| CODE | IOT3211 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Creative and Critical Thinking for Social Intervention | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | The Edward de Bono Institute for the Design and Development of Thinking | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is composed of two parts, critical thinking and creative thinking. It is designed to provide social work and social administration students with new tools to develop their creative and critical thinking skills. The application of the different tools and methodologies to situations experienced by practitioners in the area of Social Work and Social Administration will be emphasised. During the workshops, which will form an integral part of this study unit, students will be encouraged to apply the methods they learn to case studies and to contribute situations from their own experience to which the methods can be applied. The study-unit will conclude with a discussion of the application of creative and critical thinking skills to social intervention. Expected Outcome By the end of this study unit students will have learnt how to apply both creative and critical thinking skills to both casework and policy where both Social Work and Social Policy are concerned. Part One: Creative Thinking Creative thinking is constructive as it is linked to inventiveness and to the ability to look at things in new and unconventional ways. Creativity techniques and improved thinking skills are assets in today’s global society and can be utilised as a catalyst for change. Creativity involves going beyond analysis, judgement and argument - it sensitises the human mind to possibilities and to ‘what can be’ as opposed to ‘what is’. The techniques which will be taught in Part One include the de Bono Six Thinking Hats which encourage parallel thinking and which may be used to resolve conflicts, to deal with change and to design strategies and scenarios. Students will learn to apply thinking skills from the de Bono DATT (Direct Attention Thinking Tools) Programme, the Six Thinking Hats and some Lateral Thinking Techniques to case studies related to social work and social administration. Part Two: Critical Thinking Critical thinking involves a process of evaluation, and this can be applied to statements, arguments, experiences and action. Good critical thinking meets a number of intellectual standards including clarity, relevance, adequacy and coherence. Some attitudes that are necessary conditions for the development of critical thinking include intellectual curiosity, objectivity, open-mindedness, flexibility, intellectual scepticism, intellectual honesty, being systematic, persistence, decisiveness and respect for other viewpoints. Critical thinking further requires skill in identifying assumptions, in asking pertinent questions and in drawing out implications. Students will learn about the importance of critical thinking in social intervention with particular emphasis being paid to the role of reflective practice in social intervention. Reading List - Brookfield, Stephen D., Developing Critical Thinkers, Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting, 1991, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, Oxford - de Bono, Edward, Serious Creativity, 1996, Harper Collins - de Bono, Edward, Sur/Petition - de Bono, Edward, Lateral Thinking for Management - de Bono, Edward, Teach Your Child How to Think - de Bono, Edward, Conflicts, A Better Way to Resolve Them, 1985, 1991, Penguin - Flew, Antony, Thinking About Social Thinking, 1985, 1995, Prometheus Books, New York - Majaro, Simon, The Creative Gap - Paul, Richard W., Critical Thinking, What every person needs to survive in a rapidly changing world, 1993 (revised third edition), Eds. Jane Willsen and A.J.A. - Binker, Foundation for critical thinking, Santa Rosa, CA. - Shermis, S. Samuel, Critical Thinking: Helping Students Learn Reflectively, 1992, Edinfo Press, ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Indiana. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Workshop | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Natalie Swaine Nwoko |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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