“BE CREATIVELY CRITICAL”!
Introduction
Thinking critically entails mindful communication, problem-solving, and a freedom from bias or native egocentrism or sociocentrism. You can apply critical thinking to any kind of subject, problem, or situation you choose.
Critical Thinking enables you to see beyond without judging and learn how to understand other factors that can influence decision-making. This empathy and understanding is crucial to entrepreneurial attitude (effective teamwork and leadership).
Are you interested in becoming a critical thinker and make better decisions in your life? This quest helps you to start a project about understanding critical thinking and knowing about ways of improving your thinking.
"Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but weigh and consider." Francis Bacon
Task
GO ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY!
The goal of this WebQuest is to help you understand what critical thinking is by developing infographics that explain its component skills, its benefits and draw attention to its importance.
As collaborative work develops your critical thinking skills as well, you should work in groups of three, so first, choose your mates.
Each of you should research (carrying out desk research, survey/interview based questionnaires with general audience, watching Youtube e.g. Ted Talk videos about critical thinking) on the definition of critical thinking, its importance and benefits (also in the context of entrepreneurship) and, based on your findings, develop infographics per group, which
1) convey the right information about critical thinking
2) illustrate ways of improving critical thinking skills and
3) explain what benefits one can gain from mastering it.
Your infographics should be well organized, factual, and powerful, according to criteria of effective infographics and demonstrate good level of IT use.
All groups should present their infographics, the feedback session on each will be lead by the trainer.
The goal of this WebQuest is to help you understand what critical thinking is by developing infographics that explain its component skills, its benefits and draw attention to its importance.
As collaborative work develops your critical thinking skills as well, you should work in groups of three, so first, choose your mates.
Each of you should research (carrying out desk research, survey/interview based questionnaires with general audience, watching Youtube e.g. Ted Talk videos about critical thinking) on the definition of critical thinking, its importance and benefits (also in the context of entrepreneurship) and, based on your findings, develop infographics per group, which
1) convey the right information about critical thinking
2) illustrate ways of improving critical thinking skills and
3) explain what benefits one can gain from mastering it.
Your infographics should be well organized, factual, and powerful, according to criteria of effective infographics and demonstrate good level of IT use.
All groups should present their infographics, the feedback session on each will be lead by the trainer.
Process
1. Research stage
Research as much as possible about what critical thinking means (including its component skills, benefits and importance), using the following means:
- desk research (you can check the links in the Useful Links section below)
- interviews with two types of target groups 1) trainers/teachers and 2) regular people (adults) about what critical thinking is or isn't, hence gaining insight also into what the general audience (adults) does or doesn't know about critical thinking
- Ted Talks and other Youtube educational videos about critical thinking
Divide the tasks among your group members so each of you have a different area to research on.
2. Learn about how to create an effective infographic
Do as much research as you can on criteria which define an effective infographic (e.g. using concrete visual metaphors, with captivating titles, clear, simple and to the point message, surprising the reader with unexpected twists, etc). List these criteria so you can (later) self-evaluate your work before having its final version.
First, try to collect criteria by your own, then share/compare with your mates and come up with a full list.
3.Draft your Infographic
Using the information you collected in steps 1 and 2, draft your infographic together with your mates. You may decide which Infographic creator tool to use out of the myriad of free online tools – Be Funky, Visme, Easel.ly, Canva Infographic Maker, etc.
Have in mind the goal of your infographic and what it should reach. Try to create as effective infographics as possible!
Divide the tasks among your team members in order to be more efficient in your work.
4. Critique and revise
Based on your criteria set at step 2, revise and improve your own infographic.
5. Debriefing
Each group presents its infographic in a large group. The feedback session is led by the trainer.
At the end of the discussion, you should be able to answer these questions:
What does critical thinking mean? Why is it important? How can you cultivate it?
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle
Research as much as possible about what critical thinking means (including its component skills, benefits and importance), using the following means:
- desk research (you can check the links in the Useful Links section below)
- interviews with two types of target groups 1) trainers/teachers and 2) regular people (adults) about what critical thinking is or isn't, hence gaining insight also into what the general audience (adults) does or doesn't know about critical thinking
- Ted Talks and other Youtube educational videos about critical thinking
Divide the tasks among your group members so each of you have a different area to research on.
2. Learn about how to create an effective infographic
Do as much research as you can on criteria which define an effective infographic (e.g. using concrete visual metaphors, with captivating titles, clear, simple and to the point message, surprising the reader with unexpected twists, etc). List these criteria so you can (later) self-evaluate your work before having its final version.
First, try to collect criteria by your own, then share/compare with your mates and come up with a full list.
3.Draft your Infographic
Using the information you collected in steps 1 and 2, draft your infographic together with your mates. You may decide which Infographic creator tool to use out of the myriad of free online tools – Be Funky, Visme, Easel.ly, Canva Infographic Maker, etc.
Have in mind the goal of your infographic and what it should reach. Try to create as effective infographics as possible!
Divide the tasks among your team members in order to be more efficient in your work.
4. Critique and revise
Based on your criteria set at step 2, revise and improve your own infographic.
5. Debriefing
Each group presents its infographic in a large group. The feedback session is led by the trainer.
At the end of the discussion, you should be able to answer these questions:
What does critical thinking mean? Why is it important? How can you cultivate it?
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle
Evaluation and Learning Outcomes
On the completion of this webquest, the learner will be able to:
| Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes |
· fundamental knowledge on critical thinking:
· fundamental knowledge of infographics · fundamental knowledge of presentation techniques · fundamental knowledge of teamwork rules and procedures |
· separate a whole into parts to discover their nature, functional and relationships · gather and assess relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively · judge according to established personal, professional, or social rules or criteria · draw conclusions that are supported in, or justified by, evidence · research, collect, organize and present information in the form of infographics · define clear, concrete, achievable communication goals design infographics using a specific infographic creator software |
· demonstrate ability of original thinking · demonstrate ability of problem solving · demonstrate ability of mindful communication · demonstrate ability to work as a team · demonstrate autonomy in the execution of tasks |
Conclusion
Developing our critical thinking skills will help us become valued members of the society, being capable to strengthening it.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein
"The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein
Useful links
Critical Thinking Skills
Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples
MindTools: Developing Critical Thinking Infographic
The 62 best infographics
Infographic tips
Tips to improve critical thinking
Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples
MindTools: Developing Critical Thinking Infographic
The 62 best infographics
Infographic tips
Tips to improve critical thinking
Videos
Educational videos about Critical Thinking
TED Talks about Critical thinking
TED Talks about Critical thinking
