Introduction to
Critical Thinking
Learning how to apply critical thinking and reading skills in an academic context
Introduction
One of the main contrasts between high school and university study is the requirement to progressively increase the application and demonstration of critical thinking in all assigned tasks.
However, as an initial step, it is essential to fully understand the process of thinking critically, together with how such thinking is practically applied to the critical reading of academic texts. Finally, it is especially important in an international university context to understand the ways in which the development of critical thinking skills varies significantly across cultures.
Consequently, this course will examine the process of the development and application of critical thinking by investigating a range of practical examples appropriate to an international learning context. The five themes covered on this course are:
Investigating what is meant by critical thinking
Understanding the importance of the application of critical thinking
Examining the key steps in the process of demonstrating critical thinking
Identifying the relationship between critical thinking and critical reading
Learning to apply critical thinking in response to coursework assignments
The Course Aim
To develop an understanding of the key steps in the process of critical thinking in an academic context
The Course Objective
By the end of this course, students should be able to apply critical thinking strategies, especially in the context of the critical reading of academic text required for assignment completion.
The Key Learning Outcomes
The primary learning outcomes focus on an ability to do the following:
Define what is meant by critical thinking and the importance in an academic context
Evaluate contrasting cross-cultural models of critical thinking
Identify the relationship between critical thinking and critical reading
Analyse common challenges when attempting to apply and demonstrate critical thinking
Explain the importance of demonstrating critical thinking across all assigned tasks
Discuss the importance of the application of critical thinking and critical reading beyond the academic context such as during the job recruitment process
See also:
Academic Style to learn how to improve the challenge of communicating in an academic style
Recruitment Process to learn how to successfully manage the graduate job recruitment process