21st Century Skills – Learning and Innovation Skills (The 4 C’s) – Critical Thinking – PIVOT

Course Summary:

This course is designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge to understand, develop, and apply critical thinking in various aspects of your life. Through a combination of theoretical concepts, practical exercises, and real-world examples, you will learn how to analyze information objectively, evaluate arguments effectively, and make well-reasoned decisions.

Course Breakdown:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Critical Thinking
- This lesson defines critical thinking and its core components, such as analysis, evaluation, and inference. It also emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in education, the workplace, personal life, and civic engagement.
Lesson 2: Identifying and Analyzing Arguments
- This lesson focuses on how to identify the basic structure of an argument, including premises, conclusions, and inferences. It also differentiates between deductive and inductive arguments.
Lesson 3: Evaluating Arguments
- This lesson teaches you how to assess the validity and soundness of deductive arguments and the strength of inductive arguments. You will also learn to identify common errors in argument evaluation.
Lesson 4: Logical Fallacies and Biases
- This lesson covers common logical fallacies and cognitive biases that can lead to flawed reasoning. You will learn how to recognize and avoid these pitfalls in your own thinking and in the arguments of others.
Lesson 5: Critical Thinking in Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
- This lesson explores how to apply critical thinking skills to solve problems effectively and make sound decisions. It also discusses barriers to effective problem-solving and decision-making and strategies for overcoming them.

Benefits of Taking This Course:

By completing this course, you will be able to:

Enhance your ability to analyze information objectively and make reasoned judgments.
Develop stronger argumentation skills, enabling you to construct and evaluate arguments more effectively.
Improve your problem-solving and decision-making abilities in various contexts.
Become more aware of your own biases and assumptions, as well as those of others.
Develop strategies for continuous improvement in your critical thinking skills.