ModulesTraining ModulesThinking on the Job

Common Sense

The purpose of this module is to introduce the occupational competency of using common sense. The goal is to develop an occupational skills set of using one’s common sense on the job. This involves:

  • Developing and using one’s common sense on the job
  • Understanding the roles of common experience and common knowledge
  • Applying the “sense” of common sense, conventional wisdom, street smarts
  • Sensing when/where common sense may fail
  • Understanding the related body of knowledge
  • Using pertinent terms accurately in context
  • Appreciating the value of common ¢
Common Sense

Key Questions - Common Sense

  1. What is Common Sense?
  2. Why is Common Sense important on the job?
  3. What terms are commonly used with Common Sense?
  4. What are technical occupations that use Common Sense?
    1. Occupational Profile – CSI Investigators
  5. How do we get Common Sense?
  6. What is the “sense” in Common Sense?
  7. Does everyone have Common Sense?
  8. What is conventional wisdom? Street smarts?
  9. What is the difference between probable and possible?
  10. Does our Common Sense get better as we get older and have more common experiences?
  11. What are things that get in the way of Common Sense?
  12. What are situations in which Common Sense could be wrong?
  13. What was Thomas Jefferson’s contribution to Common Sense?
  14. What is the Standard Operating Procedure and Job Aid for using your Common Sense on the job?
  15. What is your attitude toward Common Sense?
  16. What have you learned?
  17. How should you declare your competence in Common Sense?
  18. How can you continuously increase your competence in Common Sense?

This module on Common Sense is one of five topics in the Cluster of THINKING ON THE JOB .  The other topics are Critical Thinking, Logic on the job, Persuading, and Decision Making.  Your digital credential for mastering this topic is shown here.  Get credentialed now for only $80, reduced for this introductory offer from $350.

Critical Thinking

The purpose of this module is to introduce the occupational competency methods of critical thinking. The goal is to develop an occupational skills set in thinking critically on the job. This involves:

  • Knowing the characteristics of critical thinkers
  • Assessing one’s thinking by using meta-cognition
  • Programming one’s mind
  • Sequencing thinking based on such criteria as time frames, stages of completion, and need
  • Avoiding negative mental habits/pitfalls of critical thinking
  • Understanding the related body of knowledge
  • Using pertinent terms accurately in context
  • Appreciating the value of rational and reasonable thinking
Critical Thinking

Key Questions - Critical Thinking

  1. What is Critical Thinking?
  2. Why is it important to know how to think critically on the job?
  3. What terms are commonly used in Critical Thinking?
  4. What are examples of technical occupations that require Critical Thinking?
    1. Occupational Profile – Sleep Lab Tech
  5. What are personal characteristics of critical thinkers?
  6. What is metacognition?
  7. How does critical thinking differ from ordinary thinking?
  8. What are positive mental habits that enhance critical thinking?
  9. What are negative mental habits that impede critical thinking?
  10. How can you assess the degree of truthfulness or falseness in a statement?
  11. How can you manage your mind?
  12. Do critical thinkers think faster than others?
  13. What do we know for sure about critical thinking?
  14. What is the Standard Operating Procedure and Job Aid for thinking critically?
  15. What is your attitude toward Critical Thinking?
  16. What have you learned?
  17. How should you declare your competence in Critical Thinking?
  18. How can you continuously increase your competence in Critical Thinking?

This module on Critical Thinking is one of five topics in the Cluster of THINKING ON THE JOB .  The other topics are Common Sense, Logic on the job, Persuading, and Decision Making.  Your digital credential for mastering this topic is shown here.  Get credentialed now for only $80, reduced for this introductory offer from $350.

Logic on the Job

The purpose of this module is to introduce the occupational competency of logical thinking. The goal is to develop an occupational skills set of thinking logically on the job. This involves:

  • Knowing the bases of technical logic
  • Understanding bivariate/fuzzy/computer and other forms of logic
  • Understanding the related body of knowledge
  • Using pertinent terms accurately in context
  • Appreciating the value of logical thinking
Logic on the Job

Key Questions - Logic on the Job

  1. What is logic?
  2. Why is logical thinking important on the job?
  3. What are terms associated with logical thinking?
  4. What are examples of technical occupations that think logically on the job?
    1. Occupational Profile – U.S. Postal Clerk.
  5. What are different types of logic?
  6. What’s the difference between facts and opinions? Between mere opinions and considered opinions?
  7. What is inductive and deductive thinking?
  8. What is philosophy?
  9. Does a person’s philosophy ever change?
  10. Who was Aristotle?
  11. What are the three different kinds of experience?
  12. What is the difference between probable and possible?
  13. What does it mean to debate? What is formal logic?
  14. What is a logic puzzle?
  15. What are hints to solving logic puzzles?
    1. Practice Task – Coffee For Four
    2. Practice Task – Who’s What?
  16. What is the Standard Operating Procedure and Job Aid for logical thinking on the job?
  17. What is your attitude toward using logical thinking on the job?
  18. What have you learned?
  19. How should you declare your competence in logical thinking?
  20. How can you continuously increase your competence in logical thinking?

This module on Logic On The Job is one of five topics in the Cluster of THINKING ON THE JOB .  The other topics are Common Sense, Logic On The Job, Critical Thinking, Persuading, and Decision Making.  Your digital credential for mastering this topic is shown here.  Get credentialed now for only $80, reduced for this introductory offer from $350.

Persuading

The purpose of this module is to introduce the occupational competency of persuasion and negotiation. The goal is to develop an occupational skills set on persuasion, negotiation, and influencing in technical situations. This involves:

  • Dealing effectively with customers, clients, and peer workers
  • Knowing the bases for negotiation
  • Using the four-step process of persuasion
  • Understanding the related body of knowledge
  • Using pertinent terms accurately in context
  • Taking responsibility for the technical persuasion
Persuading

Key Questions - Persuading

  1. What is Persuading?
  2. Why is it important to know how to be persuasive on the job?
  3. What terms are commonly used with Persuading?
  4. What are examples of technical occupations that persuade on the job?
  5. What are the different forms of persuasion?
  6. How can you persuade someone?
  7. What are approaches to persuasion?
    1. A case study in negotiations
  8. What are strategies of negotiation?
  9. What gets in the way of successful negotiation?
  10. What are tactics of negotiation?
  11. What are negotiation strategies?
  12. What are the 12 most persuasive words in the English language?
  13. What is selling?
  14. How can you get people to agree with you?
  15. What is motivational interviewing?
  16. How can you become more likeable?
  17. How can you change someone’s mind?
  18. What are key aspects of successful negotiations?
  19. What is coercion?
  20. What is manipulation and how is it different than persuasion?
  21. What do we know for sure about influencing, and how do these tenets apply?
  22. What is the Standard Operating Procedure and Job Aid for Persuading?
  23. What is your attitude toward Persuading?
  24. What have you learned?
  25. How should you declare your competence in Persuading?
  26. How can you continuously improve your competence in Persuading?

This module on Persuading is one of five topics in the Cluster of THINKING ON THE JOB .  The other topics are Common Sense, Logic On The Job, Critical Thinking, Logic On The Job, and Decision Making.  Your digital credential for mastering this topic is shown here.  Get credentialed now for only $80, reduced for this introductory offer from $350.

Decision Making

The purpose of this module is to introduce the occupational competency of decision making. The goal is to develop an occupational skills set in how to make sound decisions and extend critical judgment on the job. This involves:

  • Selecting the best choice when faced with difficult alternatives on the job
  • Knowing when and how to make a difficult decision
  • Using the sequential steps of decision making
  • Understanding the related body of knowledge
  • Using pertinent terms accurately in context
  • Appreciating the attribute of having good judgment
Decision Making

Key Questions - Decision Making

  1. What is Decision Making?
  2. Why is it important to know how to make technical decisions?
  3. What terms are commonly used with decision making?
  4. What are examples of technical occupations that require decision making?
    1. Occupational Profile – Head Chef
  5. What are the five types of decisions?
  6. What are the six categories of decisions?
  7. How should the significance of a pending decision be considered?
  8. How should implementation of the decision be considered?
  9. What is the pros-&-cons technique for making a decision?
  10. What is a force-field analysis?
  11. What is a decision tree?
  12. What are the steps in making a wise decision?
  13. Why do some people have trouble making decisions?
  14. How are decisions made in groups and teams?
  15. Why is it sometimes difficult to come to consensus?
  16. How does decision making differ in other cultures?
  17. What do you do if you made a bad decision?
  18. What do we know for sure about Decision Making, and how do these tenets apply?
  19. What is the Standard Operating Procedure and Job Aid for Decision Making?
  20. What is your attitude toward Decision Making?
  21. What have you learned?
  22. How should you declare your competence in Decision Making?
  23. How can you continuously improve your competence in making technical decisions

This module on Decision Making is one of five topics in the Cluster of THINKING ON THE JOB .  The other topics are Common Sense, Logic On The Job, Critical Thinking, Logic On The Job, and Persuading.  Your digital credential for mastering this topic is shown here.  Get credentialed now for only $80, reduced for this introductory offer from $350.