Week three is a synchronous class week, with class taking place on Saturday (06/13/26). In reading Edin and Shaefer (2016), students will have the opportunity to learn about the challenges faced by those who live on $2 per day, and there will be a forum for them to relate to rural and migrant communities. In Linquiti (2022), he focuses on understanding cognitive dissonance and its effect on biases. There are forums for students to consider their way of thinking and reflect on the textbook content. During class we will continue to consider thinking styles and biases. Students will also be introduced to system thinking. The agenda for the synchronous class includes:

• Engage in activities that illustrate metacognitive processes and thinking styles.
• Explore cognitive reflection and the difference between intuitive and analytical reasoning.
• Reflect on the impact of cognitive dissonance and bias in policy analysis.
• Apply systems thinking concepts to examine the limitations of conventional problem-solving.

The learning objectives this week include:

• Differentiate between System 1 and System 2 thinking and identify how each influences policy analysis and decision-making.
• Identify common forms of cognitive dissonance and describe how dissonance can cause bias.
• Recognize common cognitive traps and reflect on their potential impact.
• Apply principles of systems thinking to reframe conventional problem-solving approaches and anticipate unintended consequences in policy interventions.
• Share relevant experiences and challenges faced by people in our community.
• Define metacognition and explain its relationship to policy analysis