The concept of problem-centered teaching and learning in career and technical education has been around for a long time. Critical thinking skills are interwoven into both processes. Also, the processes of problem solving and decision making overlap considerably.
Decisions are often problematic, while problems require one to make decisions of some kind.
Critical thinking skills are used in both processes. The problem solving process utilized in career and technical education stems from the process of John Dewey known as Dewey's Steps in Reflective Thinking. This process has also been referred to as The Chain of Reasoning, The Method of Science, The Learning Process, and The Scientific Method. Students are then led in a discussion of why they need to know this information and are caused to formulate a list of reasons why the need to study the unit. They are then asked to develop a list of study questions they need to answer.