Critical Thinking and the Computing Course

1. Critical Thinking and the Computing Course

2. JonHaber • Executive Editor for SAM and Digital Strategy, Course Technology/Cengage Learning • Founder and CEO of SkillCheck, Inc. (now First Advantage Assessment Solutions) • Creator of the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) • Co-author of National Educational Technology Standards (NETS*S): Resources for Assessment published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

3. Defining Digital Literacy

4. Digital Literacy Thought Leadership

5. Digital Literacy - Definition

6. Digital Literacy - Components • Foundational Concepts – The fundamental underlying principles of computers, networks and the Internet • Contemporary Skills – The ability to use current hardware and software to perform useful functions • Critical Thinking Ability – A set of higher-order thinking and reasoning skills required for understanding and solving problems as they arise in modern technological systems

7. Where is Digital Literacy Taught?

8. Where Should Digital Literacy be Taught?

9. Where is Critical Thinking Taught?

10. The Philosophy Course

11. The Computing Course

12. The Computing Course

13. The Computing Course

14. What Does Critical Thinking Consist Of? • General Critical Thinking Skills • Logic • Rhetoric and language • Asking questions • Technology Specific Critical Thinking Skills • Information literacy • Problem solving • Troubleshooting • Digital citizenship • Personal and data security • Real world interactions between people and technology

15. General Critical Thinking- Logic • Formal Logic • Syllogisms • Fallacies • All dogs are animals • All cats are animals • Therefore: All cats are dogs

16. Logic and the Computing Course • Computer programming (i.e., symbolic logic) • Excel formulas and functions • Symbolic reasoning • Precedence • “Fallacious” formulas • Database logic • Essays and presentations – “Logos”

17. General Critical Thinking – Language and Rhetoric • Modes of persuasion • Logos • Pathos • Ethos • Rhetorical Devices • Linguistic devices • Compelling presentation techniques • “Bamboozling” techniques • Argumentation

18. Argumentation (Toulmin Model)

19. Rhetoric and the Computing Course • Information Literacy • Searching for information • Evaluating information for bias or manipulative presentation • Media literacy • Writing and presentation • Creating compelling documents • Creating compelling presentations • Using and presenting information

20. Understanding Data

21. General Critical Thinking – Asking Questions • Questions for clarification • How does that relate to our discussion? • Questions that probe assumptions • How can you verify or disprove that assumption? • Questions that probe reasons and evidence • What would be an example? • Questions about viewpoints and perspectives • What is another way of looking at it? • Questions that probe implications and consequences • What are the consequences of that assumption • Questions about the question • Why do you think I asked this question?

22. Questioning and the Computing Course Session 1.2 Quick Check 1. Describe the default page orientation for Word documents. 2. What is the default font? 3. What is the default font size? 4. Explain how to center-align text. 5. True or False. The type of border Word applies depends on the number of paragraphs selected in the document and the option you choose on the Border menu. 6. What button do you use to insert a photo in a document? Session 1.2 Quick Check • Describe the default page orientation for Word documents. When might you use one type of page orientation vs. another? Why do you think these orientations are named as they are? • What is the default font? Name some other defaults you notice in Word Why might this font have been chosen as a default for Word? • What is the default font size? What do the numbers used to describe font size mean? Why does Word have defaults for font, font size and other settings?

23. Examples

24. Technology in Society

25. Information Literacy • Introduction of the issue • Background • Language • Different sides of the issue • Locating and evaluating information • Search strategies • Primary vs. secondary sources • Reliability of source material (bias, relevance, timeliness, etc.) • Weighing different sides of the issue

26. Comparing Sources

27. Thinking Through Issues (Critically) • Asking questions • What is the actual issue described by “net neutrality” • What is an example of when this issue comes into play? • What is another perspective I can bring to this issue? • Rhetoric and language • “Net neutrality” constitutes a government takeover of the Internet!” • Is “net neutrality” actually neutral? • What are some “non-loaded” terms that can be used to describe the actual issue?

28. Argument Analysis Grounds Internet Service Providers have abused their power in support of their own content Claim The Internet should be regulated to ensure Internet service providers do not abuse their power Warrant Regulation has prevented monopoly abuse in the past Backing The breakup of telephone, railroad and other monopolies have historically improved consumer choice

29. Troubleshooting/Problem Solving • Hardware problems • Software problems • Networking problems • Problems involving which application to be used for a particular purpose • Problems involving using applications intelligently and effectively

30. Steps to Solving a Problem • Collecting information • Analyzing information • Attempting basic solutions • Finding available help and advice • Communicating the problem accurately • Analyzing and selecting the proper action • Implementing the solution • Confirming that the problem has been fixed • Documenting and communicating the problem

31. Where should we be teaching CT Skills?

32. Teaching Critical Thinking

33. Teaching Excel Formulas

34. Evaluating and Assessing Critical Thinking Skills

35. Cognitive Assessments

36. Subject Matter Assessments

37. Information Literacy Assessment

38. “Hands-on” Assessments • Clearly stated problem/question • Multiple steps needed to solve the problem • Reasoning and judgment needed to create final result • Open ended responses • Work products (artifacts) • Reflection (writing/results of research) • Requested result (work product) should be able to be evaluated consistently (preferably via a high-quality, consistent rubric)

39. Open Projects

40. Summary • Critical thinking is a vital component of Digital Literacy • Critical thinking can be taught • Critical thinking is a skill, not an innate ability • Critical thinking is not necessarily about intelligence • Critical thinking can improve with practice • Practice by thinking about your thinking • Anyone can be a critical thinker • Everyone should be a critical thinker

41. Relevance • Collecting and Evaluating • Information • Invention or Discovery • Organizing Information • Arrangement • Communicating Information • Style, Memory and Delivery • National Educational Technology Standards (indicators), 2005 • Canons of Rhetoric (500 BCE)

42. Questions and Answers