Make it Visible! A Framework to Infuse Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum. Creating Discipline Specific Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Introduction and Overview What is Critical Thinking? “Critical Thinking is thinking about thinking when I am thinking with the purpose of improving my thinking…” (Richard. Paul, 1985)) What does it mean to be an educated person? 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 2

Key Questions How can I teach Critical Thinking when I have content to cover in my discipline? What are the most fundamental concepts in my courses? Why are these concepts significant? How can we place fundamental concepts in at the heart of our teaching so that students construct these concepts in their thinking and use them in their lives? 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking3

8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 4 Critical Thinking is second order which assesses and corrects first order thinking

C RITICAL THINKING PROVIDES THE TOOLS STUDENTS NEED TO THINK THROUGH CONTENT. C RITICAL THINKING PROVIDES THE TOOLS STUDENTS NEED TO THINK THROUGH CONTENT. C RITICAL THINKING IS A SYSTEM OF THINKING THAT OPENS UP ALL OTHER SYSTEMS OF THINKING. C RITICAL THINKING IS A SYSTEM OF THINKING THAT OPENS UP ALL OTHER SYSTEMS OF THINKING. W HY C RITICAL T HINKING ? 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking5

6 8/11/201 4 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking

To Analyze Thinking We Must To Analyze Thinking We Must Identify and Question its Elemental StructuresIdentify and Question its Elemental Structures Open Link 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 7

8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking8

8/11/20 14 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking9

Stages of Critical Thinking Development 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 10 Unreflective Thinker Challenged Thinker Beginning Thinker Practicing Thinker Advanced Thinker Master Thinker Ideal Thinker

Content vs. Critical Thinking View: B ELIEVE ME, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO FOSTER CRITICAL THINKING, BUT I HAVE TOO MUCH CONTENT TO COVER ! 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking11

An Alternative View! 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 12 F OCUS ON THE CONCEPT OF “ EDUCATED,” FROM WHICH ALL OTHER CONCEPTS IN EDUCATION EMERGE.  C ONTENT ====  T HINKING

Educated Person Philosophical thinker Economic thinke r ???? ??? Aesthetic thinker Ethical thinker M athematical thinker Political thinker Scientific thinker Historical thinker Sociological thinker 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 13 The Educated Person

Understanding the Relationship Between Content and Thinking I T IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE ONLY WAY STUDENTS, AT ANY LEVEL, CAN LEARN CONTENT IS TO THINK IT THROUGH. I T IS THINKING THAT GIVES LIFE TO CONTENT. I T IS THROUGH THINKING THAT WE UNDERSTAND CONTENT, THAT WE GIVE MEANING TO CONTENT, THAT WE QUESTION CONTENT, THAT WE BRING CONTENT INTO OUR THINKING IN ORDER TO USE IT. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 14

Fundamental & Primary Concepts (F&PCs): Are higher order constructions Are higher order constructions They define the foundations of substantive knowledge They define the foundations of substantive knowledge Each and every field of study is based on primary concepts. Each and every field of study is based on primary concepts. Every student must therefore construct the primary concepts of any subject we are asking them to think within. Every student must therefore construct the primary concepts of any subject we are asking them to think within. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking15

Making Learning Visible While Implementing Fundamental & Primary concepts of the Discipline in Course Learning Outcomes. What does it mean to be a college-educated person? What does it mean to be a college-educated person? In other words: What characterizes a DSU educated person in terms of what that person knows, does, and thinks in the field of _______? In other words: What characterizes a DSU educated person in terms of what that person knows, does, and thinks in the field of _______? What processes in the classroom can facilitate this learning? What processes in the classroom can facilitate this learning? 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking16

Key Concepts Make a list of primary concepts in your discipline you think are important for students to learn. Try to think of all the foundational concepts you need to focus on. Then, make a list of all of the concepts that you can think of that you teach within one class. Share your list with a partner, explaining why each concept is important for students to learn. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking17

W RITE Y OUR U NDERSTANDING OF A P RIMARY C ONCEPT Now following the SEEI pattern (next slide), write your understanding of one or more of the primary concepts on your list. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking18

CLARITY: SEEI T HE I DEA 1. State: give a brief explanation. 2. Elaborate: expand on your explanation. 3. Exemplify: give a concrete example. 4. Illustrate: use a metaphor, analogy, picture to help people understand your idea. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking19

Teaching Your Idea to Another Person Now take one concept you have written about and teach it to a partner. Then the partner will state, elaborate, and exemplify his or her understanding of the concept 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking20

Another approach is to Use Concept Maps Create a concept map which outlines the foundational concepts within a subject. Place the foundational concept at the center, and move out to secondary concepts. Give the basic meaning of each concept. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking21

Global Socio-cultural context: Diplomacy, cultural understandings. Group, community, inst., Context: Public discourse, conversations. Interpersonal Context: Dialogue, Conversations. Levels of Interaction & Analysis Individual, Intrapersonal context Reflection and Introspection1 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking 22

Making Learning Visible While Implementing Fundamental & Primary concepts of the Discipline in Course Learning Outcomes. What does it mean to be a college-educated person? What does it mean to be a college-educated person? In other words: What characterizes a DSU- educated person in terms of what that person knows, does, and thinks in the field of _______? In other words: What characterizes a DSU- educated person in terms of what that person knows, does, and thinks in the field of _______? What processes in the classroom can facilitate this learning? What processes in the classroom can facilitate this learning? 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking23

U NDERSTAND EVERY CONCEPT WITHIN A DISCIPLINE AS RELATED AND INTERCONNECTED 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking24

8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking25

S TUDENTS DEMONSTRATE LEARNING W HEN THEY D UPLICATE THE SEEI P ATTERN They can follow the SEEI pattern: They State F&PCs of the discipline, give a brief explanation. Elaborate, expanding on their explanation. Exemplify with concrete examples. Illustrate, using a metaphor, analogy, a picture to help others understand the ideas. 8/11/2014 Prepared and adapted by M. D. Ortiz, PhD. Informed by Theory and Research by Center for Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking26