Shraddha Nayak

“ Disciplined, self-directed thinking . . . ”*

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“Disciplined, self-directed learning…”

*The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987

“The art of analyzing and evaluating thinking

with a view to improving it”

*The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts And Tools, 5 ed. The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2008.

Can be taught

Improves student learning

Requires practice - guided, scaffolded, graduated, feedback

Needs training in a variety of domains

WHY?

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To explore possibilities

To evaluate and improve learning

To keep up with rapidly changing 21st century

To effectively navigate information explosion

To adapt to an exponentially changing workplace

To cultivate a multi-cultural world view

To ensure world peace and adequate resources.

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HOW?

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Questions drive thinking

Student-directed

Reasoning used as a pervasive tool

Information becomes knowledge

Stimulates thinking

Improves problem-solving strategies

Facilitates discussion and interaction

Reduces anxiety – shared responsibility, humor

Leads to long-term retention of the material

Helps make connections

Organizes thoughts

Helps make decisions about what is relevant

Conveys thoughts

Helps to arrive at a conclusion

Encourages active engagement

Builds motivation Deepens understanding

Enhances self-esteem

Improves learning

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Provides opportunities

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Encourage collaboration

Promote engagement

Improve critical thinking

Provide feedback

Supports differentiation

Provides opportunities for self-assessment

Offers choices to demonstrate learning

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Include content that is relevant

Use within context

Align activities to instructional objectives

Support differentiation

Provide opportunity for feedback

Use of both words and pictures lets the brain process more information in working memory

Use of animation when presenting concepts, students may have difficulty envisioning

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Graphic organizers – Venn, KWLH, concept map

Class discussion – blog, google doc

Reflections – journals, blog

Differentiation – e-beam, interactives

Concept building – simulations, geogebra, Excel, software, logger-pro, calculators

Open-ended – text, video, podcasts, voicethread, prezi, Excel, graphing software, powerpoints

Timely feedback – blogs, drop-box, email

"The world we have created is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." ~~ Albert Einstein

It's not about technology, it's about effective instructional practice.

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Blogs: Neil Stephensen:

http://www.thinkinginmind.com/ Stephen Downes:

http://www.downes.ca/ George Siemens:

http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/ Barry Dahl: http://barrydahl.com/

Moodle Google Open Office Wordle YouTube Delicious iPhoto Prezi Voicethread Audacity Concept Maps Podcasts – variety of tools Facebook Cool Tools for Schools:

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Burgess, M. (2009). Using WebCT as a supplemental tool to enhance critical thinking and engagement among developmental reading students. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 39. Retrieved from http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5038072825

CEA ACE. (n.d.). What makes school programs innovative? [Motion picture]. Canada. Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada

Computers and Constructivism. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2011, from 1999 Southwest Educational Development Laboratory website: http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/cnc.html

Costello, K. (n.d.). PowerPoint: Showing chemistry bigger than life. Using Computers in Chemical Education, Fall 2005. Retrieved from http://www.eclipse.net/%7Epankuch/Newsletter/Pages_NewsF05/F2005_News.html

Critical issue: Using technology to improve student achievement. (n.d.). Retrieved from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory website: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te800.htm#issue

Critical thinking and technology. (n.d.). Critical thinking. Retrieved January 27, 2011, from Houghton Mifflin Company website: http://college.hmco.com/instructorsins_teachtech_foundations_module_critthink.html

Defining Critical Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2011, from Foundation for Critical Thinking website: http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm

Gelder, T. (n.d.). How to improve critical thinking using educational technology. Retrieved from Department of Philosophy, University of Melbourne, Australia website: http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne01/pdf/papers/vangeldert.pdf

Gokhale, A. (1995). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7(1). Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/jte-v7n1/gokhale.jte-v7n1.html

Grant, G. (n.d.). Introduction. In Teaching critical thinking (pp. 1-8, 34-50). (Original work published 1988) Retrieved from http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=23325929

Halpern, D. (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003). Thought & knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking (4th ed., pp. 1-20). Retrieved from http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=109651004

Hu, W. (2011, January 4). Math that moves: Schools embrace the iPad. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/education/05tablets.html?_r=4

Incorporating multimedia into your teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/multimedia/docs/multimedia.pdf

Incorporating technology into lessons. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2011, from 2011 Microsoft Corporation website:http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/incorporating-technology-into-lessons HA001159540.aspx

Is technology producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis? (2009, January 29). Retrieved January 26, 2011, from University of California - Los Angeles website: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090128092341.htmI

Madrid, J. (n.d.). Why technology is failing in public schools [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from EduTechNia website: http://www.slideshare.net/jamadrid/why-technology-is-failling-in-public-schools

Masnick, M. (2005, October 31). Yet another study says text messaging boosts writing skills [Online forum message]. Retrieved from Techdirt: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20051031/1836235.shtml

Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (n.d.). Increased motivation and self esteem. In Technology and education reform [Research Project]. Retrieved February 8, 2011, from U.S. Department of Education website: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTecheffectsstudents.html#increased

SEG Research. (n.d.). Understanding Multimedia Learning. Retrieved from BrainPOP, LLC. website: http://s4.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/76/76426_BrainPOP_White_Paper-20090426.pdf

Adolf, K. (2009). Equipping the 21st century learner with 21st century tools [PowerPoint]. Retrieved from Distributed Learning Symposium website:      http://psdtechpd.wikispaces.com/file/view/21st+Cent+Learner+w+21st+Cent+Tools.ppt

Teaching in a participatory digital world. (Winter 2011). Education Canada, 51(1). Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/teaching-participatory-digital-world

http://education.alberta.ca/apps/ict/ie.asp

Searchable for Grades 1-12 and for subjects: English, Math, Science, Social Studies

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