Today's lesson was split into two sections. The first section marked one of this classes' last forays into creative and critical thinking theory. After spending the first two weeks focused on the power of Swarm Intelligence, and The Medici Effect (collaborative thinking theories), we have spent the last two focused on modes of thinking. Last week's session emphasized De Bono's Six Thinking Hats Theory. I use this student-friendly theory as a warm up for the more sophisticated theory that I introduced today.
Gardner's Five Minds for the Future is an incredible accomplishment in the field of psychology, and I designed a case based on an excerpt from this body of research. This case and this research has long-term implications for student's success as professionals working in an increasingly globalized world, and forces the students to acknowledge how important discipline, synthesis, creativity, respect and ethics will be in constructing healthy personal and professional lives in the years to come. The questions I pose to the class ask the students to compare and contrast the three cognitive minds, and to suggest adaptations to this theory (developed in 2004) since it's conception. The questions also ask the students to discuss respect and ethics as they relate to their experiences in Japan thus far. Both sets of questions require the students to connect theory to their own experiences, making the class discussion simultaneously personal and theoretical.
During the second session today the student's met in groups to prepare for their Critical Thinking Project, which serves as one of the summative assessments for this course. Student's used this time to refine pre-existing ideas for their presentation which is scheduled to take place on October 18th. Faculty and students from across the campus are welcome to join us for what promises to be an impressive demonstration of course theory interpreted through the minds of a great group of students.
