A Formative approach to assessing Critical & Creative Thinking€¦ · A Formative approach to...

A Formative approach to

assessing Critical &

Creative Thinking

Humanities Department

Mrs Grace Bok

Mr Daniel Chin

Ms Ng Mui Leng

Ms Tang Siew Boey

Mr Teo Joo Cheong

Outline of Sharing

A background to Critical Thinking

Integrated Humanities Task & Assessment

Rubric Design

Evaluation

Thinking about Critical Thinking

Essential Questions

What is Critical Thinking?

Why teach Critical Thinking?

How do we teach Critical Thinking?

How do we assess Critical Thinking?

What is Critical Thinking:

•Critical thinking

To seek clarity in thinking

•Creative thinking

The ability to put things together in new ways

that have not previously been considered

Why teach Critical Thinking?

Critical Thinking: Effective Learning

The learner will:

• think with greater clarity and critical

awareness (multi-perspective)

• have deeper understanding of the content

and be able to process the information in a

meaningful way

• apply the knowledge he has learnt in new

situations appropriately (create).

In a nutshell, a critical thinker is

able to…….

comprehend, explain, analyze,

synthesize, interpret, develop a

critical awareness, evaluate,

hypothesize, and apply

information in new situations

Critical Thinking (DOE) guides our

curriculum design,

pedagogy &

assessment

Curriculum Design

A meaningful / meaning-rich

curriculum is a concept-driven

curriculum content taught through

concepts (big ideas)

The Structure of Knowledge

Agriculture

• Environment • Distribution

• Processes • Outputs

H. Lynn Erickson,2007

Shifting cultivation

Wet-rice farming

High tech farming

Different conditions in the physical and human environments have differing impact on the distribution, processes, outputs and future trends of different agricultural systems.

Deeper Understanding

Through Concepts

• Why concept-based approach?

– students can apply concepts and gain factual

knowledge on their own.

– better facilitates critical thinking as students

learn to draw out connections and probe

further, deeper into underlying themes and

issues

SUPERFICIAL

UNDERSTANDING

DEEP

UNDERSTANDING

Concerned with

facts – sees no

relationships

Memorizing facts

and no retention of

key concepts

Concerned with

concepts and their

relationships

Retention of

concepts

Critical Thinking & Understanding

• Even the most successful students

typically fail to exhibit “genuine

understanding” – as opposed to “mastery”

of the content they are taught.

Gardner (1991) ”The Unschooled Mind”

Pedagogy

Inquiry-based learning approach

•Questioning

•Gathering data

•Making sense of the data – forming

generalizations

•Reflecting on the learning experience

Pedagogy: Inquiry learning

Critical Thinking skills acquired through:

• Hilda Taba ‘concept development’ model

• Elements of Thought (Wheel of

Reasoning)

• Socratic Questioning

Pedagogy: Inductive Thinking

Classifying information gathered and applying

relevant concepts in a contextualised

scenario/problem

Critical Thinking: Assessment

• Authentic performance tasks to engage

the learner

• Assessment of understanding through a

performance rubric

IH Task Curriculum Concepts • Common concepts were chosen to represent

both Geography and History disciplines.

– Interaction

– Change

– Sustainability

• Students are assessed based on how well they have understood and presented these 3 concepts from both geographical and historical perspectives.

IH AuthenticTask Design:

Problem-based Learning (PBL)

Exposing students to real life scenarios will

enable them to take on the roles of

stakeholders and examine the problem-

based scenarios from a distinct and biased

perspective.

(Robin Fogarty 1997, 8-9)

Integrated Humanities Task

• The students were given 3 challenges to choose

from

– Building a pyramid

– Building a trade settlement

– Building a fortress

• Students have to take into consideration the

environment and the socio-political realities of

ancient Egypt and propose a sustainable plan to

resolve their given challenge.

IH Task: Mode of Assessment

• Formal Assessment (graded components)

– Milestone Checks

– Proposal (final written report)

– Self Reflection (individual)

• Informal Assessment (non-graded)

– Consultations with mentors

Point to note • “Russian psychologist Vygotsky (1962) referred to

the difference between what a child could do without help and what he or she could do with support as the ‘zone of proximal development’” (Roberts, 2003:28).

• His concept of proximal development therefore implied that students should be supported in inquiry work in order to achieve higher levels.

• Hence for the IH Task, optimal amount of scaffolding had been provided for the students in the form of the milestone checks and teacher consultations.

IH Task: Assessment Rubric design

Assess students’ understanding & critical

thinking:

• Process and organize information meaningfully

under concepts

• Draw out links/inter-relationships between

concepts

• Apply relevant information in new contexts

• Reflect upon learning and ask good questions

IH Task: Assessing Critical

Thinking

•Sparking curiosity: Questioning

•Gathering data

•Making sense of the data

•Reflecting on learning experience

Stage 1: Sparking Curiosity

• At this initial stage of the inquiry process,

students have to play an active role in asking

questions.

• For Milestone Checks 1 and 2, students had

to generate questions and the quality of their

questions was continually assessed by the

teacher mentors.

Hands-on session

Eg of Milestone Check 1:

• Expand guiding questions to at least 6 relevant

questions covering the 3 concepts of interaction, change

& sustainability. Questions should examine the concepts

from both historical and geographical perspectives .

• Egs of guiding questions:

1. In what ways can we make the new trading settlement

more accessible to both traders & suppliers of the

goods and services? (I)

2. What are the commodities that would be traded here?

Eg of Milestone Check 1:

• Egs of guiding questions:

1. How do we maintain security in the trading

settlement? (S)

2. How do we ensure enough food for both the people in

Upper Egypt and the traders from elsewhere? (S)

3. Will the building of this trading settlement result in

disputes between Thebes and its neighbouring

cities? (C)

4. How will the establishment of this trading settlement

increase the control of the Normarch of Thebes? (C)

Stage 2: Gathering Data

• There is a vast amount of available information on ancient Egyptian civilizations and students had to learn how to discern between the relevance and reliability of sources in order to utilise the best resources for their proposal.

• Assessment is based on their ability to annotate sources (through picking out relevant data), draw connections between sources (eg. through comparison) and organising data (through graphic organiser). [in Milestone Checks]

Eg of Milestone Check 1: • Annotations done on readings to indicate relevant/useful information.

Milestone Check 1:

CRITERIA / PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Not yet

[0]

Some

evidence

[1]

Done

[2]

Group Dynamics

1 Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities in given template

2 A timeline with realistic deadlines ( for Term 2 & June Hols )

Data Collection

3 Hard copies of at least 8 sources of readings with the sources

clearly stated

4 Annotations on readings to indicate relevant/useful information

5 Clear indication of the person who did the reading &

annotation on each of the hard copies

Analysis

6 Expansion of guiding questions- at least 6 relevant questions

covering the 3 concepts of interaction, change & sustainability

7 Questions examine the concepts from both historical and

geographical perspectives

Comments

Stage 3: Exercising Reasoning

• Requirements of final proposal:

• propose the best location for the pyramid/new trading

settlement/series of fortresses and mark it on given map

• provide convincing reasons for their proposed location

• suggest how construction can be sustained at the

proposed location

• suggest how the trading settlement can become self-

sustaining and generate great wealth for Thebes / how

the fortresses can be self-sustaining

Students should show evidence of thorough consideration of all

relevant aspects of interaction, change and sustainability .

Step 3: Exercising Reasoning

• Students had to think critically because

they had to probe further by drawing out

connections between factors, analysing

the issue from multiple perspectives and

justifying their proposal.

IH Task: Assessment of Understanding

Key facets of understanding: • Explanation

• Interpretation

• Synthesis

• Application

• Perspective (Critical awareness)

Feasibility of Proposal

CRITERIA 5 4 3 2

Fulfilment of task

objectives

Fulfilled all 4 task objectives Fulfilled 3 task objectives Fulfilled at least 2 task

objectives

Fulfilled at least one task

objective

Key Facets of Understanding

CRITERIA 18-20 14-17 10-13 1-9

A) Understanding

& Analysis

Explanation &

Interpretation

Application

Shows a strong

understanding of historical

and geographical aspects

of the 3 key concepts.

Inter-relationship between

concepts ( both key

concepts and minor

concepts ) is accurate and

comprehensive.

The application of concepts

and evidence is advanced,

going beyond the grasp of

the subject typically found

at this age level

Shows a clear





concepts ( both key

concepts and minor

concepts ) is accurate and

reasonably comprehensive.


and evidence is clear and

appropriate.

Shows a reasonable





concepts is mostly accurate

but superficial.


and evidence is somewhat

clear and appropriate.

Shows a limited understanding

of historical and geographical

aspects of the 3 key concepts.


concepts is mostly inaccurate.

The application of concepts and

evidence is simplistic and

inadequate.

RUBRIC FOR INTEGRATED HUMANITIES PERFORMANCE TASK – PROPOSAL

Report reflects the following:

1. Ability to organise information

from both disciplines under

the three key concepts of

interaction, change and

sustainability.

2. Accuracy of content

3. Ability to show and apply

understanding of the linkages

between the three key

concepts and other minor

concepts, where applicable.

CRITERIA 18-20 14-17 10-13 1-9

B) Critical

Awareness Viewpoints of

various groups

(Empathy)

Awareness of

obstacles , actions

and consequences

Consider a broad range of

the needs & views of most

groups involved in the

task.

Able to clearly explain the

rationale behind decisions

made and provide strong

justifications for the

actions taken.

Consider a reasonable

range of the needs &

views of some groups

involved in the task.

Able to explain the


made and provide

sufficient justifications for

the actions taken.

Consider a limited range

of the needs & views of

some groups involved in

the task.

Able to somewhat explain

the rationale behind

decisions made and some

attempt made to justify

the actions taken.

Consider only the basic

needs of a few groups

involved in the task.

A weak attempt to explain the


made and little or no attempt

made to justify the actions

taken

.


1. Ability to adopt a multi-

perspective approach to problem

solving.

2. Ability to consider implications/

consequences of decisions and

weighing the pros & cons in order

to arrive at a most feasible

proposal.

3. Ability to pre-empt

problems/obstacles and consider

solutions.

Skills

CRITERIA ( 11-12 ) ( 9 -10 ) ( 6 - 8 ) ( 1- 5 )

Organisation

Ideas are clearly &

effectively communicated.

Focus/coherence is

maintained throughout with

good and logical

transitions of ideas /

thoughts

Ideas are generally well

communicated.

Focus/coherence is

maintained though there

are occasional lapses.

The transitions of ideas /

thoughts are generally

smooth

Not all ideas are clearly

communicated. There are

frequent lapses in

focus/coherence. Sudden

and awkward transitions of

ideas / thoughts

Information is communicated

as isolated pieces in a random

fashion

Appropriate

Language

Appropriate geographical

& historical terms are

consistently used.


& historical terms are used

.most of the time.


& historical terms are

sometimes used.

Appropriate geographical &

historical terms are rarely

used.

CRITERIA ( 8 ) ( 6 - 7 ) ( 4- 5 ) ( 1-3 )

Map Reading

Able to retrieve and

synthesize relevant

information drawn from a

variety of maps.

Able to retrieve and apply

relevant information drawn

from different maps.

Able to retrieve with little

evidence of ability to apply



Able to retrieve with little

evidence of ability to apply




1. Understanding & application of

subject-specific skills & terms to

the task, where appropriate

SCORE Feasibility of

Proposal

Understanding

& Analysis

Critical

Awareness

Organisation &

Language

Map Reading

5

20

20

12

8

RUBRIC FOR INTEGRATED HUMANITIES PERFORMANCE TASK – PROPOSAL

Allocation of marks reflects the relative importance of the assessment

components

1. Critical thinking skills & understanding – 61.5% of total mark

2. Understanding & application of subject-specific concepts & skills –

about 30.8% of total mark

3. Others – about 7.7%

Stage 4: Reflective thinking

• Instructions to students:

Submit an individual written reflection on your learning

process. Your points must be supported by specific

incidents that occurred during this period as you and

your team members work on the performance task.

As such, you are strongly encouraged to keep a log

book to keep track of your learning process and record

incidents that have contributed to your personal growth.

Step 4: Reflective Thinking

• Reflection should include what they have learnt

and the areas for improvement in at least 3

different areas – knowledge, skills and

communication.

• Reflections would serve as a useful reference for

these students as they embark on a new phase

of inquiry process.

Reflective Thinking Rubric CRITERIA 14-15 11-13 8-10 1-7

Evaluation of

learning process

More evaluative than

descriptive. Reflection

is very well supported

with relevant incidents.

Scope of reflection is

broad.

More evaluative than

descriptive. Reflection is

generally supported by

relevant incidents. Scope

of reflection is fairly broad.

Largely descriptive with

some attempt to evaluate

the learning process.

Some incidents are cited

but not always relevant.

There is some breadth in the

scope of reflection.

Does not move beyond

mere description of

learning process. No

supporting incidents as

illustrations. Scope of

reflection is narrow.

SCORE

15

Statistical Evidence

Student Reflections

• “The topic was about

Ancient Egypt, which I felt

that it really suited what I am

studying now as we are

learning birth of civilisations

in History now and the river

Nile in Geography, it has

enabled me to have a better

understanding of the

concepts of these subjects.”

• --- Loh Hui Yuen (1I)

“When building a trading

centre, there are bound

to be many problems,

like attacks from other

countries. Now, I am

able to weigh the pros

and cons so as to pick

out the perfect location

to build a trading centre.”

--- Olivia Yu Wanzhi (1L)

Student outcomes

• Students’ learning Eexperience was enhanced by the IH Task

Students were more motivated

Better understanding of content

Think more critically and creatively

Developed problem-solving skills.

Teachers’ Reflections

•Every teacher has to mentor one to two classes of students, effectively, it

means 6 to 12 groups. It is not easy but it gives me the opportunity to speak to

the groups at least 3 times to understand their thought process and guide them

in their planning. An area that I feel students are generally weak in – how to

ask relevant questions. The role of mentor is crucial in getting them to probe

deeper into the problem by asking more and better questions. (Marilyn Ling,

History teacher)

•Formative assessment enabled me to guide my students step-by-step towards

achieving the desired outcomes. The majority of my students was thus able to

learn valuable critical thinking and research skills.

(Ng Mui Leng, Geography teacher)

• Lack of precision in

selecting material

(large-scale ‘cut n

paste’ job)

• Difficulty in organizing

the vast amount of

information collected

• Questions were not

focused and did not

lead towards

understanding the

issue at hand

• Not thinking deeply

enough – want to

arrive at quick answers

• Teacher to model

process of annotation

and mentors to provide

more useful comments

with regards to

annotations

• Use of graphic

organisers to categorise

informaton

• Use Intellectual

Standards to guide

students on the elements

of good questioning and

teachers to model

questioning

• Longer time for

completion of project

A FINAL WORD…..

Deep thinking starts and

ends with questions

Answers kill the thinking

process

References

• Fogarty, R. (1997). Problem-Based Learning and Other

Curriculum Models for the Multiple Intelligences

Classroom. NY: Corwin.

• Roberts, M. (2003). Learning Through Enquiry. Making

sense of geography in the key stage 3 classroom.

Geographical Association: United Kingdom.

• Gardner, H. (1991) The Unschooled Mind: How children

think and how schools should teach, New York: Basic

Books.

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