Ann Singleton, Ed.D. Ken Newman, Ed.D. Union University Jackson, TN Empowering Students to Think Deeply Discuss Engagingly Write Definitively Ann Singleton, Ed.D. Ken Newman, Ed.D. Union University Jackson, TN

Think Deeply Discuss Engagingly Ann Singleton

The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our thinking The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our thinking. The quality of our thinking, in turn, is determined by the quality of our questions. Without essential questions, we often fail to focus our thinking on the significant and substantive. Richard Paul Linda Elder

Essential Questions Semester Goals Class Objectives

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. Albert Einstein

Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Test Blueprints Ensure class objectives are tested Test different levels of understanding Clarify class content

General Discussion Strategies Allow time to think Identify a specific student for response AFTER think-time Think – pair – share Ask for another student to elaborate on a student’s response Ask for another student to summarize a student’s response Ask for another student to give an opposing view of a student’s response

General Discussion Strategies (cont.) Ask for another student to give a logical rationale for a student’s response Ask for the key concept of a discussion Ask how the key concept fits into the information for the entire course Ask how an understanding of the key concept empowers the student Withhold judgment

Universal Intellectual Standards Clarity - Could you elaborate? Accuracy - How could we verify? Precision – Can you give more details? Relevance - How does that relate? Depth - What factors make this a difficult problem? Breadth- Can we look at this differently? Logic – Does the answer fit the problem? Significance – Is this the central idea to focus?

The longer the assignment, the LESS likely the student will complete it. Harry Wong A few students tell of professors who give homework assignments that are so challenging or complex that the only way to get the work done is to collaborate. Such homework assignments increased both student learning and their engagement with a class. Richard J. Light

Write Definitively Ken Newman