TOM JOHNSON ADMC MY WEBSITE: %26internetprojects %26internetprojects

 What is critical thinking?  Give 3 examples of when sts don’t think critically in the classroom?  Why might it be important to teach CT?  How can we teach it?

“Higher Order Learning” “Helping students actively think their way to conclusions; discuss their thinking with other students and the teacher; entertain a variety of points of view; analyze concepts, theories, and explanations in their own terms; actively question the meaning and implications of what they learn”

Students discuss issues from different angles, viewpoints and back arguments with evidence and reference to consequences. Sts analyze the relative strengths and weaknesses of arguments and the possible motives or human purposes underlying the viewpoints. Sts attempt to solve real life problems with the possibility of more than one adequate solution.

Two approaches: 1)Complete self-contained course, e.g. De Bono’s ‘Six Thinking Hats’ 2)Adapt existing materials to include materials which force sts to think critically, rubrics that assess CT

Get students to take notes from the internet. Close their laptops; then discuss topic in groups And / or prepare assignment: presentation or report

Get students to do something with the information they find on the internet: Compare information from different websites and arrive at their own conclusions: Alternative Energy for cars Plan something based on the information they get: Planning for asteroid impact

Critical thinking & internet projects - 3 components: 1) Classroom Procedures : note-taking, group discussions, completing discussion follow-up materials, writing assignments and giving presentations 2) The Teaching Materials : Guided notes, discussion / role-play follow-up feedback forms, presentation feedback forms 3) The Assessment Materials For The Teacher & Sts : Written assessment criteria & PPT assessment criteria

1) Take notes or complete guided notes about topic on website[s] 2) Prepare ideas for discussions from brief or ideas for roles for role-play scenarios 3) Role-plays or discussions about different groups’ solutions encourage dialectical argumentation 4) Whole-class follow-up discussion

5)Complete follow-up guided notes with information obtained from other groups in whole-class discussion. 6)Prepare written assignments or presentations based on the completed guided notes. 7)Submit written assignments or give presentations

Direct sts to websites trawled in advance: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES - URL TABLE Sts complete GUIDED NOTES based on information from trawled websites Experienced sts complete ‘BOX CHARTS’

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES FOR CARS COMPRESSED AIR CARS Good, detailed descriptions of types of compressed air car engines WATER-POWERED CAR Conversion kits for petrol engine cars and trucks ELECTRIC CARS Explanations of different types of electric car HYBRID CARS Good explanations of how different types of hybrid cars work HYBRID CARShttp://auto.howstuffworks.com/plug-in-hybrid-car.htmMore info. ETHANOL FUELhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_Brazil History of Brazil’s ethanol fuel program ETHANOL CARShttp:// beginner.pdf?sid=d683122c2ab252251aec3983a82ddb44 Quiz with T / F qtns and answers

MAKING NOTES FROM A TEXT 1. What is the Internet text below about? 2. Only the words in italics have been included in the notes? Why? 3. The underlined words have NOT been included. Why not? 4. What type of words have NOT been included? [nouns, verbs, prepositions etc]? The answers to these questions are at the bottom of this page. INTERNET TEXT A problem faced by drivers is how to keep young children happy in the back of the car on long journeys. More and more families are buying cars, which have “ Entertainment centers ”. Entertainment centers have a video screen so that children can watch a movie on videocassette in the back seat or listen to music, which they choose on DVD or MP3. Later, they might play video games — all while you do the driving free from worry about the children. Notes Drivers ’ problem / keeping children happy on long car journeys Families buying cars / entertainment centers / video screen / children watch movies / DVD / Video-cassette / video games / music / MP3 / driver free

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ _______ BOX CHARTS

Sts directed to different websites according to role or perspective: GUIDED NOTES - Energy Sources for Cars  Hydrogen-powered cars  Ethanol-powered cars  Electric cars  Hybrid cars

Sts take notes from same website[s], but from different perspectives: Threat of Asteroid Impact  GROUP 1 – Responsible for evacuation  GROUP 2 – Housing & power  GROUP 3 – Food & water  GROUP 4 – Law & order / Communication

1)T’s handout sets up scenario based on information in website [s] ROLE-PLAYS & DISCUSSION SCENARIOS 2)Sts are assigned roles [role-plays] or viewpoints [discussions] 3)Sts prepare for discussions or role-plays using notes from websites 4)Sts perform the above in ‘remixed’ groups: each member representing the different roles or viewpoints.

5)Whole-class discussion of conclusions / solutions reached by different groups 6)Sts complete guided notes with information the other groups researched 7)Sts prepare written assignments or presentations based on this information

1)Sts prepare presentations based on notes taken from the internet 2)Sts read / choose questions to ask presenters after their presentations 3)More experienced and/or able students prepare their own questions about other sts’ presentations.

4)Sts give their presentations 5)Sts take notes on one or two questions, either during or after presentation on Presentations Feedback Form 6)Students provide critical feedback on arguments, evidence or conclusions in other students’ presentations

PRESENTATIONS FEEDBACK FORM Listen carefully to the presentation and try to answer ONE of the questions about what the presenter said. If you don ’ t understand anything during the presentation, you can ask the presenter at the end of the presentation.  What ’ s the presenter ’ s opinion about this topic?  What evidence does the presenter give to support his opinion?  What different solutions or points of view has the presenter shown?  What solution does the presenter propose?  Is this a good solution? Why? Why not?  What are the possible consequences of this solution?  What solution would you propose to the problem and why?  Do you agree with the presenter ’ s position / opinion? Why? Why not?  What ’ s the main / most important thing you learned from the presentation?

1)How do we assess CT in sts’ writing? 2)How do we assess CT in sts’ presentations? 3)How do we teach sts to use CT in their writing and speaking?

For The Teacher: CT Written Assignment Evaluations Criteria CT Presentations Evaluations Criteria For the student: CT Components for PPTs & Written Assignments

Obviously, some important CT skills only, not totally comprehensive list List, label or identify information in the website [s] Define, explain, summarize, take effective notes Solve problems, apply solutions to a new situation, transfer knowledge to a new situation Compare, contrast, differentiate between items, websites, other solutions, approaches to the topic Back up, support proposed solutions with reasons, evidence Evaluate information: evidence, explanations, reasoning Draw inferences, conclusions according to evidence, data Predict possible outcomes of proposed solutions Synthesize different positions, develop own approach OTHER: e.g. recognize, evaluate assumptions, bias

To what extent has the presenter:  defined, explained or summarized information?  compared and contrasted different approaches to the topic?  supported proposed solutions with evidence?  evaluated evidence, explanations or arguments?  recognized assumptions, bias in the material?  drawn inferences, come to conclusions based on the data?  predicted possible outcomes of proposed solutions?  applied solutions to a new situation?  synthesized different positions to develop own approach?  demonstrated any other critical thinking skills not mentioned above?  responded effectively to questions from the audience?

EXAMPLES OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS