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Online Courses for Instructors

Fall Semester: August 20th - December 20th, 2013 

The Foundation For Critical Thinking will be offering part one (of a two-course series) for faculty interested in developing their understanding of critical thinking and their ability to bring it into the foundation of instruction.                                              Register Now....Click here!!_______________________________________________________________________



 - CT 700: How to Infuse Critical Thinking Into Instruction -
This course introduces a substantive conception of critical thinking and how to infuse this concept across your instruction. It fosters understanding of how to teach critical thinking skills to students through any subject or discipline, and at any level level of instruction. In this course, you will be introduced to the elements of reasoning, universal intellectual standards, and intellectual traits through readings, discussions and practical application activities. You will redesign lessons and strategies using the concepts and principles of critical thinking. You will practice strategies for Socratic discussions. You will help students learn to consciously use critical thinking concepts and strategies in learning and in their lives. You will redesign and teach lessons you develop for your own classes and receive credit for doing so!


As an outcome of this course you will develop skill in:

  • Using the elements of reasoning and intellectual standards to create critical thinking lessons in your subject area. 
  • Designing instruction that fosters explicit critical thinking. 
  • Using the elements of reasoning and intellectual standards to think through intellectual, academic, personal, social and political problems. 
  • providing your students with the intellectual tools they need to engage in fairminded critical reasoning. 
  • designing and conducting Socratic discussions using the concepts of critical thinking. 
  • helping students learn to think within the key concepts in subjects and disciplines. 



Academic Credit - 

Offered through Sonoma State University

3 Semester units of graduate level credit available in philosophy.


Registration fees include costs for all instructional materials. Instructional materials for each course will be mailed to each student upon registration for the course. If the course is dropped any time after the post marked date for instructional materials, then any refunded fees will not include material cost of $135.00.

Important Dates:

  • First day of instruction: August 20th, 2013
  • Last day to drop with full registration refund minus cost of materials: August 19th, 2013
  • Last day to drop with prorated registration fees: September 4th, 2013
  • Last day for total withdrawal (no refund): September 17, 2013
  • Last day of instruction: December 20th, 2013


The purpose of our online courses is to provide teachers of any subject or field, teaching at any level (elementary through graduate school), the opportunity to acquire an in-depth, hands-on understanding of how to use the tools of fair-minded critical thinking as the basis for classroom planning, instruction, and learning.


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Frequently Asked Course Questions...


How do the critical thinking online courses work?

Each course is taken separately, but dovetail to deepen your understanding of critical thinking while you are fostering it in the classroom. See course descriptions below for CT 700.

Once registered for the course, you can log in at any time, however you will not see the syllabus until the first week of class.  You may look through the tools and acquaint yourself with the site and read the How To Guide.  You may log in to the class any day and time to participate once class starts, but will have assignments due by a set day and time per week. 

Who will be teaching the course?

The course is taught by Dr. Phillip Crenshaw, who has 21 years teaching experience, eight at the college level.  Dr. Crenshaw currently teaches at East Central Community College, where he has received the Liberal Arts Instructor of the Year and the Teaching in Higher Education awards.  Dr. Crenshaw has been working with the Paulian conception of critical thinking for several years, integrating this conception across his teaching, within all classes. He sees the Paul-Elder framework as essential to the cultivation of fairminded critical societies.  Dr. Crenshaw has a deep understanding of the foundations of critical thinking and why they are essential to teaching and learning. He brings a wealth of knowledge to our online course; he guides and engages in lively discussions with students. Dr. Crenshaw may be reached via e-mail at pcrenshaw@eccc.edu.

What are the course costs?

The cost for each course depends on whether you sign up for academic credit or not. The basic course cost, for each course, without academic credit, is $942. For academic credit information see the next question.

How do I receive academic credit for the course?

Each course is being offered for 3 units of academic credit through Sonoma State University in Northern California. Sonoma State is a fully accredited university (www.sonoma.edu). 

The following options are available for academic credit:

  • Phil 590-3 units (graduate level units)
  • For philosophy units, the fee is $150.

Once the course is completed, and all work has been completed and turned in, you will be able to access your grade online (should you decide to sign up and pay for these units). It is not necessary to sign up for academic credit.

Do I have to take both courses?

You may choose to take only one of the two courses, but completion of CT 700 is a prerequisite for taking CT 701. We strongly suggest that you take both courses, as the courses work together to foster deep understanding of critical thinking and effective methods for fostering it in the classroom - throughout the year.

Will I receive a certificate of completion?

Once the course is complete, you will be able to download your certificate of completion online.

How will I receive my materials for the class?

Once you register, we will send you the course materials. Costs for this are included in the fee of $942.

Register right away, as only two courses will be offered each semester, with approximately 20 students per course. Registration will be open this summer for the fall courses.

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Cancellation Policy

Registration fees include costs for all instructional materials. Instructional materials for each course will be mailed to each student upon registration for the course. If the course is dropped any time after the post marked date for instructional materials, then any refunded fees will not include material cost of $135.00.