OCR A2 Critical Thinking 2008 Specification Resource Pack (+CD)

Summary:
The pack has been specially written for the A2 course beginning in September 2009 and will help to prepare students for the extra demands of the new specification.

Topics 1 to 3 introduce students to moral issues and concepts and how to apply criteria to a range of choices, as required for Unit 3: Ethical reasoning and decision making (F503). Ethical principles and positions are explored gradually over the next two topics as there is a considerable amount of material to absorb. Plenty of practice exercises are provided, with advice and model answers, and then a practice examination paper is supplied so that students can consolidate their learning under timed conditions.

Unit 4: Critical reasoning (F504) begins with the analysis of complex arguments in Topic 6, building on students' knowledge of the structure of arguments gained in Units 1 and 2. Rhetorical devices are discussed next and then Topics 8 and 9 are devoted to evaluation skills, focusing on the new area of deductive reasoning and then on assessment of whole strands of argument required by the more holistic approach of A2. Topic 10 provides advice on how to write arguments of greater length and sophistication than at AS. This is followed as before by a practice examination paper and mark scheme.

The accompanying free CD-ROM gives teachers the opportunity to present the information sheets in sections as PowerPoints, so students can consider some of the questions posed in a more dynamic, interactive format.

• Saves hours of preparation time
• Help teachers to structure the course in preparation for the unit examinations
• Helps students to develop awareness of the relevance of critical thinking in daily life
• Feature activities for individual, group and class work as well as examination-style questions

Table of Contents:
Unit 3 Ethical reasoning and decision making
Topic 1 Introducing ethical reasoning and decision making
Topic 2 Problems of definition
Topic 3 Using criteria to make choices
Topic 4 Identifying dilemmas and introducing ethical principles
Topic 5 More ethical principles
Practice examination paper
Unit 4 Critical reasoning
Topic 6 Analysis of complex arguments
Topic 7 Identifying rhetorical devices
Topic 8 Evaluation: deductive reasoning
Topic 9 Evaluating strands of argument
Topic 10 Writing your own extended argument
Practice examination paper

About the Author(s):
Dr Jill Swale is the Thinking and Teaching Strategies Coordinator at Kendrick School, Reading. Jill has developed staff training in different learning styles and thinking skills at Kendrick School, where she introduced Critical Thinking and now trains other staff to teach it. In 2005 Kendrick received the Good Schools Guide award as the selective state school for girls with the best results for AS Critical Thinking nationwide. Jill was Study Skills Leading Professional for Reading LEA for two years, and frequently runs workshops on teaching methods and critical thinking. She is a regular speaker at Philip Allan teacher conferences.
She has over 20 years' experience teaching in different types of schools, and also teaches sociology, English and thinking skills to adults at Reading University.