Minerva's curriculum is structured around habits of mind and foundational concepts. Habits of mind (H) are cognitive skills that with practice come to be triggered automatically. Foundational concepts (C) are fundamental knowledge that is broadly applicable. Students are ultimately graded on their mastery of the "HC"s.
(H) Identify and analyze premises and conclusions. #assertions
(H) Actively and critically engage with texts and other forms of communication. #critique
(H) Define what information is needed to support an argument. #infoneeded
(H) Distinguish between categories and types of information to determine source quality. #sourcequality
(H) Use estimation techniques to determine whether quantitative claims are plausible. #estimation
(H) Evaluate whether hypotheses are based on plausible premises or assumptions. #plausibility
(H) Evaluate whether hypotheses lead to testable predictions. #testability
(C) Identify and analyze pseudoscientific claims. #pseudoscience
(C) Distinguish among scientific hypotheses, theories, facts and laws. #epistemology
(C) Evaluate applications of the scientific method. #scibreakdown
(C) Apply and interpret fundamental concepts of probability. #probability
(C) Apply and interpret conditional probabilities. #conditionalprob
(C) Recognize and analyze sampling from different types of distributions. #sampling
(H) Use descriptive statistics appropriately. #descriptivestats
(C) Apply and interpret effect size. #effectsize
(C) Apply and interpret confidence intervals. #confidenceintervals
(C) Apply and interpret measures of correlation; distinguish correlation and causation. #correlation
(C) Apply and interpret regression. #regression
(C) Recognize when regression to the mean is operating and adjust predictions to take this into account. #regresstomean
(C) Apply and interpret Bayesian statistics for inference and estimation. #bayes
Apply and interpret statistical significance. #significance
(C) Apply and interpret formal deductive logic. #deduction
(C) Identify and correct logical fallacies. #fallacies
(C) Formulate multiple plausible generalizations from available evidence #induction
(H) Make predictions about short-term versus long-term behaviors #prediction
(C) Identify attentional and perceptual biases that affect what we notice and how we recognize and estimate properties of patterns, and react accordingly. #attentionperceptionbiases
(C) Identify biases that affect the limits and fallibility of memory, and react accordingly. #memorybias
(C) Identify and minimize bias that results from searching for or interpreting information to confirm preconceptions. #confirmationbias
(C) Identify biases that affect inferences drawn from different forms of communication, and react accordingly. #interpretivebias
(C) Situate a work in its relevant context (eg., historical, disciplinary, cultural). #context
(C) Identify, analyze, and organize characteristics to infer or craft possible meanings of a nonfiction work. #nonfiction
(C) Identify, analyze, and organize characteristics to infer possible meanings of fiction or poetry. #fictionpoetry
(C) Identify, analyze, and organize characteristics and use them to infer meanings of visual communications. #visualart
(C) Identify, analyze, and organize characteristics and use them to infer meanings of auditory communications. #music
(C) Identify, analyze, and organize characteristics to infer possible meanings in a multimedia work. #multimedia
(H) Describe interactions among events or characteristics at different levels of analysis to generate interpretations of phenomena. #levelsofanalysis
(C) Apply and interpret decompositions of complex systems into constituent parts. #multipleagents
(C) Recognize the role of attractors and sensitivity to varying conditions in the behavior of complex systems. #systemdynamics
(C) Identify emergent properties of complex systems and react accordingly. #emergentproperties
(C) Identify ways that multiple causes interact to produce complex effects. #multiplecauses
(C) Identify primary, secondary, and further effects in networks, including social networks. #networks
(H) Identify and evaluate underlying goals and the values on which they are based, as well as the guiding principles that determine how an individual or group will try to attain these goals. #purpose
(H) Recognize and evaluate foundational commitments. #firstprinciples
(H) Consider different types of future costs and benefits for all stakeholders #utility
(H) Identify ways that incentives affect decisions. #payoffs
(H) Identify and analyze the effects of sunk costs in decision making. #sunkcost
(H) Identify and analyze the effects of temporal discounting in decision making. #discounting
(C) Identify and analyze the effects of risk versus uncertainty. (C) #risk
(H) Consider multiple choices simultaneously when making decisions. #broadframing
(H) Apply and interpret decision trees to explore the consequences of alternative choices. #decisiontrees
(H) Apply heuristics to make and implement decisions efficiently. #efficientheuristics
Identify decision biases that arise from emotional states. (C) #emotionalbias
Identify gaps (in knowledge, in market offerings, in a range of ideas, etc.) that reveal where a creative solution is required. (C) #gapanalysis
Characterize the nature of the problem. (H) #rightproblem
Organize problems into tractable components and design solutions. (H) #breakitdown
Identify and analyze variables and parameters of a problem. (H) #variables
Apply and evaluate game-theoretic models. (C) #gametheory
Evaluate the link between initial data collection and subsequent hypothesis-driven research. (C) #hypothesisdriven
Evaluate the link between theories and the design of studies. (C) #theorytesting
Recognize how models can be used to explain a set of data and generate new predictions. (C) #modeltypes
Interpret, analyze, and create data visualizations. (C) #dataviz
Apply and interpret principles of experimental design. (C) #experimentaldesign
Design and interpret observational studies. (C) #observation
Design and interpret primary research performed as interviews or surveys (individually or in groups). (C) #interview
Design and interpret case studies. (C) #casestudy
Evaluate and incorporate replicability in empirical study designs. (C) #replication
Identify and evaluate appropriate controls for empirical study designs. (C) #control
Use analogies in problem solving appropriately. (C) #analogies
Identify and apply constraint satisfaction as a way to solve problems. (C) #constraints
Evaluate and apply optimization techniques appropriately. (C) #optimization
Apply heuristics to transition from one subproblem to the next. (H) #problemheuristics
Apply “contrarian thinking” to devise new strategies. (H) #contrarian
Apply algorithmic strategies to solve real-world problems. (C) #algorithms
Apply and interpret simulation modeling to test a range of scenarios. (C) #simulation
Identify biases that result from availability, representativeness, and other problem-solving heuristics and learn to correct errors. (C) #heuristicbias
Apply effective strategies to teach yourself specific types of material (H) #selflearning
Apply iterative design thinking to conceive and refine products or solutions. (H) #designthinking
Apply heuristics to find creative solutions to problems and to formulate new products and processes. (H) #creativeheuristics
Given a solution to a particular problem, use reverse engineering to abstract key elements that can be applied to solve other problems. (H) #abstraction
Formulate a well-defined thesis. (H) #thesis
Effectively organize communications. (H) #organization
Communicate with a clear and precise style. (H) #composition
Follow established guidelines to present communications professionally. (H) #presentation
Understand and use connotations, tone, and style. (H) #connotation
Tailor oral and written work for the context and the audience. (H) #audience
Interpret facial expressions. (H) #facialexpression
Interpret and use body language. (H) #bodylanguage
Apply principles of perception and cognition in oral and multimedia presentations and in design. (H) #communicationdesign
Mediate disagreements. (H) #mediate
Use a structured approach to negotiation to reach desired objectives. (H) #negotiate
Prepare multidimensional best alternatives to a negotiated agreement (BATNAs). (H) #batna
Evaluate the effectiveness of counterarguments by considering emotional, logical, personal, and other factors. (H) #counterargument
Recognize strengths and weaknesses in both your and your opponent’s strategies. (H) #debatestrategy
Identify and analyze common ground to determine what you can concede, and react accordingly. (H) #commonground
Apply principles of effective leadership. (H) #leadprinciples
Learn to assign team roles appropriately, which requires being sensitive to the nature of the task and the nature of specific types of roles. (H) #teamroles
Influence group interactions by exerting different types of power. (H) #powerdynamics
Identify and analyze how reinforcement and punishment alter behavior. (C) #carrotandstick
Mitigate the role of conformity in group settings. (H) #conformity
Recognize and leverage people’s different skills, abilities, traits, attitudes and beliefs. (H) #differences
Understand the impact of organizational structure on individual performance and collaborative projects. (C) #orgstructure
Listen well and be open-minded. (H) #openmind
Monitor yourself to “know what you don’t know.” (C) #metaknowledge
Identify your strengths and weaknesses, exercise humility, and mitigate behaviors and habits that result in overconfidence or impair effective performance. (C) #selfawareness
Use emotional intelligence to interact effectively. (H) #emotionaliq
Identify ethical problems, framing them in a way that will help resolve them. (C) #ethicalframing
Resolve conflicts between ethical principles by using the context to prioritize. (C) #ethicalconflicts
Recognize and work to mitigate unfair practices. (C) #fairness
Follow through on commitments, be proactive, and take responsibility. (H) #responsibility
(via Building the Intentional University: Minerva and the Future of Higher Education)
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