1. THINK! Critical Thinking In Every Classroom New Faculty Orientation
August 16, 2008

2. The Age of the Acronym
SACS: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
QEP: Quality Enhancement Plan
VCCS: Virginia Community College System
CCTST: California Critical Thinking Skills Test
CCSSE: Community College Survey of Student Engagement

3. The QEP at LFCC
Because of results from the 2006 CCTST and the 2005 CCSSE survey, along with discussions among faculty and staff, we chose CRITICAL THINKING (CT) as the focus of our QEP.
The purpose of the QEP is to create a culture of critical thinking which permeates all aspects of the College community, with an outcome of improved critical thinking skills in our students.

4. What is critical thinking?
Well, it’s hard to define, and some would say that it doesn’t even exist! (see, for example, Willingham, 2007).
Others say it’s just educational jargon for what we used to call thinking…

5. Thinking means…
Explaining, analyzing, and synthesizing what we see, hear, and read
Using creativity to discover multiple solutions and diverse approaches to issues
Seeing connections and patterns
Evaluating claims and evidence to draw reasonable conclusions
Finding relevant information to address tasks and problems
Justifying conclusions and solutions
Reflecting on how we think and learn.
Applying concepts to real-world problems

6. However it is defined, over 90% of faculty across the country today argue that critical thinking is the main purpose of undergraduate education. (Derek Bok, President Emeritus, Harvard)

7. 3 Broad Goals, LFCC QEP
1. Foster awareness and understanding of critical thinking among College employees in all disciplines and units.
2. Enhance critical thinking skills in all LFCC degree, certificate, and workforce development programs.
3. Encourage critical thinking practice outside the classroom.

8. Some More Acronyms SLO: Student Learning Outcome
CCS: Course Content Summary
CAG: Course Assessment Guide
For the QEP, we have selected the six VCCS critical thinking SLOs as our learning outcomes for assessment. EVERY course at LFCC must include one of these CT SLOs.

9. If each course lists a CT SLO on the CCS, Then,
So What?
If each course lists a CT SLO on the CCS,
Then,
Each course must include a CT SLO on the syllabus, AND
Each course must include assignments and assessments based on the CT SLO.

10. Critical Thinking SLOs
Degree graduates will demonstrate the ability to:
2.1 Discriminate among degrees of credibility, accuracy, and reliability of inferences drawn from given data
2.2 Recognize parallels, assumptions, or presuppositions in any given source of information

11. CT SLOs
2.3 Evaluate the strengths and relevance of arguments on a particular question or issue
2.4 Weigh evidence and decide if generalizations or conclusions based on the given data are warranted

12. CT SLOs
2.5 Determine whether certain conclusions or consequences are supported by the information provided.
2.6 Use problem solving skills.

13. Thus, faculty should… KNOW the CT SLO for the course(s) they teach,
IDENTIFY and SCHEDULE assignments that support that SLO with practice and feedback,
ASSESS the SLO, using the faculty designed instrument/measurement (for courses being assessed in fall 2008), and
SHARE experiences, successes, struggles, tips, techniques, questions, and insights with other faculty.

14. We are asking that you * Make your classroom an on-going experiment
* Pay attention to results from CAGs for courses you are teaching
* Assess your own teaching in relation to critical thinking SLOs

15. What am I doing in my classes?
Analysis
Knowledge
What am I doing in my classes?
Comprehension
Synthesis
Application
Evaluation

16. A little self-assessment…
At what stage of Bloom’s taxonomy are…
* My class discussion questions?
* My homework assignments?
* My project and research assignments?
* My test questions?
* My PowerPoint presentations?
Can I “QEP” one of these to enhance critical thinking?

17. Another tool for reflection for self-evaluation for teaching
for discussion…
The Ox pictures…
(The pictures shown are those of the Kyoto woodblock artist Tomikichiro Tokuriki. They are taken from Paul Reps, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo. Internet reference:

18. Seeking The Ox

19. Finding the Footprints

20. Perceiving the Ox

21. Catching the Ox

22. Taming the Ox

23. Riding the Ox Home

24. The Ox Transcended

25. The Ox and Farmer Transcended

26. Returning to the Source

27. Going into the World

28. Questions? Comments? Miriam Moore Professor of English/ESL
Lord Fairfax Community College