Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision-Making (CO1003Z)

Content

To flourish at university you’ll need to be a clear thinker. Once a counsellor, this skill becomes even more important as clients often present complex issues in a 'round-about' way. This unit will help you gather the right information, analyse it effectively, and develop a 'best-outcome' strategy. Ultimately, we want your decision-making to be evidence-based, legally defensible and targeted to your clients’ needs. By doing this you will have the greatest positive impact on the lives of others.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Offering: This unit is to be taught in year 1, semester 1 (term 2). Prerequisites: NA Prohibited combinations: NA

Pedagogy

Andragogy In practice: Students will have the opportunity to engage issues which interest them, reflect on their own lives, engage in problem-based learning, and actively take part in the learning process. These aspects of Andragogy are reflected in online self-directed learning which includes both personal reflections and activities. Students will also participate in online seminars or attend an in-person intensive. The intention of seminars/intensives is to stimulate conversation to promote active learning. Activities undertaken during intensives are also designed to promote problem-based learning. Although dependent upon the year level at which a unit is offered, assessments provide students with the opportunity to consider problems in new ways and so enhance their ability to describe and/or apply knowledge, analyse information, as well as to synthesise/create new knowledge.

Indicative Bibliography

1. Axelrod, A. (2008). Profiles in folly. Sterling.
2. Harvey, R. (2008). The mavericks: The military commanders who changed the course of history. Constable.
3. Huff, D. (1993). How to lie with statistics. Norton.
4. Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Penguin.
5. Kahneman, D., Gilovich, T., & Griffin, D. (Eds.). (2002). Heuristics and biases: The psychology of intuitive judgement. Cambridge University Press.
6. Lang, T., & Lang, M. (1986). Corrupting the young and other stories of a family therapist. Rene Gordon Pty Ltd.
7. Northorp, E. (2014). Riddles in mathematics: A book of paradoxes. Dover Publications.
8. Polya, G. (2015). How to solve it. Princeton University Press.
9. Russell, B. (1997). The problems of philosophy. Oxford University Press.
10. Yalom, I. (1989). Love’s executioner and other tales of psychotherapy. Penguin.

Assessment