobs? The very convenience AI offers could be stopping our brains from getting the essential "workouts" they need to stay lively and healthy. Beyond the biological, there's a significant mental aspect to our increasing reliance on AI: the possibility of agency decay. Agency refers to our ability to act on our own and make our own choices. It's the feeling of being in control of what we do and what happens as a result, which is a core part of feeling good about ourselves and being effective. Beyond that ability to take action, agency also encompasses the perception of that ability – and the volition to use it. When AI systems increasingly make decisions for us, filter our information, or even create our artistic output, the occasions to activate our agency shrink. Research on learned helplessness, for example, shows how people who feel they have no control over their environment can become less motivated, have trouble thinking, and feel emotional distress. The widespread convenience that comes with AI can accidentally create a similar mental state. If we consistently let AI do the work of problem-solving, careful analysis, or remembering things, we risk losing our perceived ability to do these tasks ourselves. This subtle loss of agency can lead to a growing feeling of powerlessness, a sense that our own mental muscles are wasting away from not being used. This situation is especially important for those of us who grew up before generative AI was everywhere. We are, in essence, the last analog generation. We remember a world where getting information took more effort, where research meant library shelves and putting ideas together, not just typing a question into a chatbot. Young people, growing up with AI as a constant companion, face a distinct form of AI anxiety. Beyond the familiar pressures of social media, they are navigating a rapid shift from a pre-generative AI world to one where tools like ChatGPT are ubiquitous. This transition places them in a particularly sensitive position: while society at large grapples with the swift evolution of AI, adolescents are simultaneously in the crucial period of their brain's development. I've spoken with a number of young people who, without fully articulating it, express a disquieting sensation—as if their minds are shrinking, akin to how someone with Alzheimer's might feel their cognitive abilities fading. Though not a medical diagnosis, this unsettling feeling of outsourcing mental effort is deeply disturbing. It demands our immediate, serious attention, not just for individual well-being, but for the future of human creativity and society's ability to adapt. To stop our cognitive decline and ensure humans can thrive alongside AI, we must rethink our education and societal norms. Part of the answer is in developing double literacy: Human Literacy: This means a complete understanding of ourselves and society. It includes critical thinking, emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning, creativity, and a deep understanding of human relationships and cultural contexts. It's about strengthening the very abilities that make us uniquely human and that AI, in its current form, cannot copy. This involves encouraging deep reading, sustained concentration, and the ability to combine complex information from various sources, rather than relying only on AI summaries. Algorithmic Literacy: This is understanding what AI is, why it works, how it works, and, most importantly, what its limits are. It means grasping the basics of machine learning, recognizing possible biases in algorithms, understanding data privacy issues, and knowing when and how to use AI as a tool, not a crutch. It's about becoming a smart user and a responsible developer of AI. Bringing these two literacies together is not just an academic idea; it's a societal necessity. Education must move away from just memorizing facts to encouraging careful thought, solving complex problems, and developing unique human skills that work with AI, rather than competing against it. We must teach future generations not just how to use AI, but how to think with AI, and perhaps most importantly, how to think independently of AI. The AI race is an invitation to take a step back and face our own humanity. Who are we, without technology? While this revamping of the education curriculum is a task to be tackled at scale, the following five The worry about AI's impact on our brains is a warning, not a final verdict. We have the power to shape our relationship with technology. For individuals, especially those in business who often feel tempted to delegate, the practical advice is this: ANGST: Actively Nurture Growth, Strengthen Thought Analyze Actively: Don't just consume information; dissect it, synthesize it, and form your own conclusions. Before asking AI for a summary, read and put together complex reports or articles yourself. Nurture Natural Thought: Prioritize unassisted brainstorming and problem-solving. Set aside time for pure, unaided idea generation before turning to AI for more options. Work through challenging problems step-by-step using your own reasoning before relying on AI for solutions. Ground Yourself in Focus: Practice deep concentration. Cultivate sustained attention on tasks that need continuous mental effort, resisting the urge to multitask or switch topics often. Strengthen Social Bonds: Engage in rich, complex human interactions. Make face-to-face discussions, active listening, and detailed communication a priority, as these demand empathy and real-time adaptation. Take the Cognitive Lead: Be the primary driver of your mental tasks. Choose to exert mental effort even when AI offers an easier way, purposefully exercising your mental muscles. By purposefully exercising our mental muscles and asserting our human ability to act, we can reduce the risks of AI anxiety and ensure that technology acts as a strong boost to human potential, rather than a quiet cause of mental decline. Our brains are not meant to wither; they are waiting to be challenged, to learn, and to thrive in this new, complex world.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Only 1 in 5 can say the colour without reading the word in this mind-boggling brain challenge – are you in the top 20%?
TIME to put your vision and brain skills to the test and try this mind-boggling brain challenge. Everyone can read the words on the page, but only one in five people can say the colour. The image by Jackson's shows a series of written colours - but there's a catch. The colour of the text doesn't match the words, sending your brain into a colourful frenzy. Challengers must read from top to bottom saying the colour of the text, rather than the word itself. While this may seem easy, it is deceptively tricky. This is because one half of your brain processes the world, while the other focuses on the colour. If you're struggling here's a handy hint. Try squinting slightly to allow your brain to really hone in on the colours. Certain brainteasers and optical illusions, particularly those that involve patterns or sequences, can help strengthen both short-term and long-term memory. By working through puzzles on a regular basis, you will actively engage the brain's memory systems and directly improve your future attempts at visual challenges. Did you know picture puzzles test your critical thinking and problem-solving skills? Everyone knows the clocks go forward but you have a high IQ if you spot the timer in the brainteaser Many brainteasers, like this one, require challengers thinking outside the box. This improves creative problem-solving skills by encouraging the brain to come up with innovative solutions. It also translates to real-life situations where you might need to approach challenges in new and inventive ways. If this brain teaser is not hard enough for you, then have a go at spotting the hidden broom amongst the clothes in less than five seconds. Or you can have a go at figuring out the hidden message in this band's cover art that has confused fans for years. Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions. Some benefits include: Cognitive stimulation: Engaging in these activities challenges the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility. Problem-solving skills: Regular practice enhances analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Memory improvement: These challenges often require memory recall and can contribute to better memory function. Creativity: They encourage thinking outside the box, fostering creativity and innovative thought processes. Focus and attention: Working on optical illusions and brainteasers requires concentration, contributing to improved focus. Stress relief: The enjoyable nature of these puzzles can act as a form of relaxation and stress relief.
