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Critical Thinking In Every Classroom. Teaching Academy: New Faculty Orientation August 11, 2007. For the QEP ( SACS-COC ), we’re going to add CT SLOs to each course so that we’ll do better on the CCTST ( VCCS core competencies) and the CCSSE …. HUH?. Deciphering Acronyms. Q: Quality
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Critical Thinking In Every Classroom Teaching Academy: New Faculty Orientation August 11, 2007
For the QEP (SACS-COC), we’re going to add CT SLOs to each course so that we’ll do better on the CCTST (VCCS core competencies) and the CCSSE…
Deciphering Acronyms Q: Quality E: Enhancement P: Plan One of 2 required elements of re-accreditation through SACS-COC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges)
We demonstrate critical thinking when we… • Explain, analyze and synthesize what we see, hear and read • Use creativity to discover multiple and diverse approaches to issues • Find relevant information to address tasks and problems • Evaluate claims and evidence to draw reasonable conclusions • Justify conclusions and solutions • Apply concepts to real-world problems • See connections and patterns both within disciplines and across disciplines • Reflect on our own thinking and learning.
CT = Critical Thinking Why are we so interested in CT? * Results of our 2006 VCCS core competency exams (CCTST, or California Critical Thinking Skills Test) * Results of our 2005 CCSSE results (Community College Survey of Student Engagement)
Benchmark Descriptors Active/Collaborative Learning: Asked questions or contributed to class discussions Made a class presentation Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare assignments Discussed ideas from readings or classes outside of class
Benchmark Descriptors Student Effort Prepared 2 or more drafts of a paper Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas from various sources Amount of time preparing for class
Benchmark Descriptors • Academic Challenge • Worked harder than you thought you could • Analyzed basic elements of a theory • Synthesized or organized ideas, information or experiences in new ways • Made judgments about the value of information or arguments • Applied theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations
LFCC’S QEP Purpose: Create a culture of critical thinking which permeates all aspects of the College community. Outcome: Improved critical thinking skills in our students.
Three Broad Strategies Professional Development Curricular Enhancement Activities Outside the Classroom
Curricular Enhancement • Each course in the college has specified a critical thinking student learning outcome (SLO). • The SLOs are based on the VCCS core competencies, and they will be assessed regularly.
VCCS Core Competency: CT Degree graduates will demonstrate the ability to: • 2.1 discriminate among degrees of credibility, accuracy, and reliability of inferences drawn from given data • 2.2 recognize parallels, assumptions, or presuppositions in any given source of information
CT Core Competencies • 2.3 Evaluate the strengths and relevance of arguments on a particular question or issue • 2.4 Weigh evidence and decide if generalizations or conclusions based on the given data are warranted
CT Core Competency • 2.5 Determine whether certain conclusions or consequences are supported by the information provided. • 2.6 Use problem solving skills.
Saying and Doing • We would like all faculty teaching in fall 2007 to • KNOW the CT SLO for the course(s) they teach, • IDENTIFY and SCHEDULE assignments that support that SLO with practice and feedback,
- ASSESS the SLO, using the faculty designed instrument/measurement (for courses being assessed in fall 2007), and - SHARE experiences, successes, struggles, tips, techniques, questions, and insights with faculty in your cluster.
Resources • Critical Thinking In Our Classes (sample assignments from LFCC faculty) • The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools (excellent overview of CT with questions) • Seeking The Ox: Developing Critical Thinkers at LFCC (QEP – with literature review)
Other Resources • Faculty in your cluster • Staff and administrators (deans and program leaders) • Web resources (will be available later this fall) • The Ox Pictures
The seeker begins by recognizing that he or she is lacking. Knowing that we don’t know is an important step towards better thinking… The Ox-Herder Pictures
There are obvious benefits when our thinking and knowing WORK for us…
Eventually, a seeker (or thinker, in our case) goes back into the world to share what he has learned and to make a difference. ASK RAMON SELOVE
What We’ve Covered • The QEP (for SACS-COC), • Adding CT SLOs to each course (and teaching for improved CT) • Doing better on the CCTST (VCCS core competencies) and the CCSSE • WOW.
Contact Information Miriam Moore Middletown, 126G 540-868-7173 mmoore2@lfcc.edu