TC RE

One of the characteristics of an effective critical thinker is his or her ability to develop strategies for coping with adversity rather than giving up or becoming embittered. Think of a hardship—personal, academic, or financial—that you are facing. Integrating the characteristics of a good critical thinker, develop a strategy for coping with or overcoming the hardship.

This four-part, cumulative project gives you an inspiring opportunity to tackle a particular challenge or hardship in your life, whether it is a generalized issue such as managing stress or anxiety, or a specific problem such as losing weight or improving a familial relationship. With each stage of the project, you will benefit from applying the specific bi-weekly lessons from our reading, including the employment of specific critical thinking tools you acquire at each stage.

One of the goals of this project is to give you the opportunity to master the third stage of cognitive development. As stated in your chapter one reading: “Most college students do not make the transition to the third, or commitment, stage of cognitive development” (Stop & Assess Yourself).

Each of the first three projects will be reflective essays that contain five components. The final project will consist of a 10-slide PowerPoint presentation whereby you have the opportunity to summarily draw together the key components of your first three projects in order to persuade an audience or market your ideas.

Please ensure you employ proper headings for each of the five components and utilize proper APA citations and references throughout.

Final Project Part 1: Module 2

One of the characteristics of an effective critical thinker is his or her ability to develop strategies for coping with adversity rather than giving up or becoming embittered. Think of a hardship—personal, academic, or financial—that you are facing. Develop a strategy for coping with or overcoming the hardship by integrating the following components in your 4 to 5-page reflective essay.

From chapters 1 and 2, employ the specific lessons outlined in your reading:

• Explain how a Stage 1* approach in Cognitive Development applies here and identify its limitations.
  • (*Note: Stage 1, Dualism: There are right and wrong answers. Authorities know the right answers.)
• Identify at least 3 characteristics of a good critical thinker to help you overcome your hardship.
• Identify at least 3 of the more common barriers that most apply to you and how to best overcome them.
• Discuss the role of emotion in your approach to your hardship, identifying both negative and positive emotions and their impact on your strategy.
• Discuss whether or not faith or spirituality plays any role in your strategy and how its presence, or lack of it, is key to your success.