From Confusion to Clarity A Holistic Taxonomy and Educational Framework Proposal for Thinking and Th

Thinking is the most important feature that distinguishes humans from other living things. Although it is the focus of many fields of science and many education systems around the world, there is not enough clarity in the literature on the definition of both thinking and thinking skills and their acquisition by individuals. In this article, a clear definition of thinking based on a synthesis of the literature is presented and a model for the classification of thinking skills is proposed to reduce the confusion, repetition, overlap and contradictions in the literature. The classification of thinking skills is proposed as “6+1”, which also has the characteristics of gradualism in terms of frequency of use, scope, speed and complexity, and has different characteristics from each other. The thinking skill expressed as “+1” because it is different from the others in the classification is “metacognitive thinking skill”. This is because metacognitive thinking is a thinking skill directed towards the individual himself/herself. It forms the basis of the others and affects all of them. Other thinking skills refer to thinking about the outside world and are categorized as (1) intuitive thinking, (2) logical thinking, (3) practical thinking, (4) analytical thinking, (5) critical thinking and (6) creative thinking skills respectively. Thinking skills are skills that can be learned and taught, and the places where they can be learned and taught are educational institutions. In this context, programs and systems for the acquisition of thinking skills in educational institutions are discussed, and implications for restructuring education to prioritize thinking are highlighted.