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Thunderwood X Academy

The PROthinker® course is a unique compilation of key information and practical tools regarding a comprehensive work with all types of data/information - in the professional world and in personal life. In addition to solid knowledge about the human mind, cognitive processes and ways to work effectively in a complex informational environment, the PROthinker® course also presents practical critical thinking tools used by elite special operations units and intelligence services around the world, as well as current standards and techniques for working with information. Since November 27th 2022, this course also features a bonus part 6 "OSINT: a PRO's guide on basic tools and recommended starting points".

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The PROthinker® course is a unique compilation of key information and practical tools regarding a comprehensive work with all types of data/information - in the professional world and in personal life. In addition to solid knowledge about the human mind, cognitive processes and ways to work effectively in a complex informational environment, the PROthinker® course also presents practical critical thinking tools used by elite special operations units and intelligence services around the world, as well as current standards and techniques for working with information. Since November 27th 2022, this course also features a bonus part 6 "OSINT: a PRO's guide on basic tools and recommended starting points".

With this course:

FIRST: You will get to know your most valuable professional tool: your mind. You will learn what evolutionary processes and events have shaped your mind and how. You will find out what cognitive processes take place in your mind, when, under what circumstances and is it good or bad? You will learn the most important thing: SO WHAT? What does this mean for you and what to do about it, if you want to use your mind most effectively for working with information.

SECOND: You will learn true, professional critical thinking – you will acquire the knowledge and up-to-date theoretical principles, but what is equally important: you will get real, practical tools, i.e. How problems are worked through, how solutions are worked out, how new directions of action are set.

THIRD: You will learn and understand multiple current standards and methods of intellectual work, used in elite special units and intelligence services - not covered by the confidentiality clause; You will learn how to analyze the source of information, how information itself is checked on quality and how to decide which information should be dealt with at all.

WHAT YOU GET:

· You will be a more valuable member of any team and a keen observer;

· You will know how to mitigate cognitive biases;

· If you are a business leader - you will have more time for problems waiting around the next corner, and your people will be calmer, more creative and autonomous in solving problems and coming up with effective concepts;

· You will gain an intellectual advantage over others in almost every meeting;

· You will be able to better evaluate and analyze information - and more importantly - on this basis, take And peace of mind is important for any leader or entrepreneur. We know how much responsibility weighs.;

· You will be more resistant to fake news.

Our policy: zero bs

/OVER & OUT/

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Think critically in a professional manner, using simple tools and methods used by special operations and intelligence community
  • Work effectively with all types of information in a volatile and ambigious informational environment
  • Solve strategic and operational problem using proven team-based techniques, proven to give positve results in special operations community
  • Analyze data and information using simple yet effective tools used by international intelligence community
  • How to communicate with your team the way that special operations intelligence communicates
  • Visualize critical information using tools used by special operations intelligence for better effectiveness of your work
  • Use your intellect more consciously and deliberately when working with information
  • Discover the unknown unknowns
  • The history and development of the human intellect and critical thinking

Syllabus

PROthinker® Course
Introduction: What is this course, exactly?
PART 1: Homo Sapiens' Mind and the World of Information. The Fundamentals.
PART 2: Human Mind, Cognitive Processes and What Does it Mean for a Pro?
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PART 3: Critical Thinking: History, the Now, Global Standards and Way Forward
PART 4: Practical Tools for Critical Thinking used by Special Operations & Intel
PART 5: Standards, Best Practices and Techniques for Working with Information
BONUS PART: OSINT. A Pro's Guide on Basic Tools and Recommended Starting Points.

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in PROthinker®: Intelligence Analysis, Critical Thinking +OSINT with these activities:
Review Cognitive Biases
Reviewing cognitive biases will help you better understand Part 2 of the course and improve your ability to think critically.
Browse courses on Cognitive Biases
Show steps
  • Identify common cognitive biases.
  • Find examples of biases in news.
  • Practice identifying biases in arguments.
Review 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'
Reading 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' will provide a deeper understanding of cognitive biases and improve your critical thinking skills.
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes.
  • Relate concepts to course material.
  • Discuss key ideas with peers.
Create a Mind Map of Critical Thinking Tools
Creating a mind map will help you visualize and organize the critical thinking tools discussed in the course.
Show steps
  • Review the critical thinking tools.
  • Create a mind map with central topics.
  • Add subtopics and connections.
  • Share your mind map with others.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Analyze a News Article
Analyzing a news article using critical thinking tools will help you apply the concepts learned in the course.
Show steps
  • Select a news article.
  • Identify potential biases.
  • Evaluate the source's credibility.
  • Summarize your findings in a report.
Practice Source Evaluation
Practicing source evaluation will improve your ability to assess the credibility of information.
Show steps
  • Find different sources of information.
  • Evaluate each source's credibility.
  • Compare and contrast the sources.
Review 'Open Source Intelligence Techniques'
Reading 'Open Source Intelligence Techniques' will enhance your understanding of OSINT and improve your ability to gather and analyze information.
View OSINT Techniques on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes.
  • Practice the OSINT techniques.
  • Apply the techniques to a real-world scenario.
Create a Presentation on a Critical Thinking Concept
Creating a presentation will help you solidify your understanding of a critical thinking concept and improve your communication skills.
Show steps
  • Choose a critical thinking concept.
  • Research the concept thoroughly.
  • Create a presentation with visuals.
  • Practice your presentation.
  • Present to an audience.

Career center

Learners who complete PROthinker®: Intelligence Analysis, Critical Thinking +OSINT will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Intelligence Analyst
As an intelligence analyst, you collect and evaluate information from various sources to assess threats, identify patterns, and provide actionable insights. This course helps you analyze data using tools employed by intelligence communities. It also allows you to evaluate and analyze information and mitigate cognitive biases, making you a valuable asset in intelligence analysis. You will also learn to analyze your source of information and make decisions on which information you can act on. By learning standards and practices you may better understand intelligence analysis.
Intelligence Officer
An intelligence officer gathers, analyzes, and disseminates information to support national security objectives, often working overseas. For those aspiring to this demanding role, the PROthinker course helps build a foundation. You will learn critical thinking and data analysis, tools used by special operations and intelligence communities. You will also learn to mitigate cognitive biases, crucial for sound judgment in high-pressure situations. The OSINT module can provide additional open-source skills.
Counterintelligence Agent
Counterintelligence agents work to protect national security by preventing espionage and gathering intelligence about potential threats. These professionals need to analyze data, make critical decisions, and work effectively in ambiguous situations. The PROthinker course teaches proven team-based techniques, how to work through problems, and how to create solutions, skills critical in counterintelligence. You will learn standards and methods of intellectual work used in special units and intelligence services. This may help you understand the counterintelligence landscape.
Investigative Journalist
Investigative journalists conduct in-depth research and analysis to uncover hidden information and expose wrongdoing. The PROthinker course provides the skills to analyze data, assess information quality, and think critically. The course teaches you to analyze information sources, mitigate biases, and work effectively with diverse information. The OSINT module may provide investigative journalists with tools to gather information from open sources. Using these skills may add depth to investigative reporting.
Policy Analyst
Policy analysts research and evaluate the impact of policies and regulations, and they also propose changes and improvements. The PROthinker course may equip you with the skills to analyze complex information, think critically, and identify potential consequences of different policy options. You will learn to mitigate cognitive biases, work with information effectively, and communicate findings to stakeholders. Learning methods of intellectual work used in special units can help understand the policy landscape.
Competitive Intelligence Analyst
Competitive intelligence analysts research and analyze information about competitors to help businesses make strategic decisions. The PROthinker course may equip you with the skills needed to gather and evaluate information, assess its reliability, and identify key insights. You will learn how to analyze sources, check information quality, and work with different types of data. The OSINT module can be useful for gathering competitive intelligence from open sources, giving competitive intelligence analyst a strategic advantage.
Business Intelligence Analyst
A business intelligence analyst examines data to provide insights into a company's performance and market trends. The PROthinker course teaches how to analyze information sources, check information quality, and decide which information to prioritize. It also covers techniques for mitigating cognitive biases, which helps a business intelligence analyst make impartial recommendations. Learning team based techniques may help business intelligence analysts communicate findings.
Research Analyst
Research analysts gather, analyze, and interpret data to provide insights and recommendations. The PROthinker course provides you with the tools to analyze information, think critically, and solve problems effectively. You will also learn to analyze the source of information and determine which information is relevant. The skills taught in this course may help research analysts become more effective in their roles, leading to better insights and informed decisions.
Cybersecurity Analyst
A cybersecurity analyst protects computer systems and networks from cyber threats. The PROthinker course helps develop skills in data analysis, critical thinking, and information assessment, which are essential for identifying and mitigating security risks. The techniques for working with information may help with analysis. The OSINT module may be useful for gathering threat intelligence from open sources. Learning about cognitive processes can help cybersecurity analysts understand attacker motivations and tactics.
Strategic Planner
Strategic planners develop long-term plans and strategies for organizations. The PROthinker course may be useful in offering skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving, crucial for strategic planners. You will learn tools used by special operations and intelligence services. You will also learn how to assess information quality, mitigate biases, and work effectively in ambiguous environments. Learning techniques of intellectual work used in special units can help strategic planners.
Data Scientist
Data scientists examine large amounts of raw data to identify trends, develop algorithms, and create predictive models. This course focuses on critical thinking and data analysis, which helps data scientists make informed decisions. The course teaches you how to determine which data is relevant and how to analyze it effectively. The OSINT module may equip data scientists with skills to gather and interpret open-source intelligence relevant to their models. Learning how to visualize information effectively is also important in conveying results.
Emergency Management Specialist
Emergency management specialists prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. These specialists need to collect, analyze and interpret information to coordinate effective responses. The PROthinker course teaches you to analyze data, assess information quality, and think critically, which helps specialists make informed decisions during crises. You learn about cognitive processes and team-based techniques, which will help emergency management specialist respond effectively.
Political Analyst
Political analysts study political systems, policies, and trends to provide insights and commentary. This course may help you develop strong analytical and critical thinking skills to assess political events, policies, and public opinion. You will learn about cognitive processes and how to mitigate biases. This helps political analysts analyze information objectively. You will also learn techniques for working with information and communicating findings, essential for informing public discourse.
Fraud Investigator
A fraud investigator analyzes financial records and other data to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. The PROthinker course may equip you with analytical skills and critical thinking tools to identify irregularities and patterns indicative of fraud. The course on working with information may assist in the investigation. Learning to mitigate cognitive biases is crucial for conducting impartial investigations. Skills taught in this course enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of fraud investigations.
Market Research Analyst
A market research analyst studies market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. The PROthinker course may be useful in developing skills in data analysis and critical thinking. You will learn to work with information, analyze data, and communicate findings, skills crucial for a market research analyst. By learning to mitigate cognitive biases you can more accurately provide insights into market trends and consumer behavior. The skill helps you become a keen observer, an asset to market research.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in PROthinker®: Intelligence Analysis, Critical Thinking +OSINT.
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Provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive biases and heuristics that affect decision-making. It is highly relevant to the course's focus on critical thinking and intelligence analysis. Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the human mind and its limitations, complementing the course material. It is commonly used as a reference in psychology and behavioral economics.
Provides a detailed guide to open source intelligence (OSINT) techniques. It is particularly relevant to the bonus part of the course on OSINT. Reading this book will provide practical skills and knowledge for gathering and analyzing information from publicly available sources. It valuable resource for anyone interested in intelligence analysis and critical thinking.

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