Ideas to Action

Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and

Community Engagement

Patricia R. Payette, Ph.D.January 9, 2008

Ideas to Action Implementation

Ideas to Action (I2A) 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.

“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]

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

UofL’s Metropolitan Mission not unusal Emphasis on “deep learning,” integrative

learning, brain research, digital literacy, etc. Shifts in traditional structures and divisions in

the academy

I2A: What are the components?

Critical Thinking definition adopted for I2A (From: Scriven and Paul, 2003)

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process that results in a guide to belief and action.

We need to expose the explicit assumptions of this “intellectually disciplined process”:•What are the tools of each discipline?•How are decisions or conclusions made?•What are the “cognitive moves “or the process?

The tools for this “process” include actively and skillfully:

conceptualizing applying analyzing synthesizing evaluating

information gathered from, or generated by,

observation experience reflection reasoning or

communication

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process that results in a guide to belief and action.

The result: a well-cultivated critical thinker (p. 4) 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

8 Elements of 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, facts and experiences

6. To make inferences and judgments

7. Based on concepts and theories

8. To answer a question or solve a problem

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Elements of Thought Wheel

Standards for Thinking (p.10) CLARITY ACCURACY PRECISION DEPTH RELEVANCE

LOGIC SIGNIFICANCE BREADTH FAIRNESS

Improve Thinking: The Intellectual Traits (p. 16)

Intellectual Humility

Intellectual Courage

Intellectual Empathy

Intellectual Autonomy

Intellectual Integrity

Intellectual Perseverance

Confidence in Reason

Fairmindedness

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Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model

Intellectual Standards

Elements of Thought

Intellectual Traits

Must be appliedto

to develop

ClarityAccuracy Precision

SignificanceRelevance

SufficiencyLogic

BreadthFairness

Depth

QuestionsPurposes Inferences

Points of viewInformation

Concepts

AssumptionsImplications

HumilityAutonomy

Fair-mindedness

CourageConfidence in

reasoning

IntegrityEmpathy

Perseverance

I2A in 2007-2008•Informational workshops

•Discipline-specific workshops with units•Pilot Program to help faculty revise

assignments and courses•I2A Task Group with reps from across

campus•Revisiting U-wide assessment, faculty

rewards, collaborations•New website and other resources

What can you do?

•Become aware of I2A•Consider areas for collaboration•Try common vocabulary around

critical thinking

Critical Thinking and a Common Vocabulary: “I know my students know about asking

questions, analyzing data, making assumptions, understanding precision, accuracy, etc…..they just don’t understand the terminology of critical thinking and that is what they are actually doing.”

Critical Thinking Outcomes: History 304 Historical Methods – Essay

Identify a problem: after determining which of the three subject areas most interests them, the student conducts preliminary reading and comes up with an unanswered question about an episode falling in the area

Analyze facts of situation: the student carries out further reading in primary and secondary sources on the topic, and proposes a hypothesis that answers the question

Communicate important elements: the students writes an essay proposal that introduces the question, outlines the hypothesis, and explains what sources will be used to support it

Culminating Experiences in Communication

Internship Independent Study Advanced PR Advanced Advertising Senior Practicum Senior Thesis Health Communication Issues in Belize Computer Mediated Communication