Originally published here.
Week One - Why Critical Skills?
Critical Skills; in my opinion is the use of initiative to further knowledge and/or understanding. This is often implicated to the idea of in(ter)dependent learning. People may misconstrue my use of the word "initiative" to mean a completely individual endeavour, however, I that the use of initiative can be as simple as to ask for help, consider other people's perspectives, opinions and ideas which I believe is a vital part of in(ter)dependent learning. Although, I believe that this can only be achieved by a certain level of desire to learn, a motivation to fuel or catalyse this learning process. My motivation is a result of my desire to succeed as well as an interest in life and understanding.
Personally, I decided to participate in critical skills (101) to further expand my horizon and methods in which I currently use to learn. This is not just an academic venture, I am a very logical person and like to understand what happens around me in order to grow and develop as a person. I believe that critical skills can aid me in this by offering new skills and perspective in which to discover more and deepen my understanding on what may go on around me. This incite is one of the things that allow me to enjoy and appreciate life and if acquire new skills through this course can increase my proficiency to do this, I'd like to utilise the opportunity to try.
Success; what most (if not all) people try to achieve. My goals and aspirations in life (like many other) is primarily dependent on how well I can learn and apply that knowledge. A-Levels are the real embodiment of this and I must fulfill my potential to even attempt to get anywhere. As a generally smart person, it has been said that I possess potential but accessing it and applying it to optimum levels proves to a difficult task and it being so vital, I'd like to do all I possibly can to reach this. Critical skills and in(ter)dependent learning are components that create the foundation of my learning abilities. I'd like to exercise and improve this so that I might become a better, more effective learner to succeed in not just my A-Levels but a university degree and any subsequent ventures that I may try to attain.