critical thinking continuing education

Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Leadership

The Certificate in Strategic Thinking and Leadership encourages leaders across sectors to make informed decisions, implement strategies, and lead effectively.

Curriculum & Schedule

How to register, tuition & funding.

The Strategic Thinking & Leadership Academy is a comprehensive 3-day intensive program designed to empower aspiring leaders in government, industry, education, and nonprofits with the skills and knowledge needed to make informed decisions, implement strategies, and lead effectively in today's complex environment.

Ideal for Aspiring leaders in all economic sectors

Duration 3 days

Format On-Campus

Schedule 3 days on campus

Semester of Entry Spring or fall

Tuition $2,995

Learn how to make better decisions by discovering and overcoming mental blocks in your thinking and judgment
Recognize multiple ways to solve problems and embrace divergent thinking
Critically reflect on your own leadership qualities and the qualities necessary to lead ethically in today's professional reality
Identify interior practices that cultivate self awareness and social awareness needed to lead ethically in today's world
Understand best practice tools to measure strategy performance
Understand organizational-level, business unit, and functional strategy integration and the importance of alignment
Create a suite of influential stories based upon a purposeful planning process for use within your organizations.
Learn practices to synergize organizational culture and leadership for success and thriving.
Identify both the stated and the enacted leadership and organizational culture, values, and commitments, including how diverse people experience the organization and leadership

Testimonials from current students and alumni.

The Strategic Thinking and Leadership Academy is designed to equip leaders with the critical thinking skills necessary to make difficult decisions and execute effective strategies in today's globally diverse workplace. It is an intellectually rigorous program that caters to organizational leaders across various sectors.

To earn the Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Leadership, professional learners must complete the three-day academy for a total of 3.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which is equivalent to 32 contact hours.

Prelude to the Academy for Strategic Thinking & Leadership Academy (Online)
Day 1 of the Academy (at Georgetown SCS Campus)
Day 2 of the Academy (at Georgetown SCS Campus)
Day 3 of the Academy (at Georgetown SCS Campus)
Follow-up (Online)

What Is On-Campus Learning? On-Campus programs combine traditional classroom learning with interactive experiential methodology. Classes typically meet for two or three consecutive days once a month at our downtown Washington, D.C. campus.

The Academy is a new format for SCS Professional Certificate Programs. Please see the program schedule for more detailed information.

Learning Objectives:

Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving : This module helps you understand the decision-making process, how to break down complicated information, and make better choices by applying analytical and critical thinking. Ethical considerations in decision-making are also highlighted.
Putting Ideas into a Plan and into Action : This module enables you to grasp how strategy works at different organizational levels. It also helps you understand the tools to measure strategy performance and how to tackle cultural and global challenges in strategy implementation.
Becoming a Discerning Leader : This module focuses on personal and ethical leadership qualities. It helps you reflect critically on your own abilities and teaches you how to lead ethically. It introduces a reflective framework and resources for decision-making, especially in situations involving ethical ambiguity.
Strategic Storytelling for Influence : This module will help leaders to be better stewards of the story ecosystems that they operate within. It will help them to reflect upon their own stories as well as how to strategically develop and share them with key stakeholders. Through interactive activities, the leaders will also be equipped with tools to be ethical story-conveners and story-amplifiers of those they support.
Succeeding with an Inclusive and Aligned Culture : This module supports leaders to discover their true values and how to integrate these with the needs of the present and emerging future. In these times of increasing division and polarization, leaders and organizations are challenged to align values, culture and ways of operating.

Course Schedule

Stewart Brown

Mr. Brown is a Principal with Dunkirk Partners, with more than forty-five years of experience in management and leadership at all levels: strategic, operational, tactical, military and civilian. Mr. Brown’s ... Read more

John Corso is an adjunct instructor in the Certificate in Strategic Management program. He is president and chief executive officer of Strategent Corporation, a management consulting firm. His academic and ... Read more

Peter Kralovec

Jamie Kralovec serves on the faculty of the Urban & Regional Planning program and is associate director for mission integration at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. Formed in the ... Read more

Sharon Newport

Sharon is an experienced organizational consultant, international facilitator and speaker, and award winning executive. Sharon Newport, CAE is an organizational development consultant who partners with leaders to advance their ... Read more

Jessica Srikantia Field

Jessica Srikantia Field, Ph.D., is the Academic Director and Associate Professor of the Practice with the Georgetown Institute of Transformational Leadership (ITL). Jessica has deep expertise in systemic team coaching; organization culture; large ... Read more

Gary Steinberg

Mr. Steinberg is a distinguished member of the Federal Senior Executive Service and a recognized leader in strategic planning, performance management, and organizational management. Mr. Steinberg has served as Agency ... Read more

John Trybus

John D. Trybus, Ph.D. is a social strategist on a mission to help impact organizations embrace the blur—between sectors, functions, departments and human strengths—for good. He leads and manages Georgetown ... Read more

Please review the refund policies in our Student Handbook before completing your registration.

Degree Requirement

You must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in order to enroll in our certificate programs.

Registration

This certificate is an open-enrollment program. No application is required. Click the "Register Now" button, select your courses, and then click "Add to Cart". Course registration is complete when your payment is processed. You will receive a confirmation email when your payment is received. Please retain the payment confirmation message for your records.

You can combine on-campus and online courses (if available) to complete your certificate. Depending on the certificate program, we may suggest taking courses in a specific order, but this is not a requirement.

Most students register for all courses at the same time and complete their certificate within a few months. However, you may choose to register for courses one by one over time. Once you begin a certificate, you have up to two years from the time you start your first course to complete all required courses.

International Students

International students who enter the U.S. on a valid visa are eligible to enroll in certificate courses. However, Georgetown University cannot sponsor student visas for noncredit professional certificate programs.

A TOEFL examination is not required for non-native English speakers but students are expected to read, write, and comprehend English at the graduate level to fully participate in and gain from the program.

Students from most countries may register for our online certificate programs; however, due to international laws, residents of certain countries are prohibited from registering.

Total program tuition for all 3.2 CEUs is $2,995. All study materials, snacks, three lunches, and one dinner are included. A Georgetown University certificate will be awarded at the successful conclusion of the Academy.

Noncredit professional certificates do not qualify for federal financial aid, scholarships, grants, or needs-based aid. However, several finance and funding options do exist, as listed below.

Some employers offer funding for employee education or professional development. If an employer guarantees payment for employee education and training, Georgetown will accept an Intent to Pay form . If you are using employer sponsorship or training authorizations, you must submit an Intent to Pay form with your registration.

If your employer will pay for your tuition, select “Third-Party Billing” as your method of payment when you register for courses online. Please submit an Intent to Pay form indicating that your employer or another third party should be billed for tuition. Invoices will not be generated without this form on file.

Pay training and education expenses from appropriated funds or other available funds for training needed to support program functions
Reimburse employees for all or part of the costs of training or education
Share training and education costs with employees
Pay travel expenses for employees assigned to training
Adjust an employee's normal work schedule for educational purposes not related to official duties

Georgetown accepts Standard Form-182 (SF-182) for training authorizations from the federal government.

*Federal employees should ask the appropriate budget officer about training budgets available.

Eligible Georgetown employees may use their Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) benefits to fund 90% of the certificate program tuition—employees will be invoiced for the remaining 10% of tuition and must pay any other charges associated with their certificate program. Employees using TAP benefits may work directly with the HR Benefits Office to ensure payment prior to the start of any course. This payment option is only valid if registration occurs at least 10–14 business days prior to the start date of the first course. Any fees incurred due to course withdrawal are the student’s responsibility and are not funded by Georgetown University TAP. For questions regarding TAP benefits, please contact the HR/Benefits Office at [email protected] or (202) 687-2500.

SCS is registered with GoArmyEd.com to accept SF-182 training authorization forms. GoArmyEd.com is the virtual gateway for all eligible active duty, National Guard, and Army Reserve soldiers to request Tuition Assistance (TA) online. GoArmyEd.com is also the virtual gateway for Army Civilians to apply for their Civilian education, training, and leadership development events.

The professional certificate programs offer an interest-free payment plan for certificate programs that are more than one month in duration and for which the total tuition is greater than or equal to $4,000. The payment plan is structured in the following manner:

Payment #1: A down payment of 25% of the total tuition balance must be paid online (within 72 hours after you register and select Payment Plan) via the Noncredit Student Portal . Please submit your down payment as soon as possible.
Payments #2, #3, and #4: Your remaining balance will be due in three (3) equal monthly installments beginning 30 calendar days after your down payment is processed. Your monthly payments must be paid via credit card in the Noncredit Student Portal . You will be able to access each invoice and payment due date in your student account.

PLEASE NOTE: Automatic Payment Service is not available. You must make each subsequent payment via the Noncredit Student Portal .

A number of tuition benefits are available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and under various parts of the GI Bill ® . Please visit the Resources for Military Students page for additional information and instructions.

Some students choose to finance certificate programs with private education loans. Students are responsible for contacting lenders directly to find out if a noncredit professional certificate program is eligible for a loan. While Georgetown University will not recommend specific lenders, it will certify loans for eligible programs from approved lenders.

For eligible noncredit professional certificate programs, Georgetown University will certify loan amounts up to the full cost of tuition for the program. Tuition does not cover books, travel, or living expenses. Please see individual program pages for tuition rates.

Georgetown University has a unique campus code for Sallie Mae. Our Sallie Mae branch code is 001445-99.

You must be approved for a loan before registering for courses. Follow these steps to pursue a loan option:

Check the list of lenders that have offered private education loans in the past to Georgetown University students.
Contact the lender and confirm your program is eligible for a private education loan.
Obtain the necessary paperwork and apply for the loan.
Georgetown will certify loan amounts based on the information below. Please note that our branch code is 001445-99.
Payment sent to Georgetown: Select “Third-Party Payment” at the time of registration if the lender is sending funds directly to Georgetown.
Enter the information about the lender and then contact Noncredit Student Accounts at [email protected] .

Note: It is your responsibility to contact Georgetown University Noncredit Student Accounts at [email protected] to ensure that your loan is processed.

While you may choose to complete your certificate program in one semester, many programs (but not all) allow up to two years to complete all requirements. As a result, you may choose to register for required and elective courses over several semesters to spread out the cost of tuition over time. We generally offer every course in a program each semester, so you'll have many opportunities to enroll in required and elective courses within the two-year time frame.

Tuition Discounts

Only one tuition discount may be applied at the time of registration. Tuition discounts cannot be combined. Tuition discounts are not applied retroactively. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Georgetown University alumni and SCS certificate completers are eligible to receive a 30% tuition discount for many certificates offered within SCS’s Professional Development & Certificates (PDC) portfolio. When registering for an eligible certificate through the SCS website, you will see the "30% Georgetown Alumni Discount" as an option. The Enrollment Team will then verify your eligibility status as a Georgetown University alumnus or certificate completer.

Georgetown SCS offers a 20% discount for eligible certificates to organizations that register 5 or more employees for the same certificate cohort at the same time. Eligible organizations include government agencies, nonprofit agencies, and for-profit businesses. Please contact [email protected] for steps and procedures to ensure your group has access to the discount.

Employees of Boeing receive a 10% tuition discount on select programs and courses

Employees of companies that belong to the EdAssist education network may receive a 10% tuition discount on select programs and courses. Contact EdAssist directly to find out if you qualify.

Eligible federal employees across the country receive a 10% scholarship applied to the current tuition rate for all SCS degree programs and professional certificate programs each academic semester. Please contact [email protected] for steps to be added to this discount group.

Still Have Questions?

Certificate Admissions and Enrollment Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 687-7000

Student Accounts Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 687-7696

Certifying Military Benefits Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 784-7321

Want to learn more?

Request information to find out the latest on our programs.

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Spring 2024
Summer 2024
Spring 2025
Summer 2025

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Choose Your Term

This program has multiple applications available. Please select your preferred term.

Course details

An introduction to critical thinking.

This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.

In print, online and in conversation, we frequently encounter conflicting views on important issues: from climate change, vaccinations and current political events to economic policy, healthy lifestyles and parenting. It can be difficult to know how to make up one’s own mind when confronted with such diverse viewpoints.

This course teaches you how to critically engage with different points of view. You are given some guidelines that will help you decide to what extent to trust the person, organisation, website or publication defending a certain position. You are also shown how to assess others’ views and arrive at your own point of view through reasoning. We discuss examples of both reasoning about facts and the reasoning required in making practical decisions. We distinguish risky inferences with probable conclusions from risk-free inferences with certain conclusions. You are shown how to spot and avoid common mistakes in reasoning.

No previous knowledge of critical thinking or logic is needed. This course will be enjoyed by those who relish the challenge of thinking rationally and learning new skills. The skills and concepts taught will also be useful when studying other areas of philosophy.

Programme details

Term Starts: 23rd April 2024

Week 1: What is critical thinking? What is the difference between reasoning and other ways of forming beliefs?

Week 2: What is a logical argument? How do arguments differ from conditionals, explanations and rhetoric?

Week 3: Certainty versus probability: the distinction between deductive and inductive reasoning.

Week 4: Deductive validity and logical form.

Week 5: When do arguments rely on hidden premises? A closer look at probability.

Week 6: Inductive generalisations: Reasoning from samples.

Week 7: Reasoning about causes and inference to the best explanation.

Week 8: Practical reasoning: Reasoning about what to do.

Week 9: When is it appropriate to believe what others tell you? What is the significance of expertise?

Week 10: Putting it all together: We analyse and assess longer passages of reasoning.

Digital Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Dr Andrea Lechler

Andrea Lechler holds a degree in Computational Linguistics, an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, and an MA and PhD in Philosophy. She has extensive experience of teaching philosophy for OUDCE and other institutions. Her website is www.andrealechler.com.

Course aims

To help students improve their critical thinking skills.

Course Objectives:

To help students reflect on how people reason and how they try to persuade others of their views.
To make students familiar with the principles underlying different types of good reasoning as well as common mistakes in reasoning.
To present some guidelines for identifying trustworthy sources of information.

Teaching methods

The tutor will present the course content in an interactive way using plenty of examples and exercises. Students are encouraged to ask questions and participate in class discussions and group work. To consolidate their understanding of the subject they will be assigned further exercises as homework.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

be able to pick out and analyse passages of reasoning in texts and conversations
understand the most important ways of assessing the cogency of such reasoning
know how to assess the trustworthiness of possible sources of information.

Assessment methods

Assessment is based on a set of exercises similar to those discussed in class. One set of homework exercises can be submitted as a practice assignment.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf) .

Level and demands

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

Innovation & Critical Thinking

Because organizations must innovate to stay alive in today's highly competitive marketplace, organizations need employees who can channel their creativity and innovation toward organizational challenges and goals. The Innovation and Critical Thinking Certificate is comprised of four courses. It first helps you become re-acquainted with your own stores of creativity and innovation. Next, you are given a set of tools that allow you to leverage your creativity to identify and solve organizational problems. One activity then asks you how you might look at a problem from a different angle to produce a more creative result; others walk you through the process of using analogies or replacement techniques to invent creative solutions to problems.

Each 3 to 5 hour, self-paced course in this program offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies, and self-assessments that will engage you and help you apply your newly discovered creativity in the workplace.

Upon successful completion, you can download a printable certificate of completion for this online program. This certificate has no textbooks or prerequisites.

Students who complete the Innovation and Critical Thinking Certificate are awarded a total of 22 CPEs (1 Technical; 21 Non-Technical) and 2.2 CEUs.

The Innovation and Critical Thinking certificate consists of 4 courses, each taking approximately 3 to 5 hours to complete. Students have four months to complete the certificate.

The four courses are:

Creativity in Teams and Organizations
Innovation in Teams and Organizations
Introduction to Critical Thinking
Personal Creativity

In this certificate program, students will learn how to do the following:

Explain the connection between creativity and innovation
Outline the five factors for creative teams
Use team creative tools such as brainstorming, Discussion 66, anonymous idea generation, and visioning
Explain the importance of diversity in team creativity
Describe techniques for prototyping new ideas
Explain how to overcome creative barriers for teams and organizations
Describe ways to make teams and organizations more open to creativity and innovation
Outline the key factors for an innovative organization
Discuss the barriers to innovation
Explain the differences between incremental, semi-radical, and radical innovation
Describe internal innovation tools such as idea champions, idea incubators, new venture teams and skunk works
Explain the process of moving from idea to commercialization
Discuss the issues surrounding innovation in the public sector
Define critical thinking, reasoning, and logic
Ask appropriate questions for critical thinking
Understand the process of systemic problem-solving
Identify and overcome barriers to critical thinking
Articulate common reasoning fallacies
Understand critical thinking as it pertains to the workplace
Describe the basis of personal creativity
Explain the uses of creative tools
Distinguish between vertical and lateral thinking
Employ creative tools like SCAMPER, random input, mind mapping, and DO IT
Describe the key characteristics of personal creativity
Assess the issues surrounding measuring creativity

This certificate offers an assortment of interactive exercises, selected readings, quizzes and self-assessments. Upon completion, learners are given a summary of what they've learned for quick reference while at work.

This program has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered within 3 business days.

This certificate requires no textbooks or prerequisites. There are some downloadable materials which students can save during the program to access for further use.

Quizzes and Testing

There are quizzes and tests throughout the course with exercises and scenarios for students to answer and self-assess their learning. Students are required to complete all content elements in the course and earn at least a 70% average test score to earn their certificate.
As a non-credit program, students earn a complete/incomplete status. Letter grades are not issued, nor recorded by Duke Continuing Studies.

Eligibility

All registrants must meet the following requirements:

Be at least 18 years of age
Possess word processing and internet skills
Be fluent in the English language (including reading and writing)
Be familiar with how online programs work and be comfortable using them
Be computer literate, have reliable internet access and a valid email account (Please note personal email accounts are preferred as they are less likely to be blocked by fire walls and spam filters)
Meet the computer technical requirements specifications

Admission is discretionary. The office of Duke Continuing Studies, Professional Certificate Programs, requires students be a least 18 years of age and meet minimum suitability standards. Students are not matriculated Duke University students and university student privileges do not apply to Continuing Studies students.

Duke Continuing Studies reserves the exclusive right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to withhold registration or require withdrawal from the program of any student or applicant.

Certificate Requirements In order to earn a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies, students are required to achieve an average test score of 70% and to complete all content elements in the course within 4 months (120 days).

Technical Requirements

Windows XP SP2 or newer
Mac OS 10.4.11 or higher
Linux/Unix (any recent version)
1 Ghz or faster CPU
sound card and headphones or speakers (some assignments have audio components)
Microsoft Office 97 (or newer) or comparable office suite such as Open Office (free download available at openoffice.org )
Adobe Flash Player 9 or greater (free download available at adobe.com )
Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader 7.0 or greater (free download available at adobe.com )

Web Browser

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or greater
Firefox 3.6 or greater ( free download available )
Netscape, Safari, Opera, Chrome, and other web browsers may work, however may not render all features of the course(s)
Cookies must be enabled
JavaScript must be enabled
Reliable internet connection
E-mail account (to be able to register and to receive e-mail from the system regarding registration, course status, etc.)

Registration

Registration is ongoing; therefore students can begin the program when it is convenient for them!

Registration is not available June 24 - June 30 annually due to the close of the fiscal year for the university.

Note: our enrollment system is a separate system from that used for your online training, and therefore, access to the online training is not an automated process upon your registration. Please be aware that there may be a time delay of up to 5 business days before you receive the email with your access to the online program. This delay will not affect your allotted completion time for the program. Please check your spam/junk folder because sometimes the access emails end up there.

Enrollment steps

Register for the program using the links provided above.
Receive an email within five business days from our program partner MindEdge containing details about how to access the program’s web portal.
Log-in and begin coursework. Students will have 4 months to complete their coursework from the date they receive their program access.

Registration Methods

Register Online using a credit card with our secure, real-time registration system. Add the course to your shopping cart and follow the instructions for checking out.
Register by Phone at 919-684-6259 during our business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm EST).

Is this program offered online only?

Yes, this program is exclusively offered online and is self-paced. No classroom programs are currently available for Innovation and Critical Thinking.

Who should take this course?

This course is designed for adult learners interested in exploring and expanding their personal and professional creativity.

Do I have to log on a certain times on certain days?

No, these courses are completely self-paced, allowing students to schedule the courses work as they so desire within the allotted access time.

When is registration open?

Students may register between July 1 and June 23 each year. Registration is not available from June 24 - June 30 annually due to the close of the fiscal year for the university.

After registering, when will students receive additional program details?

Within 5 business days of enrollment (excluding Duke holidays), students will receive an email from our program partner MindEdge with web access information.

Is access to a computer required during this program?

This is an exclusively online program and access to a reliable computer is required for the duration of the program.

How long do students have access to each online course?

Students will have access to all courses within the certificate for four months (120 days) from the date in which they receive program access.

How long does the course take to complete?

Each of the four courses of the certificate is estimated to take about 3-5 hours to complete. However, completion time will vary by student.

Are extensions granted to students who request them?

No. Sufficient time to complete coursework has been given, and therefore no extensions will be granted. If a certificate program is not finished and a student wants to re-enroll to complete it, he or she will have to purchase the program again and restart the training from the beginning.

What are the technical requirements for this program?

See the Requirements section above.

How do students ask questions?

Each course has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered within 3 business days.

What do students do if there are technical issues while completing the course?

Students should contact the Program Manager via email to troubleshoot technical issues. Students will receive a response within 3 business days (excluding Duke holidays).

How do students earn a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies?

Students who complete the program with an average minimum score of 70% within the given time frame and pay tuition in full (upon registration) will receive a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies. The certificate is downloadable after the course is completed. Students will be able to download the certificate for up to six months after completing the course.

Will these courses count for credits or degrees?

No. These courses are not applicable to a degree.

What is the refund policy for these courses?

There are no refunds given for online courses.

Tuition: $299

Duke employee discount.

$30 off the fee of $299; Duke employee pays fee of $269
Student must register and pay tuition in full prior to receiving program access
Questions: Contact Program Manager at 919-684-3379

Discount must be requested and applied during the registration process and cannot be applied in addition to any other discount that may be offered. You may be asked to verify your status as a Duke employee.

Group Discount

Do you have a group (Duke or non-Duke entity) interested in training? Contact the Program Manager for details.

Funding Sources

No loans can be construed to imply any degree-seeking status for students of Duke Continuing studies. Duke Continuing Studies courses are non-credit.

Duke Continuing Studies (DCS) will not certify (approve) loan amounts greater than the amount of the tuition regardless of the amount approved by the lending agency. DCS reserves the right to reject any loan which exceeds the tuition amount. DCS will not be responsible for refunding monies in excess of the tuition. Students needing to secure loan funding for books or other items in relation to the program are responsible for making separate loan arrangements with the funding agency. No loan funds will be refunded to the student.

Should a student choose to borrow less than the tuition amount, the balance must be paid prior to the close of the registration period.

Our Professional Certificate programs are non-credit (not degree applicable); therefore, they are NOT eligible for federal education loans. DO NOT SUBMIT FAFSA FORMS for these programs. Some of our programs may offer payment plans. Please see individual program web pages for those details.

Other Funding Sources

The funding options listed below may not be applicable to all programs at this time. Please contact the organization offering the funding to see if you qualify and if the funds can be used for the program in which you are interested.

Sallie Mae Smart Option Loan

To apply for this private student loan, visit Sallie Mae’s website , and click the I’m ready to apply button . The following application should populate with the pertinent information for Duke Continuing Studies.

Under Loan Needs, select Student and then Undergraduate degree.
Select Career training school.
Select North Carolina from the drop down menu.
Under name of school begin typing DUKE PROFESSIONAL , then select DUKE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES, DURHAM, NC, 00292099 when it populates.
Click Continue.
Next, You've confirmed that you want a Smart Option Student Loan for DUKE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES will appear.
Fill out Basic Information.
Fill out Permanent Address section.
DUKE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES, DURHAM, NC, 00292099 should already have populated for the school.
Select Certificate for Degree/Certificate of Study.
Select your Specialty or select Other if it is not shown in the options.
Select Half Time for Enrollment Status.
Select Certificate/Continuing Ed for Grade Level .
Enter your Loan period begins and loan period end dates.
Enter your Anticipated Graduation / Completion .
Enter loan amount. NOTE: This may not exceed the cost of tuition.
Estimated financial assistance should be $0.00 .
Under Loan request , click Use calculated need.
Do not check any box in typical school expenses.
Follow the remaining loan application prompts.

Wells Fargo Graduate Loan

Please note that Wells Fargo is no longer accepting new applications for their private student loans. However, students with an outstanding balance on a Wells Fargo private student loan may be eligible to be borrowers on a new private loan. See here for details.

Duke Hospital Employees

Duke University Hospital employees may be eligible for support from the Employee Development Initiative (EDI), which helps employees pay for short-term career-related programs, workshops, and seminars. For more information, visit the Employee Development Initiative site or call Duke Hospital Human Resources at (919) 668-2170.

Workforce Investment Act

The WIA provides professional and basic skills training services to those who have been unable to find employment. Please keep in mind that this process can be lengthy, so plan to apply well in advance of the program start date. For more information on eligibility, the application process, or to find your local Workforce Development Board, visit the NC JobLink Career Center website .

AmeriCorps Education Awards are available only for AmeriCorps volunteers and can be used for educational expenses for non-degree courses, such as Continuing Education courses offered by qualified schools. For more information on qualified schools and programs, contact the National Service Trust at 1-800-942-2677, or visit the FAQ page of the AmeriCorps website .

Wire Transfers

Contact our registration office at [email protected] for details on how to send wire transfers. Very specific instructions must be followed in order for our office to receive a successful transfer.

Online Refund and Transfer Policy

There are no refunds, cancellations, or transfers for online, self-paced courses.

Extension Policy

No extensions will be granted. Students who require additional time to complete the course(s) they registered for will be responsible for re-registering and paying for the course in full for a second time.

Tax Deductions

Course fees and expenses are sometimes tax deductible. Please consult an accountant concerning this matter. Non-credit programs at Duke Continuing Studies do not generate 1098-T forms, in accordance with the following IRS guideline:

Instructions for Forms 1098-E and 1098-T published by the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, states “You do not have to file Form 1098-T or furnish a statement for: Courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program…”
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Critical Thinking Cornell Certificate Program

Overview and courses.

Have you ever known a very intelligent person who made a very bad decision?

Critical problem solving is both a discipline and a skill; one that even very smart people can benefit from learning. Careful thought around decisions can help your teams and organizations thrive. And in today’s age of automation, it’s never been a more essential mindset to develop at every level of a company.

In this certificate program, you will practice a disciplined, systematic approach to problem solving. You will learn how to deeply analyze a problem, assess possible solutions and associated risks, and hone your strategic decision-making skills by following a methodology based on tested actions and sound approaches. Whether you’re interested in preparing for a management role or already lead an execution function, you’ll come away better equipped to confidently tackle any decision large or small, make a compelling business case, and apply influence in your organization in a way that creates the optimal conditions for success.

The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

This program includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the most pressing leadership topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events.

Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Course list

Problem-solving using evidence and critical thinking.

Have you ever known a very intelligent person who made a very bad decision? If so, you know that having a high IQ does not guarantee that you automatically make critically thoughtful decisions. Critically thoughtful problem-solving is a discipline and a skill—one that allows you to make decisions that are the product of careful thought, and the results of those decisions help your team and organization thrive.

In this course you will practice a disciplined, systematic approach to problem solving that helps ensure that your analysis of a problem is comprehensive, is based on quality, credible evidence, and takes full and fair account of the most probable counterarguments and risks. The result of this technique is a thoroughly defensible assessment of what the problem is, what is causing it, and the most effective plan of action to address it. Finally, you will identify and frame a problem by assessing its context and develop a well-reasoned and implementable solution that addresses the underlying causes.

Making a Convincing Case for Your Solution

When trying to persuade someone, the tendency is to begin in advocacy mode—for example: “Here's something I want you to agree to.” Most people do not react positively to the feeling of being sold something. The usual reaction is to literally or figuratively start backing up. To make a convincing case, it is more effective to engage with the decision maker as a partner in problem-solving. This makes your counterpart feel less like someone is trying to get them to buy something and more like you are working together to bring about an outcome that is desirable to both parties. Begin by asking yourself: “What is the problem you and the decision maker are solving together?”

By the end of this course, you will have learned how to deeply analyze a problem, possible solutions, and the associated risks as well as the most persuasive and efficient ways of presenting your proposal.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

Solve Problems Using Evidence and Critical Thinking

Strategic Decision Making

The ability to make effective and timely decisions is an essential skill for successful executives. Mastery of this skill influences all aspects of day-to-day operations as well as strategic planning. In this course, developed by Professor Robert Bloomfield, Ph.D. of Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, you will hone your decision-making skills by following a methodology based on tested actions and sound organizational approaches. You will leave this course better equipped to confidently tackle any decision large or small, and you'll do so in a way that creates the optimal conditions for success.

Navigating Power Relationships

Leaders at every level need to be able to execute on their ideas. In virtually every case, this means that leaders need to be able to persuade others to join in this execution. In order to do so, understanding how to create and utilize power in an organization is critical.

In this course, developed by Professor Glen Dowell, Ph.D., of Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management, students will focus on their personal relationship with power as well as how power works in their organization and social network.

Project Management Institute (PMI ® ) Continuing Certification : Participants who successfully complete this course will receive 6 Professional Development Units (PDUs) from PMI ® . Please contact PMI ® for details about professional project management certification or recertification.

Interpreting the Behavior of Others

Applying strategic influence.

Being able to influence others is the most fundamental characteristic of an effective leader, but many people in positions of power don't know specifically how they are influencing others' behavior in positive directions. They let it happen by chance or use their formal authority—getting people to do things because “the boss said so.” But as leaders gets promoted within their organization, using formal authority becomes less effective as they not only need to influence subordinates, but also peers, external stakeholders, and superiors. In this course, Professor Filipowicz explores the three complementary levels of influence. First, you will explore heuristics, or rules of thumb, that people use in order to make decisions. Next, you will learn how to influence through reciprocity by uncovering what the person you want to influence wants and needs. Lastly, you will learn how to alter the social and physical environment in order to get the change in behavior you want. By the end of this course, you'll have the skills to consistently draw out the desired behaviors from your team and from those around you.

Leadership Symposium LIVE

Symposium sessions feature three days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Leadership Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium in which we’ll discuss the ways that leaders across industries have continued engaging their teams over the past two years while pivoting in strategic ways. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to relevant topics for leaders. Throughout this Symposium, you will examine different areas of leadership, including innovation, strategy, and engagement. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from various industries.

Upcoming Symposium: June 4-6, 2024 from 11am – 1pm ET

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

How It Works

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Faculty Authors

Certificates Authored

Risa Mish is professor of practice of management at the Johnson Graduate School of Management. She designed and teaches the MBA Core course in Critical and Strategic Thinking, in addition to teaching courses in leadership and serving as faculty co-director of the Johnson Leadership Fellows program.

She has been the recipient of the MBA Core Faculty Teaching Award, selected by the residential program MBA class to honor the teacher who “best fosters learning through lecture, discussion and course work in the required core curriculum”; the Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the MBA graduating classes to honor a faculty member who “exemplifies outstanding leadership and enduring educational influence”; the “Best Teacher Award”, selected by the graduating class of the Cornell-Tsinghua dual degree MBA/FMBA program offered by Johnson at Cornell and the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University; the Stephen Russell Distinguished Teaching Award, selected by the five-year MBA reunion class to honor a faculty member whose “teaching and example have continued to influence graduates five years into their post-MBA careers”; and the Globe Award for Teaching Excellence, selected by the Executive MBA graduating class to honor a faculty member who “demonstrates a command of subject matter and also possesses the creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm essential to meet the unique challenges of an EMBA education.”

Mish serves as a keynote speaker and workshop leader at global, national, and regional conferences for corporations and trade associations in the consumer products, financial services, health care, high tech, media, and manufacturing industries, on a variety of topics, including critical thinking and problem solving, persuasion and influence, and motivating optimal employee performance. Before returning to Cornell, Mish was a partner in the New York City law firm of Collazo Carling & Mish LLP (now Collazo Florentino & Keil LLP), where she represented management clients on a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including defense of employment discrimination claims in federal and state courts and administrative agencies, and in labor arbitrations and negotiations under collective bargaining agreements. Prior to CC&M, Mish was a labor and employment law associate with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City, where she represented Fortune 500 clients in the financial services, consumer products, and manufacturing industries. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and state and federal courts in New York and Massachusetts.

Mish is a member of the board of directors of SmithBucklin Corporation, the world’s largest trade association management company, headquartered in Chicago and TheraCare Corporation, headquartered in New York City. She formerly served as a Trustee of the Tompkins County Public Library, Vice Chair of the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and member of the board of directors of the United Way of Tompkins County.

Omnichannel Leadership Program
Corporate Communication
Intrapreneurship
Management 360

Critical Thinking

Performance Leadership
Executive Leadership
Change Management

Glen Dowell is an Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University. He researches in the area of corporate sustainability, with a focus on firm environmental performance. Recent projects have investigated the effect of local demographic factors on changes in pollution levels, the role of corporate merger and acquisition in facilitating changes in facility environmental performance, and the relative influence of financial return and disruption on the commercial adoption of energy savings initiatives.

Professor Dowell’s research has been published in Management Science, Organization Studies, Advances in Strategic Management, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management, Industrial and Corporate Change, Journal of Business Ethics, and Administrative Science Quarterly. He is senior editor at Organization Science and co-editor of Strategic Organization, is on the editorial boards of Strategic Management Journal and Administrative Science Quarterly, and represents Cornell on the board of the Alliance for Research in Corporate Sustainability (ARCS). He is also the Division Chair for the Organizations and Natural Environment Division of the Academy of Management.

Professor Dowell teaches Sustainable Global Enterprise and Critical and Strategic Thinking. He is a faculty affiliate for the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and a faculty fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.

Sustainable Business
Hotel Management and Owner Relations
Strategic Healthcare Leadership
Executive Healthcare Leadership

Since coming to the Johnson Graduate School of Management in 1991, Robert J. Bloomfield has used laboratory experiments to study financial markets and investor behavior. He has also published in all major business disciplines, including finance, accounting, marketing, organizational behavior, and operations research. Professor Bloomfield served as director of the Financial Accounting Standards Research Initiative (FASRI), an activity of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and is an editor of a special issue of Journal of Accounting Research dedicated to Registered Reports of empirical research. Professor Bloomfield has recently taken on editorship of Journal of Financial Reporting, which is pioneering an innovative editorial process intended to broaden the range of research methods used in accounting, improve the quality of research execution, and encourage the honest reporting of findings.

Management Accounting for Leaders
Management Accounting

Allan Filipowicz is clinical professor of management and organizations at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Professor Filipowicz’s research focuses on how emotions drive or impede leadership effectiveness, at both the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. Within this domain, he studies the relationship between emotions and risky decision making; the influence of humor on both leadership and negotiation effectiveness; the impact of emotional transitions in negotiations; and the relationship between genes, chronotype (morningness–eveningness) and performance. His work has been published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Forecasting, Creativity Research Journal, Journal of Circadian Rhythms, and Scientific Reports.

Professor Filipowicz teaches Managing and Leading Organizations (recently winning a Best Core Faculty Award), Negotiations, Executive Leadership and Development, Leading Teams, and Critical and Strategic Thinking. He has taught executives across the globe, from Singapore to Europe to the US, with recent clients including Medtronic, Bayer, Google, Pernod Ricard, and Harley-Davidson. Professor Filipowicz received his PhD from Harvard University. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Affairs from the University of Pennsylvania, and degrees in electrical engineering (MEng, BS) and economics (BA) from Cornell University. His professional experience includes banking (Bankers Trust, New York) and consulting, including running his own boutique consulting firm and four years with The Boston Consulting Group in Paris.

Adaptive Healthcare Strategy
Negotiation Mastery
Psychology of Leadership

Key Course Takeaways

Respond decisively and consistently when faced with situations that require a decision
Assess the context of the problem
Summarize your analysis of the problem
Analyze potential solutions from multiple perspectives
Build a compelling business case for your solution
Improve your ability to exercise influence in your organization and activate your network to achieve goals
Establish responsibilities and accountabilities to ensure effective follow-through on decisions made

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What You'll Earn

Critical Thinking Certificate from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management
60 Professional Development Hours (6 CEUs)
38 Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward PMI recertification
30 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification
30 Credit hours towards HRCI recertification

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Who should enroll.

C-level executives, VPs, managers
Industry leaders with 2-10+ years experience
Mid-level professionals looking to move into leadership roles
Engineers and designers leading projects
Consultants or analysts
Anyone whose work involves devising, proposing, and defending evidence-based solutions

“eCornell puts you in control of your education entrepreneurship. It allows you to choose what you need to learn and how you need to learn it at the right time.”

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Critical and Creative Thinking Certificate

Develop the knowledge, skills, tools, and experience you need to make effective changes in education, work, social movements, science, or the arts.

Program Type

Graduate Certificate

Semester Start

Fall, Spring

Study Options

Minimum duration.

UMass Boston’s Critical and Creative Thinking Certificate focuses on learning and applying ideas and tools in critical thinking, creative thinking, and reflective practice. It’s designed for professionals from a wide array of industries and endeavors looking for personal and professional development to develop clarity and confidence to become constructive, reflective agents of change in education, work, social movements and activism, science, and creative arts. You’ll experiment and take risks as you apply what you’re learning in the classroom to real-world situations, reflect on these outcomes and revise accordingly, and build a set of tools, practices, and perspectives that work in your specific professional and personal endeavors. Apply these skills to virtually any field — from education to policy making to the arts.

This program consists of five 3-credit courses, or 15 credits.
Online tuition is $575 per credit.
Total estimated cost to complete this program is $8,625.
Estimate is based on completing program by minimum duration. Other fees may apply. Request Info to connect with a program representative for further details.
Application deadlines are due July 1 for the fall and December 1 for the spring.

Application Checklist

Official transcripts of all previous undergrad and graduate work
Three letters of recommendation from former teachers familiar with your recent academic work, or from employers familiar with your professional ability
Your essay should include specific accounts of your past work and current direction.
You should provide a detailed discussion of your specific interests and priorities as a student; the projects you have completed in the past; the problems and topics you want to focus on in future study; and how and why you believe the CCT program can help you accomplish your goals.
The CCT Admissions Committee will read your essay as a demonstration of how you write and how you think about issues, as well as determine if your interests and goals match those of the Program.
Test Scores: GRE scores are optional to apply for our program. International students should check with Graduate Admissions to inform you of your required tests.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Required from students from countries where English is not the primary language
Declaration and Certification of Finances: Required from all International Students who take face-to-face courses before an I-20 is issued, with which the student applies for a student visa. For current financial support requirements and other information, visit the Graduate Admissions page for International students or call 617.287.6400.
Personal Disclosure Form

Required Courses:

Critical Thinking (CRCRTH601) (online and on campus) Explore issues about the nature and techniques of critical thought, viewed as a way to establish a reliable basis for our claims, beliefs, and attitudes about the world. You’ll explore multiple perspectives, placing established facts, theories, and practices in tension with alternatives to see how things could be otherwise. Views about observation and interpretation, reasoning and inference, valuing and judging, and the production of knowledge in its social context are considered. Special attention is given to translating what is learned into strategies, materials, and interventions for use in your own educational and professional settings.
Creative Thinking (CRCRTH602) (online and on campus) Increase your understanding of creativity to improve your creative problem-solving skills, and to enhance your ability to promote these skills in others in a variety of educational settings. You’ll participate in activities designed to help develop your own creativity and discuss the creative process from various theoretical perspectives. Readings focus on creative individuals, environments that tend to enhance creative functioning, and related educational issues. Discussions with artists, scientists, and others particularly involved in the creative process focus on their techniques and on ways in which creativity can be nurtured.

Electives (Pick Three):

Foundations of Philosophical Thought (CRCRTH603L) (online and on campus?) By discussing four or five traditional substantive problems in philosophy — morality, the nature of knowledge, freedom of the will, the nature of mind, and social organization — we attempt to derive a common approach that philosophers bring to these problems when developing their own solutions or criticizing the solutions of other philosophers. You’ll also consider some of the ways that substantive issues and debates in philosophy relate to contemporary non-philosophical issues in our society and can be introduced into a broad range of educational environments outside standard philosophy courses.
Seminar in Critical Thinking (CRCRTH611) (online and on campus) Research and discuss important issues of current concern about critical thinking. Issues include critical thinking, logic and knowledge, critical thinking about facts and about values, knowledge in its social context, teaching to be critical, and evaluating critical thinking skills. Throughout the course, you’ll address these issues through cases of topical interest.
Seminar in Creativity (CRCRTH612) (online and on campus) Delve deeply into the theory and practice of promoting creativity using a specific theme, such as invention and innovation, humor, realizing creative aspiration, building creative communities, as a focus for the readings, discussions, class activities, and semester-long projects. Course materials are drawn from a variety of sources to match the instructor's specialty, student interests, and evolving trends in the literature, including biographies, intellectual histories, psychological studies, educational research, the popular media, guest speakers, and outside mentors. Details for the specific semester are publicized in advance by the Program.
Holistic & Transformative Teaching (CRCRTH615) (online and on campus) Explore approaches to realize teachers' and fellow students' potential for learning, thinking, and creativity. The course’s primary focus is on holistic strategies to engage students in the creative arts and design. You’ll be actively involved in preparing practical applications and demonstrations of concepts emerging from the class.
Dialogue Processes (CRCRTH616) (online) Genuine dialogue provides a creative space in which new ways of thinking, acting, and relating to others may emerge. At the heart of such dialogue is holding respect for oneself, for one another, and for a commonly created pool of meaning. You’ll learn and experience approaches to listening and dialogue derived from Buber, Bohm, Isaacs, Jackins, Weissglass, and others, that allow us to become more aware of the underlying beliefs, assumptions, and emotions that limit our thinking and our responses to the world. Discussions explore applications of dialogue processes in educational, organizational, social, and personal change.
Creative Thinking, Collaboration, and Organizational Change (CRCRTH618) (online and on campus) Through interactive, experiential sessions, and structured assignments, you’ll learn critical and creative approaches to working in organizations. Skills addressed include communication and team building, facilitation of participation and collaboration in groups, promotion of learning from a diversity of perspectives, problem-finding and solving, and reflective practice. You’ll apply these skills to situations that arise in business, schools, social change groups, and other organizations with a view to taking initiative and generating constructive change.
Biomedical Ethics (CRCRTH619) (online and on campus) Develop critical thinking about dilemmas in medicine and health care policy, such as those that arise around allocation of scarce resources, criteria for organ transplants, informed consent, experimentation on human subjects, AIDS research, embryo research, and selective termination of pregnancy, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide. Through such cases the course introduces you to methods in moral reasoning, rights-based reasoning, decision-making under uncertainty, and utilitarianism in classic and contemporary normative reasoning.
Issues and Controversies in Antiracist and Multicultural Education (CRCRTH627) (online and on campus) Explore two related forms of education — antiracist education and multicultural education — approaching them as issues in moral and value education and exploring controversies in the theories and practices of antiracist and multicultural education. You’ll study both practical and theoretical issues but with more concentration on theory. You’ll cover various topics, including racism, race, and school achievement; ethnic identity and self-esteem; Afrocentrism; religious pluralism; and multiculturalism as a unifying or divisive force.
Criticism and Creativity in Literature and the Arts (CRCRTH630) (online and on campus) Expression and evaluation, freedom and discipline, creative production and its critique -how do these dualities relate to visual and verbal imagination as they are demonstrated in literature and the arts? Specific strategies for eliciting imaginative work in these areas are demonstrated, as well as specific strategies for evaluating imaginative works. Finally, you’ll focus on ways of helping others, including children, develop these skills and utilize these strategies effectively.
Environment, Science, and Society: Critical Thinking (CRCRTH640) (online and on campus) Through current and historical cases, you’ll explore the diverse influences that shape environmental science and politics and their pedagogical, professional, social, and moral implications for educators, environmental professionals, and concerned citizens.
Biology in Society: Critical Thinking (CRCRTH645L) (online and on campus) Study current and historical cases to examine the political, ethical, and other social dimensions of the life sciences. Close examination of developments in the life sciences can lead to questions about the social influences shaping scientists' work or its application. This can lead to new questions and alternative approaches for educators, biologists, health professionals, and concerned citizens. The specific thematic emphasis each semester is publicized by the Program.
Scientific & Political Change (CRCRTH649L) (online and on campus) Prior to WWII, the US government played a relatively small role in the support of science, especially outside of its own institutions. That situation changed dramatically with that war and the ensuing Cold War. You’ll explore how these events transformed the role of science in United States life, vastly enhancing the prestige of scientists, and shaping the extent and the nature of federal involvement in science. These and later developments in the USA and internationally, including the proliferation of new forms of citizen participation and the commercialization of academic research, raise important questions about the appropriate role of science and scientists in shaping political change and the changing meanings of democratic control of science.
Mathematics Thinking Skills (CRCRTH650) (online and on campus) Explore several types of mathematical thinking in the context of number theory, algebra, geometry, and introductory calculus, and relate them to critical and creative thinking skills. Developmental and experiential factors in learning and teaching mathematics are considered, as well as techniques for determining a learner's mathematical abilities and learning styles. Readings, discussion, research, and problem-solving are used to provide a historical context, and to suggest connections with other disciplines. Individual and small-group projects are adapted to student interests. No formal mathematical background beyond high school algebra and geometry is required.
Advanced Cognitive Psychology (CRCRTH651L) (online and on campus) Gain an understanding of the field of cognitive psychology from an information-processing viewpoint. You’ll consider how people encode, organize, transform, and output information with an emphasis on topics such as concept formation, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
Children and Science (CRCRTH652) (online and on campus) Explore the ways children think about their natural and social world and how this affects their learning of science. We will be particularly concerned with identifying and describing the organized conceptual frameworks children have prior to instruction (which typically are different from the scientists' conceptualizations) and with understanding the general processes by which conceptual frameworks can be changed. You’ll explore the important questions of in what ways children are fundamentally different learners and thinkers than adults and in what ways they are fundamentally similar.
Metacognition (CRCRTH655) (online and on campus) Consider various aspects of metacognition and how they influence behavior in children and adults. You’ll cover various topics, including the individual's knowledge of his or her own cognition, self-awareness, the monitoring of conscious thought processes, inferences about unconscious thought processes, metacognition as a decision process, metacognitive strategies, the development of metacognition, and metacognition as a source of individual differences in children.
Thinking, Learning, and Computers (CRCRTH670) (online and on campus) Explore the consequences of using computers to aid our thinking, learning, communication, and action in classrooms, organizations, and social interactions. Class activities acquaint you with specific computer-based tools, the ideas and research behind them, and themes for critical thinking about these ideas and tools.
Reflective Practice (CRCRTH688) (online and on campus) Reflective practitioners in any profession pilot new practices, take stock of outcomes and reflect on possible directions, and make plans to revise their practice accordingly. They also make connections with colleagues who model new practices and support the experimenting and practice of others. In this course, you’ll gain experience and up-to-date tools for reflective practice through presentations, interactive and experiential sessions, and, optionally, supervised pilot activities in schools, workplaces, and communities.
Processes of Research and Engagement (CRCRTH692) (online and on campus) Identify issues in educational or other professional settings on which to focus your critical and creative thinking skills. You’ll work through the different stages of research and action — from defining a manageable project to communicating findings and plans for further work. The classes run as workshops, in which you are introduced to and then practice using tools for research, writing, communicating, and supporting the work of others.
Action Research for Educational, Professional & Personal Change (CRCRTH693) (online and on campus) Explore techniques for critical thinking about the evaluation of changes in educational practices and policies in schools, organizations, and informal contexts. Study various topics, including quantitative and qualitative methods for design and analysis, participatory design of practices and policies in a framework of action research, institutional learning, the wider reception or discounting of evaluations, and selected case studies, including those arising from semester-long student projects.
Epidemiological Thinking and Population Health (PPOLG753L) (online and on campus) Get an introduction to the concepts, methods, and problems involved in analyzing the biological and social influences on behaviors and diseases, and in translation such analyses into population health policy and practice. You’ll study these with a special focus on social inequalities, changes over the life course, and heterogeneous pathways. Case studies and course projects are shaped to accommodate you with interests in diverse fields related to health and public policy. Students are assumed to have a statistical background, but the course emphasizes epidemiological literacy with a view to collaborating thoughtfully with specialists, not technical expertise.
Seminar in Gender, Culture, Society/Graduate Consortium in Women’s Studies (WGS 583) (on campus) Investigate theories, methodologies, and practices of feminist inquiry in the humanities. Examine the many ways in which feminist scholarship has sought to understand and theorize society and culture. The course is designed as a seminar for students who are motivated to think critically about a range of issues related to gender and socio-cultural norms, institutions, and relations of power. It introduces you to interdisciplinary and intersectional perspectives to knowledge, agency, social and structural inequalities.

At the end of this two-semester program, you’ll be awarded a certificate in Critical and Creative Thinking. The degree will demonstrate your expertise in the field on your résumé, as well as in interviews and workplace evaluations.

Why UMass Boston Online?

Among the lowest online tuition rates of an accredited, public research university.

Flexibility

Study full-time to finish fast, or part-time to suit your schedule. Live sessions scheduled with the working professional in mind.

Authenticity

The same courses taught by the same academic departments as on campus. No third-party providers.

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An introduction to Critical Thinking

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The Director's Welcome

Critical Thinking is a multidisciplinary subject dealing with the analysis and formulation of arguments. Put simply, it provides a methodological approach to asking “why should I believe you” or “why should you believe me?”. It helps with the detection of weak arguments, fake news, and mind manipulation through rhetorical devices and propaganda, thereby protecting you from false beliefs. From politics, news and religion, Critical Thinking provides a set of tools to question the truth of claims and evidence. Focusing on the delivery of clear language and concise arguments, it is of value to anyone needing to write essays or professional reports. This course complements The Psychology of Reasoning (W35Pm28) but can be taken independently.

This course aims to:

explain the basic principles involved in critical thinking processes making you familiar with the principles underlying different types of good reasoning as well as common mistakes in reasoning
prepare you to understand the concept of truth, and how to assess information, for example, how to identify conspiracy theories and fake news
show how rhetorical devices and propaganda are used to influence manipulate public opinion

Employers, universities and the media, all claim that there is a lack of critical thinking skills and students and the public in general should be equipped with reasoning tools that protect them from scams and help them to assess fake news and conspiracy theories to make better decisions. The call for better critical thinking is widespread, but without appropriate training people do not know what critical thinking skills are. There are as many definitions of critical thinking as there are authors. Each definition depends on the academic background of the author. Philosophers would define it differently to psychologists, scientists will interpret it differently to lawyers. Each professional group would emphasise different aspects of critical thinking, but common to all of them is the purpose to determine whether the received information is true. In simple terms, critical thinking consists of a set of intellectual tools, rules and techniques with the aim of ascertaining what is true and whether you want to believe in it.

Critical thinking provides a set of tools to answer the question, “Why should I believe you?” and help in the formulation of arguments “How am I going to get you to believe me?”

Although some critical thinking ability may be developed inside the framework of particular specialities, usually the approach is limited to the subject matter and leaves out skills necessary to apply in daily life.

Presentation of the course

This course provides a light approach to the main topics in Critical Thinking. It includes lectures and discussions which aim to apply the theory delivered in the lectures.

Course sessions

The meaning of truth How do you decide whether the information you receive is true?
Arguments What is the difference between an argument and an opinion? Should all opinions be respected?
Understanding the differences between inductive and deductive reasoning Deduction is mainly based on formal logic. The ability to think logically, supports the strength of arguments. Induction depends on the quality of the evidence. You will learn about the different aspects of deductive and inductive arguments.
Language in Critical Thinking You will learn about the use of rhetorical devices, propaganda and other methods used to influence your opinions.
Analysis and assessment of arguments Methods to help you whether to accept or reject the arguments presented to you. It also helps you to build a strong argument.

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.

The learning outcomes for this course are:

development of the capacity for independent thought, analysis and critical reasoning
to analyse and evaluate arguments and identify most common fallacies
to understand the uses of language and rhetoric in social manipulation

Required reading

There are no compulsory readings for this course. However, you may find the below recommended reading list of interest to supplement your course.

There are many books on critical thinking and reading suggestions for each particular subject will be delivered during the course. However, printed materials which support each lesson theme will be delivered since the course doesn’t follow any particular core book.

During the course you will be provided materials for critical analysis by the class. These materials can be news clips, information from social networks or advertising. You will be invited to assess whether to believe or refute the arguments or information presented in such materials.

Typical week: Monday to Friday

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit .

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.

Course dates

Course duration, course director.

Academic Directors, Course Directors and Tutors are subject to change, when necessary.

Qualifications / Credits

Teaching sessions, course code.

Institute of Continuing Education Madingley Hall Madingley Cambridge CB23 8AQ

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ME322 - Introduction to Critical Thinking

Course description.

How Will I Learn

This online course provides a mobile-friendly interface with audio-enabled lessons, allowing easy access to video content, real-world case studies, and interactive games & flashcards. Also included is an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered as quickly as possible and usually within 24 hours.

This course does not require any additional purchases of supplementary materials. Learners must achieve an average test score of at least 70% to meet the minimum successful completion requirement and qualify to receive IACET CEUs. Learners will have three attempts at all graded assessments.

What You Will Learn

Introduction to critical thinking.

Define critical thinking, reasoning, and logic
Ask appropriate questions for critical thinking
Understand the process of systemic problem-solving
Identify and overcome barriers to critical thinking
Articulate common reasoning fallacies
Understand critical thinking as it pertains to the workplace

Refund Policy

You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed. Completion percentage can be viewed on the Course Progress page from within the course.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

Creativity and Innovation Certificate : Creativity and Innovation Certificate

ME322 - 001

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Introduction to Critical Thinking

A professional contemplating the solution to a problem

Identify and develop critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is an intellectual model for reasoning through issues to reach well-founded conclusions. It may be the single-most valuable skill that one can bring to any job, profession, or life challenge. Being able to ask the right questions, critique an argument, and logically dissect an issue occurs constantly in the workplace and our lives. This self-paced introductory-level course is designed to help learners define and identify critical thinking and reasoning skills and develop those skills. This course grants 0.7 CEUs for successful completion. Students have 90 days from the day they are granted access to complete this course. Please note: Access to this course will be granted as soon as possible but may take up to 1 business day

View Enrollment Details

Learner Outcomes

After this class, you will be able to:

Define critical thinking, reasoning, and logic
Ask appropriate questions for critical thinking
Understand the process of systemic problem-solving
Identify and overcome barriers to critical thinking
Articulate common reasoning fallacies
Understand critical thinking as it pertains to the workplace

COURSE SCHEDULE

Introduction to critical thinking course information.

Course Fee(s) Tuition non-credit - $115.00

Start the registration process.

Newsletter on current events, relevant topics, and updates on our courses and certificates

Developing Critical Thinking

Posted January 10, 2018
By Iman Rastegari

In a time where deliberately false information is continually introduced into public discourse, and quickly spread through social media shares and likes, it is more important than ever for young people to develop their critical thinking. That skill, says Georgetown professor William T. Gormley, consists of three elements: a capacity to spot weakness in other arguments, a passion for good evidence, and a capacity to reflect on your own views and values with an eye to possibly change them. But are educators making the development of these skills a priority?

"Some teachers embrace critical thinking pedagogy with enthusiasm and they make it a high priority in their classrooms; other teachers do not," says Gormley, author of the recent Harvard Education Press release The Critical Advantage: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in School . "So if you are to assess the extent of critical-thinking instruction in U.S. classrooms, you’d find some very wide variations." Which is unfortunate, he says, since developing critical-thinking skills is vital not only to students' readiness for college and career, but to their civic readiness, as well.

"It's important to recognize that critical thinking is not just something that takes place in the classroom or in the workplace, it's something that takes place — and should take place — in our daily lives," says Gormley.

In this edition of the Harvard EdCast, Gormley looks at the value of teaching critical thinking, and explores how it can be an important solution to some of the problems that we face, including "fake news."

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iT unes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber and co-produced by Jill Anderson, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.

An education podcast that keeps the focus simple: what makes a difference for learners, educators, parents, and communities

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Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking

Course Details

Truth, Validity, and Soundness
Refutations and Proofs
Categorical Statements
Categorical Equivalences and Syllogistic Proofs
Truth-Functional Symbolism
Truth-Tables
Validity of Truth-Functional Arguments
Implication and Equivalence
Truth-Functional Proofs
Truth-Functional Proofs Continued
Quantification Symbolism
Quantification Proofs
Inductive Arguments

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PHIL 1440 Critical Thinking

3 credit hours

Develops students’ skills in evaluating arguments and other aspects of critical thinking, focusing on the ways people reason and attempt to justify their beliefs. Activities may include modeling arguments, detecting common fallacies, examining the use (and misuse) of scientific evidence, and learning the basics of symbolic logic. Formerly titled “Introductory Logic.”

Spring 2024
Summer 2024

Online, Term-Based Section 581

Gen Ed: Distribution-Arts & Humanities

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Course Catalog

Critical thinking.

Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically. In the workplace, employing critical thinking skills is vital to making sound, logical decisions regardless if you are an employee managing individual projects to managers who are often juggling many priorities. This course is defined to help learners define critical thinking, how to employ logic to evaluate your decision making processes and how to successfully implement these skills in everyday work situations.

Product Description / Course Objectives

eAt the conclusion of this course, the learner will be able to:

Understand the components of critical thinking
Utilize non-linear thinking
Use logical thinking
Recognize what it means to be a critical thinker
Evaluate information using critical thinking skills
Identify the benefits of critical thinking
Revise perspective, when necessary
Comprehend problem solving abilities

With the purchase of this course you gain exclusive access to our highly valuable Free Microlearning Lessons! Upon completion of this course, in 30 days you will receive a single email with 3 FREE Microlearning Lessons. Each lesson is carefully crafted to provide you with key information based upon the content of this course. Elevate your skills, gain confidence, and achieve your goals!

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Continuing Education

Creative, critical & design thinking.

Change the way you think to change the way you lead

Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Program

Boost your problem-solving skills with thoughtful and innovative approaches.

Building your creative, critical and design thinking skills will enhance your ability to solve intricate problems. Equip yourself to succeed with our online Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program.

Employs the same tools used by leaders in government, healthcare, the arts, technology and more
Empathize with people
Identify and frame problems
Seek different viewpoints
Identify alternative explanations
Generate test ideas
Take actions that add value to others and promote positive outcomes and opportunities
Earn a Certificate of Professional Learning or a Diploma in Business Administration with a concentration in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking

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Program highlights Learn More

Innovative, solutions-focused problem solving
Online courses taught by industry experts
Earn a certificate of professional learning
Open enrolment program

Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program features:

Learn the same reasoning tools and techniques used by leaders in business, government, healthcare, the arts, technology and more
Opportunities to compile a toolkit of creative thinking techniques to generate, evaluate and develop new ideas and solutions
Practical activities that include case studies, group discussion and projects to enhance critical thinking skills for working and living in today’s complex world
Flexible options to complete as a certificate of professional learning or apply courses toward electives or concentration of the Business Administration Diploma

What you'll learn Learn More

How to leverage a design thinking mindset for problem-solving
How to acquire a creative thinking, problem-solving toolkit
Best practices to develop design solutions and construct prototypes

Through our Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program, you’ll learn to:

Develop competencies in critical, creative and design thinking to investigate an idea and transform it into meaningful action
Apply divergent and convergent thinking tools to situations within a variety of fields and settings
Examine principles and models of creative, critical and design thinking to effectively solve problems for users and stakeholders
Practice using the tools, frameworks and processes needed to develop solutions to industry problems and complex situations
Construct and execute innovative strategies in relation to problems and situations
Become aware of, and leverage, the role(s) played in creative processes and teams
Reflect on and meaningfully communicate your experiences of creating, problem solving and designing
Recognize how to identify, participate in, and support communities committed to sustainable change

Learn more about the Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program

Who should take this program.

Anyone working in business, marketing, government, health care, the arts, technology and more
New and current managers
Recent college/university graduates

What are the career opportunities?

Earning a Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking demonstrates to employers that you have the skills they are looking for in a wide variety of industries and especially in-demand for the following roles:

Sales professional
Customer Service Representative
Information Technology Professional
Portfolio Accountant
Financial Analyst
Team Leader

Academic Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the program will be able to:

Develop competencies in critical, creative, and design thinking to investigate an idea and transform it into meaningful action.
Apply divergent and convergent thinking tools to situations within a variety of fields and settings.
Examine principles and models of creative, critical, and design thinking to effectively solve problems for users and stakeholders.
Practice using the tools, frameworks and processes needed to develop solutions to real-world problems and complex situations.
Construct and execute innovative strategies for problems and complex situations.
Become aware of and leverage the role(s) they play in creative processes and teams.
Reflect on and meaningfully communicate their experiences of creating, problem-solving and designing.
Recognize how to identify, participate in, and support communities of practice committed to sustainable change.

The following objectives will be threaded within each course:

Demonstrate an awareness of ethical practices and professional standards applicable to the field of work.
Exemplify the skills, attitudes and behaviours required to work and collaborate with people and develop personal management skills.
Employ effective communication practices.

ElevateYourSkills option for McMaster undergraduate students

Are you a current McMaster University undergraduate student?

Explore the ElevateYourSkills option to learn how you can earn a Creative, Critical & Design Thinking certificate as part of your degree.

Use your electives to earn a professional certificate or diploma
Fully online courses that you can fit into your schedule
Providing you with real-life career skills and experience before you graduate

Learn more here.

Check out our latest Program Preview webinar recording to learn more about the Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program

What our recent graduates say

The instructors worked in the marketing field and taught us real-life experiences.

Tyson Business Administration - Marketing graduate

Obtaining an education with McMaster Continuing Education helped me reinvent my career. I was a former banker and I wanted a career in marketing. Through this program, I was able to bridge that gap and get into the career that I wanted. The instructors were working in the marketing field, teaching us real-life experiences and that was very valuable to me.

Business Administration - Marketing graduate

Other programs you may be interested in

Digital marketing program, marketing program, business administration program, certificate in creative, critical & design thinking, certificate of professional learning in creative, critical & design thinking, pursue your certificate of professional learning in creative, critical & design thinking with mcmaster continuing education.

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Certificate of professional learning in creative, critical & design thinking learn more.

Earn your Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking by completing all 3 courses listed below. Courses can be taken in any order.

Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Requirements

Academic Credit – 9 units

The Creative, Critical & Design Thinking courses can also be completed as part of the Business Administration Diploma with a concentration in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking

Courses can also be taken as general electives in the Business Administration Diploma

Courses (complete all 3)

Ccd 101 cultivating creative thinking.

(Currently Not Available)

CCD 102 Critical Thinking for Problem Solving

Ccd 103 design thinking, creative, critical & design thinking schedule, creative, critical & design thinking schedule.

This schedule table displays courses planned to be offered this year and is a guide to planning your courses for the academic year. Please note: Spring term registration opens mid-March and Fall/Winter term registration opens mid-July.

For more information about our learning formats and to choose a format that works best for you, please visit our Learning Formats page. All times listed below are in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).

The schedule table is subject to change. Please visit the course pages to browse classes currently available for registration and the latest cost information.

Admission Requirements

This program is open enrolment, which means there is no formal application or admission procedure. To enrol in a course, simply register online. Our courses can be taken as part of a program or individually.

To enrol in McMaster Continuing Education programs, you must:

Have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent
Be a mature student as defined in the Undergraduate Calendar of McMaster University or
Be deemed an exceptional case

To ensure you are successful in your online courses, you are required to have knowledge and skills with general computer applications, such as keyboarding, file management, video conferencing and word processing.

Language Requirements

If your first language is not English, you must meet the University’s English language proficiency requirements . Completion of TOEFL exam with a minimum acceptable score of 20 on each of the four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening), valid for 2 years.

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How to register for our courses and programs.

Visit continuing.mcmaster.ca/programs to find your program of choice
Click on each tab on the program page to learn about credential options and requirements, schedule and fees, and a list of all courses in the program
Select a course and then select an available offering, noting important information such as cost, delivery format , and start/end dates; then click ‘add to cart’
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Review your cart and, once you’re ready to proceed with enrolment, click ‘proceed to checkout’
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A payment receipt email will be issued to you immediately after registering, and a course confirmation email will be sent to you overnight. Within approximately 24 hours of registering, you will also receive an important email containing credentials used to activate your MacID, which you must do before you can access courses in Avenue to Learn. Please review our Getting Started page to learn more about the next steps for beginning your studies after registration, and our Help Centre for our Refund Policy and other frequently asked questions. Please note that on average, each course requires 6-8 hours of study per week, per course (sometimes more) and some courses may have listed prerequisites. Please plan your schedule accordingly. Most students take 1-2 courses per term across a few different terms and a full-time equivalent course load is typically 3-4 courses per term.

For more information and a walkthrough on how to register, please check out this video.

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Nursing Blog

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Key Concepts of Critical Thinking in Nursing

Course highlights.

In this course we will learn about key concepts and importance of critical thinking in nursing.
You’ll also learn the basics of critical thinking education, followed by common exercises.
You’ll leave this course with a broader understanding of how to develop and utilize strategies that promote critical thinking in nursing.

Contact Hours Awarded: 2

Course By: Keith Wemple BSN, RN, CCRN, CMC

Read Course | Complete Survey | Claim Credit

➀ Read and Learn

The following course content

How many times did you hear the phrase “critical thinking” in your training to become a nurse? I must have heard it a thousand times, and I still don’t think I ever had a clear definition of it in my mind. What exactly is critical thinking? In this course, we will answer those questions and provide insight into how you can teach critical thinking in nursing. Also included are some self-guided exercises to practice critical thinking skills. After all this, you will be ranting about the vital importance of critical thinking, too.

Ask yourself...

How would you define critical thinking in your mind?

Do you think of yourself as a critical thinker?

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a term that is difficult to define because it is, by nature, somewhat subjective. The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking defines it as “the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action,” (4). That’s a long definition. Essentially, critical thinking is a way of thinking that allows a person to recognize important information and process it to solve problems. Let us break this down further into the key characteristics of critical thinkers.

How are “text-book smart” and “street smart” different from each other?

Information Gathering

There are some key characteristics of critical thinkers that appear consistently throughout the literature. The first of these attributes is information gathering (1). Critical thinkers are adept at gathering information from situations. They pay attention to details and pick up on the information that others may miss. Critical thinkers try to uncover the particulars to ensure they are well informed in their thinking and decision-making. Critical thinking is not a passive acceptance of information but rather an active collection of data. In terms of nursing, the critical thinker will place a lot of importance on their assessment. Rather than focusing simply on the tasks that need to be completed, critical thinking in nursing means staying in tune with assessment findings and changes. For example, if a patient has labs drawn, the critically thinking nurse will watch for the results of these labs to have the most up-to-date information and be alert to any changes.

How do you incorporate “information gathering” into your routine?

Investigating

Another important attribute of critical thinkers is their habit of investigating (1). They do not accept information at face value. They have a tendency to question information, especially that which contradicts other data. When critical thinkers see the information that doesn’t seem right or raises questions, they investigate it. This way of thinking goes together with seeking out information.

With critical thinking in nursing, a nurse may ask themselves, “What else do I need to know? What comes next?” Rather than simply reporting one change to the physician, they think “what could this change represent? What other information would support this idea?” Continuing our example of following labs, if the nurse notices that the white blood cell count has increased, they will investigate to see why that might be. They would likely assess the patient for signs of infection, such as fever or chills.

If you get the feeling that “something isn’t right,” what do you do next?

Evaluation

Critical thinkers also can evaluate the information they have gathered to create new ideas or hypotheses (1). This is the cognitive “connecting the dots” that allows critical thinkers to synthesize pieces of data into a complete picture of what is happening.

Critical thinking in nursing doesn’t mean just collecting and reporting information; they process it and form ideas of their own. They ask questions like “how do these pieces of information fit together? Does this fit with any knowledge I already have?” Going back to our example, let’s say after the nurse notices the white blood cell count and assesses the patient, they find the patient has a fever and cloudy urine. Evaluation of this information would lead the nurse to think the patient has a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Think of a time you diagnosed a patient’s problem. How did you come to this conclusion?

Problem Solving

An important aspect of critical thinking is problem solving. After gathering and evaluating information, the critical thinker tries to solve any problems that surface (1). This is a key point that separates critical thinking from merely being perceptive. Recognizing important information and problems is vital but being able to then think through and solve the problem is what makes critical thinking stand out. Looking at our example again, once the nurse has recognized symptoms consistent with a UTI they will begin formulating ideas on how to treat the problem. The first action would likely be notifying the provider of all the information gathered, the nurse’s hypothesis and a recommendation to solve the problem. You may recognize this format as being similar to Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR). SBAR is a tool that is used to help guide critical thinking in nursing (1).

What information/assessments do you focus on for the patients you care for?
What characteristics do you think a critical thinker should have?
Have you recognized patterns in how your providers/institution solve common problems?
Have you ever had a provider recommend a treatment you disagree with? Why did you disagree?

Why is Critical Thinking Important?

Now that we understand what exactly critical thinking means, let’s ask: why is it so important? You may have already formulated some ideas about how critical thinking in nursing can be helpful in practice. Critical thinking is a pattern of recognizing and reacting to the most important pieces of information. This is crucial in nursing, where we are presented with a plethora of information and expected to use the most important pieces to save lives and make people healthy. Now, let us get more specific on what areas would benefit from critical thinking in nursing.

Patient Outcomes

First, and maybe most important, is that critical thinking improves patient outcomes (3).

Studies have shown that critical thinking skills in nurses are linked to lower hospital costs to patients, as well as to the facility thanks to lower in-hospital complications (3). Critical thinking by nurses also decreases the length of hospital stay (4). It has also been shown to improve outcomes and lower complications in surgical patients when the operating room nurses had a higher level of critical thinking (3). Despite these positive results and every nursing instructor ranting on the importance of critical thinking, there is a lack of research into the connection between critical thinking in nursing and patient outcomes. This is primarily because of the difficulty of assessing critical thinking skills specific to nurses and linking these skills to a measurable outcome without confounding factors (3).

Staff Satisfaction

You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that critical thinking in nursing leads to higher staff satisfaction! Research has found a strong correlation between critical thinking ability and perceived autonomy and job satisfaction in nurses (5). It is believed that critical thinking fosters autonomy or at least increases the sense of autonomy, which generally leads to higher job satisfaction. Critical thinking has been shown to improve confidence as well, and feeling confident in your work generally improves satisfaction as well (5). Interestingly, there has also been research that shows that critical thinking is linked to higher satisfaction with life decisions and less adverse life events (6). The idea here is that critically thinking through a decision before making it leads to less regret. So, this course will make you happier with work and help you make better life choices – you’re welcome.

Efficiency

Another important benefit of critical thinking is that it improves efficiency. Studies found that nurses with higher critical thinking skills work more efficiently (1). If you are thinking critically you are better able to prioritize and plan to avoid wasting time and energy. As we all know, nursing can be very demanding, and efficiency is important for tending to all our patients’ needs. Also, if the nurse manager of a unit has higher critical thinking skills, they implement changes that improve overall efficiency and morale (7). This highlights that critical thinking is important to all nursing forms and how one person practicing critical thinking can impact others.

Healthcare Complexity

A large reason why critical thinking has become so important is the ever-increasing complexity of healthcare. As we develop new treatments, we are always being asked to learn new processes and how to monitor patients receiving these treatments. Also, as the healthcare system improves treatments, the average patient is becoming older and has more co-morbidities (4). This adds to the complexity of each patient. Critical thinking is a great skill that aids in learning new tasks and comprehending more complicated patients. Nurses arguably have the most complex set of tasks, as we are often asked to perform some of the duties of other healthcare professions. Being adaptable to whatever changes come and taking on new responsibilities is a great benefit of critical thinking.

Have you ever seen a colleague miss something that may have harmed the patient?
Have you or a colleague ever had a “good catch” that you feel benefited the patient?
How do you think critical thinking increases autonomy?

When have you been asked to make a change to your practice? How did you adapt to this change?

How could you make your work routine more efficient?

Critical Thinking Education

Now that we understand what critical thinking is and why it’s important let us discuss how critical thinking is taught. Critical thinking in nursing has become an integral part of many programs. Many healthcare institutions are looking for ways to incorporate critical thinking into their training process as well (1). Critical thinking is, however, an abstract concept and truly is a whole new way of thinking. So, how do we teach someone how to think? There are several factors that should be considered when trying to teach or learn critical thinking.

Educator Influence

First, educators have an important influence on the instruction of critical thinking skills. Educators that are effective at teaching critical thinking skills are open-minded, flexible, and supportive of their students (1). Showing flexibility and not firmly holding to one set way of doing things allows the students to adopt their own version of critical thinking. Role-modeling, guiding, and being knowledgeable about critical thinking also leads to a more effective educator (1). The educator should guide learners through their understanding of critical thinking while role-modeling critical thinking behaviors.

Environment

The learning environment also plays an important role in a nurse’s ability to learn critical thinking skills. The environment should be inclusive, non-judgmental, and allow for open discussion (1). This applies to both nursing schools and nurses being trained into a new unit. Feeling accepted on a unit allows for better learning and has a positive impact on critical thinking skills (1). It is important for nurses looking for a new work unit to find one with a welcoming, safe environment to aid in learning. On the other side, we should always strive as nurses to be inclusive and facilitate this type of environment as it benefits everyone. I was always told that “nurses eat their young,” and this attitude does not foster learning or growth.

Education System

The education system also impacts the teaching of critical thinking. Education systems, for one, largely shape the learning environment and educators. The education system should strive to create the type of learning environment where critical thinking skills can grow. Too much emphasis on classroom lectures and power dynamics between teachers and students hinders the development of critical thinking skills (1). Teaching critical thinking as its own subject also helps students learn the skill (1).

Individual Factors

Lastly, there are some individual factors that affect a person’s ability to cultivate critical thinking skills. Chief among these are a lack of confidence and fear of questioning an instructor (1). You can see how all these concepts seem to be centered on the fact that learners perform best when they are comfortable and have the freedom to discuss ideas. This is the central concept that should be understood and practiced by both mentor and mentee, as well as the education system as a whole. So, as we move into the next section teaching critical thinking skills, put yourself in a comfortable place – physically and mentally. Be sure to keep thinking of questions and follow your own ideas.

What training or education did you receive on critical thinking?
Who was your favorite instructor/mentor? What did they do to stand apart from others?
What factors make you more comfortable and likely to learn?
What were the dynamics like at your nursing school?
Have you ever felt afraid of asking a ' stupid' question?

Strategies to Promote Critical Thinking

Now that we have an understanding of the right mindset to have when learning critical thinking, let us actually discover how to teach and learn it. Some common strategies that appear to be effective are targeted questioning, case studies and simulation (1). These are all approaches that require more than one person, so they are best practiced as part of training. If you have a colleague or mentor, you may try some of these strategies with them as well.

Targeted Questioning

First, we have targeted questioning, which is a tactic of asking questions in order to promote further thinking (8). This often involves asking questions of increasing difficulty to encourage the learner to think deeper about what the facts represent. It is the educator’s equivalent of a toddler asking “why?” over and over. The purpose is not to be annoying but to discover how deep down the rabbit hole the learner will go. Socratic questioning is another common type of targeted questioning designed to encourage learners to think further on the subject matter. This is commonly used in continuing education (check the italicized text), and helps to promote further thinking on facts rather than just accepting them at face value.

Case Studies

The next exercise that helps teach critical thinking is case studies. Case studies help promote critical thinking by allowing learners to think through a real-life scenario without the stressors of experiencing the scenario (1).

It is important for learners to acknowledge how they might feel in that scenario so that they can be better prepared for the pragmatic aspects and the personal aspects of dealing with the presented problem (4). Case studies typically move chronologically through a scenario and often guide learners through the critical thinking behaviors of information gathering, investigating, evaluating and problem-solving. This helps build the mental framework of moving step-wise through a problem in order to find the best solution.

Simulation

Finally, simulation has proven to be useful in fostering critical thinking. Simulation, similar to case studies, promotes thinking through a scenario in a low-risk, low-stress environment with the added benefit of going through the physical motions involved (8). This allows the learner to physically experience the situation as well as think through the problems. This can help familiarize someone with the actual physical interventions involved so they are more comfortable when practiced in real scenarios. This is often used in life support training so that learners understand how to actually connect the defibrillator and which button to press, so there is less fumbling in the high-stress scenario where these motions are used (8).

Did you ever have an instructor “grill” you on facts? What did this do for your learning?
Have you ever found yourself comparing a problem to a similar previous problem?
What is your experience with simulation?
Think of a stressful situation you were confronted with at work. Could that situation be captured in a simulation?

Critical Thinking Exercises

We have examined ways to teach critical thinking skills to others, but what about developing critical thinking within ourselves? Luckily, there are a couple of exercises that can be practiced individually to foster critical thinking skills. This is helpful to those of us who are finished with our training and looking to better ourselves. Start with a desire to improve, as none of us are perfect. These exercises are best practiced by focusing on a specific scenario, particularly if there is a scenario that you didn’t fully grasp or that felt overwhelming.

Concept Mapping

The first exercise is concept mapping. Concept mapping is the practice of visually representing ideas on paper and showing connections between these ideas (2). They are often presented in either a hierarchical or web pattern with the key ideas at the top or center of the diagram, respectively.

This helps a learner visualize their thinking process and further think about what connected and how. For example, let's think of our scenario earlier with the suspected UTI. We might see a change in vital signs as a central idea which connects us to signs of infection and then to interventions. This can help us see the progression of ideas, how they are connected, and possible other explanations.

Reflective Writing

Our final means of learning critical thinking in nursing is reflective writing. Reflective writing or journaling helps to identify thought patterns and promote critical thinking skills (1). Again, this is most useful for examining a specific situation. Breaking down a complex situation when you have more time to analyze it will help you learn more from that challenge.

It may seem silly to write a journal but reflecting and processing your ideas is an important practice for growth. The act of formulating your thoughts into written words helps to make more sense of the ideas and feelings you have. You don’t have to keep a daily journal, but if you have a challenging shift it may help to reflect on it and write down your ideas. It is important to treat this exercise as a learning opportunity, and to not ruminate on failures or beat yourself up for not being perfect.

Practice drawing a concept map of the key concepts of critical thinking from this course.
Write down a tough scenario you have dealt with at work. What made this experience hard?
How have you or will you change your practice based on this scenario?

Conclusion

In summary, critical thinking in nursing is essential. It impacts our efficiency, the well-being of our patients, and our own happiness. Critical thinking is a broad way of thinking that involves gathering information, investigating, and evaluating the information in order to solve a problem. Critical thinking is best learned and practiced with an open mind. We can foster critical thinking in each other through case studies, simulations and targeted questioning. We can improve our critical thinking in nursing skills ourselves by practicing reflective writing and concept mapping. If you are a nurse educator or preceptor, I hope you have found something you can use to shape future nurses. If you are a nurse looking to better understand critical thinking, I hope you have learned something you can take to your nursing practice.

References + Disclaimer

Chan, Z. (2013, March 1). A systematic review of critical thinking in nursing education. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/nurse-education-today
Lee, W., Chiang, C., Liao, I., Lee, M., Chen, S., & Liang, T. )2013, October 1). The longitudinal effect of concept map teachin on critical thinking of nursing students. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22795871/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.06.010
Fesler-Birch, D. (2005, April 1). Critical thinking and patient outcomes: A review. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15858523/
Scriven, M., & Paul, R. (2007, January 1). Defining critical thinking. Retrived March 17, 2021, from https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
Zurmehly, J. The Relationship of Education Preparation, Autonmy, and Critical Thinking to Nursing Job Satisfacttion. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. 2008;39(10):453-460
Butler, H. (2012, June 20). Halpern critical thinking assessment predicts real-world outcomes of critical thinking. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/acp.2851
Zori, S., Nosek, L., & Musil, C. (2010, July 08). Critical thinking of nurse managers related to staff RNs’ perceptions of the practice environment. Retrieved March 17, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20738741/
Kaddoura, M. New graduate nurses’ perceptions of the effects of clinical simulation on their critical thinking, learning, and confidence. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41 (11) (2010), pp. 506-516

Disclaimer:

Use of Course Content. The courses provided by NCC are based on industry knowledge and input from professional nurses, experts, practitioners, and other individuals and institutions. The information presented in this course is intended solely for the use of healthcare professionals taking this course, for credit, from NCC. The information is designed to assist healthcare professionals, including nurses, in addressing issues associated with healthcare. The information provided in this course is general in nature and is not designed to address any specific situation. This publication in no way absolves facilities of their responsibility for the appropriate orientation of healthcare professionals. Hospitals or other organizations using this publication as a part of their own orientation processes should review the contents of this publication to ensure accuracy and compliance before using this publication. Knowledge, procedures or insight gained from the Student in the course of taking classes provided by NCC may be used at the Student’s discretion during their course of work or otherwise in a professional capacity. The Student understands and agrees that NCC shall not be held liable for any acts, errors, advice or omissions provided by the Student based on knowledge or advice acquired by NCC. The Student is solely responsible for his/her own actions, even if information and/or education was acquired from a NCC course pertaining to that action or actions. By clicking “complete” you are agreeing to these terms of use.

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Nursing Continuing Education CEU

Klimes institute: convenient quality health, ethics, & statistics ce coures 3hr/$21, critical thinking.

About This Course

E40 Critical Thinking, 3 CE hours

Description: In critical thinking, we learn to ask questions to determine the facts, analyze the support for the various claims, evaluate the reliability of the various options, and infer the most reasonable conclusions.

Objective: At the end of this course, you will 1. Ask questions to determine the facts, 2. Analyze the support for the various claims, 3. Evaluate the reliability of the various options, and 4. Infer the most reasonable conclusions.

Meet Your Instructor

Rudolf E. Klimes, PhD, MPH

At the end of this course, if you are taking this course individually for 3 CEUs (rather than as a module of Care Ethics) you will need to take the self-correcting test to complete this course.

Introduction

Critical thinking is the reasonable and reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.

In critical thinking, we

Ask questions to determine the facts,
Analyze the support for the various claims,
Evaluate the reliability of the various options, and
Infer the most reasonable conclusions.

Read the following synopsis of a case study on critical thinking, “Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults To Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting” by Stephen D. Brookfield :

A variety of methods are presented for developing skills for critical thinking, which is described as reflecting on assumptions underlying actions and considering new ways of looking at and living in the world. Critical thinking is viewed as not just an academic exercise, but a productive process enabling people to be more effective and innovative in four key areas of adult life: personal relationships, workplaces, political involvements, and responses to the media. The book contains three main parts: (1) Understanding Critical Thinking in Adult Life, which covers what it means to think critically, recognizing critical thinking and learning to think critically in adult life, and how critical thinking sustains a healthy democracy; (2) Practical Approaches for Developing Critical Thinkers, including effective strategies for facilitating critical thinking, helping others examine the assumptions underlying their thoughts and actions, and techniques for developing alternative ways of thinking; and (3) Helping Adults Learn to Think Critically in Different Arenas of Life, including using the workplace as a resource for thinking and learning, analyzing political issues and commitments, developing critical judgments about television reporting, encouraging active learning through personal relationships, and being a skilled facilitator of critical thinking. An epilogue addresses the risks and rewards of helping others learn to think critically. 400 references. (LB)

Source: eric.ed.gov ED294480

1. Scientific Investigation Critical Thinking Indicators

Brainstorming Challenges assumptions Creates analogies or metaphors Differentiates between fact and opinion Recognizes more than one point of view Makes connections with prior learning experiences Makes connections between shared ideas Respectfully reflects on others’ ideas Distinguishes between measurable and nonmeasurable questions Constructs/formulates a measurable question or a purpose/problem Composes a purpose/problem from the selected measurable question Research Formulates reasonable questions related to the problem Locates information from a variety of resources Identifies and seeks additional materials Reads to find additional information related to an investigation Engages in self-directed research investigations Expresses interest in replicating the investigations of others Summarizes information to demonstrate understanding of facts Hypothesis Selects a plausible and measurable solution based on information gathered from research Procedure Designs a measurable test of the selected hypothesis Breaks down test into steps which can be sequenced Sequences steps Adjusts steps when necessary Rewrites steps to clarify Materials Compiles a list of all materials necessary to conduct the test Verifies and acquires necessary materials Modifies list of materials as adjustments are made in procedural steps Results Performs test(s) following the steps of the procedure Makes observations carefully, using all senses Gathers data in an organized manner Records data accurately in a written log Makes diagrams or photographs during the test Summarizes the data written form Chooses an appropriate graphic representation of the data collected Analyzes data Communicates results accurately to an audience Generalizes results to other investigations or applications Clarifies results when necessary Conclusions Evaluates the analysis of the data Judges data to assess whether it supports the hypothesis or not Draws conclusions in written form Extensions

Interprets data when hypothesis is not supported by the conclusion and attempts to explain the reason for the failed hypothesis Redesigns procedures based on interpretation of test results Applies results to other learning opportunities Reflects on investigation and poses other relevant questions to be investigated Reflects on investigation and formulates a new purpose/problem that probes more deeply into the topic Creates variation(s) on the original problem Suggestions for Effective Use of Scientific Investigation Critical Thinking Indicators Input the indicators into a spreadsheet program and evaluate one investigation process (ex. brainstorming) at a time. Input the indicators into a spreadsheet program and evaluate students’ skills throughout the marking period and note the dates each indicator was investigated. Enlarge the list of indicators and attach it to a chart. Jot down student’s name and place a sticker next to each critical thinking indicator attained throughout the investigation, grading period, or year. Print out the entire list of Scientific Investigation Critical Thinking Indicators and highlight only those deemed appropriate for your classroom use. Generate a page of the selected indicators to be placed in the student’s science log for referencing during investigations. This page sets the standard that will be expected in future investigations and provides easy access to reference when in parent or student conferences.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20111022223414/http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/tools/eval/sci_critical.html

2. A consensus statement on critical thinking in nursing.

Scheffer BK , Rubenfeld MG .

Department of Nursing Education, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti 48197, USA.

The purpose of this study was to define critical thinking in nursing. A Delphi technique with 5 rounds of input was used to achieve this purpose. An international panel of expert nurses from nine countries: Brazil, Canada, England, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Thailand, and 23 states in the U.S. participated in this study between 1995 and 1998. A consensus definition (statement) of critical thinking in nursing was achieved. The panel also identified and defined 10 habits of the mind (affective components) and 7 skills (cognitive components) of critical thinking in nursing. The habits of the mind of critical thinking in nursing included: confidence, contextual perspective, creativity, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition, open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection. Skills of critical thinking in nursing included: analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information seeking, logical reasoning, predicting and transforming knowledge. These findings can be used by practitioners, educators and researchers to advance understanding of the essential role of critical thinking in nursing.

Source: PMID: 11103973 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11103973

3. Critical Thinking: Promoting It in the Classroom

Prepared by: M. Carrol Tama IC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Digest #40 The NCTE Committee on Critical Thinking and the Language Arts defines critical thinking as “a process which stresses an attitude of suspended judgment, incorporates logical inquiry and problem solving, and leads to an evaluative decision or action.” In a new monograph copublished by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Siegel and Carey (1989) emphasize the roles of signs, reflection, and skepticism in this process. Ennis (1987) suggests that “critical thinking is reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do.” However defined, critical thinking refers to a way of reasoning that demands adequate support for one’s beliefs and an unwillingness to be persuaded unless the support is forthcoming. Why should we be concerned about critical thinking in our classrooms? Obviously, we want to educate citizens whose decisions and choices will be based on careful, critical thinking. Maintaining the right of free choice itself may depend on the ability to think clearly. Yet, we have been bombarded with a series of national reports which claim that “Johnny can’t think” (Mullis, 1983; Gardner, 1983; Action for Excellence, 1983). All of them call for schools to guide students in developing the higher level thinking skills necessary for an informed society. Skills needed to begin to think about issues and problems do not suddenly appear in our students (Tama, 1986; 1989). Teachers who have attempted to incorporate higher level questioning in their discussions or have administered test items demanding some thought rather than just recall from their students are usually dismayed at the preliminary results. Unless the students have been prepared for the change in expectations, both the students and the teacher are likely to experience frustration. What is needed to cultivate these skills in the classroom? A number of researchers claim that the classroom must nurture an environment providing modeling, rehearsal, and coaching, for students and teachers alike, to develop a capacity for informed judgments (Brown, 1984; Hayes and Alvermann, 1986). TEACHER CHANGE Hayes and Alvermann found that coaching teachers led to significant changes in students’ discussion, including more critical analysis. The supervision model that was used allowed teachers and researchers to meet for preobservation conferences in order to set the purpose for the observation. Then, each teacher’s lessons were videotaped and observers made field notes to supplement the videotape. After the lesson, the researchers met to analyze the tape and notes and to develop strategies for coaching the teachers. In another post-observation meeting, the teachers and supervisors planned future lessons incorporating the changes they felt necessary to promote and improve critical discussion in the classes. Hayes and Alvermann report that this coaching led teachers to acknowledge students’ remarks more frequently and to respond to the students more elaborately. It significantly increased the proportion of text-connected talk students used as support for their ideas and/or as cited sources of their information. In addition, students’ talk became more inferential and analytical. A summary of the literature on the role of “wait time,” (the time a teacher allows for a student to respond as well as the time an instructor waits after a student replies) found that it had an impact on students’ thinking (Tobin, 1987). In this review of studies, Tobin found that those teachers who allowed a 3-5 second pause between the question and response permitted students to produce cognitively complex discourse. Teachers who consciously managed the duration of pauses after their questioning and provided regular intervals of silence during explanation created an environment where thinking was expected and practiced. However, Tobin concludes that “wait time” in and of itself does not insure critical thinking. A curriculum which provides students with the opportunity to develop thinking skills must be in place. Interestingly, Tobin found that high achievers consistently were permitted more wait time than were less skilled students, ndicating that teachers need to monitor and evaluate their own behavior while using such strategies. Finally, teachers need to become more tolerant of “conflict,” or confrontation, in the classroom. They need to raise issues which create dissonance and refrain from expressing their own bias, letting the students debate and resolve problems. Although content area classroom which encourages critical thinking can promote a kind of some psychological discomfort in some students as conflicting accounts of information and ideas are argued and debated, such feelings may motivate them to resolve an issue (Festinger, 1957). They need to get a feel for the debate and the conflict it involves. Isn’t there ample everyday evidence of this: Donahue, Geraldo Rivera, USA Today? Authors like Frager (1984) and Johnson and Johnson (1979) claim that to really engage in critical thinking, students must encounter the dissonance of conflicting ideas. Dissonance, as discussed by Festinger, 1957 promotes a psychological discomfort which occurs in the presence of an inconsistency and motivates students to resolve the issue. To help students develop skills in resolving this dissonance, Frager (1984) offers a model for conducting critical thinking classes and provides samples of popular issues that promote it: for example, banning smoking in public places, the bias infused in some sports accounts, and historical incidents written from both American and Russian perspectives. If teachers feel that their concept of thinking is instructionally useful, if they develop the materials necessary for promoting this thinking, and if they practice the procedures necessary, then the use of critical thinking activities in the classroom will produce positive results. Matthew Lipman (1988) writes, “The improvement of student thinking–from ordinary thinking to good thinking–depends heavily upon students’ ability to identify and cite good reasons for their opinions.” Training students to do critical thinking is not an easy task. Teaching which involves higher level cognitive processes, comprehension, inference, and decision making often proves problematic for students. Such instruction is often associated with delays in the progress of a lesson, with low success and completion rates, and even with direct negotiations by students to alter the demands of work (Doyle, 1985). This negotiation by students is understandable. They have made a career of passive learning. When met by instructional situations in which they may have to use some mental energies, some students resist that intellectual effort. What emerges is what Sizer (1984) calls “conspiracy for the least,” an agreement by the teacher and students to do just enough to get by. Despite the difficulties, many teachers are now promoting critical thinking in the classroom. They are nurturing this change from ordinary thinking to good thinking admirably. They are 1) promoting critical thinking by infusing instruction with opportunities for their students to read widely, to write, and to discuss; 2) frequently using course tasks and assignments to focus on an issue, question, or problem; and 3) promoting metacognitive attention to thinking so that students develop a growing awareness of the relationship of thinking to reading, writing, speaking, and listening. (See Tama, 1989.) Another new ERIC/RCS and NCTE monograph (Neilsen, 1989) echoes similar advice, urging teachers to allow learners to be actively involved in the learning process, to provide consequential contexts for learning, to arrange a supportive learning environment that respects student opinions while giving enough direction to ensure their relevance to a topic, and to provide ample opportunities for learners to collaborate.

Source and Footnotes: http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9211/critical.htm

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Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
Building your creative, critical and design thinking skills will enhance your ability to solve intricate problems. Equip yourself to succeed with our online Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program. Employs the same tools used by leaders in government, healthcare, the arts, technology and more. Teaches you the systematic and human-centred ...
StanfordOnline: Thinking Critically Series: Interpreting ...
This course seeks to fulfill the clinical community's need to improve skills in the critical evaluation of clinical research papers. Competency in critical appraisal skills can have a significant impact by improving clinical practice, quality of research projects, and peer-review of manuscripts and grants. The course will utilize efficient and engaging videos with relevant clinical examples ...
Key Concepts of Critical Thinking in Nursing
The education system also impacts the teaching of critical thinking. Education systems, for one, largely shape the learning environment and educators. The education system should strive to create the type of learning environment where critical thinking skills can grow. ... Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41 (11) (2010), pp. 506-516 ...
Critical Thinking
E40 Critical Thinking, 3 CE hours. Description: In critical thinking, we learn to ask questions to determine the facts, analyze the support for the various claims, evaluate the reliability of the various options, and infer the most reasonable conclusions. Objective: At the end of this course, you will 1.Ask questions to determine the facts, 2. Analyze the support for the various claims, 3.
How to Boost Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills for
Problem-solving and critical thinking are essential interpersonal skills for continuing education, whether you are pursuing a degree, a certification, or a personal interest. However, sometimes ...
Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
This is a beginner online course for nurses new to the preceptor role. Includes common terms, assessing learning styles, giving constructive feedback, competency validation methods, and strategies for promoting critical thinking. *Offers ANCC continuing education credits. $1,000 for 50 learners. Customized Course Package
Continuing Education
Our nursing CE courses offer a wide range of subjects to help nurses fulfill their continuing education requirements, sharpen skills and advance their careers. Our convenient and affordable e-learning courses provide unlimited 24-hour access. While they do not offer credits towards the ICRS certificate program, many offer CE credits.

Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Leadership

Curriculum & Schedule

Testimonials from current students and alumni.

Course Schedule

Stewart Brown

Peter Kralovec

Sharon Newport

Jessica Srikantia Field

Gary Steinberg

John Trybus

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PLEASE NOTE: Automatic Payment Service is not available. You must make each subsequent payment via the Noncredit Student Portal .

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Digital Certification

Dr Andrea Lechler

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Quizzes and Testing

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Tuition: $299

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Other Funding Sources

Sallie Mae Smart Option Loan

Wells Fargo Graduate Loan

Duke Hospital Employees

Workforce Investment Act

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Critical Thinking Cornell Certificate Program

Course list

Making a Convincing Case for Your Solution

Strategic Decision Making

Navigating Power Relationships

Interpreting the Behavior of Others

Leadership Symposium LIVE

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Faculty Authors

Critical Thinking

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“eCornell puts you in control of your education entrepreneurship. It allows you to choose what you need to learn and how you need to learn it at the right time.”

Critical and Creative Thinking Certificate

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Why UMass Boston Online?

Flexibility

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Instructional and Learning Design Certificate

Instructional Technology Design Certificate

Instructional Design MEd

An introduction to Critical Thinking

Presentation of the course

Course sessions

Learning outcomes

Required reading

Typical week: Monday to Friday

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Evaluation and Academic Credit 