Alexis Ulseth

I thought this section on critical thinking was interesting, as a science teacher, because it reminded me of the scientific method. The first step is to always observe and then ask a testable question. From there, you need to do research, test your hypothesis, and often go back to the drawing board. But it is always important to reflect on where you went right or wrong. 

From this section, I learned about different types of intelligences. It was interesting to read about emotional intelligence vs IQ. I think the ability to problem solve is just as important as the knowledge that you learn in school. I also liked reading about reflection as it is something that we should do after every decision that we make, whether it is as a student or just as a person. 

The major concept that I gained from this section was that judgement is an important thing to have. Rushed decisions will lead to bad choices and outcomes. It is important to have all the facts in order to think critically, which goes back to the original point of asking questions. Without proper critical thinking, you make poor decisions that can impact your life and your learning. 

In this section of the critically thinking module, we learned what critical thinking actually is and that we need to use it in our every day lives as much as Socrates used it back then. It is important to know the whole truth and actually think about the concept, rather than going off of someone's word. We can apply this to students through the idea of misconceptions. 

In this section, I understood two major things. First, you are looking to foster a community of learners, so that they can learn and build off of each other and their knowledge. Second, it is important to use rubrics, and carefully constructed rubrics at that, to ensure that students know what is expected of them in a discussion post. For example, I always look for critical thinking and try to model that. 

For this section, the importance of communication between different groups of people was emphasized. You want to find a way to meet all students where they are, but also help them become better communicators and students. You should also consider how you interact with students to model proper communication. 

What I've learned from this section is that it is critical to outline exactly how you expect and want students to communicate. Not every student will come with the experience needed to have successful communication with you and with their peers. It can be through discussion or syllabus, but it needs to be addressed and held firm. 

I've learned about how and when to apply different tools of communication. Each has pros and cons. For example, students may already be familiar with social media, but it may also be open to people who are not in the course. Or email can be very professional, but might be viewed as 24/7. 

In this module, I learned about the importance of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. While intrinsic might be the "better" of the two because of it is long-lasting and because of it effectiveness, extrinsic can often be a pathway to getting there. For example, rewarding students with an award for perfect scores on their midterm may lead students to studying for their final because they want to continue to do well!

From this module, I better understand how to be comfortable in a student's position. They need to feel secure in their learning and ability. They also need to feel that they have some  input in how they learn. One way to do this is by providing a way for them to give feedback to you.