The critical thinking workbook, games and activities for developing c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g s k i l l s
Area
Soft skills
Duration
50min
Dimension of the advised group of students
10-30
Specific objectives
- enhance the ability to differentiate between facts and opinions
- enhance critical thinking skills
Needed Materials
Computer &internet connection
Software
To interact online with students use:
- online communication platform, such us: zoom, google meets, etc
- tools to deliver the training and working in groups: mentimenter, jamboard, slido, kahoot, etc.
Description
The Critical Thinking Workbook is a generous collection of engaging activities aiming at improving students’ mindful communication, problem-solving skills and the drive to think out of the box. The activity pages in the Critical Thinking Workbook are meant to be shared and explored as an electronic document or as worksheets. While engaged in the activities students will realize that they can apply critical thinking to any kind of subject, problem, or situation they choose a s critical thinking is about improving thinking by analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing how we think. It also means thinking in a self-regulated and self-corrective manner. There are also Answer Keys for the activities at the back of the booklet.
The booklet could be used with students at risk of demotivation because the activities are completely adapted to this kind of students using non formal education methodology, even the activities could be adapted to fully virtual or blended using.
Procedure on how to put in practice
Duration: 50 min
No of Participants: 10-50
Methods used: discussion, presentation
Communication in mother tongue.
Step-by-step description:
1. The trainer introduces the topic: differentiating between fact and opinion. The trainer tells participants that the activities will help them differentiate between facts and opinions, which is important for developing critical thinking skills.
2. The trainer elicits from the participants what a fact and an opinion are.
3. The trainer divides the class into pairs and gives each pair a handout with statements that are either fact or opinion. The students compare answers within their pairs and share their views. Discuss their findings with the whole class. Discussion on the benefits of differentiating between fact and opinion and the shortcomings of not being able to.
4. The trainer asks students to write facts and opinions about some topics of their choice. Students can create a Kahoot for their peers focused on the topic.
Debriefing question: what advice would you give students to help them
differentiate between facts and opinions? How important this skill is?
