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Critical Thinking Cornell Certificate Program

Overview and courses.

Have you ever known a very intelligent person who made a very bad decision?

Critical problem solving is both a discipline and a skill; one that even very smart people can benefit from learning. Careful thought around decisions can help your teams and organizations thrive. And in today’s age of automation, it’s never been a more essential mindset to develop at every level of a company.

In this certificate program, you will practice a disciplined, systematic approach to problem solving. You will learn how to deeply analyze a problem, assess possible solutions and associated risks, and hone your strategic decision-making skills by following a methodology based on tested actions and sound approaches. Whether you’re interested in preparing for a management role or already lead an execution function, you’ll come away better equipped to confidently tackle any decision large or small, make a compelling business case, and apply influence in your organization in a way that creates the optimal conditions for success.

The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

This program includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the most pressing leadership topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events.

Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Course list

Problem-solving using evidence and critical thinking.

Have you ever known a very intelligent person who made a very bad decision? If so, you know that having a high IQ does not guarantee that you automatically make critically thoughtful decisions. Critically thoughtful problem-solving is a discipline and a skill—one that allows you to make decisions that are the product of careful thought, and the results of those decisions help your team and organization thrive.

In this course you will practice a disciplined, systematic approach to problem solving that helps ensure that your analysis of a problem is comprehensive, is based on quality, credible evidence, and takes full and fair account of the most probable counterarguments and risks. The result of this technique is a thoroughly defensible assessment of what the problem is, what is causing it, and the most effective plan of action to address it. Finally, you will identify and frame a problem by assessing its context and develop a well-reasoned and implementable solution that addresses the underlying causes.

Making a Convincing Case for Your Solution

When trying to persuade someone, the tendency is to begin in advocacy mode—for example: “Here's something I want you to agree to.” Most people do not react positively to the feeling of being sold something. The usual reaction is to literally or figuratively start backing up. To make a convincing case, it is more effective to engage with the decision maker as a partner in problem-solving. This makes your counterpart feel less like someone is trying to get them to buy something and more like you are working together to bring about an outcome that is desirable to both parties. Begin by asking yourself: “What is the problem you and the decision maker are solving together?”

By the end of this course, you will have learned how to deeply analyze a problem, possible solutions, and the associated risks as well as the most persuasive and efficient ways of presenting your proposal.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• Solve Problems Using Evidence and Critical Thinking

Strategic Decision Making

The ability to make effective and timely decisions is an essential skill for successful executives. Mastery of this skill influences all aspects of day-to-day operations as well as strategic planning. In this course, developed by Professor Robert Bloomfield, Ph.D. of Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, you will hone your decision-making skills by following a methodology based on tested actions and sound organizational approaches. You will leave this course better equipped to confidently tackle any decision large or small, and you'll do so in a way that creates the optimal conditions for success.

Navigating Power Relationships

Leaders at every level need to be able to execute on their ideas. In virtually every case, this means that leaders need to be able to persuade others to join in this execution. In order to do so, understanding how to create and utilize power in an organization is critical.

In this course, developed by Professor Glen Dowell, Ph.D., of Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, students will focus on their personal relationship with power as well as how power works in their organization and social network.

Project Management Institute (PMI ® ) Continuing Certification : Participants who successfully complete this course will receive 6 Professional Development Units (PDUs) from PMI ® . Please contact PMI ® for details about professional project management certification or recertification.

Interpreting the Behavior of Others

Applying strategic influence.

Being able to influence others is the most fundamental characteristic of an effective leader, but many people in positions of power don't know specifically how they are influencing others' behavior in positive directions. They let it happen by chance or use their formal authority—getting people to do things because “the boss said so.” But as leaders gets promoted within their organization, using formal authority becomes less effective as they not only need to influence subordinates, but also peers, external stakeholders, and superiors.  In this course, Professor Filipowicz explores the three complementary levels of influence. First, you will explore heuristics, or rules of thumb, that people use in order to make decisions. Next, you will learn how to influence through reciprocity by uncovering what the person you want to influence wants and needs. Lastly, you will learn how to alter the social and physical environment in order to get the change in behavior you want. By the end of this course, you'll have the skills to consistently draw out the desired behaviors from your team and from those around you. 

Leadership Symposium   LIVE

Symposium sessions feature three days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Leadership Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium in which we’ll discuss the ways that leaders across industries have continued engaging their teams over the past two years while pivoting in strategic ways. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to relevant topics for leaders. Throughout this Symposium, you will examine different areas of leadership, including innovation, strategy, and engagement. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from various industries.

Upcoming Symposium: June 4-6, 2024 from 11am – 1pm ET

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

How It Works

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Faculty Authors

• Certificates Authored

Risa Mish is professor of practice of management at the Johnson Graduate School of Management. She designed and teaches the MBA Core course in Critical and Strategic Thinking, in addition to teaching courses in leadership and serving as faculty co-director of the Johnson Leadership Fellows program.

She has been the recipient of the MBA Core Faculty Teaching Award, selected by the residential program MBA class to honor the teacher who “best fosters learning through lecture, discussion and course work in the required core curriculum”; the Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the MBA graduating classes to honor a faculty member who “exemplifies outstanding leadership and enduring educational influence”; the “Best Teacher Award”, selected by the graduating class of the Cornell-Tsinghua dual degree MBA/FMBA program offered by Johnson at Cornell and the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University; the Stephen Russell Distinguished Teaching Award, selected by the five-year MBA reunion class to honor a faculty member whose “teaching and example have continued to influence graduates five years into their post-MBA careers”; and the Globe Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the Executive MBA graduating class to honor a faculty member who “demonstrates a command of subject matter and also possesses the creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm essential to meet the unique challenges of an EMBA education.”

Mish serves as a keynote speaker and workshop leader at global, national, and regional conferences for corporations and trade associations in the consumer products, financial services, health care, high tech, media, and manufacturing industries, on a variety of topics, including critical thinking and problem solving, persuasion and influence, and motivating optimal employee performance. Before returning to Cornell, Mish was a partner in the New York City law firm of Collazo Carling & Mish LLP (now Collazo Florentino & Keil LLP), where she represented management clients on a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including defense of employment discrimination claims in federal and state courts and administrative agencies, and in labor arbitrations and negotiations under collective bargaining agreements. Prior to CC&M, Mish was a labor and employment law associate with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City, where she represented Fortune 500 clients in the financial services, consumer products, and manufacturing industries. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and state and federal courts in New York and Massachusetts.

Mish is a member of the board of directors of SmithBucklin Corporation, the world’s largest trade association management company, headquartered in Chicago and TheraCare Corporation, headquartered in New York City. She formerly served as a Trustee of the Tompkins County Public Library, Vice Chair of the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and member of the board of directors of the United Way of Tompkins County.

• Omnichannel Leadership Program
• Corporate Communication
• Intrapreneurship
• Management 360

Critical Thinking

• Performance Leadership
• Executive Leadership
• Change Management

Glen Dowell is an Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University. He researches in the area of corporate sustainability, with a focus on firm environmental performance. Recent projects have investigated the effect of local demographic factors on changes in pollution levels, the role of corporate merger and acquisition in facilitating changes in facility environmental performance, and the relative influence of financial return and disruption on the commercial adoption of energy savings initiatives.

Professor Dowell’s research has been published in Management Science, Organization Studies, Advances in Strategic Management, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management, Industrial and Corporate Change, Journal of Business Ethics, and Administrative Science Quarterly. He is senior editor at Organization Science and co-editor of Strategic Organization, is on the editorial boards of Strategic Management Journal and Administrative Science Quarterly, and represents Cornell on the board of the Alliance for Research in Corporate Sustainability (ARCS). He is also the Division Chair for the Organizations and Natural Environment Division of the Academy of Management.

Professor Dowell teaches Sustainable Global Enterprise and Critical and Strategic Thinking. He is a faculty affiliate for the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and a faculty fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.

• Sustainable Business
• Hotel Management and Owner Relations
• Strategic Healthcare Leadership
• Executive Healthcare Leadership

Since coming to the Johnson Graduate School of Management in 1991, Robert J. Bloomfield has used laboratory experiments to study financial markets and investor behavior. He has also published in all major business disciplines, including finance, accounting, marketing, organizational behavior, and operations research. Professor Bloomfield served as director of the Financial Accounting Standards Research Initiative (FASRI), an activity of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and is an editor of a special issue of Journal of Accounting Research dedicated to Registered Reports of empirical research. Professor Bloomfield has recently taken on editorship of Journal of Financial Reporting, which is pioneering an innovative editorial process intended to broaden the range of research methods used in accounting, improve the quality of research execution, and encourage the honest reporting of findings.

• Management Accounting for Leaders
• Management Accounting

Allan Filipowicz is clinical professor of management and organizations at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Professor Filipowicz’s research focuses on how emotions drive or impede leadership effectiveness, at both the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. Within this domain, he studies the relationship between emotions and risky decision making; the influence of humor on both leadership and negotiation effectiveness; the impact of emotional transitions in negotiations; and the relationship between genes, chronotype (morningness–eveningness) and performance. His work has been published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Forecasting, Creativity Research Journal, Journal of Circadian Rhythms, and Scientific Reports.

Professor Filipowicz teaches Managing and Leading Organizations (recently winning a Best Core Faculty Award), Negotiations, Executive Leadership and Development, Leading Teams, and Critical and Strategic Thinking. He has taught executives across the globe, from Singapore to Europe to the US, with recent clients including Medtronic, Bayer, Google, Pernod Ricard, and Harley-Davidson. Professor Filipowicz received his PhD from Harvard University. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Affairs from the University of Pennsylvania, and degrees in electrical engineering (MEng, BS) and economics (BA) from Cornell University. His professional experience includes banking (Bankers Trust, New York) and consulting, including running his own boutique consulting firm and four years with The Boston Consulting Group in Paris.

• Adaptive Healthcare Strategy
• Negotiation Mastery
• Psychology of Leadership

Key Course Takeaways

• Respond decisively and consistently when faced with situations that require a decision
• Assess the context of the problem
• Summarize your analysis of the problem
• Analyze potential solutions from multiple perspectives
• Build a compelling business case for your solution
• Improve your ability to exercise influence in your organization and activate your network to achieve goals
• Establish responsibilities and accountabilities to ensure effective follow-through on decisions made

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What You'll Earn

• Critical Thinking Certificate from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management
• 60 Professional Development Hours (6 CEUs)
• 38 Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward PMI recertification
• 30 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification
• 30 Credit hours towards HRCI recertification

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Who should enroll.

• C-level executives, VPs, managers
• Industry leaders with 2-10+ years experience
• Mid-level professionals looking to move into leadership roles
• Engineers and designers leading projects
• Consultants or analysts
• Anyone whose work involves devising, proposing, and defending evidence-based solutions

“eCornell puts you in control of your education entrepreneurship. It allows you to choose what you need to learn and how you need to learn it at the right time.”

Request information now by completing the form below..

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Join us for the 44th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking - Entirely Online, July 21-26, 2024

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Early Bird Rates are available through May 31st. Members of the  Center for Critical Thinking Community Online : please email us for another 20% off. Conference runs entirely online, July 21-26, 2024.  

Call for Proposals

We need your voice! Submit a proposal to present at The 44th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking . Proposals are due May 31st by midnight PDT.

Critical Thinking Podcast

Only in the Center for Critical Thinking Community Online . Join Drs. Linda Elder and Gerald Nosich, international authorities on critical thinking, as they break new ground in the podcast Critical Thinking: Going Deeper .

Free Webinar: Creating Study Groups for Intellectual and Personal Development

Join Dr. Linda Elder as she discusses the methodologies she has used in leading two long-term study groups for two and five years respectively. Participants in this webinar workshop will be invited to join our next study group. June 5th, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Custom Online Intensive Workshops & Short Courses for Your Institution or Business

The Foundation for Critical Thinking offers customized webinars and twelve-week online training programs on critical thinking in a multitude of topics, enabling us to custom-design a learning experience for your institution based on your needs and goals.

Full-Semester Courses in Critical Thinking

Fall 2024 Registration Open Now. Study under the guidance of a first-generation Paulian Scholar from the comfort of your home or office! Complete coursework on your own time with continual feedback.

I found that I was fitted for nothing so well as for the study of Truth . . . with desire to seek, patience to doubt, fondness to meditate, slowness to assert, readiness to consider, carefulness to dispose and set in order . . . being a man that neither affects what is new nor admires what is old, and that hates every kind of imposture.

~ francis bacon (1605), our mission.

For more than 40 years, our goal has been to promote essential change in education and society by cultivating fairminded critical thinking — thinking which embodies intellectual empathy, intellectual humility, intellectual perseverance, intellectual integrity, and intellectual responsibility.

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Article • 8 min read

Critical Thinking

Developing the right mindset and skills.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

We make hundreds of decisions every day and, whether we realize it or not, we're all critical thinkers.

We use critical thinking each time we weigh up our options, prioritize our responsibilities, or think about the likely effects of our actions. It's a crucial skill that helps us to cut out misinformation and make wise decisions. The trouble is, we're not always very good at it!

In this article, we'll explore the key skills that you need to develop your critical thinking skills, and how to adopt a critical thinking mindset, so that you can make well-informed decisions.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions, and beliefs. You'll need to actively question every step of your thinking process to do it well.

Collecting, analyzing and evaluating information is an important skill in life, and a highly valued asset in the workplace. People who score highly in critical thinking assessments are also rated by their managers as having good problem-solving skills, creativity, strong decision-making skills, and good overall performance. [1]

Key Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinkers possess a set of key characteristics which help them to question information and their own thinking. Focus on the following areas to develop your critical thinking skills:

Being willing and able to explore alternative approaches and experimental ideas is crucial. Can you think through "what if" scenarios, create plausible options, and test out your theories? If not, you'll tend to write off ideas and options too soon, so you may miss the best answer to your situation.

To nurture your curiosity, stay up to date with facts and trends. You'll overlook important information if you allow yourself to become "blinkered," so always be open to new information.

But don't stop there! Look for opposing views or evidence to challenge your information, and seek clarification when things are unclear. This will help you to reassess your beliefs and make a well-informed decision later. Read our article, Opening Closed Minds , for more ways to stay receptive.

Logical Thinking

You must be skilled at reasoning and extending logic to come up with plausible options or outcomes.

It's also important to emphasize logic over emotion. Emotion can be motivating but it can also lead you to take hasty and unwise action, so control your emotions and be cautious in your judgments. Know when a conclusion is "fact" and when it is not. "Could-be-true" conclusions are based on assumptions and must be tested further. Read our article, Logical Fallacies , for help with this.

Use creative problem solving to balance cold logic. By thinking outside of the box you can identify new possible outcomes by using pieces of information that you already have.

Self-Awareness

Many of the decisions we make in life are subtly informed by our values and beliefs. These influences are called cognitive biases and it can be difficult to identify them in ourselves because they're often subconscious.

Practicing self-awareness will allow you to reflect on the beliefs you have and the choices you make. You'll then be better equipped to challenge your own thinking and make improved, unbiased decisions.

One particularly useful tool for critical thinking is the Ladder of Inference . It allows you to test and validate your thinking process, rather than jumping to poorly supported conclusions.

Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

Combine the above skills with the right mindset so that you can make better decisions and adopt more effective courses of action. You can develop your critical thinking mindset by following this process:

Gather Information

First, collect data, opinions and facts on the issue that you need to solve. Draw on what you already know, and turn to new sources of information to help inform your understanding. Consider what gaps there are in your knowledge and seek to fill them. And look for information that challenges your assumptions and beliefs.

Be sure to verify the authority and authenticity of your sources. Not everything you read is true! Use this checklist to ensure that your information is valid:

• Are your information sources trustworthy ? (For example, well-respected authors, trusted colleagues or peers, recognized industry publications, websites, blogs, etc.)
• Is the information you have gathered up to date ?
• Has the information received any direct criticism ?
• Does the information have any errors or inaccuracies ?
• Is there any evidence to support or corroborate the information you have gathered?
• Is the information you have gathered subjective or biased in any way? (For example, is it based on opinion, rather than fact? Is any of the information you have gathered designed to promote a particular service or organization?)

If any information appears to be irrelevant or invalid, don't include it in your decision making. But don't omit information just because you disagree with it, or your final decision will be flawed and bias.

Now observe the information you have gathered, and interpret it. What are the key findings and main takeaways? What does the evidence point to? Start to build one or two possible arguments based on what you have found.

You'll need to look for the details within the mass of information, so use your powers of observation to identify any patterns or similarities. You can then analyze and extend these trends to make sensible predictions about the future.

To help you to sift through the multiple ideas and theories, it can be useful to group and order items according to their characteristics. From here, you can compare and contrast the different items. And once you've determined how similar or different things are from one another, Paired Comparison Analysis can help you to analyze them.

The final step involves challenging the information and rationalizing its arguments.

Apply the laws of reason (induction, deduction, analogy) to judge an argument and determine its merits. To do this, it's essential that you can determine the significance and validity of an argument to put it in the correct perspective. Take a look at our article, Rational Thinking , for more information about how to do this.

Once you have considered all of the arguments and options rationally, you can finally make an informed decision.

Afterward, take time to reflect on what you have learned and what you found challenging. Step back from the detail of your decision or problem, and look at the bigger picture. Record what you've learned from your observations and experience.

Critical thinking involves rigorously and skilfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. It's a useful skill in the workplace and in life.

You'll need to be curious and creative to explore alternative possibilities, but rational to apply logic, and self-aware to identify when your beliefs could affect your decisions or actions.

You can demonstrate a high level of critical thinking by validating your information, analyzing its meaning, and finally evaluating the argument.

Critical Thinking Infographic

See Critical Thinking represented in our infographic: An Elementary Guide to Critical Thinking .

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Course details

An introduction to critical thinking.

This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.

In print, online and in conversation, we frequently encounter conflicting views on important issues: from climate change, vaccinations and current political events to economic policy, healthy lifestyles and parenting. It can be difficult to know how to make up one’s own mind when confronted with such diverse viewpoints.

This course teaches you how to critically engage with different points of view. You are given some guidelines that will help you decide to what extent to trust the person, organisation, website or publication defending a certain position. You are also shown how to assess others’ views and arrive at your own point of view through reasoning. We discuss examples of both reasoning about facts and the reasoning required in making practical decisions. We distinguish risky inferences with probable conclusions from risk-free inferences with certain conclusions. You are shown how to spot and avoid common mistakes in reasoning. 

No previous knowledge of critical thinking or logic is needed. This course will be enjoyed by those who relish the challenge of thinking rationally and learning new skills. The skills and concepts taught will also be useful when studying other areas of philosophy.

Programme details

Term Starts:  23rd April 2024

Week 1: What is critical thinking? What is the difference between reasoning and other ways of forming beliefs?

Week 2: What is a logical argument? How do arguments differ from conditionals, explanations and rhetoric?

Week 3: Certainty versus probability: the distinction between deductive and inductive reasoning.

Week 4: Deductive validity and logical form. 

Week 5: When do arguments rely on hidden premises? A closer look at probability. 

Week 6: Inductive generalisations: Reasoning from samples. 

Week 7: Reasoning about causes and inference to the best explanation.

Week 8: Practical reasoning: Reasoning about what to do.

Week 9: When is it appropriate to believe what others tell you? What is the significance of expertise?

Week 10: Putting it all together: We analyse and assess longer passages of reasoning.

Recommended reading

All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.

There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.

Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO , the library catalogue.

Preparatory reading

• Critical Reasoning: A Romp Through the Foothills of Logic for Complete Beginners / Talbot, M
• Critical Thinking : An Introduction to Reasoning Well / Watson, J C and Arp R

Recommended Reading List

Digital Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Dr Andrea Lechler

Andrea Lechler holds a degree in Computational Linguistics, an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, and an MA and PhD in Philosophy. She has extensive experience of teaching philosophy for OUDCE and other institutions. Her website is www.andrealechler.com. 

Course aims

To help students improve their critical thinking skills.    

Course Objectives:

• To help students reflect on how people reason and how they try to persuade others of their views.
• To make students familiar with the principles underlying different types of good reasoning as well as common mistakes in reasoning.
• To present some guidelines for identifying trustworthy sources of information.

Teaching methods

The tutor will present the course content in an interactive way using plenty of examples and exercises. Students are encouraged to ask questions and participate in class discussions and group work. To consolidate their understanding of the subject they will be assigned further exercises as homework.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

• be able to pick out and analyse passages of reasoning in texts and conversations
• understand the most important ways of assessing the cogency of such reasoning
• know how to assess the trustworthiness of possible sources of information.

Assessment methods

Assessment is based on a set of exercises similar to those discussed in class. One set of homework exercises can be submitted as a practice assignment.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an  enrolment form (Word)  or  enrolment form (Pdf) .

Level and demands

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

PHIL102: Introduction to Critical Thinking and Logic

Course introduction.

• Time: 40 hours
• College Credit Recommended ($25 Proctor Fee) -->
• Free Certificate

The course touches upon a wide range of reasoning skills, from verbal argument analysis to formal logic, visual and statistical reasoning, scientific methodology, and creative thinking. Mastering these skills will help you become a more perceptive reader and listener, a more persuasive writer and presenter, and a more effective researcher and scientist.

The first unit introduces the terrain of critical thinking and covers the basics of meaning analysis, while the second unit provides a primer for analyzing arguments. All of the material in these first units will be built upon in subsequent units, which cover informal and formal logic, Venn diagrams, scientific reasoning, and strategic and creative thinking.

Course Syllabus

First, read the course syllabus. Then, enroll in the course by clicking "Enroll me". Click Unit 1 to read its introduction and learning outcomes. You will then see the learning materials and instructions on how to use them.

Unit 1: Introduction and Meaning Analysis

Critical thinking is a broad classification for a diverse array of reasoning techniques. In general, critical thinking works by breaking arguments and claims down to their basic underlying structure so we can see them clearly and determine whether they are rational. The idea is to help us do a better job of understanding and evaluating what we read, what we hear, and what we write and say.

In this unit, we will define the broad contours of critical thinking and learn why it is a valuable and useful object of study. We will also introduce the fundamentals of meaning analysis: the difference between literal meaning and implication, the principles of definition, how to identify when a disagreement is merely verbal, the distinction between necessary and sufficient conditions, and problems with the imprecision of ordinary language.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.

Unit 2: Argument Analysis

Arguments are the fundamental components of all rational discourse: nearly everything we read and write, like scientific reports, newspaper columns, and personal letters, as well as most of our verbal conversations, contain arguments. Picking the arguments out from the rest of our often convoluted discourse can be difficult. Once we have identified an argument, we still need to determine whether or not it is sound. Luckily, arguments obey a set of formal rules that we can use to determine whether they are good or bad.

In this unit, you will learn how to identify arguments, what makes an argument sound as opposed to unsound or merely valid, the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning, and how to map arguments to reveal their structure.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.

Unit 3: Basic Sentential Logic

This unit introduces a topic that many students find intimidating: formal logic. Although it sounds difficult and complicated, formal (or symbolic) logic is actually a fairly straightforward way of revealing the structure of reasoning. By translating arguments into symbols, you can more readily see what is right and wrong with them and learn how to formulate better arguments. Advanced courses in formal logic focus on using rules of inference to construct elaborate proofs. Using these techniques, you can solve many complicated problems simply by manipulating symbols on the page. In this course, however, you will only be looking at the most basic properties of a system of logic. In this unit, you will learn how to turn phrases in ordinary language into well-formed formulas, draw truth tables for formulas, and evaluate arguments using those truth tables.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 13 hours.

Unit 4: Venn Diagrams

In addition to using predicate logic, the limitations of sentential logic can also be overcome by using Venn diagrams to illustrate statements and arguments. Statements that include general words like "some" or "few" as well as absolute words like "every" and "all" – so-called categorical statements – lend themselves to being represented on paper as circles that may or may not overlap.

Venn diagrams are especially helpful when dealing with logical arguments called syllogisms. Syllogisms are a special type of three-step argument with two premises and a conclusion, which involve quantifying terms. In this unit, you will learn the basic principles of Venn diagrams, how to use them to represent statements, and how to use them to evaluate arguments.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.

Unit 5: Fallacies

Now that you have studied the necessary structure of a good argument and can represent its structure visually, you might think it would be simple to pick out bad arguments. However, identifying bad arguments can be very tricky in practice. Very often, what at first appears to be ironclad reasoning turns out to contain one or more subtle errors.

Fortunately, there are many easily identifiable fallacies (mistakes of reasoning) that you can learn to recognize by their structure or content. In this unit, you will learn about the nature of fallacies, look at a couple of different ways of classifying them, and spend some time dealing with the most common fallacies in detail.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

Unit 6: Scientific Reasoning

Unlike the syllogistic arguments you explored in the last unit, which are a form of deductive argument, scientific reasoning is empirical. This means that it depends on observation and evidence, not logical principles. Although some principles of deductive reasoning do apply in science, such as the principle of contradiction, scientific arguments are often inductive. For this reason, science often deals with confirmation and disconfirmation.

Nonetheless, there are general guidelines about what constitutes good scientific reasoning, and scientists are trained to be critical of their inferences and those of others in the scientific community. In this unit, you will investigate some standard methods of scientific reasoning, some principles of confirmation and disconfirmation, and some techniques for identifying and reasoning about causation.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.

Unit 7: Strategic Reasoning and Creativity

While most of this course has focused on the types of reasoning necessary to critique and evaluate existing knowledge or to extend our knowledge following correct procedures and rules, an enormous branch of our reasoning practice runs in the opposite direction. Strategic reasoning, problem-solving, and creative thinking all rely on an ineffable component of novelty supplied by the thinker.

Despite their seemingly mystical nature, problem-solving and creative thinking are best approached by following tried and tested procedures that prompt our cognitive faculties to produce new ideas and solutions by extending our existing knowledge. In this unit, you will investigate problem-solving techniques, representing complex problems visually, making decisions in risky and uncertain scenarios, and creative thinking in general.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

Study Guide

This study guide will help you get ready for the final exam. It discusses the key topics in each unit, walks through the learning outcomes, and lists important vocabulary terms. It is not meant to replace the course materials!

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Critical Thinking reviews

In this class, students will learn how to think more critically by questioning assumptions and biases and being aware of fallacies. Students will learn to interpret and write deductive and inductive arguments and apply to real-life situations.

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3.0 semester credits

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important

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Critical Thinking: A Simple Guide and Why It’s Important was originally published on Ivy Exec .

Strong critical thinking skills are crucial for career success, regardless of educational background. It embodies the ability to engage in astute and effective decision-making, lending invaluable dimensions to professional growth.

At its essence, critical thinking is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in a logical and reasoned manner. It’s not merely about accumulating knowledge but harnessing it effectively to make informed decisions and solve complex problems. In the dynamic landscape of modern careers, honing this skill is paramount.

The Impact of Critical Thinking on Your Career

☑ problem-solving mastery.

Visualize critical thinking as the Sherlock Holmes of your career journey. It facilitates swift problem resolution akin to a detective unraveling a mystery. By methodically analyzing situations and deconstructing complexities, critical thinkers emerge as adept problem solvers, rendering them invaluable assets in the workplace.

☑ Refined Decision-Making

Navigating dilemmas in your career path resembles traversing uncertain terrain. Critical thinking acts as a dependable GPS, steering you toward informed decisions. It involves weighing options, evaluating potential outcomes, and confidently choosing the most favorable path forward.

☑ Enhanced Teamwork Dynamics

Within collaborative settings, critical thinkers stand out as proactive contributors. They engage in scrutinizing ideas, proposing enhancements, and fostering meaningful contributions. Consequently, the team evolves into a dynamic hub of ideas, with the critical thinker recognized as the architect behind its success.

☑ Communication Prowess

Effective communication is the cornerstone of professional interactions. Critical thinking enriches communication skills, enabling the clear and logical articulation of ideas. Whether in emails, presentations, or casual conversations, individuals adept in critical thinking exude clarity, earning appreciation for their ability to convey thoughts seamlessly.

☑ Adaptability and Resilience

Perceptive individuals adept in critical thinking display resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges. Instead of succumbing to panic, they assess situations, recalibrate their approaches, and persist in moving forward despite adversity.

☑ Fostering Innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of progressive organizations, and critical thinking serves as its catalyst. Proficient critical thinkers possess the ability to identify overlooked opportunities, propose inventive solutions, and streamline processes, thereby positioning their organizations at the forefront of innovation.

☑ Confidence Amplification

Critical thinkers exude confidence derived from honing their analytical skills. This self-assurance radiates during job interviews, presentations, and daily interactions, catching the attention of superiors and propelling career advancement.

So, how can one cultivate and harness this invaluable skill?

✅ developing curiosity and inquisitiveness:.

Embrace a curious mindset by questioning the status quo and exploring topics beyond your immediate scope. Cultivate an inquisitive approach to everyday situations. Encourage a habit of asking “why” and “how” to deepen understanding. Curiosity fuels the desire to seek information and alternative perspectives.

✅ Practice Reflection and Self-Awareness:

Engage in reflective thinking by assessing your thoughts, actions, and decisions. Regularly introspect to understand your biases, assumptions, and cognitive processes. Cultivate self-awareness to recognize personal prejudices or cognitive biases that might influence your thinking. This allows for a more objective analysis of situations.

✅ Strengthening Analytical Skills:

Practice breaking down complex problems into manageable components. Analyze each part systematically to understand the whole picture. Develop skills in data analysis, statistics, and logical reasoning. This includes understanding correlation versus causation, interpreting graphs, and evaluating statistical significance.

✅ Engaging in Active Listening and Observation:

Actively listen to diverse viewpoints without immediately forming judgments. Allow others to express their ideas fully before responding. Observe situations attentively, noticing details that others might overlook. This habit enhances your ability to analyze problems more comprehensively.

✅ Encouraging Intellectual Humility and Open-Mindedness:

Foster intellectual humility by acknowledging that you don’t know everything. Be open to learning from others, regardless of their position or expertise. Cultivate open-mindedness by actively seeking out perspectives different from your own. Engage in discussions with people holding diverse opinions to broaden your understanding.

✅ Practicing Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:

Engage in regular problem-solving exercises that challenge you to think creatively and analytically. This can include puzzles, riddles, or real-world scenarios. When making decisions, consciously evaluate available information, consider various alternatives, and anticipate potential outcomes before reaching a conclusion.

✅ Continuous Learning and Exposure to Varied Content:

Read extensively across diverse subjects and formats, exposing yourself to different viewpoints, cultures, and ways of thinking. Engage in courses, workshops, or seminars that stimulate critical thinking skills. Seek out opportunities for learning that challenge your existing beliefs.

✅ Engage in Constructive Disagreement and Debate:

Encourage healthy debates and discussions where differing opinions are respectfully debated.

This practice fosters the ability to defend your viewpoints logically while also being open to changing your perspective based on valid arguments. Embrace disagreement as an opportunity to learn rather than a conflict to win. Engaging in constructive debate sharpens your ability to evaluate and counter-arguments effectively.

✅ Utilize Problem-Based Learning and Real-World Applications:

Engage in problem-based learning activities that simulate real-world challenges. Work on projects or scenarios that require critical thinking skills to develop practical problem-solving approaches. Apply critical thinking in real-life situations whenever possible.

This could involve analyzing news articles, evaluating product reviews, or dissecting marketing strategies to understand their underlying rationale.

In conclusion, critical thinking is the linchpin of a successful career journey. It empowers individuals to navigate complexities, make informed decisions, and innovate in their respective domains. Embracing and honing this skill isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity in a world where adaptability and sound judgment reign supreme.

So, as you traverse your career path, remember that the ability to think critically is not just an asset but the differentiator that propels you toward excellence.

Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
• What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

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A Curriculum That Prepares Future Leaders

• In a DEI course, students are invited to study a religion other than their own so they can educate themselves about unfamiliar cultures and traditions.
• To practice social and moral responsibility, students immerse themselves in social issues they care about and devise potential solutions.
• As they develop leadership skills, students learn to identify their biases, understand their mental models, and practice empathy.

  Despite all the comments that poke fun at Generation Z, we have to admit that current higher education students face a huge challenge: They don’t know what they will end up doing for a living.

In today’s business world, business operations transcend borders, artificial intelligence increasingly drives services, and many professions are becoming obsolete or being replaced by automation. Students who are preparing for the career leap may find their future income options quite grim.

It is therefore not surprising that these youngsters increasingly question the value of formal education, especially when a role model such as Elon Musk expresses the opinion that a college education is unnecessary for actual learning. Musk is right when he says that most information is available for free on the internet. Where he misses the interpretational boat, however, is in describing the intangibles of higher education.

Going to college has never been about listening to lectures and passing tests. Those actions are the means toward the preliminary end of earning a degree—but their true value lies in the fact that they lead to a longer-term payoff. When students get a college education, they learn the one skill that is not attainable through self-taught processes: critical thinking.

Critical thinking helps individuals sort through the many loads of information thrown at them and enables them to choose one course of action over another. Business students gain this skill in interdisciplinary classroom settings where subjects such as finance, management, accounting, and marketing are entwined with insights from psychology, philosophy, economics, and ethics.

Over time, students will forget the things they learned in class. But once they have mastered the ability to think critically, they will continue to develop the skill. They will understand the risks of falling prey to biased thinking or adhering to inadequate mental models. Once they realize that their vision of the world is not the only one—and not necessarily the most constructive one—they might become more open to self-examination. They will be more likely to adopt the mindsets that can elevate their future performance and well-being.

A New Curricular Core

Because times, needs, and social constructs are changing, business schools should consider critical evolutions in the curriculum. It still makes sense to teach first-year students the foundations of business education, such as the POLC framework (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) and the four P’s of marketing (product, price, place, and promotion).

Over time, students will forget the things they learned in class. But once they have mastered the ability to think critically, they will continue to develop the skill.

But I believe it is at least equally important for us to prepare our students to engage in synergistic collaboration with people who come from different cultures and have divergent mindsets. After all, today’s workforce is composed of people with diverse and varied backgrounds.

To that end, I suggest that all business schools make sure their undergraduate and graduate programs include classes on three essential topics: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); social and moral responsibility; and leadership.

Exploring the Case for DEI

Today’s students are less impressed by learning theoretical concepts, so any DEI course should include elements of action learning. It also should challenge students to step outside their comfort zones to learn about cultures or traditions that are not their own.

At Woodbury University in Los Angeles, I taught a course in which I required students to learn about a religion that they had not been exposed to earlier but about which they felt some curiosity. In larger classes, I sometimes had multiple students selecting similar religions, but I found that this exercise still worked better as an individual assignment than as a group task. Students had to connect with established groups practicing the religion, learn about important traditions by conducting interviews or attending gatherings, and sometimes do additional research. Students then made formal presentations to the class.

It was fascinating to hear a Christian discuss Buddhism, a Muslim talk about Daoism, and a Hindu share knowledge about Judaism. Students frequently highlighted commonalities with and differences from their own religions, and most of them came away with new respect for traditions that were “other” to them.

As an educator, I found that this exercise not merely opened minds but also paved the way for greater receptiveness to cross-cultural differences. I learned something from each exercise as well—and what is more enriching than learning while you teach?

Working Toward the Common Good

I believe the topic of social and moral responsibility also should be presented as an experiential journey. At Woodbury, we give students opportunities to identify and address social issues they care about. Over the past nine years, these opportunities have been offered in the Business Ethics course in our BBA program and the Ethical Leadership course in our MBA. At both levels, students work within what we call the Responsibility Action Triangle.

In the first layer of the triangle, students identify their topics of interest, which might include helping the homeless, alleviating hunger, supporting animals, caring for the elderly, aiding disabled veterans, planting trees, creating neighborhood gardens, or cleansing the environment. Among Woodbury students, I have noticed that the social cause of poverty alleviation has been the absolute leader. Once students have chosen their areas of focus, they conduct research so they understand the scope of the problem and can back up their knowledge with statistics.

In the second layer, they develop a profile of an organization that addresses the problem. My students frequently connect with local groups that can always use helping hands, such as the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND), or the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition. Over time, instructors learn which organizations are more accessible, so they can help students avoid frustrating red tape.

In the third layer, students come up with strategies to improve the situation, which often includes working with an existing nonprofit. In those cases, students interview its spokesperson and choose days when they can serve as volunteers. During this time, they also chronicle their own involvement so they can make presentations to the class in which they describe their intentions, actions, and reflections.

Some students become deeply involved in the organizations they have chosen for their class projects. Others start nonprofits of their own after graduation. The power of such exercises does not lie in the short-term good students can do during the course of a single semester, but in the experience they gain and the paradigm shift it instigates in their own perspectives.

Learning the Keys to Leadership

I believe leadership can be an overarching theme in most business disciplines because it helps students develop the skill of critical thinking. The following elements of leadership can be infused into many types of courses:

Understanding and identifying biases. Because biases form an element of the decision-making process, they should be examined in any course that is related to human interactions, including DEI, leadership, ethics, and entrepreneurship. When students are recurrently encouraged to be aware of their personal blind spots, they are more likely to address them.

Understanding our mental models. All of us construct mental models—our own interpretations of how the world works. Many of these models are influenced by our upbringing, our cultures, and our beliefs. They serve as practical bridges between what we know and what we are currently experiencing, so they allow us to make quick decisions. However, they also reflect our implicit biases. This means that when we do not examine our mental models, we might make discriminatory and shortsighted decisions that could harm ourselves, our organizations, and society as a whole.

As with bias, mental models can be discussed in many business classes, especially those on organizational behavior, leadership, human resources, and change and conflict. For instance, when I am discussing how to handle conflict at work or deal with in-groups and out-groups, I can point out how team clusters emerge. I can remind students that it is common for individuals to exclude or mistrust others solely based on external features or assumptions—and encourage them to challenge the mental models that lead us to these conclusions.

Because biases form an element of the decision-making process, they should be examined in any course that is related to human interactions.

Practicing empathy. Some business leaders frown on the notion of exhibiting empathy, because they fear that an empathetic manager could be overrun by employees. Instructors also worry that, if they are too compassionate, students will try to take advantage of them. But leaders can be both empathetic and firm.

Instructors can model that balanced behavior by listening actively to students who have problems, and even creating special accommodations as needed. However, even caring instructors will not hand out A’s if troubled students do poor work.

When students complain to me because they received low grades, even when they did not perform well, I gently explain that business education is designed to prepare them for successful performance in the work world. It is my moral duty to assist them to become the best they can be—by listening to and understanding their problems while being honest about how they need to improve. By being both empathetic and firm, I teach students to treat their employees in a similar fashion.

Bracing for the Future

Critical thinking is the skill that will serve students best as they graduate into an uncertain and evolving business world. One reason that world will be so unpredictable is that none of us are sure how it will be shaped by generative AI (GenAI), which enables users to create high-quality text, graphics, and videos in a matter of seconds.

Educators have multiple concerns about the advent of GenAI in the classroom. For instance, how can they be sure students are submitting work that is actually theirs? If students are abundantly applying AI, have they actually mastered the desired skill? Most schools are already exploring ways to address these questions.

However, the larger issue might be: How will AI change employment opportunities for upcoming generations? There, the answer will only be revealed over time.

But as more of our students learn to embrace technology and prepare themselves to work in tech-heavy workplaces, I think business schools have one clear obligation. We must help leaders be the best they can be. In all of our courses, we must focus on the most important leadership responsibility we have. We must teach our students how to balance their enthusiasm for AI’s features and financial advantages with a desire to safeguard the planet. As they hone their critical thinking skills, they will be ready not only to stay in step with an evolving labor market, but also to protect our world on behalf of those from whom we have the planet on loan: our descendants.

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Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills

by Public Contracting Institute | May 14, 2024

This seminar is specifically designed for senior acquisition professionals. Negotiation is an essential skill for acquisition professionals. Successful negotiation requires more than communication and persuasion skills; it demands critical thinking abilities to analyze situations, assess information, and make strategic decisions. This seminar aims to equip these acquisition professionals with the tools and techniques of critical thinking necessary to do their jobs successfully.

Instructor: Alland Leandre

Acquisition professionals represent the linchpin of government. They oversee buying and negotiating. They understand the fundamentals of critical thinking and its significance in negotiation. This seminar is designed to enhance their skills in analyzing information critically during bargaining. They will learn techniques for identifying biases and fallacies in proposals. It will also improve their problem-solving abilities to address challenges encountered while performing their work and cultivate strategies for effective decision-making in negotiation scenarios.

Seminar attendees are expected to participate actively in all sessions and group activities. The group activity is a case study discussion designed to apply the principles of critical thinking and develop Critical Thinking Skills using the case study methodology.

• 1.0 Introduction to Critical Thinking
• 2.1 Identifying and defining problems
• 2.2 Gathering and evaluating evidence
• 2.3 Analyzing assumptions and biases
• 2.4 Drawing Logical Conclusions
• 3.1 Gathering relevant information
• 3.2 Evaluating information and evidence
• 3.3 Generating and analyzing possible solutions
• 3.4 Making Informed Decisions
• 4.1 Types of questions that stimulate critical thinking (e.g., open-ended questions, probing questions)
• 5.0 Case discussion to practice asking key questions to stimulate critical thinking and to develop Critical Thinking Skills
• 6.1 Recognizing different types of arguments (deductive, inductive, etc.)
• 6.2 Evaluating the strength and validity of arguments
• 7.0 Introduction to problem-solving frameworks (e.g., SWOT analysis, root cause analysis)
• 8.1 Exploring the relationship between critical thinking, creativity, and innovation
• 8.2 Techniques for fostering creativity and thinking outside the box.
• 9.1 Generating innovative solutions to challenges
• 9.2 Understanding common decision-making biases and fallacies
• 10.1 Participants work in groups to analyze the case, apply critical thinking techniques, and make informed decisions. Part 2 of Case Discussion to Apply problem-solving techniques to real-world Scenarios.
• 10.2 Wrap-Up / Reflection and Action Planning

Seminar Requirements

• Attend the entire seminar for 2.5 hours.
• Be respectful and courteous to your instructor and classmates.
• Complete a survey on the seminar regarding what was learned and what can be improved.
• Participate in class (ask questions, make comments, contribute to discussions regarding the case study narrative, take notes, and participate in group discussions.
• Come prepared to discuss both cases.

Case Study: https://publiccontractinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/Solomon-and-Critical-Thinking.pdf Slides: https://publiccontractinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/Enhancing-your-Critical-Thinking-Skills.pdf Recording: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6989977387395830368

Course Content

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

This article is part of the research topic.

Research on Teaching Strategies and Skills in Different Educational Stages

Shaping Future-Ready Graduates with Mindset Shifts: Studying the Impact of Integrating Critical and Design Thinking in Design Innovation Education Provisionally Accepted

• 1 Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

In an era marked by rapid change and complex global challenges, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are tasked with preparing students to navigate and address these evolving demands. This paper explores the critical role of Higher Education (HE) in equipping students with the necessary skills and mindsets to tackle real-world problems through innovative solutions. Integrating critical thinking and design thinking within a Design Innovation module is central to this exploration. The study is undergirded by a conceptual framework that blends critical, design, and futures thinking, focusing exclusively in this paper on applying critical thinking (CT) and design thinking (DT). The research investigates two primary questions: (1) How do students' DT and CT mindsets change after participation in a Design Innovation module? (2) Is CT a prerequisite for developing DT? This study aims to illuminate the shifts in students' mindsets from before to after the completion of the module, highlighting the importance of developing key dispositions for ethical and socially responsible problem-solving. Results show a statistically significant increase in CT and DT disposition scores from pre-to post-test, suggesting a shift to more positive CT and DT mindsets after going through the Design Innovation module. In addition, a significant moderation effect of pre-test CT mindset on the relationship between pre-test and post-test DT mindset scores was observed, implying that CT was a prerequisite for DT. The findings offer insights into the module's effectiveness in fostering future-ready graduates' thinking capabilities on innovating for real-world challenges and highlight the need for our future-ready students to achieve critical competence and creative confidence. Finally, we conclude the paper with recommendations for educators to integrate CT skill development intentionally and in tandem with DT skill development for a balanced approach to developing critical competence and creative confidence in interdisciplinary courses.

Keywords: Critical Thinking, design thinking, Design innovation, 21st-century skills and dispositions, interdisciplinary learning A. Tolerance for -Being comfortable with Ambiguity -Uncertainty

Received: 19 Dec 2023; Accepted: 15 May 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Patel, Puah and Kok. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Dr. Nadya S. Patel, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore, Singapore

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• Inclusion & Diversity in the Classroom – Teaching Empathy, Mindfulness & Critical Thinking – Split, Croatia

 Inclusion & Diversity in the Classroom – Teaching Empathy, Mindfulness & Critical Thinking – Split, Croatia

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Teaching Empathy, Mindfulness & Critical Thinking

This course promotes intercultural education by modelling empathy in a mindful classroom. We will look into the thought process and seek gratitude in living in the present. The concept of ‘reaction vs response’ will be presented to promote a friendlier working environment and reduce bullying. Open-mindnedness will be mirrored in our study of critical thinking and the need for better conversation.

The course also looks at soft skills development in the classroom. Reinforcing collaboration and teamwork is the cornerstone of promoting true inclusion and recognizing integration of versatility & special needs. By promoting and celebrating cultural diversity in our schools, we make an important step towards bringing social change. The course will be discussing challenges, best practices as well as promoting mindful values toward proper inclusion.

Our resident psychologist and Mindfulness instructor, Dario Caljkusic, holds an Honors degree from Lewis & Clark College, in Portland, Ore, USA. His course is both engaging and thought-provoking, entertaining yet introspective. As our former course participants Jane, Mette, Ditte & Lise-Lotte from Denmark wrote about Dario: “Thank you so much for the most exciting course. You have been fantastic, motivating teacher.”

THE COURSE FEE INCLUDES:

• Free Split walking tour;
• Full programme of study sessions ( minimum 35 hours per week );
• Course materials;
• Certificate of attendance;
• Learning Agreement
• Quality Agreement;
• Visits to local institutions;
• Personalized support;
• Expertise of Local Representative on location during the mobility;
• Free WIFI internet;
• Coffee and tea breaks;
• Administration costs.

Join us in Split, Croatia and experience proper diversity at its best.

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Offered by: College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences, Sociology Department

The Criminology major is a program that focuses on the systematic study of crime as a socio-pathological phenomenon, the behavior of criminals, and the social institutions involved to respond to crime. The Criminology major includes instruction in the theory of crime, psychological and social bases of criminal behavior, social value systems and the theory of punishment, criminal law and criminal justice systems, penology, rehabilitation and recidivism, studies of specific types of crime, social attitudes and policy, and applications to specific issues in law enforcement administration and policy.  

The curriculum matrix for the degree program may be found here . The curriculum matrix is the alignment of courses (curriculum) with the desired goals and student learning outcomes of the program. It shows what is taught and how these outcomes are achieved through the completion of the degree program.

NOTE: No double majoring is allowed within the department because there is too much curricular overlap.  However, students can minor across the department, but are not allowed to double count courses between the major and minor, unless a particular course is required of both the major and minor.

Major Required: 29 units

• CRM 2201 - Introduction to Criminology (3)
• CRM 2205 - Research Methods in Criminology (3) or
• SOC 2205 - Research Methods in Sociology (3)
• CRM 3306 - Crime Analysis (3)
• CRM 3306A - Crime Analysis Activity (1)
• CRM 3350 - Criminological Theory (3)
• CRM 4611 - Senior Symposium (3)
• SOC 2201 - Introduction to Sociology (3) [D3]
• SOC 3345 - Crime, Criminalization and Society (3) [D4]
• SOC 4110 - Qualitative Methods for Sociology (3)
• SOC 4110L - Qualitative Methods for Sociology Laboratory (1)
• STA 1200 - Statistics with Applications (3) [B4] *

* STA 1200    may be satisfied with one of the following stretch sequence , which may increase overall units to degree:

• STA 1205    and STA 1205A    
• STA 1201   , STA 1201A   , and STA 1202    

For more information on choosing the best course for you, please visit: https://www.cpp.edu/studentsuccess/new-students/category-placement.shtml .

Major Electives: 27 units

Choose nine courses from the following list:

• ANT 4910 - Forensic Anthropology (3) [B5]
• CRM 3308 - White Collar Crime (3)
• CRM 3318 - Criminal Law and the Courts (3)
• CRM 3319 - Policing (3)
• CRM 3320 - Probation and Parole (3)
• CRM 3325 - Mass Incarceration (3) [D4]
• CRM 3330 - Restorative Justice (3)
• CRM 3360 - Juvenile Delinquency (3)
• CRM 3370 - Drug Policy (3)
• CRM 3380 - Political Violence (3)
• CRM 3390 - Media and Crime (3) [D4]
• SOC 3320 - Race and Ethnic Relations (3)
• SOC 3325 - Community and Urban Sociology (3)
• SOC 3328 - Gender and Sexuality (3)
• SOC 3350 - Immigration and Migration (3)
• SOC 4250 - Demography and Public Policy (3)
• SW 3322 - Family Violence (3)
• SW 4411 - Internship (3)
• SW 4440 - Human Rights (3)
• SW 4990 - Special Topics for Upper Division Students (1-3) (3 units required; course topic: Professionalization: Preparing for the Future)

Unrestricted Electives: 16-25 units

Select a sufficient number of courses so that the total from “Major Required”, “Major Electives”, “GE”, and “Unrestricted Electives” is at least 120 units.

General Education Requirements: 48 units

Students should view their Degree Progress Report (DPR) for information regarding their General Education requirements. Unless specific GE courses are required for their major, please refer to the list of approved courses in the General Education Program in the University Catalog, https://catalog.cpp.edu . When viewing the catalog, students should select the catalog year associated with the GE requirements listed in their Degree Progress Report.

Area A. English Language Communication and Critical Thinking (9 units)

At least 3 units from each sub-area 1. Oral Communication 2. Written Communication 3. Critical Thinking

Area B. Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (12 units)

At least 3 units from each sub-area 1. Physical Sciences 2. Life Sciences 3. Laboratory Activity 4. Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning 5. Science and Technology Synthesis

Area C. Arts and Humanities (12 units)

At least 3 units from each sub-area and 3 additional units from sub-areas 1 and/or 2 1. Visual and Performing Arts 2. Literature, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Civilization 3. Arts and Humanities Synthesis

Area D. Social Sciences (9 units)

At least 3 units from each sub-area 1. U.S. History and American Ideals 2. U.S. Constitution and California Government 4. Social Science Synthesis

Area E. Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (3 units)

Area f. ethnic studies (3 units), american institutions: 6 units.

Courses that satisfy this requirement may also satisfy GE Areas D1 and D2.

Graduation Writing Test

The Graduation Writing Test (GWT) is suspended until Fall 2025. Students entering Cal Poly Pomona before Fall 2025 are not required to take the Graduation Writing Test.

Summer Sponsored Experience: 0 unit

• CPU 3003 - Cal Poly Pomona Undergraduate Summer Experience (0)