Critical Thinking: Foundations of Critical Thinking for the Study of the Humanities
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The overall aim of the workshop is to help students understand what it means to think "critically" and to coach them not to take everything they read (or hear or watch) at face value. Rather than recounting the media they consume in a purely descriptive manner, students will be taught to identify the differences between description and discourse with a view to developing their own discursive skills. More specifically, the workshop aims to provide participants with a method and stimulus for self-reflection and to get participants to reflect on the way in which they read, study and present information. At the same time, the workshop will direct students, through tutor-led group and individual activities, to suggest methods for self-improvement in terms of giving clear descriptions, concise summaries, substantiated arguments at odds with their own convictions and convincing explanations.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
Participants will learn to identify the processes of attention, categorisation, selection and judgment which are involved in critical thinking, and to apply these in order to understand the features, structure, angle and style of argumentative texts (both written and oral) and the factors that distinguish a discursive argument from other types of speech or writing.
Application of knowledge and understanding
Participants will apply the knowledge and skills they have learnt through a series of reading-based exercises that will help them comprehend texts as a whole and in detail. In these exercises, they will identify the stances being taken (discourse, analysis, selection, conclusions), assess the facts presented, weigh up the counterarguments, recognise any implicit non-verbal aspects, learn to critique and cultivate their own intuition and personal viewpoints, and express their viewpoints persuasively both in speech and in writing.
Judgment skills
Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate the interpretation/study/summarisation methods of themselves and of their peers with a view to engaging in collective debate which features all elements of discursive quality (clarity, coherence, substantiation, articulation) and in which discourse is supported by strong evidence.
Participants will learn to identify the processes of attention, categorisation, selection and judgment which are involved in critical thinking, and to apply these in order to understand the features, structure, angle and style of argumentative texts (both written and oral) and the factors that distinguish a discursive argument from other types of speech or writing.
Application of knowledge and understanding
Participants will apply the knowledge and skills they have learnt through a series of reading-based exercises that will help them comprehend texts as a whole and in detail. In these exercises, they will identify the stances being taken (discourse, analysis, selection, conclusions), assess the facts presented, weigh up the counterarguments, recognise any implicit non-verbal aspects, learn to critique and cultivate their own intuition and personal viewpoints, and express their viewpoints persuasively both in speech and in writing.
Judgment skills
Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate the interpretation/study/summarisation methods of themselves and of their peers with a view to engaging in collective debate which features all elements of discursive quality (clarity, coherence, substantiation, articulation) and in which discourse is supported by strong evidence.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Giudizio di approvazione
Assessment result: superato/non superato
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The workshop includes an introductory session and two blocks of activities, each focusing on:
- Reading, analysing, synthesising information to acquire, organise and reformulate knowledge and data coming from different sources,
-Training the independent formulation of judgements,
-Learning to evaluate information and knowledge (weighing if and which elements one has to draw conclusions, in study and work);
- Participating in a group activity in the classroom, an activity that requires critical thinking at every stage,
-Training to convey discursive content in written and oral form, clearly, correctly and appropriately.
- Reading, analysing, synthesising information to acquire, organise and reformulate knowledge and data coming from different sources,
-Training the independent formulation of judgements,
-Learning to evaluate information and knowledge (weighing if and which elements one has to draw conclusions, in study and work);
- Participating in a group activity in the classroom, an activity that requires critical thinking at every stage,
-Training to convey discursive content in written and oral form, clearly, correctly and appropriately.
Prerequisites for admission
No special knowledge or skills are required.
Teaching methods
The workshop will take place in person at the Sesto San Giovanni campus (II semester, classroom P1, 16:30 - 18:30) and will include
- Lectures;
- Expert testimonies;
- Discussion and peer review activities;
- Simulation of specific situations requiring the application of critical thinking.
- Lectures;
- Expert testimonies;
- Discussion and peer review activities;
- Simulation of specific situations requiring the application of critical thinking.
Teaching Resources
Texts, slides, multimedia materials, references used in classrooom will be made available on the workshop's myARIEL web site.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Evaluation criteria:
- attendance (to no less than 16 hors out of 20),
- participation in the assigned activities, discussion, writing of short texts,
- ability and willingness to reflect on the proposed topics,
- quality, clarity in oral and written exposition,
- competence in the use of the most appropriate vocabulary.
The final evaluation is stated simply as pass or fail.
- attendance (to no less than 16 hors out of 20),
- participation in the assigned activities, discussion, writing of short texts,
- ability and willingness to reflect on the proposed topics,
- quality, clarity in oral and written exposition,
- competence in the use of the most appropriate vocabulary.
The final evaluation is stated simply as pass or fail.
Professor(s)