4.3 Problem-solving: Thinking under pressure
Thinking skills in action in the real world
PPS' Thinking Processes weaves its way through every part of the IB experience. The more a student understands when and how to apply a wide variety of thinking processes in different contexts, not only do they grow in all ATL skills' areas, but also in self-awareness and confidence. What if you added into this experience, how thinking skills can manifest itself in the real world? Is critical thinking at work around you more than you thought and is there a difference between critical thinking under stress versus a more contemplative approach.
In November 2023, a fire broke out in Reading, UK which left a construction worker trapped on a tall building. Watch this news report interviewing the onsite crane driver who rescued him.
Discuss: what skills did the crane driver have to use?
Sky news article -Reading: Hero crane operator was shaking after fire rescue - as 'beer fund' donations near £7,000 Now, consider the following excerpt from a Sky News article about the rescue (you may wish to read the whole article so the link is provided).
a) Create a visual for the thought processes Mr Edwards went through, during this experience.
b) What role did the following play in this rescue? Add your ideas to your visual.
Knowledge Thinking Creativity Collaboration Experience
'... He told Sky News the man - who he still hasn't met - only had a few square metres of space due to the smoke and flames lashing the building. Describing the rescue, Glen Edwards said the adrenaline 'was out the roof'. The 65-year-old had a concrete skip on his crane when the alarm went off, but leapt into action when he spotted the man waving his coat. Mr Edwards attached a metal cage and said he had a "couple of options" on how to approach the rescue. "I knew what the radius was on that level, as I put numerous materials down on there before," he said. However, thick black smoke still made it difficult for the crane operator from Egham in Surrey.
"I've got a camera on my jib and I couldn't see nothing - couldn't see him - smoke was swirling around, so the cradle passed out of sight," said Mr Edwards.
A colleague helped guide him as a crowd on the ground held their breath and watched. Mr Edwards said it "seemed like an eternity" until the man got inside. "We've got gauges and it tells me what weight's on - that cage is about 400kg - so when I touched down all the weight goes off on the gauge," he explained. "Then it was just a matter of waiting - and then the smoke cleared a bit and I could see him on my camera and he was waiting to get in."
He said he could hear the crowd shouting as he "pulled the lever right back as fast as I could to get him out of there".
"The adrenaline was out the roof," said Mr Edwards - who admitted having the shakes afterwards'.
Sky News, https://news.sky.com/story/reading-hero-crane-operator-was-shaking-after-fire-rescue-as-beer-fund-donations-near-7-000-13019013, accessed 4/12/2023
Building on the example of the heroic crane driver, let's transfer it to another context and consider the following insights into critical thinking. Let's see how the information may or may not apply to the case study of the crane driver we have explored here. Pick out around five phrases or sentences which speak to you as relevant.
Different contexts: The Firefighter
Critical thinking
'Training is designed to teach us to do things right, and education is designed to get us to do the right thing. Critical thinking is the skillset that marries the two concepts in the real world. Critical-thinking skills have five basic components: Reasoning, analyzing, evaluating, decision making, and problem solving.
Reasoning is the process of forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises. The shorthand version of reasoning is that a person is expected to think in a logical manner. The concept of reasoning seems to be linked to the concept of proof and rationalization. If a person pursues a line of thought that is not logical, his behavior is often said to be unreasonable.
Analyzing implies the dissection of material into constituent parts or elements and includes the idea of examining them critically to identify relationships.
Evaluating is the act of appraising something in the context of its component parts.
Decision making is most often regarded as a cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possibilities. Every decision-making process produces a final choice; it may or may not prompt action. Deciding to do nothing is still a decision.
Problem solving is choosing an alternative course of action and following up on the solution. Problem solving is not the same as decision making and vice versa. However, decision making plays a role in problem solving.
There is a difference between critical-thinking skills conducted under stress vs. those that are more contemplative'.
https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/developing-critical-thinking-skills/#gref
Teacher notes
'Training is designed to teach us to do things right, and education is designed to get us to do the right thing (1) Critical thinking is the skillset that marries the two concepts in the real world. Critical-thinking skills have five basic components: Reasoning, analyzing, evaluating, decision making, and problem solving (2)
Reasoning is the process of forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises. The shorthand version of reasoning is that a person is expected to think in a logical manner. The concept of reasoning seems to be linked to the concept of proof and rationalization. If a person pursues a line of thought that is not logical, his behavior is often said to be unreasonable. (3)
Analyzing implies the dissection of material into constituent parts or elements and includes the idea of examining them critically to identify relationships. Evaluating is the act of appraising something in the context of its component parts. (4)
Decision making is most often regarded as a cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possibilities. Every decision-making process produces a final choice; it may or may not prompt action. Deciding to do nothing is still a decision. (5)
Problem solving is choosing an alternative course of action and following up on the solution. Problem solving is not the same as decision making and vice versa. However, decision making plays a role in problem solving. (6)
There is a difference between critical-thinking skills conducted under stress vs. those that are more contemplative'. (7)
1. There is a lot to unpack in this first paragraph but there is an interesting discussion to be had about training and education. What is the difference between the two phrases 'training is designed to teach us to do the right thing and education is designed to get us to do the right thing'? Is it a combination of both real world experience and education that gives us the agency to act and use thinking skills in such a way?
2. Reasoning, analyzing, evaluating, decision making, and problem solving (2) are phrases that come up throughout the students' CP course so this might prompt wider conversations about where these processes play a role. From course criteria to service learning to work experience ... there are lots of possibilities here.
3. How does the way the crane driver recount his experience demonstrate a logical thought process and use of reasoning?
4. Similar to the point above, how does the crane driver break down the situation into its constituent parts and use the context of the fire to evaluate what he is going to do?
5. It's interesting to point out by this stage that the critical thinking process here happens very quickly as the crane driver states he had various options available to him but all this is happening with the clock against him.
6. It's interesting to consider how the problem-solving at work here is an alternative course of action as the crane driver had to use the familiar to make an unfamiliar and risk-taking choice.
7. This last point about using critical thinking under stress versus critical thinking as a contemplative exercise indicates the main difference between this real world scenario and academic study although the context of the exam room might prompt more of a comparison!
Air traffic controller
Arguably, the role of air traffic controller is often seen as one of the most stressful and demanding jobs out there. For one, keeping focus in an intensely busy situation is even more important when you know there are very real, life-impacting consequences for every action you take. It's interesting to consider what the skillset is for a job like this and the role that thinking skills play.
Look at the day-to-day tasks of air traffic control and discuss what would be in the job specification for recruiting new air traffic controllers. What skillset would be needed? What part does knowledge play?
Day-to-day tasks [1]
Your tasks will vary depending on which type of controller you become. There are 3 types:
- area controllers - track and guide aircraft flying at higher altitudes through a sector and are based at a regional control centre
- approach controllers - manage aircraft as they approach the airport and issue instructions to planes that have just taken off
- aerodrome controllers - work in a control tower, giving clearance to land and take off, and guide pilots to the correct taxi positions on stands and runways
Typically in these roles you could:
- make sure safe distances are maintained between aircraft
- keep in radio contact with flight crew and give out instructions
- prevent collisions between planes and with other obstacles
- handle emergencies
- monitor data
Now look at the job specification below, from the UK government, and consider the demand for the following:
a) different types of thinking skills
b) social, communication, self-management and research skills
c) specific subject knowledge
Are there any skills that particularly surprise you?
Click to reveal job specification
Job specification for Air Traffic Controller
Skills and knowledge[1]
You'll need:
- concentration skills
- knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
- the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- excellent verbal communication skills
- complex problem-solving skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications