We acknowledge that the University of Saskatchewan is located on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another.
Critical thinking is an essential academic skill fundamental to your success in university. Not only will your work be assessed based on your ability to think critically in your courses, but honing this skill will be beneficial in all areas of life. As a university student, you have the exciting opportunity to build upon your existing knowledge, ask thought-provoking questions, challenge your own assumptions and the beliefs of others, and make well-informed decisions. By cultivating this skill, you will become more aware of groupthink and the dangers of blindly accepting authority. As a critical thinker, you will approach learning with a healthy dose of skepticism, carefully examining assumptions, questioning reasoning, and uncovering hidden biases.
There are many definitions of critical thinking but for the purpose of improving your ability to learn in university, we will consider critical thinking as "clear, reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do. It means asking probing questions like “How do we know?” or “Is this true in every case or just in this instance?” It involves being skeptical and challenging assumptions rather than simply memorizing facts or blindly accepting what you hear or read"(1).
This tutorial will help you develop your critical thinking skills and improve your ability to learn at university. By completing the activities in each module, you should be able to
Each module takes 30 - 40 minutes and can be completed independently of each other. Enjoy your learning journey!
At the end of each module, you will have an opportunity to reflect on the information presented by keeping a learning journal. Engaging in this self-assessment process is important because it allows you to go beyond surface-level understanding and truly grasp the significance and applicability of the information. Keeping a learning journal allows you to track your progress, note key insights, capture connections between new material and existing knowledge, expand your perspectives, and develop valuable critical thinking skills. Reflecting regularly and honestly will ultimately empower you to become an active learner who can effectively apply knowledge, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully to your personal growth and the world around you.
Permissions and Acknowledgement:
1. Critical Thinking and Evaluating Information on OER Commons, remixed by Mary Johnson, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License
The tutorial includes embedded documents and links to websites and materials. If you use any of the information, please ensure to comply with the terms and conditions of use imposed by the owners or licensees of those materials.
The tutorial itself is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 2.5 Canada License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 CA)
Please attribute this work to the University Library, University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.
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