Critical Thinking and Professional Economists' Training

Abstract

In contemporary education, significant emphasis is placed on addressing the challenges of preparing students professionally and cultivating their professional knowledge and skills. It includes navigating the complexities of structuring education to achieve predetermined outcomes systematically. The effectiveness of overseeing the professional development of future economists hinges on various factors, such as ensuring the quality of academic resources, implementing robust scientific and methodological support, organizing seamless logistical and managerial processes, and leveraging advanced information and telecommunication technologies. This multi-faceted approach aims to seamlessly integrate education, research, and innovation, ultimately fostering the development of highly skilled specialists with critical thinking within the economic domain. In light of the importance of cultivating students' critical thinking skills to thrive in the information age, it is imperative to investigate how future economists develop this crucial ability during their professional education. This study examines the various stages of critical thinking development among future economists as they undergo their training. The article highlights the patterns that emerge in these individuals' essential progression of thinking. It demonstrates that, in the realm of professional education, the advancement of critical thinking relies on both fundamental pedagogical principles and specific practices, substantially impacting students' cognitive development. Research has demonstrated that the enhancement of essential thinking skills can be achieved by using IT. These stages include evocative and formative (utilizing problem-solving tasks to foster critical thinking in the study of professional disciplines), individual developmental (engaging in online learning opportunities and training), and quasi-professional (gained through internships and the completion of a qualification paper). While the division into stages is not strict, it provides a framework for cultivating the critical thinking abilities of future economists during their professional training.