| |
Time: 6 hours
Level: Introductory
| |
| |
 Introduction Resource- This Unit is designed to take you on a journey of understanding. You will be introduced to a variety of thinking skills and ways of extending and developing your thinking. You will begin by looking at...
| |
| |
- 1 Overview Resource
- This Unit provides an introduction to thinking skills and ways of extending and developing your thinking.
| |
| | 2: Understanding the importance of thinking skills
- 2: Understanding the importance of thinking skills Resource
- We would like to start by asking you to consider some fundamental questions about education.
| |
| | 3: Different kinds of thinking
- 3.1: Thinking in a higher gear Resource
- While we can all think, it is important to recognize that the thinking skills we have looked at so far are not all required or equally valued in academic work. Common to all subjects and levels is the...
- 3.2: Looking at the thinking a further educaiton course involves Resource
- A further education course will provide many practical opportunities for developing thinking. These will be integrated into activities such as: reading texts; doing in-text activities and self-assessment...
| |
| | 4: A thinking disposition and the process of development
- 4: A thinking disposition and the process of development Resource
- In order to make effective use of opportunities for developing your thinking, you need to develop a thinking disposition as well as thinking skills.
| |
| |
- 5: Other people Resource
- Other people can be one of the best tools for developing your thinking. Engaging with others, for example in debate and discussion (either face-to-face or at a distance) is how we most effectively develop...
| |
| |
- 6: Questions Resource
- Thinking itself is nothing but the process of asking and answering questions.
| |
| | 7: Giving structure to thinking
- 7: Giving structure to thinking Resource
- Two common thinking problems are: a feeling of not being able to 'see the wood for the trees', and difficulty in being logical and orderly. The key to solving them is being able to think about ideas and...
- 7.1: Hierarchies of ideas Resource
- A useful way of giving sense and structure to ideas can sometimes be to see them in the form of a hierarchy. At one end is the ‘big picture’ (e.g. general context, principles, theories, ideas, concepts)...
- 7.2: Other ways of structuring thought Resource
- Distinguishing between generals and particulars can help you in reading, note taking and writing for your course. But, looking at things in a hierarchical general-particular way is only one approach to...
- 7.3: Systematic approaches Resource
- Having a systematic step-by-step process for thinking about certain academic tasks can be particularly useful so that everything is done as efficiently as possible.
- 7.4: Visual tools Resource
- Organising thought can be assisted greatly by the use of visual tools. These can include diagrams, mind-maps, tables, graphs, time lines, flow charts, sequence diagrams, decision trees or other visual...
- 7.5: Mind-maps Resource
- Mind-mapping can be a particularly powerful visual tool for shaping thought. The basic principle here is to note down the central topic or idea in the centre of a piece of paper and work outwards adding...
| |
| | 8: Analysis, argument and critical thinking
- 8: Analysis, argument and critical thinking Resource
- In this section, we are going to look in detail at analysis and argument. Analytical thinking is a particular type of higher order thinking central to much academic activity. It is concerned with examining...
- 8.1: Balanced argument Resource
- In many instances, we are not just concerned with arguing a particular case or taking a particular point of view, we are interested in looking at all sides of an issue and producing a balanced argument....
- 8.2: Broadening perception Resource
- Particular perspectives and points of view underpin speaking and writing. Being successful at many academic tasks, including balanced argument, often requires us to be conscious of and to try to break...
- 8.3: Academic arguments Resource
- You have looked at some examples of everyday arguments, now look at a short example of an academic argument.
| |
| | 9: Putting it all together
- 9: Putting it all together Resource
- We have covered a wide range of aspects of thinking, particularly those concerned with clear and critical thinking. At this stage, you may find it useful to consider how ideas like these can be put together...
| |
| | 10:Further reading and sources of help
- 10.1: Further reading Resource
- There are many relevant books available from libraries and bookshops. Here are some suggestions to start you off.
- 10.2: Sources of help Resource
- The internet
| |
| | References and Acknowledgements | |
OPML Feed |
Contact OpenLearn |
Privacy |
Copyright |
Accessibility
Share on Facebook
Save to Del.icio.us
Stumble it!
Add to Onlywire
