Ideas to Action (I2A)

Presentation for the Advising Advisory Board

May 15, 2008

Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community Engagement

Introductions

• I2A Team

Dr. Patty Payette Dr. Cathy Bays Dr. Edna Ross

Executive Director Delphi Specialist Delphi Specialist

for Assessment for Critical Thinking

Hannah Anthony, Program Assistant Senior

Ideas to Action Implementation

Ideas to Action (I2A): Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community Engagement is our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and we need to show measurable progress to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) by April 2012.

I2A and “Connecting the Dots”

“Our extensive consultation with all University constituencies yielded a surprisingly strong and clear

call for education focused on the skills and knowledge needed to deal with real-world issues and problems, an education in which students can see the importance of the parts (the courses) to the whole (their education as citizens and workers).”

[QEP Report, 2007]

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/files/finalreport.pdf

skills and knowledge

real-world issues & problems

the parts to the whole

I2A: What are the components?

Sharpen our

existing focus on building critical

thinking skills in the general

education program…

…..continuing through

undergraduate major

courses with an emphasis on applying and refining those skills…

…resulting in a

culminating experience,

such as a senior thesis,

research, service learning project,

internship, or capstone

project that fosters

engagementI2A Thematic Priority: Community Engagement

I2A: The Learning Paradigm

The (OLD) Instruction Paradigm Mission & Purposes

Provide/deliver instruction Transfer knowledge from faculty to students Offer courses and programs Improve the quality of instruction Achieve access for diverse students

The focus moves from what the

instructor is doing or covering to what

students are learning….

The (NEW) Learning Paradigm Mission and Purposes• Produce learning• Elicit students discovery and construction of knowledge• Create powerful learning environments• Improve the quality of learning• Achieve success for diverse students

From Teaching to Learning: A New Paradigm for

Undergraduate Education Robert B. Barr and John

Tagg, November/December 1995, Change Magazine

Higher Education in the 21st Century

Public accountability & SLO’s: state legislatures, accrediting bodies and other stakeholders

New emphasis on intellectual, technical and practical skills

U of L’s Strategic Plan

Emphasis on “deep learning,” integrative learning, brain research, digital literacy, etc.

Shifts in traditional structures and divisions in the academy

U of L Strategic Plan 2020: http://louisville.edu/provost/fromtheprovostitems/stratplan0308.html

Central Messages about I2A

• Prompted by Undergraduate Program Accreditation

• Enhancement of critical thinking, student engagement

• Renewed focus on community engagement

• Assessment process under development

• Some programs in place; more being developed

Define Critical Thinking

In groups of 2, write down each of your thoughts on two separate sticky notes filling in the blanks below.

Critical thinking is ________________________.

Critical thinking is not _____________________.

Examples of when we use critical thinking…

• Professional problems

– - What is the best interpretation of a piece of literature?

– - How can a leader most efficiently promote effective team work?

• Personal problems

– - What should I do to optimize my career development?

• Civic problems

– - How should I vote on a particular ballot initiative?

From Helping Your Students Develop Critical Thinking SkillsCindy L. Lynch and Susan K. Wolcott, October 2001, The IDEA Center

Critical Thinking Definition adopted for I2A

(From: Scriven and Paul, 2003)

UnderstandingConceptsAppreciation

DecisionsSynthesizeApplication

A Well-Cultivated Critical Thinker:

Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely

Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively

Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards

Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences

Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

(Richard Paul and Linda Elder, the Foundation for Critical Thinking: http://www.criticalthinking.org/)

Which leads to deeper

Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model

Intellectual Standards

Elements of Reasoning

Intellectual Traits

Must be appliedto

to develop

ClarityAccuracy Precision

SignificanceRelevance

SufficiencyLogical

BreadthFairness

Depth

QuestionsPurposes Inferences

Points of viewInformation

Concepts

AssumptionsImplications

HumilityAutonomy

Fair-mindedness

CourageConfidence in

reasoning

IntegrityEmpathy

Perseverance

8 Elements Thought (p.5):

Whenever we think,

1. We think for a purpose

2. Within a point of view

3. Based on assumptions

4. Leading to implications and consequences

5. Using data, information and experiences

6. To make inferences and judgments

7. Based on concepts and theories

8. To answer a question or solve a problem

I2A and Social Work Practicum Faculty

• Sample existing critical thinking prompt:

Identify an ethical issue or high risk incident and analyze how you responded to it this month.

I2A and Social Work Practicum Faculty

• Rephrase the question to help guide the student through the thinking process—identifying the elements of thought you are looking for.

For example:“Briefly describe an ethical problem or high risk incident that you responded to this past month. How did you conclude this is a high risk incident? Provide at least two examples of evidence or pieces of information that informed your response or reaction. What were possible solutions, what were the consequences, and what did you decide to do? Based on your reflection, how could you have responded differently? Are there other points of view or perspectives that did—or might have—influenced your decision?”

Standards for Thinking (p. 10-12)

CLARITY Could you elaborate? Could you illustrate what you mean? Could you give me an example?

ACCURACY How could we check on that? How could we find out if that is true? How could we verify or test that?

PRECISION Could you be more specific? Could you give me more details? Could you be more exact?

RELEVANCE How does that relate to the problem? How does that bear on the question? How does that help us with the issue?

DEPTH What factors make this difficult? What are some of the complexities of this question? What are some of the difficulties we need to deal

with?

BREADTH Do we need to look at this from another

perspective?

Do we need to consider another point of view? Do we need to look at this in other ways?

LOGIC Does all of this make sense together? Does your first paragraph fit in with your last one? Does what you say follow from the evidence?

SIGNIFICANCE Is this the most important problem to consider? Is this the central idea to focus on? Which of these facts are most important?

FAIRNESS Is my thinking justifiable in context? Am I taking into account the thinking of others? Is my purpose fair given the situation? Am I using my concepts in keeping with educated

usage, or am I distorting them to get what I want?

COMPLETENESS How complete are the facts related to the issue? How complete is the description? Is the description of each perspective complete?

Sample Rubric Component

ELEMENTS ACCOMPLISHED DEVELOPING BEGINNING WEAK

MUSICIANSHIP (Logic/Accuracy/ Precision)

Demonstrates accuracy in pitch and rhythm and tempo indications

A few inaccuracies in pitch and/or rhythm and or tempo indications

Errors in pitch and/or rhythm and/or tempo indications which interfere with musical presentation

Numerous inaccuracies in pitch and/or rhythm and/or tempo indications which negate musical presentation

Tidwell Example

School of Music Faculty Example

• Critical thinking is using logic to decide what to believe based on accurate and objective evidence.

• Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally.

• Critical thinking is the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information as a guide to belief and action.

Intellectual Standards = blue Elements of Thought = red

• Critical thinking is using logic to decide what to believe based on accurate and objective evidence.

• Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally.

• Critical thinking is the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information as a guide to belief and action.

ENGR 100: Intro to Engineering

Speed School Faculty Example

Improve Thinking: The Intellectual Traits (p.15-17)

• Intellectual Humility

• Intellectual Courage

• Intellectual Empathy

• Intellectual Autonomy

• Intellectual Integrity

• Intellectual Perseverance

• Confidence in Reason

• Fairmindedness

Question from a Synthesis Paper Assignment:In an 8-10 page paper, describe in depth an intervention you performed for a selected population within a community setting over the course of the semester. Describe in detail the assessment process that led you to choose this specific intervention for the population in question. How was the nursing process utilized? What nursing diagnoses formed the conceptual foundation for the intervention? What sources were used to establish the background and compile the evidence upon which the intervention was based? What criteria were used to establish evaluation guidelines for the intervention? In conclusion, describe precisely how you believe your work could contribute to the state of the science regarding the specific population in question.

ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT:

Informatio

n—Concept—Point o

f View—

Inference

(This trait correlates with the ability to reconstruct accurately the viewpoints and reasoning of others and to reason from premises, assumptions, and

ideas other than our own. . . (p. 14).

INTELLECTUAL

STANDARDS:

Accuracy—Depth—

Breadth—Relevance

INTELLECTUAL TRAITS:

Intellectual E

mpathy

School of Nursing Faculty Example

I2A Resources & Next Steps:

08-09 Programs & Services• I2A Website w/ resources (Jan 08)• I2A Faculty Learning Community (Fall 08)• I2A Instructional Grants (2008-2009)• I2A Specialist in Culminating Experiences

(Summer 08)• Delphi Workshops and Sessions (2008-

2009)• I2A Campus Collaborations (SPI, Civic

Engagement, Student Affairs…)

ADVISING!

For more information

Please visit:http://louisville.edu/

ideastoaction