Week 1 Discussion on Struggle and Critical Thinking
Discussion on Struggle and Critical Thinking
Discussion on Struggle and Critical
Online Readings/Viewings
Students will notice that online readings/viewings include links and title information. If you are unable to access the items via link, try searching by title. Thank you.
Read the following items:
1. “In College a Lack of Rigor Leaves Students Adrift”
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/09/133310978/in-college-a-lack-of-rigor-leaves-students-adrift (Links to an external site.)
2. “Struggle for Smarts: How Eastern and Western Cultures Tackle Learning.”
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/11/12/164793058/struggle-for-smarts-how-eastern-and-western-cultures-tackle-learning (Links to an external site.)
3. “Congratulations, You Failed” (Nancy Joseph, Perspectives Newsletter, August 2019)
https://artsci.washington.edu/news/2019-08/congratulations-you-failed# (Links to an external site.)
Effective preparation means reading carefully and taking notes. Your discussion and writing activities are important to build your skills and to provide evidence of engaged effort. Ideas are more important than format. We will master format relatively quickly, but the effective communication is what matters most.
This is a discussion, not an essay (yet). Post your response by the assigned date. In addition to your own post, respond to two posts by others in the class.
We will begin to practice thoughtful and critical thinking from our very first activities. (Review the Announcement.) Post your response by the due date; then, check back periodically to read the posts of others in order to post comments to a minimum of two. Review the Discussion Checklist ( Week 00, Review and Practice Module).
Response thoughtfully to the questions. Support all responses with specific evidence and clearly identify the sources of your information.
1. What benefit do scholars see in struggle and failure?
2. What are some of the possible reasons for the decline in critical thinking skill among U.S. college students?
3. How comfortable are you in the understanding and practice of critical thinking? Explain.
Discussion Checklist
CHECKLIST
1. Have you read the assignment and instructions carefully to make sure you understand the task (including any key vocabulary)?
2. Does your response address all parts of the prompt and identify topic clearly?
3. Does your response remain on topic?
4. Have you extended the respectful courtesy to others of reading all posts?
5. Have you commented on a minimum of two posts from classmates?
6. Do a your comments avoid such shallow, self-referential digressions as “I like…” and “I agree…” (and similar shallow, self-referential digressions)?
7. Have you planned your responses thoughtfully and reviewed them to eliminate error (of fact and of grammar)?
8. Have you organized and developed your response adequately?
9. Have you maintained appropriate tone?
10.Have you submitted your work before deadline?
