Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Description

It’s time to become the best student you can be. This course will teach you how to find important information quickly, transfer it from short to long-term memory, and perform better on assignments and tests. On your path to become an efficient learner, this course will teach you specific strategies to use in any content area in your academic studies. You will feel confident in your abilities to link new information to what you already know. As a twenty first century learner, you have big demands on your time. This course will help you find balance as well as prioritize the things you want to accomplish, both short and long term. Finally, the most well rounded student is one who can think critically in all aspects of life, academic and non-academic. By using real world situations, you will implement oral and written communication to build better relationships and take pride in the ownership of your actions and words. 

Major Topics and Concepts

Writing, Reading, Test Taking, Listening and Speaking

•  Prewriting, Drafting, revising, publishing
•  Approaching writing from the creative and critical aspects
•  Clustering
•  Using reference materials
•  Fact and opinion
•  Validity and reliability of sources
•  Eye focus
•  Scanning
•  Formal and informal language
•  Audience
•  Point of view
•  Tone
•  Introduction, body, conclusion
•  Main idea, details
•  Time management
•  Flexibility, balance, prioritizing
•  Setting goals (short and long term)
•  Developing a plan
•  Personal learning style
•  Right/left brain
•  Multiple modalities
•  Oral communication
•  Study techniques
•  Types of tests
•  Reviewing material
•  Memory triggers
•  Memory tools
•  Note taking strategies
•  Making predictions
•  Mind mapping
•  Pre-, during-, and post-reading strategies