Title: Course Overview
Course: Introduction to Critical Thinking > Section: About this course

Preface to PEBL blended learning modules

Welcome to this blended module Introduction to Critical Thinking.

This blended learning module has been developed by several academics under the auspices of the Partnership for Enhanced and Blended Learning (PEBL) project supported by DFID's SPHEIR programme. The project addresses the critical academic staff shortages many East African universities are currently facing and enables universities to share scarce teaching resources through quality assured, credit-bearing degree modules, delivered through blended learning. The course is therefore shared by several universities in Africa and has been quality assured by the Quality Assurance department of Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.

You may have heard of blended learning before. Nevertheless, we found it necessary to explain this rather modern method of learning. Blended learning (sometimes called hybrid or mixed-mode learning) is the use of traditional classroom teaching methods together with the use of online learning for the same students studying the same content in the same course. It is a “thoughtful fusion of face-to-face and online learning experiences” (Garrison & Vaughan, 2008). Classroom instruction time may be augmented by online learning experiences, and online learning can include varying degrees of interaction or just time alone in independent study and learning activities. However, in a quality blended learning experience, the content and activities of both in-person and online learning are integrated with one another and work toward the same learning outcomes with the same content. The various learning experiences are synthesised, complement each other, and are planned or orchestrated to run in parallel. So, as stated in the Study Guide, you will study online but at a certain moment, you will meet us your facilitators in two face-to-face sessions.

This mode of learning has been used all over the world for several years. In Africa many universities have a department/unit responsible for e-Learning and also have at least a Learning Management System (LMS). One of the most common open-source (free of charge) e-learning platform is Moodle. Moodle is being used by universities in East Africa like Makerere University in Uganda, Kenyatta University in Kenya, Strathmore University in Kenya, Open University of Tanzania, University of Rwanda, State University of Zanzibar, to mention but a few. Nagel, Van der Merwe, Bozalek, Ivala, Peté and Vanker (2015) also pointed out that some South African universities also use Moodle. However, there are also commercial platforms like Blackboard which are used by some universities.

Given the increasing number of learners willing to undertake university education and the shortage of institutions of higher learning that can take on all of them as full-time students, blended learning is the key alternative in Africa. Further to this, several individuals are calling for institutions to enable them to learn at their own pace as they work or attend to other needs. The same is the request by employers who wish that their workers get new skills but yet continue working. Blended learning is again a solution to this.

Blended learning is therefore very advantageous. It gives greater understanding of material and interest in the module since you will participate in group discussions (interaction with peers) and communication with the tutors online. There is a lot of flexibility since you can access the online platform with blended learning courses whenever and wherever you like. Your soft skills will be boosted since you will be communicating more and more with different kinds of people. Blended learning also motivates one to become a better time manager since most activities (or e-tivities) have deadlines. It also enables you to have a better understanding of the module which will make it possible for you to get good grades. Other advantages of blended learning for students include increased learning skills, greater access to information, improved satisfaction and learning outcomes, and opportunities both to learn with others and to teach others given the opportunity for collaboration at a distance where individual students work together virtually in an intellectual endeavour as a learning practice. The additional types of learning activities improve engagement and can help students achieve higher and more meaningful levels of learning. You will also learn to be virtual citizens as you practice the ability to project yourself socially and academically in an online community of inquiry. Digital learning skills are becoming essential to be a lifelong learner, and blended courses help learners master the skills for using a variety of technologies.

As you take this course, you will also need to use a range of technologies or resources. There may be discussion activities that provide you opportunities to learn from the work of you peers and also share your views as you create your own knowledge. The study guide should provide the detailed learning outcomes, tasks, activities/e-tivities, time plan and learning resources. Contact the tutor(s) if you have any questions

We hope that this module will provide an overview of the most important areas of the subject matter. We focus on fundamental principles and, when possible, demonstrate these principles with real examples. You are advised to also find supplementary material to help you further learn the concepts introduced in this module.

Enjoy the course!

Why Critical Thinking?

This module will help you understand what critical thinking is, identify the vital skills that comprise critical thinking and acquire them. You will need these skills not only to show you the paths through university but also throughout the rest of your successful professional life.

As a human being you could imagine yourself surviving in a fictional society where you never had to employ clear and rational thinking, perhaps by using brute force on others. However, in the modern society you live in, you cannot easily compete, thrive and function normally without at least some critical thinking skills.

Your ancestors lived in a simple society with a uniform, basic and communal village lifestyle. In such a lifestyle it was possible to subsist productively with only a few people such as elders and the chief making the most important life choices and decisions for everyone. Such decisions may have included the choice of rituals and ceremonies of communal life, the careers of individual tribesmen, whether to wage war on another community or not, and even who gets to marry whom. If those decisions were never the product of clear and rational thinking by the elders and the chief, then no doubt many problems would arise, including the serious threat of a total wipe-out of the tribe due to an ill-thought out war.

Today's society is far more sophisticated and diverse than the society of your ancestors. There are not only more options, some of the options are complex, some are outright false or are based on false premises, and most importantly these options are more often presented to you as an individual rather than to the community.  Critical thinking skills are the indispensable tools you need to help you navigate through these options successfully, accepting some, rejecting others, and making good decisions.

During your life as an undergraduate student you will find critical thinking necessary for your study, research, and discussions with peers and professors. Your critical thinking skills will be apparent in your methods, presentations and your assignments. This module will help you understand what critical thinking is, identify the vital skills that comprise critical thinking and acquire them. You will need these skills not only to show you the paths through university but also throughout the rest of your successful professional life.

This module was developed by Strathmore University for purposes of blended learning. The content is based on a series of eight Articles that anchor critical thinking on the purpose of a university and the philosophical nature of man.

How to Learn with this Module

The mode of learning in this module emphasizes collaboration and feedback.  The module is designed in such a way that the lecturer can restructure any of the activities for face-to-face learning. It is possible that the lecturer will make a presentation based on the topic and this may supplement all or part of the Individual – start activity described below. The lecturer may also reassign the submission of Buddy Pair activity as your face-to-face class presentation in front of the whole class.

The learning activities detailed below require that after an initial look at the study resources, you will work with a buddy who is a fellow student in your class. The buddy will be assigned to you by the lecturer. Your pair work will receive feedback from others in the class. You will also be required to give feedback to others. The topic assessment is individual.

Types of learning activities

Individual - start

You begin every topic by working alone reading the Topic Article and watching the videos if any. Each topic generally takes two weeks so you should complete all your reading in the first three days. You should make summarized notes of your reading to share later with your buddy.

Buddy Pair

You will have a study buddy assigned to you in this course. You will have opportunity to discuss ideas with your buddy, helping each other to understand the topic. This should take you to the end of the first week. You will need to upload a summary of your pair work, or some other specified submission, on to the link given to the online class discussion forum. Your summaries should be very short, at most 400 words and will be visible to everybody in the class after the submission deadline.

Group/Class

It is useful to learn from the work of other people in the class. You will often be required to make comments on the Buddy-Pair posts of your classmates. Your classmates expect positive comments that help them improve on their work. Some of your comments may be assessed and scored at the discretion of the lecturer.

Assessment

There is an assessment at the end of each topic. Assessments are generally individual work. Your submission of the assessment will only be visible to the lecturer and yourself. After the feedback from the lecturer you can resubmit (once) for scoring and any final feedback.

Topics

The module has seven topics (Topic 1 -7) plus one optional topic (Topic 8)

Topic 1 makes the connection between your current context - the university -and critical thinking. Topics 2, 3 and 4 introduce the important concepts of philosophy, knowledge and truth as they relate to critical thinking. These form the anchors of critical thinking and will equip you with the necessary mental framework for critical thinking.

In Topic 5 and 6 you will learn the nature and application of critical thinking in terms of the elements of thought and the methodical formal process known as logic. Topic 7 illustrates one important application of critical thinking that you need first in university but also later as an educated person – the scientific method. The controversy of faith and reason, Topic 8, is not a core part of this module but it is a topical discussion and a consequence of having a critical mind that is ready to engage all types of intellectual discourse.

Each Topic is divided into five parts:

1. Introduction
A short description of the topic.

2. Learning Outcomes
These indicate to you what you should expect to gain from studying through the topic.

3. Online Resources
There is one Article per topic, which gives you all the basic content you need for this topic. Make sure to read through the Article carefully and thoroughly. It is advisable to download and keep the article to read later offline or even print it out. Most topics also have some video clips available publicly on YouTube. Your lecturer may have additional materials for you.

4. Activity (etivity)
Before attempting the assessment there are three types of learning activities which you need to complete in order to successfully complete each topic. These activities are of three types as described above: Individual – start, Buddy-pair, and Group/class. Be sure to complete all the activities unless otherwise instructed by the lecturer.

5. Assessment
This section checks how you are achieving the learning outcomes. Scores from the assessment form part of your final evaluation as per the policy of your university so be sure to complete all the assessments and upload your answers through the links that appear online.