Best MOOCs In Business For January

Effective Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

School: University of California-Irvine

Platform: Coursera

Registration Link: CLICK HERE

Start Date: Available Anytime

Workload: 4-8 Hours Long

Instructor: Rob Stone, PMP, M.Ed.

Credentials: For nearly 30 years, Stone has been teaching project management, with his most recent stint coming at the University of California-Irvine and UCLA extensions. During his career, he has taught in both university and corporate settings, including sectors like manufacturing, telecommunications, health care, product development, and research. And he has taught professionals worldwide, including Africa, China, Dubai, Europe, and Australia. He holds a master’s in education, along with a PMP certification.

Graded: This course is part of a specialization. Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $35 fee for each course ($49 for the Project Management course).

Description: No one enjoys change. People prefer comfort – and to have their notions go unchallenged. In an age of disruption, stagnation is a greater enemy than competition. That’s what makes critical thinking such a rare and valuable skill. And it is one that can be taught. But it takes time and discipline to learn the critical thinking process. To master this, students must be able to weigh variables, interpret data, and make connections between disparate trends and views; synthesize what’s relevant and discard what’s inconsistent; and identify applications, alternatives, risks and consequences. Even more, critical thinking requires openness and self-awareness that keeps emotional responses and snap judgments at bay. Using a case study method, students will use proven critical thinking models to recognize their mental barriers and guide their decision-making processes. The course will taught through 8-12 minute lecture videos, with students evaluated through quizzes.

Review: This course earned 3.5 out of 5 stars in six reviews on Class-Central.

Additional Notes: This is the eighth course of a “Career Success” specialization available through Coursera. Students will receive a specialization certificate that reflects that they completed nine courses (including “Finance for Non-Financial Professionals,” “Communication in the 21st Century Workplace,” Fundamentals of Management” and “The Art of Negotiation”) and a capstone project. The total cost of a certification is $364. To register for this career specialization, click here.