Teach your students not to fool themselves
In a world flooded with information—and disinformation—we constantly make choices about what to believe. Our ingrained biases make it easy to fool ourselves. Scientists have spent centuries perfecting techniques to minimize bias and help them avoid falling into cognitive traps. But these techniques can be learned and used by anyone. For too long, these thinking tools have been missing from high-school education. That is why we have worked with a team of experts to create Scientific thinking for all: a toolkit.
Scientific thinking for all: a toolkit is a seven-unit curriculum for 14–18-year-old students. It will prepare your high school students for the challenges and opportunities ahead. It teaches a toolkit of cognitive strategies for real-world issues. But it will also provide a way for people with different opinions to establish a shared view of reality to allow people to solve problems collectively. By learning to view the world scientifically, students will develop skills in reasoning and collaborating, equipping them to deal with the challenges of the 21st century.
Scientific thinking for all: a toolkit is currently only available in English, but we plan to publish materials in other languages in future. Over the next three years, the full six-unit curriculum will be developed. The first unit Evidence & iteration in science, focusing on clean water access, is now available and several more units are on their way or in field trials. Sign up for the MAILING LIST to receive news and learn how to get involved by field testing the materials. The themes for the seven units are:
Tools for investigating the world
1. Evidence & iteration in science (AVAILABLE NOW)
2. Scientific modeling
Tools for evaluating data
3. Using evidence to determine causal relationships
4. Addressing uncertainty in data
5. Cognitive bias in science & society
Applying science to everyday life
6. Making group decisions (Available soon.)
© Nobel Prize Outreach Ill. Christina Heitmann
© Nobel Prize Outreach Ill. Christina Heitmann
© Nobel Prize Outreach Ill. Christina Heitmann