1.6 What is a Critical Challenge?

1.6 What is a Critical Challenge?

How has globalization shaped your identity?

In this course, you are asked to complete several activities called critical challenges.

These assignments encourage you to think about important questions. Each question or task requires you to make a judgment or form a conclusion based on information and reasoning.

In Social Studies 10-2, the challenge questions focus on globalization and its effect on you and the world around you.

Reflect

Critical thinking skills are important. Every day, you are faced with decisions to make and problems to solve. An uncritical thinker accepts what other people have to say at face value without thinking significantly about the issue, but a critical thinker looks at the issue and reaches a conclusion by considering the evidence and thinking about possible outcomes. Critical thought helps one form a position and act effectively.

Critical thinking skills are essential in a working democracy. Citizens in a democracy accept the responsibility not only to elect representatives who will do the right thing but to make decisions that benefit other humans. Citizens must think fairly and reasonably so they can arrive at workable solutions.


Critical thinking skills are essential in a globalizing world. Actions in one part of the world have consequences in another. Even simple actions such as eating a chocolate bar, turning up the heat, or buying a pair of jeans have effects on other people and the environment. Many of life's choices do not have simple, black-and-white answers. How can you decide what to believe or what action to take? By building your thinking and reasoning skills, you can develop the tools to solve problems, analyze issues, and make reasonable choices.

A critical challenge helps you develop your critical thinking skills. Critical challenges encourage you to

• focus on the key concept 
  
• gather relevant information 
  
• watch for bias and at the same time consider alternative viewpoints 
  
• assess the evidence 
  
• form a position or a solution to a problem 
  
• defend and support your position 
  

A community of learners: Remember that you are not alone. From the days of the caveman to today's technologically interconnected world, people have lived in communities where they can share knowledge and skills.

In the traditional classroom, students share ideas, knowledge, and perspectives. In our homes, by phone, and over the Internet, issues can be discussed and people can come to broader understanding. And, yes, your distance education teacher is a part of your learning community. Contact your teacher whenever you wish to discuss these issues.