Critical Thinking, Thinking Critically, Critical Writing C6P
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe. It includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking. Someone with critical thinking skills is able to do the following :
understand the logical connections between ideas
identify, construct and evaluate arguments
detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
solve problems systematically
identify the relevance and importance of ideas
reflect on the justification of one's own beliefs and values
In January 2016, the World Economic Forum issued a report "The Future of Jobs". It says:
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which includes developments in previously disjointed fields such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, robotics, nanotechnology, 3-D printing, and genetics and biotechnology, will cause widespread disruption not only to business models but also to labour markets over the next five years, with enormous change predicted in the skill sets needed to thrive in the new landscape.
The 10 skills you need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution:
MOOC’s - Failed disruption or successfully emerging?
The art of identifying emerging and disruptive technologies is no easy feat. Take for example the work of Christenson, Horn and Curtis (2008), who highlighted the potential of Massive Open Online Courses (hereafter known as MOOC) for disruption in the education sector. Possibly influenced by the work of other theorists around that time who were exploring pedagogies such as personalised learning as a solution to a failing industrialised model of education (Leadbeater, 2005), they predicted that by 2019 50% of High School courses would be delivered online (Farmer, 2013). Eleven years on, this is clearly not the reality, calling into question whether MOOC’s are indeed a disruptive technology or whether they are “merely an alternative platform for accessing learning material” (Flavin, 2017 p26). According to Bolstad et.al (2012 p55) new technologies can only impact change to the degree that they are supported by “ideas and social contexts that enable transformative practice”, thus promoting the concept that technology and society have a reciprocal relationship - technology shapes practice and practice shapes technology (Veletsianos, 2016). Despite the growth of online education and digital learning in higher education, Flavin (2017) points out that MOOC’s still reflect a transmission pedagogy and are lacking in sufficient social interaction.
Can you identify the key arguments? Complete the following sentences:
Some people think that MOOC’s have the potential to be a disruptive technology in the education sector.
MOOC’s have the potential to disrupt education but have so far been an alternative platform for accessing learning material.
MOOC’s have some downsides and these are they still reflect a transmission pedagogy and are lacking in sufficient social interaction.
MOOC's impact was overestimated in 2008 in the following ways influenced by other theorists and their predictions.
So, could you write an ending to this paragraph that says something about MOOC’s and their use in education? Think about:
Are MOOC’s totally useless or might they have a role in education of the future?
What do we need to be mindful of in our practice when we use MOOC’s
What areas of deeper understanding might you argue for?
MOOC's still rising
Educators' responsibility when it comes to MOOC's is to be a positive influence, a provider of expertise and a necessary guide. This will ensure learners balance appropriate and ethical online behaviours, to harness a range of digital skills, gain knowledge of basic principles of computing devices, and skills in using online communities and social networks. Hampson, Patton and Shanks (2011) believe that by blending technology into learning experiences, we can better blend school into learners’ lives which means learners are more connected to their learning in school and outside of school. The benefits of learners expressing themselves through MOOC's spans across being flexible with using various digital platforms, adaptive to self-directed and educator-directed initiatives, richer thinking and deeper learning. Redecker et al (2011) takes the view that digital technology will play a vital part in enabling the prospect of lifelong learning. With the pervasiveness of technology and with rising flexibility, learning anytime, pace or place can and will become a reality in the future.
Ngā Tūāpapa Rauemi - Springboard Resources
Free University of Suffolk Library Guide:
University of Hong Kong Mini Guide to Critical Thinking:
And their online Page on Critical Thinking
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