This innovative digital badge, offered by the School of Law, carves out space for undergraduate students to reflect on what independent thinking means and its value for society. Through a mix of workshops with an emphasis on group discussion and a deep reading of interdisciplinary texts, this badge seeks to help undergraduate students to transition to university study as well as develop skills and aptitudes that will prepare students for employment and civic engagement.

The digital badge will consist of 12 hours of preparatory reading followed by three workshops in a classroom setting (2 x 2-hours and 1 x 4-hours). In order to earn the digital badge, participants will have to attend all 3 workshops and complete the assignment.

The readings and the workshops will revolve around three core questions:

• What is independent thinking and what is its value?
• What are the barriers to achieving independence of thought and what can we do to overcome these barriers?
• What is the relationship between independent thinking and intellectual humility?

Learning Outcomes:

Earners will be able to

• define what independent thinking means.
• articulate the value of independent thinking for the individual and for society.
• develop strategies for cultivating their own independent thinking.

Assessment:

This will involve students producing either a 1,500-word assignment or a 10-minute video, in which they will identify an independent thinker in their home discipline and reflect on this person’s impact on that discipline and/or society. Students will also explain how they can apply what they have learned throughout the course to the development of their own independent thinking.