Reasoning Across the Disciplines
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There are 8 modules in this course
Critical reasoning skills are a key success factor for students entering their first year of college. They must be able to think logically and form arguments. This course, designed with incoming college freshmen in mind but open to anyone, provides an essential grounding in critical reasoning skills. Faculty from multiple disciplines at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offer guidance on applying critical thinking skills in the context of specific disciplines. By developing these skills, students will learn more, enjoy their courses more, and experience greater academic success.
This course will help you understand what critical thinking skills are and why they're so important. You will also learn how critical thinking skills vary across disciplines, as well as see them applied across several fields, including, chemistry, history, psychology, law, English, and American Studies. You will develop your own critical thinking skills by working through scenarios or problems posed by scholars across these fields, and you will better understand how your college courses will differ from your earlier education.
This module provides an overview of the course. The first video explains the history of this course: While it was originally going to be geared toward incoming UNC students, we realized these skills are valuable to everyone, which is why we are offering it as a MOOC. The second video provides an overview of how the course is structured and why it was created.
What's included
2 videos
2 videos•Total 8 minutes
- Rationale for the Course•1 minute
- Introduction to Reasoning Across the Disciplines•7 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and chemistry from Thomas Freeman.
What's included
2 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
2 videos•Total 13 minutes
- The World at the Atomic Level•5 minutes
- How Energy Powers our Universe•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Thomas Freeman•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- The World at the Atomic Level•30 minutes
- How Energy Powers our Universe•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 120 minutes
- Think Like a Chemist Essay•120 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and history from Kathleen DuVal.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
- Turning the World Upside Down•3 minutes
- Understanding Columbus’s Impressions of the Tainos•8 minutes
- Understanding the Tainos’ Impressions of Columbus•4 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- A Letter from Christopher Columbus•10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Kathleen DuVal•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Columbus and World History•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
- Think Like a Historian Essay•60 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and psychology from Kurt Gray.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
3 videos•Total 21 minutes
- Understanding How Others Think•3 minutes
- Thinking and Feeling•9 minutes
- Mind Perception and Moral Judgment•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Kurt Gray•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Thinking and Feeling•30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Mind Perception and Moral Judgment•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
- Think Like a Psychologist Essay•60 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and the law from Donald Hornstein.
What's included
3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review
3 videos•Total 51 minutes
- Considering Free Will•12 minutes
- Understanding the Civil Law of Battery•23 minutes
- Liberty versus Property•16 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Court Cases: Hackbart and O'Brien•10 minutes
- Court Cases: Mugler and Lucas•10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Donald Hornstein•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Understanding the Civil Law of Battery•30 minutes
- Liberty versus Property•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
- Think Like a Law Professor Essay•60 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and literature from Heidi Kim.
What's included
3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review
3 videos•Total 21 minutes
- Context through Reading•7 minutes
- Close Reading•8 minutes
- The Art of Interpretation•6 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Close Reading Example•10 minutes
- Additional Resources (Optional)•10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Heidi Kim•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Close Reading Practice Quiz•30 minutes
- The Art of Interpretation Practice Quiz•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
- Think Like a Literature Professor Essay•60 minutes
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and American Studies from Sharon P. Holland. Warning: The video "Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race" contains graphic descriptions of dog fighting and may not be suitable for all audiences.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
3 videos•Total 19 minutes
- How Language Shapes Attitudes•4 minutes
- Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race•8 minutes
- Understanding Relationships through Interdisciplinarity•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- About the Contributor: Sharon P. Holland•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race•30 minutes
- Understanding Relationships through Interdisciplinarity•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
- Think Like an American Studies Scholar Essay•60 minutes
What's included
1 video1 reading
1 video•Total 10 minutes
- Final Thoughts and Course Wrap-up•10 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- About the Contributors•10 minutes
Instructor
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Reviewed on Apr 13, 2021
Amazing course, broadens the perspective and forces one to think in ways one never would have thought of independently
Reviewed on Sep 29, 2020
An excellent course to bolster one's understanding of the fundamental social sciences, and logical reasoning.
Reviewed on Aug 13, 2022
It is a very helpful course with real word application. I really learnt a lot and I had fun doing so too.
Frequently asked questions
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