Online Course
Critical Thinking at University: An Introduction
All-Time Top 100- Provider FutureLearn
- Cost Free Online Course (Audit)
- Session Self Paced
- Language English
- Certificate $44 Certificate Available
- Effort 4 hours a week
- Duration 2 weeks long
- Learn more about MOOCs
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Overview
Make sure you have the critical thinking skills required for university
Critical thinking is a vital skill at university and later in life. University study introduces you to new concepts, ways of learning and requires you to think critically. You need to know how to question information sources and how to evaluate different arguments.
Despite critical thinking being so important, students are often unprepared when they start their studies. This course will show you what critical thinking skills you need at university level, how they can be applied to different disciplines and how to use practical strategies to develop these skills for a successful academic life.
This course is for anyone preparing to study at university level or for current university students. You may be an undergraduate or a new taught postgraduate student who might be unfamiliar with studying in the UK. If you want to have a successful academic life, this course will give you the foundations whatever your discipline at university.
Critical thinking skills are also valued later life by employers, so if you want to refresh your skills, this practical online course is for you.
The course is part of the academic skills courses portfolio at the University of Leeds aiming to improve skills required for academic study.
Taught by
Jiani Liu and Michelle Schneider
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- #1 in Subjects / Self Improvement / Critical Thinking
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Reviews for FutureLearn's Critical Thinking at University: An Introduction Based on 89 reviews
- 5 stars 79%
- 4 stars 18%
- 3 stars 3%
- 2 star 0%
- 1 star 0%
Did you take this course? Share your experience with other students.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
I think this course is really useful, especially for beginners. It introduces the concepts of critical thinking in the first week and then provides more examples and exercises for learners to get an idea of what they mean theoretically in the first week, enabling learners to have a go with it and understand the strategies better:) Hope the course can contain more sample responses, which can further help beginners to briefly understand what a good critical thinking looks like. Also, more exercises will be certainly helpful:)
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
Course was informative, I found it useful as it taught me how to be a critical thinker which will be useful for my university life plus it transferable too. I would recommend this course as to any one going to university as it help you to critique article and how to not get overwhelmed with information that out there. Try it you won't be disappointed.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
A very helpful course - I'd say it took me a bit more than the 4 hours a week to complete, but it is what you make it as well I think. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for some support in their first weeks at university, or anyone like me who just wishes to improve their personal critical thinking skills.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
As a matter of fact, critical thinking is [was] a whole new concept to me. Since I'm new to it, it made learning a bit difficult.
The course itself is great. It has opened me to see the enormous possiblity of learning new things and learning them deeply.
I highly recommend the course to all and sundry, whether you are 7 or 70 yrs, whether a teacher or plumber, a student or not.
Thanks to Leeds Uni and FutureLearn for this programme.
The course itself is great. It has opened me to see the enormous possiblity of learning new things and learning them deeply.
I highly recommend the course to all and sundry, whether you are 7 or 70 yrs, whether a teacher or plumber, a student or not.
Thanks to Leeds Uni and FutureLearn for this programme.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
This course has further developed my understanding of critical thinking. In addition, it has made me mindful of the challenges that can affect this ever-so-significant skill, and by providing the various ways in which these can be dealt with, this course has made me more aware of the solutions that can be implemented to achieve a higher level of critical thinking. In fact, I will be employing many of these.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
The course has been very useful in my learning and understanding of critical thinking and how to write critically.
The practical lessons and examples used in the course were impactful in understanding about the prerequisites and steps required in critical writing.
I think the course was very helpful to all that attended.
The practical lessons and examples used in the course were impactful in understanding about the prerequisites and steps required in critical writing.
I think the course was very helpful to all that attended.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
The course was very systematic and scaffolded very well. It has done well to make concise and clear a complex thought process. The Critical Thinking Model especially was useful and very useable in laying out thoughts in an organized way.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
I have just completed yr 1 of a degree. This course has just explained very clearly what I should have been doing when I wasn't altogether sure. I totally get it now. It all makes sense. Sometimes it is simply how a thing is explained to you which makes all the difference to your understanding. Thank you
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Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
I found this course to be a very useful introduction especially as I am going back to school after an extended period. It really gave be a lot to consider and to think about as I go back to the basics. I would highly recommend it for new students.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
It is an outstanding course . I have noticed a great behavioral change after attending this course. It gives you a great beginning and shows right path to critical thinking. Must do it!
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Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
This is a really wonderful course. I learned more about critical thinking skill. I learned the strategies,goals and more about this. It is really a wonderful course.
Thanks
Thanks
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Desu D
by
Desu
completed this course, spending 3 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be medium.
Great course and awesome materials.
I haven't been able to access the course fully, since I am already a fan of critical thinking and apparently practice it everyday.
Still, the tools the course gives the learner are really useful and now, after completing the course, it is all about applying them to university classes.
I especially liked the videos of learners who give their review of the Critical thinking class they have taken(unclear if it was the same MOOC). There are also great possibilities for further reading by the links provided in the course.
I agree with other review, I hope the course would contain more sample responses. And also more assessments to practice and strengthen the knowledge given. I felt I am a bit vague about using the tools.
It's more like 4,5 than 4!
I haven't been able to access the course fully, since I am already a fan of critical thinking and apparently practice it everyday.
Still, the tools the course gives the learner are really useful and now, after completing the course, it is all about applying them to university classes.
I especially liked the videos of learners who give their review of the Critical thinking class they have taken(unclear if it was the same MOOC). There are also great possibilities for further reading by the links provided in the course.
I agree with other review, I hope the course would contain more sample responses. And also more assessments to practice and strengthen the knowledge given. I felt I am a bit vague about using the tools.
It's more like 4,5 than 4!
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
A well presented and written course, pitched at an appropriate level for new students. The embedded links to online resources are excellent and the information therein also most appropriate for this level.
One minor comment re the section: Critical Thinking and assessment at university
I see the level of some content provided as too dense and complex for this level of student and likely to confuse (see under Analysis assessment criteria - "deal with multiple perspectives, assessing the significance of different ideas and approaches ..." as an example). By using the technique of giving students a sample extract that illustrates the point being made, I see them being more likely to grasp the concept of for example, how a learner might succeed in meeting a particular criteria.
One minor comment re the section: Critical Thinking and assessment at university
I see the level of some content provided as too dense and complex for this level of student and likely to confuse (see under Analysis assessment criteria - "deal with multiple perspectives, assessing the significance of different ideas and approaches ..." as an example). By using the technique of giving students a sample extract that illustrates the point being made, I see them being more likely to grasp the concept of for example, how a learner might succeed in meeting a particular criteria.
Was this review helpful to you?
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
I think that the information I have learnt during the course will be beneficial for me to be successful in my career. In this course, I've learnt:
-what the critical thinking means,
-which stages a person should follow to make tudy subjects better,
-which challenges a person may encounter while thinking ciritically,
-how to make good notes to develop the subject knowlege,
-the differences between good and less critical engagement,
-how to create an action plan.
I really believe that I will use the information I've learnt in this course for my study subjects.
-what the critical thinking means,
-which stages a person should follow to make tudy subjects better,
-which challenges a person may encounter while thinking ciritically,
-how to make good notes to develop the subject knowlege,
-the differences between good and less critical engagement,
-how to create an action plan.
I really believe that I will use the information I've learnt in this course for my study subjects.
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Yes
Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
Excellent course. For me it took the mystique out of what exactly critical thinking means. It set out practical exercises in order to see if it was being understood by the participant. By asking guide questions of the material being read/ listened to and using the Critical Thinking Model :
what/where/why (description)
how/why/what if (analysis)
so what/what next (evaluation)
I feel that I have the confidence to learn, think clearer, not be over whelmed by subject matter and gain more out of my life . Many thanks.
what/where/why (description)
how/why/what if (analysis)
so what/what next (evaluation)
I feel that I have the confidence to learn, think clearer, not be over whelmed by subject matter and gain more out of my life . Many thanks.
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
Shane
completed this course.
This course has taught me skills that I wish I had when I did my Undergraduate degree 30+ years ago. It has also provided me with very good links to various sources of information at UoL.
I found this course very useful in the sense that it has given me a insight in how to approach the Masters I am about to begin at the end of this month. Also confidence that there are resources to help me along the way.
Thank you for a very informative course. It was presented very well and at a good pace.
I found this course very useful in the sense that it has given me a insight in how to approach the Masters I am about to begin at the end of this month. Also confidence that there are resources to help me along the way.
Thank you for a very informative course. It was presented very well and at a good pace.
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Yes
Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
The course I used as a refresher, I have a BA and a MA, but we all get rusty over time. I enjoyed the course, kept revisiting it over the two weeks when I had a spare moment to myself. For anyone new to academic study I wholeheartedly recommend this course. It will stand you in good practice for the years ahead.
If you want to fire up the synapses and get the brain ticking better this course is a useful refresher with some good hyperlinks to more modern resources.
William D
If you want to fire up the synapses and get the brain ticking better this course is a useful refresher with some good hyperlinks to more modern resources.
William D
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Anonymous
Anonymous
is taking this course right now.
This course is awesome! You are taken gradually from having no idea of what critical thinking is to being so confident of what you've learnt that you begin to practice.
It is easy to understand and follow through, you are given opportunities to try out what you've learnt and see ways you can make them work for you.
In a society where we are constantly fed with information that we are no longer certain of which is right or wrong, everyone needs to think more critically.
It is easy to understand and follow through, you are given opportunities to try out what you've learnt and see ways you can make them work for you.
In a society where we are constantly fed with information that we are no longer certain of which is right or wrong, everyone needs to think more critically.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
Very useful course for anyone about to head off to university or for first and second year students who are finding all the talk about "critical thinking" a bit confusing; this sets out exactly what is required and how to begin to think critically. It gives some really helpful specific examples of how to develop critical thinking skills, rather than just generalised statements (such as "you need to be more critical!") The examples are really helpful. Highly recommended.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
completed this course.
If I’m completely honest I was not really expecting a great deal from a free online course, but thought it was probably worth a look! As it turned out, I found the course to be extremely useful, thought provoking, and definitely a good use of my time. I actually spent more than the suggested four hours a week , because I was enjoying considering the concepts and ideas that are taught. I think I will be very glad I did this when I begin my study course later this year.
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