AJ5331 Critical Thinking

Faculty of Education
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zuzana Kršková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Zuzana Kršková, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ5331/01: Sat 22. 2. 8:00–13:50 učebna 54, Sat 15. 3. 8:00–13:50 učebna 54, Z. Kršková
Prerequisites
The course requires fluency in English for students to be able to work effectively with primary and secondary materials.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 14/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 34 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to provide students - future teachers- with tools to develop and nourish critical thinking in themselves and their students. It focuses on the use of socio-cultural materials that we are exposed to every day and that carry a lot of additional information, which can be discovered and understood only through the process of thinking about the material critically. One of the crucial tasks of the course is highlighting importance of critical thinking in the process of personal development (of the pupil) and its vital role in creating an independent, open-minded, and mentally resilient individual.
Learning outcomes
After taking part in the course, the student will be able to:
- critically assess primary and secondary materials, including its political and cultural implications;
- look at the materials surrounding us in everyday life from various perspectives;
- develop more open-minded approach to any form of information;
- asses suitability of materials for classroom;
- create materials suitable for children that should develop critical thinking;
Syllabus
  • critical pedagogy and its implications
  • history, its presentation, its use and misuse in media
  • challenging cultural assumptions
  • solidarity and social skills enhancement in the classroom
  • using games to promote critical thinking in the classroom
  • creative writing to increase critical empathy
  • training of social-emotional problem-solving skills
  • primary text analysis - applying various approaches to the same material
  • using and teaching problematic topics in the classroom
  • representation and manipulation in media (film, social networks, etc)
  • propaganda and fake news
  • AI and GPT in the classroom - ethics in the classroom
Literature
  • Learning critical reflection : experiences of the transformative learning process. Edited by Laura Béres - Jan Fook. First published. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2020, x, 181. ISBN 9781138491304. info
  • GONZALES, Deborah. Teaching cross-cultural values : 50 interactive critical reasoning skills development activities. New York: Weekly Reader Press, 2004, xiii, 97. ISBN 0595337082. info
  • DISPEZIO, Michael A. Hlavolamy pro rozvoj kritického myšlení. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2002, 93 s. ISBN 80-7178-647-0. info
Teaching methods
class discussions, group projects, presentations by students, homework, reading
Assessment methods
continuous assessment, creation of tasks suitable for teaching practice reflecting the aims of the course, active participation in class discussions Upon successful completion of the course, you will earn 3 ECTS credits (2 credits for seminar work and self-study plus 1 credit for the final assignment). Each ECTS credit represents 25 to 30 hours of work. In the seminars combined students will spend approximately 10 hours. The remaining 40 – 50 hours are allocated for self-study.
Náhradní absolvování
All materials are available online. The class is designed in a way that focuses on class discussion and participation and it is therefore not possible to take the course during the stay abroad.
Language of instruction
English
Study support
https://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=3715
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět bude realizován, pokud se přihlásí alespoň 15 studentů.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 12 hodin ve 2 blocích.
Teacher's information
https://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=3715
All materials are available online. The class is designed in a way that focuses on class discussion and participation and it is therefore not possible to take the course during the stay abroad. In the course, the use of AI is permitted for learning but not for cheating. It is acceptable to use AI for brainstorming ideas, basic proofreading, suggestions for improvement. It is unacceptable to have a text generated, translated or reformulated. Remember to acknowledge all innovative ideas that are not yours. For generated ideas use in-text citations. At the end of each assignment, state how you worked/did not work with AI. When in doubt, consult your teacher.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2025/AJ5331