MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
UCU 103: CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING
Course Outline
Course Objectives
LECTURE/ WEEK
1
2
3
4
5
6
Mburu
By the end of the course the learners will be able to:
a) Understand themselves and take charge of their
own thinking
b) Appreciate education as a process of
transformation from a state of dependency to
autonomy
c) Think clearly, accurately, consistently and
logically
d) Acquire appropriate decision making and
problem solving skills
e) Think through content in various disciplines and
contexts and make good Judgments
TOPIC
NO OF
HOURS
General introduction
3
 Meaning of Philosophy
 Nature of Philosophy
 Methods of Philosophy
 Relevance of Philosophy
Critical and Creative Thinking
3
 Levels of thinking
 Elements of criticality
 Elements of creativity
 Barriers to critical and creative thinking
Tools of reasoning
3
 Thinking map
 Tools of analysis
 Tools of evaluation
 Tools of transformation (intellectual virtues)
Reasoning and argument analysis
3
 Structure of reasoning
 Argument analysis
 Deductive reasoning
 Inductive reasoning
Fallacious reasoning
3
 Meaning of fallacious reasoning
 Formal and informal fallacies
 Types of informal fallacies
Decision making
3
 Procedures of decision making
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Key Texts
Grading System
Lecturer
Mburu
 Skills of decision making
 Techniques of decision making
 Case studies of skilled decision making
 Assignment one
Problem solving
 Problem solving procedures
 Skills and techniques of problem solving
 Creative and innovative solutions
 Case studies of skilled problem solving
Personal identity and development
 Who am I?
 Self examination
 The transforming role of quality education
CASE STUDY ONE
On appearance and realty( Essay by Bertrand
Russel)
CASE STUDY TWO
On thinking for oneself (Essay by Rene Descartes)
CASE STUDY THREE
On individuality and sociality
CASE STUDY FOUR
On practicality of critical and creative thinking
(Essay by Kwasi Wiredu)
Assignment two
Wrap up
Final Examination
1. Bassham et al. (2011) Critical Thinking: A
Students Introduction
2. Johnson, A. P. (2005) Up and Out: Using
Critical and Creative Thinking Skills to
Enhance Learning
3. Namwambah, T. (2011) Essentials of Critical
and Creative Thinking
4. Wambari, K. (1992) Readings in Introduction to
Critical and Creative Thinking
CAT- 30 %
EXAM- 70 %
TOTAL- 100%
Group 1:
Group 2:
Group 3:
Group 4:
Group 5;
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3