Learning Objectives
- Define critical and non-critical thinking
- Identify your critical thinking style(s), including areas of strength and improvement
- Describe other thinking styles, including left/right brain thinking and whole-brain thinking
- Work through the critical thinking process to build or analyze arguments
- Develop and evaluate explanations
- Improve key critical thinking skills, including active listening and questioning
- Use analytical thought systems and creative thinking techniques
- Prepare and present powerful arguments
Understanding Critical Thinking
The first session of the course will look at what critical thinking is, some characteristics of critical thinkers, and key critical thinking skills. Participants will also explore ways to develop their critical thinking skills.
Where Do Other Types of Thinking Fit In?
Next, participants will look at left- and right-brain and whole-brain thinking.
Pitfalls to Reasoned Decision Making
This session will look at some of the barriers to good decision making and explore how to get around them.
The Critical Thinking Process
Next, participants will delve into the seven-phase critical thinking model. They will also learn about the standards of critical thinking that serve as the foundation for this model. Participants will then practice the process through a case study.
A Critical Thinker’s Skill Set
This session will give participants some skills necessary for critical thinking: asking questions, probing, and active listening.
Creating Explanations
Another important part of critical thinking is being able to clearly explain why something is a particular way. This session will help participants build that skill.
Dealing with Assumptions
Although assumptions can help us get through our everyday lives, they can be a major impediment to critical thinking. In this session, participants will discuss how to reduce the number of assumptions that they rely on.
Common Sense
This session will explore a frequently overlooked thinking tool: common sense.
Critical and Creative Thought Systems
Next, participants will look at some analytical and inventive thought systems, including De Bono’s thinking hats and brainstorming.
Putting It Into Practice
This final session will give participants some tips on preparing and presenting a powerful, logical argument. Participants will also have an opportunity to prepare and present a critical thinking presentation, and to evaluate others’ presentations with the skills that they have learned.
Workshop Wrap-Up
At the end of the course, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.
ONLINE LEARNING
LIVE TRAINING
In Person Training
The traditional classroom style of training remains our Most Popular and Most Requested format. On-site training provides participants with an in-person facilitator who will work directly with the team, whether for a single training session or a training series. The Mainstream team will craft and tailor your experience to ensure that your training session is specific, relevant and unique to your audience while meeting your learning objectives. Why settle for ‘pre-formatted, pre-scripted, one-size fits all’ training programs, when our team is able to customize a program that is just right for you? We know that every team has unique learning needs, situations and that they come from a variety of industries, each having unique customer needs and demands. Our programs can be scaled to accommodate time restraints, unique learning needs and even industry or company nuances and barriers.
Don’t settle for a program that gives you almost what you need; our team wants to give you Exactly what you need.
Virtual Room
Delivering traditional onsite training results …virtually!
We’ve officially changed the rules and redefined what is possible in the world of soft skills learning. Our unique technology, accompanied by honed delivery methodology, have successfully replicated the traditional classroom-style training environment, allowing it to exist online.
Most online training solutions limit participants’ responses to keystrokes or to single person conversations because -with inferior technology- group discussions become distorted and confusing to follow. Our Virtual Room has eliminated those barriers and encourages learning through meaningful instructor feedback, skills modelling and engaging group discussion, without visual or audio distortion
The Virtual Room is for any organization seeking a flexible substitute to traditional onsite training; whether to lower costs, eliminate unnecessary travel or to simply ease the burden of demanding work schedules.
Lunch & Learn
A Lunch and Learn session is an onsite or virtual learning program with a facilitator-led session sharing valuable information and skills on an area of identified learning interest. It’s a great break away from a traditional training program, allowing your team the opportunity to learn while enjoying their lunch. Due to the limited time, the program focuses on specific learning concepts and skills. It is an interactive session that quickly targets and reveals learning objectives that are predetermined by the training organizer. Lunch & Learn sessions are also great as a training series, providing progressive learning programs for developing skills in a ‘bite-sized’ format.
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