Critical Thinking and Reflective Learning
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| ARTFF022 | Foundation Arts | 0 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- ARTFF022
- School
- Foundation Arts
- Level
- 0
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
Critical thinking and reflective learning are key aspects of any Arts and Humanities degree and involve skills and practices necessary to perform well in undergraduate studies and lifelong learning, whether in specifically academic contexts or in other ways. They also prepare students to be thoughtful, responsible citizens who contribute effectively in the workplace and to their society. This module will foster students' ability to engage critically in their studies and prepare them to present the fruits of such engagement for assessment. It will (critically) compare different theories about critical thinking. The module will also examine theories about reflective learning and students will be required to reflect on their own learning throughout the year as they develop their critical faculties; these reflections will form the basis for part of the assessment for the module.
Coursework assessments will replace all failed assessment components at the reassessment stage.
Target Students
Available for Foundation students in the Faculty of Arts only
Classes
- One 2-hour workshop each week for 20 weeks
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: Essay of up to 1500 words
- 50% Coursework 2: Reflective learning portfolio
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
This module introduces key skills and practices that facilitate the transition from school, college or work to university, preparing students to function well in a degree programme within the Faculty of Arts. It is designed to help students understand the nature of undergraduate study in this faculty, acquire critical tools for assessing their own and others’ arguments, present their own reasoning in a clear and rigorous manner, and reflect carefully on their own learning in such a way as to establish good practices for ongoing study, the workplace and life more generally. It aims to assist the development of an independent, critical, reflective and self-managed approach to study, work and life.Learning Outcomes
It is expected that by the end of the module, students will be able to:
(Knowledge and understanding)
1 describe what is required in studying for a degree in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Nottingham;
2 discuss the intrinsic and instrumental value of a degree in the Arts and Humanities;
(Intellectual skills)
3 compare and evaluate different scholarly arguments;
4 reflect critically on their own thinking and learning;
(Transferable skills)
5 present a reasoned argument;
6 demonstrate self-awareness and reflective practice.