Minnesota State Community and Technical College Critical Thinking Assignment Example and Assessment

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Prior to reading this Critical Thinking Assignment Example, let us review how Critical Thinking has been defined through the College’s Core Ability Indicators: Demonstrate Critical Thinking --- learner gathers information from multiple sources to solve problems learner supports position learner draws conclusions based on evidence learner distinguishes between facts, fallacies, inferences, and judgments learner considers multiple perspectives in problem solving

Minnesota State Community and Technical College The following example lesson will focus on the students’ achievement with respect to the Core Ability Indicator(s). To follow is an example lecture on how to explain the expectations for a critical thinking assignment. Then, some example problems will be posed (these problems could be the example assignments that students could complete), and the associated scoring rubric will be provided to show how this example problem might be rated with respect to the Core Ability Indicator(s).

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Critical Thinking Lecture

Critical thinking, as defined at Wikipedia, consists of the mental process of analyzing and evaluating statements or propositions that have been offered as true. It includes a process of reflecting upon specific meaning of statements, examining offered evidence and reasoning, in order to form a judgement. Over the next few slides, you will be shown a critical thinking scheme, and will be asked to address an issue or solve a problem using this scheme (or, if you have a scheme that you feel could better assist you in addressing the issue, then, by all means, document it and use it).

Critical Thinking Scheme: Within the next few slides, you will see a critical thinking scheme, and how each of the four different stages of this scheme are defined. You will be asked to consider some questions that will assist you in formulating your own critical thinking processes.

ITEM 1 (UNDERSTAND): In the UNDERSTANDING stage of this scheme, you should strive to develop an understanding of the issue you are addressing or the problem you are being asked to solve. You might want to answer the questions that follow: Did you clearly restate the problem in your own words? Can you determine what is known about similar types of situations? Is there some missing information that, if known, would allow you to better formulate and understanding of this issue? After reading your response to this item, can someone with a limited-to-average understanding of the issue know what problem you are being asked to solve? Did you show the reader of your work that you have developed an excellent understanding of the problem?

ITEM 2 (ANALYZE): In the ANALYZE stage of this scheme, you show strive to develop a plan to be used to address the issue or solve the problem. Again, you might find some benefit in answering the following questions: Have you explicitly stated your plan to solving this problem? Did you make and state any assumptions within your plan that are not obvious to the reader? Will you be using any visual aids within your response? Have you looked for any patterns or tried to look at a similar issue? Are the processes that you will use within your plan repeatable or that someone else can follow your plan? Is the reasoning that you will employ clearly stated?

ITEM 3 (IMPLEMENT): In the IMPLEMENTATION stage of this scheme, you show strive to carry out the plan you devised within the ANALYZE stage. Again, you might find some benefit in answering the following questions: Did you accurately carry out your plan? Does your plan and the implementation of your plan address the issue or solve the problem you were originally posed? Did you reference where to find any item that was not originally developed within your process? If someone else reads the implementation steps, can they understand what you were thinking?

ITEM 4 (CONCLUDE): In the CONCLUSION stage of this scheme, you show strive to reflect upon what you did within your process. You might find some benefit in answering the following questions: Did you explicitly state your conclusion? Is your conclusion or solution consistent with the facts of the issue or problem? Is your response reasonable? Have you checked all of your results?

The next slide will include a sample rubric. This rubric could be used to assess the example assignments found within the word documents associated with this presentation. Within these assignments, the following Critical Thinking Core Ability Indicators will be rated: learner gathers information from multiple sources to solve problems learner supports position

SCORING RUBRIC: The following rubric will be used to rate your work. Emerging (1) Developing (2)Proficient (3)Exemplary (4) Did the learner gather information from multiple sources to solve this problem? 1. You used the wrong information in trying to solve the problem. 2. The procedures you used would not lead to a correct solution. 1. You used some but not all of the relevant information from the problem. 2. The procedures you used would lead to a partially correct solution. 1. You used all relevant information from the problem in your solution. 2. The procedures you chose would lead to a correct solution. 1. You uncovered hidden or implied information not readily apparent. 2. You chose mathematical procedures that would lead to an elegant solution. Did the learner support his/her position? 1. Your strategies were not appropriate for the problem. 2. You didn't seem to know where to begin. 3. Your reasoning did not support your work. 4. Your approach to the problem would not lead to a correct solution. 1. You offered little or no explanation of your strategies. 2. Some of your representations accurately depicted aspects of the problem. 3. You sometimes made leaps in your reasoning that were hard to follow. 4. Your process led to a partially complete solution. 1. You chose appropriate, efficient strategies for solving the problem. 2. You justified each step within your processes. 3. The logic of your solution was apparent. 4. Your process would lead to a complete, correct solution of the problem. 1. You chose innovative and insightful strategies for solving the problem. 2. You proved that your solution was correct and that your approach was valid. 3. You provided examples to support your solution. 4. You used a sophisticated approach to solve the problem.