Decisions & Choices

1Learning ZoneXpressBy Colleen Angel, CFCSLearning ZoneXpress2Develop Decision-making Skills.Learn skills to help you make good decisions.Decision-making skills will help you:Reach your goals.Solve problems.You will learn:The basic steps of decision-making.What can influence your decisions.

Learning ZoneXpress3Everyday Life Is Filled With Choices.We make decisions big and small from morning until night.List 5 simple decisions you have made today.

Learning ZoneXpress4DefinitionsThe process defined.Goal:Something you want to accomplish. The decisions you make will affect your goals. Decision: The act of making a choice or arriving at a solution to a problem. Decision-making process: A set of logical steps to follow when making decisions.

4Learning ZoneXpress5DefinitionsCritical thinking:Clarifying a problem or situation with reflective reasoning. Ask yourself:Do I agree with.Have I thought aboutWhat does my heart sayCan I live with or without Consequence: The result or effect of a decision.For example, if you decided to go to your grandmas house for the weekend missing practice and not tell your coach you could be cut from the team.Resources:Time, money, energy, and people.

5Learning ZoneXpress6Todays DecisionsWhat decisions do you make?List decisions that you have to make in your everyday life. List as many as you can in 30 seconds.Ready-set-go!

6Learning ZoneXpress7Sample DecisionsWhat to wear/buy.What to eat.Who to hang out with.To do your homework.To study or not.Who to talk to about a problem.What to do with your time.Saving or spending money.To get a part-time job.What movies to see.College/higher education.Hobbies.Hair style.To smoke or not.Sports to play.What music to buy/listen to.

7Learning ZoneXpress8Tomorrows DecisionsWhat decisions will you make in the future?List decisions that you think you will have to make later in your life. List as many as you can in 30 seconds.Ready-set-go!

Learning ZoneXpress9Future DecisionsMarriage/relationships.Having/raising a family.Education for children.Discipline for children.Paying bills.Health-related.Making investments.Leisure activities.Time management.Job/career.Getting along with co-workers.Promotions/advancement on job.Buy/sell a house.Yard work.Types of insurance.Purchase/maintain/repair automobile.

Learning ZoneXpress10GoalsWhat do you want to accomplish?The decisions you make will affect your goals. Which should happen first? Set a goal or make a decision?Setting your goals first helps you make the decisions.Plan and set goals to be in control of your life.Lets say you want a pro-sports career. Yet, you skip practice frequently to hang out with friends. What will happen to your skills?List 5 of your goals.

Learning ZoneXpress11Critical Thinking & ConsequencesLets take that pro-sports career.What are the consequences?What if you dont like to go to practice everyday? What happens if you decide to smoke cigarettes?What things do you have to give up to reach your goal?Use critical thinking to analyze the goal of having a pro-sports career.What question should you ask yourself?

Learning ZoneXpress12Critical Thinking & ConsequencesNow take someone who has errands to run. To save time, gas and money, they should plan before they take off in the car. They have to:Return library books.Get groceries.Get stamps.Drop off insurance papersat the dentist.What are the consequences if they dont plan? Use critical thinking skills, reasoning and reflective thinking.

Learning ZoneXpress13Ways People Make DecisionsEvery time you make a decision, you give up other choices.When faced with a decision here are the things people often do:Do nothing! Decide on an impulse.Decide by habit (the way they always do something).Decide by imitation (what others do).Let someone else decide.If you want to go to college, but use these ways to make a decision, what happens in each case?

Learning ZoneXpress14Decision-making ProcessWriting it down will help make your decision!Define the problem or decision you need to made.List your choices.Advantages and disadvantages of each choice.How each choice affects your goals.Make your decision and give reasons for your decision.

Decision-Making ChartDecision that needs to be made:List choice 1:List choice 2:AdvantagesDisadvantagesAdvantagesDisadvantagesHow are my goals affected?How are my goals affected?My decision is:Reasons for my decision:Learning ZoneXpress16Making a Good DecisionHere are some hints to making a good decision. A decision you make should FEEL right to you.Friends might put pressure on you to do what they want you to do. You need to make this decision on your own.Think about how you make an easy decision everyday.What works? What doesnt?Decisions have good and bad results.Rarely is a decision perfect in every way. You may have to make compromises. Consider your goals and process the information alone or with people you respect.

Learning ZoneXpress17Making a Good DecisionMore things to consider.Accept the outcome.Make the best decision you can.Next time the decision might even be better because of what you learned.A decision can sometimes be changed.Sometimes situations change. What consequences are there if you change your mind?Dont depend on luck and other people.Use planning and thinking skills to help decide.Learning ZoneXpress18ResourcesA resource is anything available that helps you make and carry out a decision.Human resources: From people their personal qualities and talents.They may be natural or learned abilities and skills.Non-human resources:Resources that arent from people that can help you make a decision.They are usually tangible objects or sources of information.

Learning ZoneXpress19ResourcesLearn to use YOUR resources!List 5 human and 5 non-human resources.HumanGood health, energy, endurance, maturity, patience (all personality traits are personal talents), friends, family, relatives, teachers, workplace, experts, counselors, community agenciesNon-HumanComputers, library, databases, the internet, books, brochures (all sources of information), time, machines, food, money

Did you list any of these?Learning ZoneXpress20Reliable ResourcesUse good resources, with reliable information!Unbiased resources: Provide facts and information to benefit the person making the decision.Biased resources:Provide information that might not be absolutely true because it benefits the one providing it.List 5 unbiased and 5 biased resources.

Learning ZoneXpress21Apply What Youve LearnedDid natalie use biased or unbiased resources?Natalie is looking for a new cell phone. She calls one cell phone company, and the sales person tells her why their phone is better than the competitors phone.

Answer: Biased.The sales person will probably make his or her own product sound superior. Natalie should ask several cell phone companies about their products and compare the results on her own.What are her resources? How do they influence her decision?Learning ZoneXpress22

Apply What You LearnedDid hong used biased or unbiased resources?Hong just turned 16 and is looking for a car.He wants a car that is reliable and safe and uses several sources of information like consumer guide magazines, internet, car sales people and others.

Answer: UnbiasedHong should be able to get a reliable information when he compares all his resources.Learning ZoneXpress23Influences on Decision-makingDecisions are individual.The decision-making process leads to different outcomes for different individuals.Much depends on the personal factors and resources that each individual brings to the situation.

Learning ZoneXpress24Influences on Decision-makingInfluences on an individuals decisions.Maturity: age, ability to reason, past experience, etc.Values: ideas and beliefs that are important to the individual.Many values are formed by the people around you and the environment in which you grew up.Goals: plans for the immediate or distant future.Standards: measure of quality the individual expects from themselves and others.Resources: the human and non-human help available so you are more informed.

Learning ZoneXpress25Influences on Decision-makingWhat may have influenced different decisions?Evan and basma each wanted a good deal on a 1960s style lava lamp.They found some online for $10. They also found a vintage store downtown selling the same lamp for $18. Basma bought the lamp online for $10 while evan bought the lamp downtown for more.

Learning ZoneXpress26Influences on Decision-makingList possible influences for each of the following categories.MaturityValuesGoalsStandardsResourcesBasma is not old enough to drive downtown, or Evan is underage and needs a parental credit card to order online.Evan values personal relations more than Basma and wants to know the person he is purchasing the lamp from.Evan wants to finish decorating his room tomorrow and needs the lamp now, or Basmas goal is to save money.Evan wants to see the lamp first and make sure it is in perfect condition before purchasing it.Evan does not have a computer to order online, or Basma does not have the time or resources to go downtown.

Learning ZoneXpress27Smart ChoicesPractice making decisions.Use the decision-making chart to make a decision for one of the following:To buy a new CD player.You got a D on a math paper.To take a babysitting job every friday night.Your best friend isnt talking to you.To eat pepperoni pizza every day for lunch.Your dilemmas, challenges, and tough decisions.

Learning ZoneXpress28SummaryDecision-making skills are needed throughout your entire life. You will make hundreds of decisions every day.Improving your decision-making skills takes practice.Setting a goal first, helps you make a decision.Make use of your resources human and non-human.Understand that maturity, values, goals, standards and resources influence your decisions.Write it down! Use the decision-making chart to help analyze and make challenging decisions.

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Practice What Youve LearnedYoure the expert!List one large decision you are currently trying to make or you will need to make soon. Include the resources you can rely on in your search for the final decision.Give an example of one decision you made as a child that you would be much more capable of making today. Write a sentence telling what your new decision would be.Learning ZoneXpress30Decisions & Choices Quiz1. When you discuss and process information, what is this called?a. Decisionb. Goalc. Critical thinkingd. Consequence2. Before you make a decision, you should:a. Have your friends tell you what to do.b. Use reliable resources to get the facts.c. Set you goals.d. Both b and c.

Choose the best answer for the following questions.Learning ZoneXpress31Decisions & Choices Quiz3. List two things you can do that will help you make a decision.4. Put the 5 steps in the decision-making process in the correct order:List advantages and disadvantages.List choices.Identify the problem.Make decision, give a reason.List how goals are affected.Choose the best answer for the following questions.Learning ZoneXpress32Web ResourcesSuggested web sites for more information on decisions & choices.Decision making - your key to successHttp://www.Decision-making-tools.Com Six thinking hats. Looking at a decision from all points of view.Http://www.Mindtools.Com/pages/article/newted 07.HtmlHow to make decisions stick. Http://hairee.Com/how to make decisions.HtmlTake an online self-esteem quiz.Http://region.Peel.On.Ca/health/commhlth/teenpowr/sequiz.Html Virtual salt - problem-solving techniquesHttp://www.Virtualsalt.Com/crebook4.HtmlPlease note that web sites are constantly changing and being updated.