The Importance of Critical Thinking in the Further Education and Skills Sector

By Teacher Training UK

“We are preparing young people not for the world of today, but for the world of tomorrow, a world we cannot yet fully imagine.” adapted from Dylan Wiliam (2011)

Introduction

Critical thinking is widely recognised as a key competence for learners in the 21st century (Facione, 1990; Ennis, 2011). Yet within the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector, it remains both vital and underdeveloped. In a landscape that demands both technical proficiency and adaptability, the ability to question, reason, and evaluate, the hallmarks of critical thinking, is no longer optional. It is essential.

In this article, we explore what critical thinking is, why it matters so deeply for the FE and Skills sector, and strategies that institutions, educators, and learners can adopt to promote it effectively.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking, put simply, is thinking about thinking (Paul & Elder, 2006). It involves analysing information, questioning assumptions, recognising biases (both in ourselves and others), evaluating evidence, and reaching reasoned conclusions. As Wiliam (2011) reminds us, learning is not about transferring knowledge from teacher to student like pouring water into an empty glass; it’s about developing habits of mind that enable learners to make sense of the world.

Facione’s (1990) seminal definition describes critical thinking as:

“Purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference.”

Crucially, critical thinking is not the rejection of ideas, but the careful and reasoned consideration of them. It demands both scepticism and open-mindedness: a willingness to question, but also a willingness to change one's mind.

Why is Critical Thinking Important in FE and Skills?

There are three main reasons why critical thinking is particularly important in the FE and Skills sector:

Adaptability in a Changing Labour Market
The modern workplace values not just what people know, but what they can do with what they know. Employers consistently rate critical thinking as one of the most desirable skills (World Economic Forum, 2020). As industries evolve rapidly — through technology, globalisation, and societal change — FE learners need to be able to adapt. Critical thinking supports lifelong learning, innovation, and resilience.
Empowering Learners for Autonomy
Many FE learners pursue vocational and technical qualifications. Yet a purely ‘technical training’ approach risks creating dependency on fixed procedures. Critical thinking helps learners to go beyond rote learning, encouraging them to understand why processes work, not just how. This builds confidence, problem-solving ability, and genuine expertise.
Democracy and Citizenship
Finally, FE does not only prepare students for work. It prepares them for life. Critical thinkers are better able to engage in democratic processes, question misinformation, and contribute thoughtfully to society (Nussbaum, 2010).

To quote Dylan Wiliam (2018), education’s job is not merely to make people more effective at doing what they are told. It is to empower them to ask: is what I am being told sensible?

Strategies to Promote Critical Thinking in FE and Skills Education

If we want learners to think critically, we have to structure learning environments that require it. Below are five evidence-informed strategies:

1. Ask Better Questions

Good questions drive good thinking. Rather than asking learners to recall information ("What are the steps to wire a plug?"), we need to ask them to reason ("Why is it important to connect the earth wire?"). Research shows that high-level questioning significantly increases critical engagement (Chin, 2007).

2. Use Dialogic Teaching

Alexander (2008) describes dialogic teaching as teaching that harnesses the power of classroom talk. FE teachers can create dialogues where learners are expected to justify their ideas, critique others respectfully, and build arguments collaboratively. This not only sharpens critical faculties but models civil discourse.

3. Embed Metacognitive Strategies

Teaching students how to think about their own thinking — planning, monitoring, and evaluating their work, enhances critical thought (EEF, 2018). Simple routines such as “What went well? What would I do differently next time?” encourage reflection and independent judgment.

4. Incorporate Real-World Problem Solving

Providing authentic, messy, real-world problems pushes learners beyond memorisation. For example, asking Health and Social Care students to design an inclusive care plan for a fictional client promotes critical analysis and ethical reasoning.

5. Foster a Culture of "Productive Struggle"

Learning that challenges students appropriately, what Vygotsky (1978) called the ‘zone of proximal development’, encourages persistence and resilience. Rather than rescuing students from difficulty, teachers should see struggle as a necessary stage in developing critical faculties.

As Wiliam (2011) famously puts it: “If there’s no struggle, there’s no learning.”

Conclusion

Critical thinking is not a ‘nice to have’ in the FE and Skills sector. It is fundamental. It enables learners to navigate the complexities of modern life, adapt to future workplaces, and contribute thoughtfully to society. The good news is that critical thinking can be taught. But it cannot be an add-on; it must be woven into the fabric of teaching, assessment, and curriculum design.

As we look ahead, the FE and Skills sector has a crucial role: to not only teach students how to perform tasks but to empower them to question, to reason, and to shape the world around them.

In the end, the goal of education, as Wiliam reminds us, is not just to make better workers, but to make better humans.

References

Alexander, R. (2008). Towards Dialogic Teaching: Rethinking Classroom Talk (4th ed.). Dialogos.
Chin, C. (2007). Teacher questioning in science classrooms: Approaches that stimulate productive thinking. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(6), 815-843.
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). (2018). Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning: Guidance Report.
Ennis, R. H. (2011). The Nature of Critical Thinking: An Outline of Critical Thinking Dispositions and Abilities.
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. The Delphi Report.
Nussbaum, M. C. (2010). Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton University Press.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Solution Tree Press.
Wiliam, D. (2018). Creating the Schools Our Children Need: Why What We're Doing Now Won't Help Much (And What We Can Do Instead). Learning Sciences International.
World Economic Forum. (2020). The Future of Jobs Report.