Lessons · Intellectual dimension
Critical Thinking and Media Literacy
Weigh evidence, spot biases and misinformation, and decide well. 8 lessons, about 1.6 hours in all.
- 01What Critical Thinking Really Is10 min Critical thinking is not about being negative or winning arguments. It is a set of habits for checking whether what you read, hear and…
- 02Claims, Evidence and Weak Arguments13 min An argument is a claim backed by reasons. Learning to separate the claim from the evidence, and spotting the common tricks that make weak…
- 03Cognitive Biases: Why Smart Brains Make Mistakes13 min Your brain uses mental shortcuts to make fast decisions. Most of the time they help, but they can also lead you to predictable errors.…
- 04Evaluating Sources: Lateral Reading and SIFT12 min Professional fact-checkers do not judge a website by how it looks. They leave it and check what others say about it. This lesson teaches…
- 05Misinformation, Deepfakes and Checking Images13 min Edited photos, old videos with new captions and AI-generated images spread fast, especially during emergencies and big news events. A few…
- 06Statistics and Charts in the News14 min Numbers feel objective, but the way they are chosen and drawn can completely change the story. These checks will help you read headlines,…
- 07Making Good Decisions12 min University choices, job offers, money and friendships all involve decisions under uncertainty. You cannot control luck, but you can…
- 08Disagreeing Well and Changing Your Mind12 min You will meet people with very different views at university, at work and online, especially in a country as diverse as the UAE.…