virtual jabbermouth

Do you control your thinking?

60% of Murders are solved, most of which the murderer is known by the victim, most criminals get caught after several offenses, most crimes are spur of the mt – driven by emotion.

Bryan David Mitchell – US Attorneys office spent $500,000 to find an expert witness Michael Welner to testify that the offender was competent to stand trial.

We can change the way we think by persistent changes in thinking ie monks during meditation.

Ego defenses:

• Denial of Reality: Protecting self from unpleasant reality by refusal to perceive it or face it.
• Fantasy: Gratifying frustrated desires by imaginary achievements.
• Repression: Preventing painful or dangerous thoughts from entering consciousness.
• Rationalization: Attempting to prove that one’s behavior is ‘rational’ and justifiable and thus worthy of self and social approval.
• Projection: Placing blame for difficulties upon others or attributing one’s own unethical desires to others.
• Reaction Formation: Preventing dangerous desires from being expressed by adopting exaggerated opposed attitudes and types of behavior and using them as ‘barriers’.
• Displacement: Discharging pent-up feelings, usually hostility, on objects less dangerous than those which initially aroused the emotion.
• Emotional Insulation: Reducing ego involvement and withdrawing into passivity to protect self from hurt.
• Intellectualization: Cutting off affective charge from hurtful situations or separating incompatible attitudes by logic-tight compartments.
• Undoing: Atoning for and thus counteracting immoral desires or acts.
• Regression: Retreating to earlier developmental level involving less mature responses and usually a lower level of aspiration.
• Identification: Increasing feelings of worth by identifying self with person or institution of illustrious standing.
• Introjection: Incorporating external values and standards into ego structure so individual is not at their mercy as external threats.
• Compensation: Covering up weakness by emphasizing desirable trait or making up for frustration in one area by over-gratification in another

Self Serving Biases

A self-serving bias occurs when people attribute their successes to internal or personal factors but attribute their failures to situational factors beyond their control. The self-serving bias can be seen in the common human tendency to take credit for success but to deny responsibility for failure.^[1] It may also manifest itself as a tendency for people to evaluate ambiguous information in a way that is beneficial to their interests. Self-serving bias may be associated with the better-than-average effect, in which the individual is biased to believe that he or she typically performs better than the average person in areas important to their self esteem.

Remember stress relief exercise try…

Exercise, Sleep, Massage, Fruits/Vegetables, Meditation, etc..

*** see excerpts from ted.com Beau Lotto on perceptions

CH 7. Creativity Archimedes & the Golden Crown

he most widely known anecdote about Archimedes tells of how he invented a method for determining the volume of an object with an irregular shape. According to Vitruvius, a new crown in the shape of a laurel wreath had been made for King Hiero II, and Archimedes was asked to determine whether it was of solid gold, or whether silver had been added by a dishonest goldsmith.^[13] Archimedes had to solve the problem without damaging the crown, so he could not melt it down into a regularly shaped body in order to calculate its density. While taking a bath, he noticed that the level of the water in the tub rose as he got in, and realized that this effect could be used to determine the volume of the crown. For practical purposes water is incompressible,^[14] so the submerged crown would displace an amount of water equal to its own volume. By dividing the weight of the crown by the volume of water displaced, the density of the crown could be obtained. This density would be lower than that of gold if cheaper and less dense metals had been added. Archimedes then took to the streets naked, so excited by his discovery that he had forgotten to dress, crying “Eureka!” (Greek: “εὕρηκα!,” meaning “I have found it!”)^[15]

Ships Displacement

The traditional method for determining a ship’s actual displacement is by use of draft marks.^[3] A merchant vessel has six sets of draft marks: forward, midships, and astern on both the port and starboard sides.^[3] These drafts can allow the determination of a ship’s displacement to an accuracy of 0.5%.^[3] First, the individual drafts are averaged to find a mean draft.^[4] Then the mean draft is entered into the ship’s hydrostatic tables, giving a displacement.^[5]

Computers have been used to assist in hydrostatic calculations, such as determining displacement, since the 1950s.^[6] The first were mechanical computers, similar to slide rules which could convert cargo levels to values such as deadweight tonnage, draft, and trim.^[6] Since the 1970s, personal computer-based programs have been developing to meet these needs.^[6]

Change old into new – the heart of creativity.

See Dyson Air Multiplier technology

CH 8 next week.

γνωθι σεαυτόν or gnothi seauton = know thyself

• Oracles= higher elavated state
• Socrates – The unexamined life is not worth living
• Plato – wrote many of Socrates writings
• Aristotle – happiness arises from the specific function of humans
  • 3 powers of the soul
    • 1. Nutrition
    • 2. Sensation
    • 3. Thinking
• Your thoughts
• • become your words
  • become your actions
  • become your habits
  • become your character
  • become YOU

• Individual Assignment: Creative Thinking Worksheet

Resources: Creative Thinking and Natural/Mental Orders Worksheet, found on your student Web site; Activity 7.1, located in Ch. 7 of Thinking, for examples on how to create metaphors; and Ch. 8 of Thinking

• Construct as many metaphors as you can about five different things that describe any aspect of your life, such as someone you know, something you do, someplace you have been, or anything else. Include a minimum of four metaphors for each person, subject, or object.

• Organize one set of information using natural ordering and a different set of information using mental orders in the second portion of the worksheet.

• Format this assignment using the worksheet template.

• Post to your individual forum. Be sure to name your file like this: Wk2-S-Student-CTW.doc [S-Student stands for “Sample Student.” Use your own first initial and last name.]

Team B – Do Charter

Intro Post in learning team

Chris -

Kelly-

Ch.1

We have thought about the enormous importance of our thinking and how it can greatly impact our future. We have even had the audacity to rate thinking as more important than money. Although much of thinking remains a mystery in the vast, unexplored realm of our brain, writing and speaking can provide an entry into our unknown selves. Writing can be a mirror of our thoughts, a mirror that can give us clarity, exactness, awareness, and richness. The opposite, cloudy thinking, can miss its mark and cost us dearly.

We have just begun to probe the mystery of thinking. In coming chapters we will look more deeply into our thinking patterns and the way our language, beliefs, and values influence those patterns. We will then look at some of our major thinking “bases”: sensing, feeling, creating, organizing, reasoning, scientific thinking, persuading, and problem solving; finally, we will look at evaluation, decision, and action.

Ch. 2

The extent to which we can think critically is strongly related to who we are. The enculturation process largely determines our prejudices and values, and our self-concept contains specific areas of sensitivity and weaknesses that motivate defensive thinking through the use of ego defenses and self-serving biases. Additionally, our schemata shape, restrict, and stereotype our perceptions and thinking. And depression, anger, passion, and stress can lead to irrational thoughts and poor judgment. Our thinking also seems to be affected by our need for consistency and balance among our thoughts and emotions.

All of these factors lead one to wonder about the extent to which human beings can be rational at all. Certainly, the more we engage in self-reflection and become aware of these biases and limitations, the more we are able to avoid them. Such awareness can help us identify our thinking biases and move our thinking in a healthier, more rational direction. Besides self-reflection, we can take specific actions to remove the causes of bad thinking. But transcending our personal barriers is not easy, and most of us do not completely remove them. Fortunately, better thinking does not require perfection, only one step at a time in the right direction.

Ch. 3

We have seen how our powerful senses both nourish and deceive our minds. We have seen that our acute senses can be expanded by the instruments of science, and we have been alerted to the appearance of reality of some of our sensations. Furthermore, we have glanced at the deliberate deceptions that occur in nature and human beings. Shakespeare alerts us “that there is no art known to read the mind’s construction in the face.” We have seen how we can sharpen these vital sensing-thinking connections by looking more closely at the unique world around us. Finally, we have seen how we can focus our powerful mind for effective listening. By keeping our thinking refreshed and sharpened through interaction with our sensing, we will be grounded in a more solid reality as we absorb and seek new data.

Ch. 4

Our brain is a thinking instrument made up of billions of neurons in a complex connectedness that is unimaginable. In order for our brain to function properly and for us to reach our potential for thinking, our brain must receive adequate nourishment and sufficient sleep. It must also remain free of drugs, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and other substances that can affect the delicate neurotransmitter balance in the brain and lead to distorted thinking. But our brain needs more than sound nutrition and freedom from pernicious drugs; it needs stimulation. A rich, challenging environment will build our brain into a stronger thinking organ, and it will help to forestall the dementias of old age. Our brain may not solve all the mysteries that concern us—and may actually create as much of the world as it discovers—but it will give us new glimpses and new insights into our unfolding personal universe.

Hidden within our brain is our memory. We have explored some of its nature and mystery and have learned that we must listen to others who disagree with our recollections, for our long-term memory is in constant movement; it may not only revise our past, it may even create it. We’ve also looked at some reasons why we forget—repression, interference, loss of cues, stress, and failure to lay down memories well in the first place—and we’ve explored ways to enhance memory through meaning, mnemonics, repetition, and practice.

Through this greater awareness of the nature of memory, we have abandoned our absolute trust in what it presents to us. But we have also learned to improve it and move on to become better thinkers.

Ch. 5

Language is the landscape of our mind; it is the mountains and forests as well as the cities and roads. It both carries the content and structures the form. We think with it. Language works intimately with all aspects of our thinking, which we discuss in other chapters: sensing, feeling, remembering, creating, organizing, reasoning, evaluating, deciding, persuading, and acting. As we become more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of language, and as we increase and refine our own language, we will think better.

We have presented language as the software of our minds, without which most of our thinking would not be possible. For the practical purpose of discussing thinking, we have defined thinking as “expressed thought.” Language is the vehicle that carries that thought, but more than vehicle, language is both the container and the thought contained.

We have shown that language gives universalizing power to the mind, that language structures our perceptions, and that the metaphor plays a crucial role in the way language works and the way we think. Conversely, we have seen that the universalizing, structuring, metaphorical nature of language can also constrict our minds.

Finally, we have learned that English is a rich language that is still evolving, and that its word order determines meaning. We can more quickly access its huge word bank, thus gaining more words to think with, by paying attention to stems and affixes. To avoid being redundant, wordy, illogical, or clichéd in our thinking, we can define precisely, connote carefully, concretize our nouns, activate our verbs, and seek the power of the metaphor; thus we will energize our thinking.

Although we have concluded a short chapter on a huge topic, we do not leave language behind—we cannot. We think in it.

Ch. 6

We have seen that feelings are a force behind our thinking; however, our culture, in areas such as business, religion, and family, often denigrates feelings. Nevertheless, these feelings are there and they charge our words with a tone so strong that it cannot be ignored. Our feelings can be the constructive energy to generate our thoughts and deliver them eloquently. We found that the emotional tone of our words could override the content, and we looked at ways to control those emotions. More specifically, we looked at the inspiration, recollection, and conscious selection methods of using feelings to fuel our thoughts and express them powerfully and positively.

Ch. 13

We have considered the tests of dialogue, simplicity, expandability, predictability, perspective, balance, and longevity; and we have touched back on former thinking bases to evaluate our thinking. We have found that we need accurate data provided by our senses and memory: clear, concise, contextually accurate language; controlled and effective feelings; clear structure; and solid logic. When we have evaluated our ideas as good and our thinking as solid, it’s time to act. The next chapter will show us how to put thought into action.

Facilitator Information

Facilitator Availability

I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Central Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. During the week, I am online most of the time during that 9 a.m.-9 p.m. time frame. You can contact me on Yahoo IM under guru3d.

On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not convenient for you, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate your schedule, if possible. I provide you with these times to make it easier to communicate with me, and not to limit our contact.

I want you to know that, should you need to contact me outside these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so.

For emergencies, when you are not able to gain access to messages on the Online Learning System (OLS), please send a message to my personal email address. In the event a third party needs to contact me, please direct them to my contact information listed under “facilitator information.” No third party should use your login credentials to gain access to the classroom.

Where to Go to Class: Your Course Forums

Main: This is the main forum for the class and is where you may ask questions between class meetings. It has read-and-write access for everyone.

Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content.

Course-Materials: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus and materials.

Learning-Team-A, B, C, D, E and F: These six Learning Team forums will be used as workrooms for the learning teams. You will be assigned to one of these learning teams.

Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum, shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this forum. This is where you will post your individual assignments, and where I will post your feedback. You can also ask questions here. However, if you have general questions about instructions of assignments, please post those in the Main forum, since other students may benefit by that exchange as well.

Policies

For class policies, please see the Policies link on the left side of the Materials page for the course on eCampus. Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within that link. University policies are subject to change so please be sure to read them at the beginning of each class as it may have changed since your last class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities it is important you read the policies governing your current class modality.

Learning Teams

University of Phoenix students are expected to work effectively in diverse groups and teams to achieve tasks. They must collaborate and function well in team settings as both leaders and followers. They should respect human diversity and behave in a tolerant manner toward colleagues and peers. If you experience difficulties working with your team, you are expected to resolve them within the team if possible. However, please feel free to contact me for guidance if you have concerns in this area. Because Learning Team projects are outcome-based, all members of your Learning Team will generally earn the same grade for Learning Team projects. However, I reserve the right to report different grades for different Learning Team members if I see a substantial imbalance in individual contribution. Learning Teams should provide a brief summary of any communication held outside the forum. Therefore, if you hold conference calls, work in a real-time chat room, or get together outside the OLS (Online Learning System) environment in another way, please post a log, transcript, or summary in the Learning Team forum. Further, do not use any of these supplementary communication tools unless everyone on your Learning Team agrees to the method and to the schedule. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Several of the assignments in this class will be completed in Learning Teams of three to five students. I will set up these teams by the end of Week 1. If you have any requests for teammates, please let me know by Thursday of the first week via your Individual Forum. Learning Team Charters and Peer Evaluation forms are required. Please see the instructions in the weekly sections for more information. All Learning Team assignments must be submitted to the Learning Team forum.

It is expected that you will actively participate with your learning team and contribute to the team discussions by a) contributing original work that is accepted and used by the team with proof of originality b) participating in the project from assignment organizing through meaningful final review of the team project for submission, and c) ensuring to your team that your contributions are your original work and properly quoted, cited, and referenced.

Classroom Management Policies

All assignments in this class must be submitted with the designated file names to receive credit.

We normally take a dinner break from 7:00 – 7:30. Please don’t use computers during class for anything other than class-related research.

Technical Support

Technical Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 1-877-832-4867, or use the e-mail support form.
Answers to the most common issues are found in the Knowledge Base by clicking Help, found at the top of every student Web site.

Feedback

Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 7 days of when they were submitted. I will send feedback to your Individual forum. After I send feedback each week, I will post a notification in the Main forum.

Grading Formula

Points	Grade
95+	A
90-94	A-
87-89	B+
84-86	B
80-83	B-
77-79	C+
74-76	C
70-73	C-
67-69	D+
64-66	D
60-63	D-
<59	F

Course Description

See eCampus.

Course Topics & Objectives                                                                                            

See eCampus.

Course Materials

See eCampus.

Point Values for Course Assignments

ASSIGNMENTS	Points
Individual (70%)
Week One: Nature of Thought Paper	5
Week Two: Creative Thinking Worksheet	15
Week Three: Logical Thinking Worksheet	10
Week Four: Applying Problem Solving Paper	20
All Weeks: Participation (4 points/week)	20
Learning Team (30%)
Week Four: Evaluate Creative Thinking	10
Week Five: Problem Solving and Action Presentation	15
Week Five: Evaluate Learning Team (peer review)	5
Total	100

Week One

Thinking

• Describe thinking.
• Illustrate how personal barriers impede thought.
• Evaluate thoughts.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

• Read Ch. 1–6 & 13 of Thinking.
• Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

1. Individual Assignment: Nature of Thought Paper

• Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you explain the nature of thought.
• Outline your own perceptual process and describe the types of perceptual blocks that influence your views.
• Explain thought processes and how they are changed or manipulated by perception.
• Include the following in your paper:

• Describe thinking.

• Explain sensing process.
• Define memory.
• Describe the medium.

• Identify an instance in your life in which your perception of the real situation was far from the actual facts.

• Outline your own perceptual process.

• What did you think was going on?
• What was really going on?
• Why was there such a difference?
• How did language empower or limit the expression of your thoughts?
• What did you learn about your thinking by evaluating the situation again?

• Describe the types of perceptual blocks that influence your views.

• Identify personal barriers.
• Describe thoughts.
• Illustrate an example of thought being influenced by barriers.

• Explain how thought is changed or manipulated by personal barriers.

• Format your paper according to APA standards.
  • Post to your individual forum. Be sure to name your file like this: Wk1-S-Student-NoTP.doc [S-Student stands for “Sample Student.” Use your own first initial and last name.]

1. Learning Team Instructions:

• Resource: Learning Team Toolkit
• Complete the Learning Team Charter.

1. Discussion Questions to cover in class

• What makes human thinking unique? How and why do we express our thoughts?
• What influences our memory?
• In what ways do you think differently now than when you were 7, 10, or 16 years old? Explain your answers.
• How do you think differently from other people? What influences thoughts? How do emotions influence our thinking?
• Can you truly perform a thoughtless act? Why or why not?
• What are some misconceptions about critical thinking?

Weekly Reminders

Summary of Week 1 Deliverables

Assignment	Individual or Learning Team	Location	Due
Nature of Thought Paper	Individual	Individual forum	Wednesday (first workshop) before class

Week Two

Creative Thinking

• Express ideas using metaphors.
• Organize information using natural and mental orders.
• Evaluate creative thought.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

• Read Ch. 7 & 8 of Thinking.
• Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

1. Individual Assignment: Creative Thinking Worksheet

• Resources: Creative Thinking and Natural/Mental Orders Worksheet, found on your student Web site; Activity 7.1, located in Ch. 7 of Thinking, for examples on how to create metaphors; and Ch. 8 of Thinking

• Construct as many metaphors as you can about five different things that describe any aspect of your life, such as someone you know, something you do, someplace you have been, or anything else. Include a minimum of four metaphors for each person, subject, or object.

• Organize one set of information using natural ordering and a different set of information using mental orders in the second portion of the worksheet.

• Format this assignment using the worksheet template.

• Post to your individual forum. Be sure to name your file like this: Wk2-S-Student-CTW.doc [S-Student stands for “Sample Student.” Use your own first initial and last name.]

1. Discussion Questions to cover in class

• How can a metaphor affect a person’s emotions? Explain how the language used influences the interpretation of the metaphor.

• How would you express the metaphor, Time is money, using different words?

• Is it possible to perceive all the information we create? Why or why not? How do we organize the information we perceive? Why do humans try to organize information?

• What are the processes we use to organize information? What are natural orders?  What are mental orders? Is there a connection between the two different ordering processes? Why or why not?

• What are the differences between thinking as an individual and thinking as a member of a group? Which category do you belong to? Explain the influences that brought you to this type of thinking.

• What are some misconceptions about critical thinking? How would you go about explaining critical thinking to someone who is strongly influenced by those misconceptions?

Weekly Reminders

Summary of Week 2 Deliverables

Assignment	Individual or Learning Team	Location	Due
Creative Thinking Worksheet	Individual	Individual forum	Wednesday (2d workshop) before class

Week Three

Logical Thinking

• Explain logical arguments.
• Construct logical arguments.
• Evaluate logical arguments.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

• Read Ch. 9 of Thinking.
• Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

1. Individual Assignment: Logical Thinking Worksheet

• Resources: Logical Thinking Worksheet, located on the student Web site; and Ch. 9 of Thinking
• Explain what logical argument is and what it contains.
• Describe the form, explain the purpose, and explain how the arguments listed are used:

• Syllogisms
• Deductive arguments
• Inductive arguments

• Construct a logical argument.

• Construct a syllogism
• Create a deductive argument
• Create an inductive argument

• Evaluate the provided example of a logical argument.

• What type of argument is it?
• Is the argument sound?

• Format according to the worksheet style.

• Post to your individual forum. Be sure to name your file like this: Wk3-S-Student-LTW.doc [S-Student stands for “Sample Student.” Use your own first initial and last name.]

1. Learning Team Instructions: Evaluate Creative Thinking

• Resources: Individual assignments from Week Two and Ch. 13 of the text.

• Trade your Individual Assignment from Week Two with a member of your team.

• Begin a 350-word paper in which you evaluate your team member’s metaphors.

1. Discussion Questions to cover in class

• What are the elements of a syllogism? What role does a syllogism play in persuasion? Explain the difference between truth and validity in a syllogism. How can a syllogism be valid even if it is not true?

• What are the basic elements of inductive and deductive reasoning? How are they alike? How are they different?

• What is the basic structure of an argument in the context of critical thinking? How can you identify the parts or elements of an argument?

• What roles do ethical and emotional appeals play in an argument?

• Is there such a thing as an over-reliance on logic? Explain.

• What factors determine if an argument contains fallacies? Why are we subject to fallacious reasoning? How could we do better in accepting the fallacies in our own reasoning?

Weekly Reminders

Summary of Week 3 Deliverables

Assignment	Individual or Learning Team	Location	Due
Logical Thinking Worksheet	Individual	Individual forum	Wednesday (3rd workshop) before class

Week Four

Problem-Oriented Thinking

• Describe the use of scientific thinking.
• Explain the uses of persuasive thinking.
• Solve problems.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

• Read Ch. 10, 11, & 12 of Thinking.
• Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

1. Individual Assignment: Applying Problem Solving

• Resources: Ch. 10–12 of the text, personal experiences

• Choose two different real-world problems you have encountered. The problems should be chosen with the intention of applying persuasive thinking as a solution to one and scientific thinking as a solution to the other.

• Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you provide the following:

• A description of each of the problem situations
• An explanation of using persuasive thinking to solve the first problem
• An explanation of using scientific thinking to solve the second problem

• Summarize the solutions to each problem with a description of how the solution will solve the problem.

• Format your paper according to APA standards.
• Post to your individual forum. Be sure to name your file like this: Wk4-S-Student-APS.doc [S-Student stands for “Sample Student.” Use your own first initial and last name.]

1. Learning Team Instructions: Problem Solving and Action Presentation

• Resources: Ch. 4, 5, 10, 13, 14, & 15 of Thinking; Ch. 10 of Critical Thinking; and the Problem Solving and Action Example located on the student Web site

• Select a recent event, such as an event that occurred in the last 4 weeks. Topic areas to consider include the following: Environment, medicine, government, or economy.
• Attain faculty approval.
• Begin researching chosen topic.

1. Learning Team Assignment: Evaluate Creative Thinking

• Resources: Individual assignments from Week Two and Ch. 13 of Thinking
• Write a 350-word paper in which you evaluate your team member’s metaphors according to the criteria listed in Week Three Learning Team Instructions.
• Refer to the questions in Ch. 13: “Testing Against our Thinking Bases,” in order to understand these terms and complete this assignment.

• Perception
• Personal Barriers
• Language
• Feelings
• Creative Thinking

• Summarize the team’s summaries and compile them into one cohesive paper.
• Format your paper according to APA standards.
• Post to the designated thread in the Main forum with this file name: Wk4-LTX-ECT.doc. Use your Learning Team’s letter instead of X.

1. Discussion Questions to cover in class

• Identify a problem in your life which can be solved by using scientific thinking. Have you solved problems using scientific thinking at work? Are there other ways to use scientific thinking? Explain.

• What role does critical thinking play in decision making?

• What roles do various critical thinking components play in defining a problem?

• What are some critical thinking techniques you can use in explaining problems, their solutions, and other decision-making opportunities to others?

• During a persuasive argument, how can the needs and concerns of the audience be met while still meeting the objective of the argument? Provide at least one example.
• What is the role of persuasion in critical thinking? Does persuasion alter critical thought? Is emotion a necessary component of persuasive thought? Why or why not?

Weekly Reminders

Summary of Week 4 Deliverables

Assignment	Individual or Learning Team	Location	Due
Applying Problem Solving Paper	Individual	Individual forum	Wednesday (4th workshop) before class
Evaluate Creative Thinking	Learning Team	Main forum	Wednesday (4th workshop) before class

Week Five

Action

• Reconstruct decision-making processes.
• Evaluate decisions.

Course Assignments

1. Readings

• Read Ch. 14 & 15 of Thinking.
• Review Ch. 13 of Thinking.
• Read Ch. 10 of Critical Thinking.
• Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

1. Learning Team Assignment: Problem Solving and Action Presentation

• Resources: Ch. 4, 5, 10, 13, 14, & 15 of Thinking; Ch. 10 of Critical Thinking; and the Problem Solving and Action Example located on the student Web site

• Prepare a 10- to 15-slide PowerPoint^® presentation with speaker notes according to the following criteria:

• A description of the problem situation
• A problem-solving technique

• Identification of the technique
• Explanation of why the chosen technique works best for the problem

• Offer a solution to the problem.

• Reconstruct the decision-making process you used to come up with the solution.

• What criteria were used to make the decision?
• Is decision emotional, logical, or both? Explain your answer.
• Identify the factors used in the decision-making process.

• Evaluate your decision.

• Was the decision logical? Why or why not?
• Did the decision solve the problem? Why or why not?
• Is there a way to evaluate the effects of the decision over time? Why or why not?

• Format and deliver your presentation during class.

• Post to the designated thread in the Main forum with this file name: Wk5-LTX-PSAP.pt. Use your Learning Team’s letter instead of X.

1. Discussion Questions to cover in class

• Provide an example of a simple decision you recently made. What were the elements of the decision? What decision-making process did you use?
• What are some factors that can be used to measure the effectiveness of a solution obtained through the decision-making process?
• How has this course impacted your critical thinking skills?
• What roles do ethics play in critical thinking and decision-making?
• What roles do goals play in the decision-making process? Provide examples.
• What is your understanding of the continuous aspect of critical thinking?

Weekly Reminders

Summary of Week 5 Deliverables

Assignment	Individual or Learning Team	Location	Due
Problem Solving and Action Presentation	Learning Team	Main forum	Wednesday (5th workshop) before class
Evaluate Learning Team (peer review)	Individual	Individual forum	Wednesday (5th workshop) before class