Critical Spirit
Practical exercises to develop the Critical Spirit
Timings: 50 minutes
Rationale: Skill needed to analyze and evaluate information to make well-reasoned decisions
Learning objectives: in this training, mentors will:
- Discuss the importance of critical thinking in decision making
- Identify different techniques to enhance critical thinking
- Observe examples of critical thinking in various fields
- Apply techniques to a specific problem and make a well-reasoned decision
Preparation:
- Have ready a computer and an overhead projector
- Prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the introduction including possible definitions and questions, you are going to pose.
- Prepare pieces of paper and pens/pencils for all the participants
- Prepare examples of critical thinking in various fields (e.g. politics, business, science)
- Prepare exercises that stimulate critical thinking (e.g. case studies, debates
Procedure:
Mentor explains the objective, aims and structure of the training session. The mentor should encourage all participants to keep notes through the training. 10 minutes
For the creativity skill, the mentor presents the following questions and asks mentees to think of them individually for a moment:
- What does creativity mean to you?
- What are some ways you have been creative in the past?
- What are some obstacles to being creative?
- Give 5 minutes to think and ask them to tell what they think to the person they have on their right hand. 10 minutes
- The mentor puts participants into pairs. Each pair is supposed to discuss the same questions further. All participants should share their thoughts as well as communicating what was revealed in the 1+1 conversation. Each pair should nominate a person to write notes. 15 minutes
- At the end of this session, each pair will present the results of the group work. The mentor should highlight the different ways of thinking and approaching the same questions. 10 minutes
For the critical thinking skill, the mentor presents the following questions and asks mentees to think of them individually for a moment:
- What does critical thinking mean to you?
- What are some examples of when you have used critical thinking?
- What are some obstacles to using critical thinking?
- Give 5 minutes to think and ask them to tell what they think to the person they have on their right hand. 10 minutes
- The mentor puts participants into pairs. Each pair is supposed to discuss the same questions further. All participants should share their thoughts as well as communicating what was revealed in the 1+1 conversation. Each pair should nominate a person to write notes. 15 minutes
- At the end of this session, each pair will present the results of the group work. The mentor should highlight the different ways of thinking and approaching the same questions. 10 minutes
- Discussion: The mentor should lead a discussion about the different skills covered in the training session and how they can be applied in the context of the Rural Plus project. The mentor should also encourage participants to share any additional best practices or examples they may have. 5 minutes
Exercise 1: Analysis of a problem. Analyzing a problem involves breaking the problem down into simpler parts, identifying causes and consequences, and developing possible solutions. This exercise can help develop critical analysis and problem solving skills.
Exercise 2: Evaluation of information sources. Critical evaluation of information sources involves checking their reliability, assessing possible biases, and evaluating their relevance to the research objective. This exercise can help develop the ability to critically analyze and evaluate information.
Exercise 3: Critical Reflection on an Experience. Critical reflection on an experience involves evaluating the positive and negative aspects of the experience, identifying any errors, and recognizing lessons learned. This exercise can help develop the capacity for critical reflection and continuous learning.