Online Master-class for Able Students aged 8 - 11
Dates: 25th - 28th October 2011
Course Creator: Jen Oakton (University of Warwick)
Assistant Tutor: Emma Park, University of Oxford
This is your chance to get together with academics from the University of Warwick and the University of Oxford, and with other bright students from around the world. Let’s get thinking about thinking with a four day online master-class that introduces the basics of philosophy.
We start by considering what philosophy is, what it isn’t, and why it is relevant to all of us.
Then we look at each of the main branches of philosophy in turn, exploring them with the help of some fascinating and thought-provoking stories from ancient texts, myths and fables.
Content: tutor-led assignments, discussions, challenges, family activities, quizzes, creative writing opportunities and fun!
Each day at 9am a new topic opens up, with activities which include a tutor review, (dynamically related to the previous day’s outcomes), assignments, quizzes, research and creative activities.
Each evening from 6pm to 7pm GMT, there is an optional extension activity: a tutor-led discussion or other collaborative activity, in which participants are encouraged (and shown how) to develop their debating skills.
Once opened, each topic units remain open for the duration of the course, for those participants who need to catch up because of days out, family commitments etc.
Tutors assess assignments and give the students encouraging feedback, to assist them in making further progress. Feedback remains available after the course has finished.
Joining us on our online learning platform, you will have the opportunity to:
- enrich and develop your philosophical thinking skills
- be introduced to an advanced critical vocabulary
- strengthen your critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills
- enjoy the company of other bright students from around the country
- be inspired, challenged and motivated by academics from the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick
- have fun!
Course Aims:
- introduce the academic discipline, philosophy
- provide opportunities for participants to take part in open-ended, thoughtful dialogues based on philosophical questions
- encourage participants to ask relevant questions and to look beyond the easiest answers
- inspire and encourage excellence in thinking
- develop skills of reasoning and logic
- develop individual views and articulate reasons for them
- develop empathy skills and to learn from others’ opinions
- collaboration within a community of inquiry
Intended Learning Outcomes:
- gain a general understanding of what philosophy is
- develop stronger critical and creative thinking skills, reasoning, and logic
- ability to formulate opinions in a clear manner and defend opinions against objections from their peers
- increased confidence in communication with peers
- collaboration and evaluation
Course members are expected to:
- Make thoughtful and reasoned contributions
- Participate enthusiastically in discussions and tasks
- Proof-read and edit their contributions in order to make them of the highest quality
- Give encouraging feedback to other learners on the course.
What do you need?
- access to the Internet
- 5 – 7 hours of spare time during the weekend of the course (you don’t need to be at the computer at a certain time)
- a thirst for learning!
Duration: 5 - 7 hours over the four days of the course (25th - 28th October 2011)
Certificated: Yes. Certificates will be sent to you at the beginning of the following school term.
Venue: online, on our learning platform
Fees: £65 per student
Eligibility: This course is suitable for able young learners who (in the UK) achieved Level 3 Writing at the end of KS1 and who are on target to do achieve Level 5 by the end of KS2. Learners in the private system or those outside the UK should check eligibility HERE.
Enrolments are processed during the morning of the next working day, after the booking is made.
We will email you to confirm the registration.
You can check that the enrolment has been completed by logging in to the learning platform (www.olpoxford.org/learningplatform), with the username and password which you created, when you registered.
Please ring 01865 589582 if you have any problems during the registration process, or if you prefer to book over the telephone.
What the students say
First of all, now I have several different viewpoints that before, so debating with other kids has helped. I think that my debating skills have improved and also my philosophical thinking. I have learnt that asking lots of questions and disagreeing with people sometimes isn't rude - it is how philosophers think. YA
I enjoyed the "is life a dream" core writing the most because I have always wondered that question myself. Each day we looked at a different area of philosophy which really made me think. Each evening the debate related to what we had looked at in the day and this was a great way to safely chat with other people on the course. This is my second phiolosophy course and I find it a very interesting subject. On this course I liked the daily feedback from the teachers which was helpful for the next day. I think that by doing this course I have learnt how to think about thinking and the debating taught me how to consider other peoples opinions and that there is no right or wrong answer in philosophy. I am looking forward to the next course. GC
The tutors have been really helpful and so have all of the mentors.Philosophy is a subject I would like to study because it is really interesting.I would highly recommend this course. One good thing about this course is that you get personalised comments on your work which is better than the same as everyone else. Thank you for this course. Please tell the other people involved thank you. RL
In this course, I especially enjoyed the myth of the cave, and how it showed that even if we think something looks like something else, then it doesn’t mean that we are seeing what is really there. Also, other people may see things differently to us (literally). I think that the only thing this course could have done better is lasted longer! I was very busy this weekend and could not put as much time into this course as I wanted to. On the other hand, it has made my dad dig out his philosophy book, so that makes up for it.JB
I think that I have improved on my logic skills through the puzzles we had to do (I still can’t do the harder one!), my debating skills through the online discussions, and my ‘writing essays’ skills, from doing the assignments. I also think that I have improved on my research skills through writing the assignments. SB
Thank you so much for letting me take part in this course as it has been super. I think it is the best philosophy course I have taken. The assignments were really challenging. I liked getting up every morning and looking forward to a new project. I am not sure I have a favorite because they all made me think. I think Louis was a super new tutor as he kept the discussions going and made me think a lot. I will have to give my brain a rest now as it was very challenging dipping in and out of discussions but is was a great experience. MC
It has enabled me to stretch myself and work whilst enjoying myself, as I have now found a subject that I am completely interested in. It also enabled me to look past the facts, and think about my own opinion, rather than studying someone else’s. As I enjoy science, it has moved me to a different area of something quite similar. (I do know that it isn't a science itself.) I have thoroughly enjoyed the course, and have decided to consider philosophy as a future study. It has enabled me to push myself and achieve marks that I am proud of! RH
This course has really improved my understanding of philosophy, introducing me to new concepts such as Metaphysics. One of my favorite parts of this course was debating 'against myself'. Debating against my opinion really confused me and made me wonder what my actual opinion was. I thoroughly enjoy the activity! I also enjoyed debating against the other participates, considering every ones view, learning new words, and considering the concept of a shadow world and a dream reality. In conclusion course has both enlightened and confused me in a brilliant dazzling time full of philosophy. As always you ask for our ideas about improvements that good be made, and as always I have difficulty trying to find one! CH
