Employing critical thinking for university success
It has been proven that students who implement critical thinking skills in their academic career approach information in a more thoughtful and effective manner, ask more challenging questions and participate in the learning process more passionately. The result of obtaining this critical thinking ability translates into both high academic achievements at university and job success. Utilizing these skills, students develop the capability to expand their world perspective and increase their proficiency in navigating important decisions in learning and in life.
Enhancing critical academic skills in the university context
A transformative experience from high school, learning at university requires a new set of academic skills be mastered to serve as the scaffolding for overcoming all academic challenges and underpinning the learning result. A successful university student must develop into a confident, autonomous and reflective learner. In short, without adopting important academic skills, high academic achievement cannot be attained. Significantly broader than English courses which focus solely on language skills, university academic skills are a required set of techniques, strategies and habits that will result in realizing success at the university level. Some examples include approaches to reading comprehension, writing & presentation, research, communication, and time and stress management within the context of university subjects.
Acquisition of foundational knowledge of a variety of university disciplines
Many students say that learning is definitely more difficult at university than at high school. This is mainly due to a long list of subjects combined with more advanced and complicated concepts that they are required to understand to pass the exam. In our course “Critical Skills For Learning Success”, students are introduced to a variety of first-year university subjects with genuine content extracted from the university level. This not only allows students to visualize what they will learn when they enter university, it will also pave the way for students to assess their suitability and interest in the major they choose.
Engagement in self-reflection to identify strengths, weaknesses and motivational points
Research shows that student self-reflection is an integral element of the assessment process if education is to result in deeper learning. Self-reflection heightens an awareness of one's most effective learning strategies, as well as highlighting areas where an individual student might devote more time and attention. If performed effectively, a number of positive outcomes follow. These include students beginning to take responsibility for setting their own learning goals, tracking their own achievements and evaluating their progress. It also promotes ownership over their work and allows students to analyze their own learning. The overall result is that students emerge as independent learners by developing their problem-solving skills and gaining more confidence in making their own decisions.
Gaining confidence as an independent learner
University graduates are expected to be independent learners who demonstrate initiative and the ability to manage themselves and their work. They should not require continuous instruction, expect all knowledge to be provided to them, or need their work to be constantly monitored. In the working world, successful people are those who are active, motivated and confident. Our course is committed to instilling these values in every student. Our teaching methods and learning environment create an environment where students are willing to undertake independent learning and teachers are willing to support and promote this development. Students’ also acquire the necessary soft skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving which also serve as an important bridges to becoming independent learners.