Required skills

communication skills to actively listen and to ask questions of others in a constructive way

critical thinking and problemsolving skills to formulate and ask relevant questions and come up with appropriate answers

comprehension skills to interpret and distil key information of relevance to a given situation

Required knowledge

different types of questions and their relevance to different situations

techniques to assist in forming the habit of asking questions and taking responsibility for answers

typical blockers to the critical thinking process

why questions are important and the benefits of asking good questions for individuals businesses and communities the importance of critical thinking

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential

application of a conscious process of questioning to achieve new understandings

knowledge and understanding of how critical thinking and questioning impacts on individual lives the broader community and work situations

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure

interactions with specific challenges and situations to demonstrate the application of critical thinking this would usually involve interactions with others

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge The following examples are appropriate for this unit

direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of onthejob performance by the candidate

evaluation of a candidate blog exploring different ideas and questions

review of candidate response to scenarios that allow the candidate to apply critical thinking techniques to a particular life or work situation and to demonstrate ability to portray curiosity and exploration of new concepts

evaluation of candidate response to the challenge of adopting different perspectives on a situation and ability to both develop and respond to questions from those perspectives

observation of the candidate participating in a group problemsolving session

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of typical blockers to the critical thinking process

Guidance information for assessment

Critical thinking always occurs in a specific context Therefore holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector workplace and job role is highly recommended Assessors must however retain a strong focus on the critical thinking skills as described in this unit

Value of curiosity and questioning might relate to:

Different types of questions may include questions about:

Questions of self may include:

Questions of others may include:

Situations when too much wondering or questioning may be inappropriate or ineffective may relate to:

Responsibility for answering questions may involve:

Key question to be answered may be determined by:

Information needed to answer the question may be:

Other information may be:

Preconceptions and assumptions may relate to: