On Course
Strategies for Creating Success
in College and in Life
Chapter 7
ADOPTING LIFELONG LEARNING
Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
7|1
CASE STUDY IN CRITICAL THINKING
A FISH STORY
• Read the case study “A Fish Story.”
 Why do you think the biology professor didn’t
simply tell the students what he wanted them
to learn?
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7|2
A FISH STORY: DIVING DEEPER
Think of a time in your life when you became as
involved in your learning as did the students in the
biology class. Perhaps you were working on a
project, pondering a new idea, involved in a
debate or engaged in a deep conversation.
What motivated you to become so involved?
 How could you experience that same level of
motivation in your current college courses?
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CRITICAL THINKING: FOCUS QUESTION
DEVELOPING A LEARNING ORIENTATION TO LIFE
• How can you maximize your learning in college
and in life?
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GROWTH MINDSET AND FIXED MINDSET
Learners with a fixed mindset believe people
are born with a fixed amount of ability and talent.
Learners with a growth mindset believe their
ability and talent get stronger the more they are
used.
Identify the following statements as a fixed
mindset or as a growth mindset.
 I made an “A” in math because I am smart!
Fixed Mindset
 I made an “A” in math because I worked hard!
Growth Mindset
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HOW TO DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET
Make a list of strategies you could use to develop a
growth mindset?
How many of the following do you have on your list?
 Think of your brain as a muscle that gets stronger
with exercise.
 Set learning goals as well as performance goals.
 Seek feedback to deepen your learning.
 Change course when needed.
What other strategies do you have on your list?
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CRITICAL THINKING: FOCUS QUESTIONS
DISCOVERING YOUR PREFERRED WAYS OF LEARNING
• What is your preferred way of learning?
• What can you do when your instructor doesn’t
teach the way you prefer to learn?
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7|7
SELF-ASSESSMENT: HOW I PREFER TO LEARN
• Complete the Learning Preference Inventory in
On Course and calculate your scores. (p. 290)
Did anything surprise you about the results?
How can you use this information to help you
in college?
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PREFERRED WAYS OF LEARNING
Match the preferred ways of learning to their correct
descriptions.
 Asks “what?” questions. Ponders
facts and theories.
Innovating
Learner
 Asks “how?” questions. Enjoys
taking action.
Feeling
Learner
 Asks “why?” or “who?” questions.
Enjoys personal connections.
Thinking
 Asks “what if?” or “what else?”
questions. Imagines new
possibilities and making
unexpected connections.
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Learner
Doing
Learner
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PREFERRED WAYS OF LEARNING
Identify the preferred way of learning described below:
Learns well
with lectures,
visual aids,
Thinking
PowerPoint
Learner
slides,
and
textbook
readings.
Learns well
in a safe and
accepting
classroom
Feeling
atmosphere.
Learner
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Learns well
with hands on
work in
guided labs
orDoing
practice
Learner
applications.
Learns well
when
encouraged
to use
Innovating
intuition to
Learner
create
something
new.
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EMPLOYING CRITICAL THINKING
• What are two skills that are essential to
employing critical thinking.
Constructing logical
arguments
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Asking probing
questions
7 | 11
CONSTRUCTING LOGICAL ARGUMENTS
When constructing a logical argument, what three
components are essential?
•Reasons
Premises, Claims, Assumptions
Answers "Why?”
•Evidence
Support: Facts, Data, Stories
Answers "How do you know?”
•Conclusions
Opinions, Beliefs, Positions
Answers "What should the audience think or
do?”
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7 | 12
APPLYING THE CONCEPT
Imagine that a friend presents you with the
argument below. As a critical thinker, what probing
questions might you ask about his reason,
evidence, and conclusion?
[Reason] I’ve decided that I’m not really college
material. [Evidence] I’m taking four courses and it
looks like I’m going to get only one B and three
D’s. [Conclusion] I think I’ll drop out before I flunk
out.
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7 | 13
CRITICAL THINKING: FOCUS QUESTIONS
DEVELOP SELF-RESPECT
• What is your present level of self-respect?
• How can you raise your self-respect, and therefore
your self-esteem, even higher?
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7 | 14
ONE STUDENT'S STORY:
Jessie Maggard
Sometimes, when we are off course, something happens
that shakes us up and we realize we need to make an
important change. What events shook up Jessie and what
changes did she make as a result?
When in your life did something shake you up and you
realized that you needed to make a change? Explain what
happened to shake you up, what change you made, and
the Life Lesson you learned from the experience.
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7 | 15
INTEGRITY
At the top of a piece of paper, write the word
"Integrity.“
In a moment, words will appear on the screen one
at a time.
When you see a word that you associate with the
idea of “integrity,” write it on your page.
Here we go…
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7 | 16
INTEGRITY
Reliability
Honesty
Completeness
Uprightness
Cheating
Unity
Weak
Wholeness
Enemy
Betrayal
Truthfulness
Trustworthy
Character
Honor
Strong
Consistency
Hypocrisy
Deceptive
Friend
Lying
Dependable
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7 | 17
BECOMING AN ACTIVE LEARNER
Below your list, write one of the following:
•A definition of “integrity.”
•A true story that illustrates integrity
(about yourself or someone else)
Form Groups.
Each person, read to your group what you
have written. After all have read, continue
the conversation about integrity.
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7 | 18
LIVE WITH INTEGRITY
We create integrity by choosing words and
deeds that are aligned with our values. Discuss
the following questions with a partner.
• On a scale of 1-10 (10 high), how much do
you value your education?
• What choices of yours are aligned with the
value you place on your education?
• What choices of yours are not aligned with the
value you place on education?
• Are there any changes you plan to make to
bring your choices into greater alignment with
your values?
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7 | 19
KEEP COMMITMENTS
• Think about a personal commitment you have been
wanting to make. Perhaps you want to study more,
quit smoking, or spend less money. Answer the
following questions so you will be prepared when you
are ready to make the commitment.
 How can you make your agreement consciously?
 How can you use Creator language when making
this commitment?
 How can you make your agreement important?
 How can you create a plan and do everything in
your power to carry out the plan?
 If you were to experience problems, how could you
renegotiate your commitment?
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7 | 20
QUICK REVIEW
Identify the following statement as an example of a
growth mindset or as a fixed mindset.
 I will never be college material.
 If I study a lot, I will do fine in college.
 Math has always been easy for me
because I’m smart.
 Math has always been easy for me
because I work hard at it.
Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
Fixed Mindset
Growth Mindset
Fixed Mindset
Growth Mindset
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QUICK REVIEW
What are the four preferred ways of learning?
Thinking
Innovating
Doing
Feeling
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7 | 22
QUICK REVIEW
What are two skills essential to employing critical
thinking?
Constructing logical
arguments
Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
Asking probing
questions
7 | 23
QUICK REVIEW
Match the three components of a logical argument
to their description.
Reasons
Answers “How do you know?”
Evidence
Answers “Why should the audience
think or do something?”
Conclusions
Answers “What should the audience
think or do?”
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7 | 24
QUICK REVIEW
Identify five strategies for keeping commitments:
Make your agreements
consciously.
Use creator language.
Make your agreements
important.
Create a plan; then do
everything in your power
to carry out your plan.
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If a problem arises or you
change your mind,
renegotiate.
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WISE CHOICES IN COLLEGE: WRITING
• What are the four components in the writing
process?
Prewriting
Writing
Revising
Editing
Brian A Jackson
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7 SS | 26
WISE CHOICES IN COLLEGE: WRITING
• Match the four components of
writing to their correct description.
 Includes any preparation you do
before actually writing.
Writing
 Turns your raw materials into a
document that achieves your defined
purpose.
Editing
 Helps to identify what you don’t
understand and encourages you to
think more critically.
Revising
 Eliminates surface problems (errors
in grammar, sentence structure and
spelling).
Prewriting
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7 SS | 27
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
BEFORE WRITING
• What’s a good strategy for collecting ideas on the
spur of the moment?
Carry index cards with you.
• What’s a good strategy for guiding your collection
of information?
Create focus questions that arouse your
curiosity. Perhaps write them on index cards.
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STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
BEFORE WRITING
What are some sources for collecting information?
Discuss your topic with others. Start by asking
focus questions and follow where they lead.
Seek ideas and supporting details in your
campus library.
Search the internet for more ideas and
supporting details.
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7 SS | 29
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
BEFORE WRITING
• What strategies could you use to start organizing
your information?
 Group your notes: Sort information into piles, with one
pile for each main idea or focus question.
 Identify your audience: Once you know the audience,
use that information to decide what information to
include/exclude, how much evidence is needed, and
whether to write formally/informally.
 Define your thesis: Identify the most important idea
you want to convey. Everything else should support
this idea by answering questions a reader might have.
 Create a plan: Use an outline, concept map, or
question outline.
• Compare your answers to those listed in On
Course.
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7 SS | 30
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
WHILE WRITING
What are additional elements you can include in the
rest of your composition?
 Support: Include your secondary ideas and
supporting details. These are often examples,
experiences, explanations, and evidence (4E’s).
 Transitions: Use words, phrases or sentences
that act as bridges between ideas.
 Refutation in a persuasive essay: Dispute any
reasons that someone would be resistant to what
you want them to think or do.
 Satisfying conclusion: Summarize the main
points you have made or echo the hook.
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STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
AFTER WRITING
• Yesterday you finished a paper that you spent
many hours writing. What actions should you take
before turning in your final paper?
 Revise
 Cite sources
 Read aloud
 Edit carefully
 Seek help
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7 SS | 32
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING:
AFTER WRITING
• After you receive a graded paper back, what
strategies will help you improve your writing?
 Keep an error log: record every sentence in
which you had a grammar or punctuation problem,
write the sentence with all corrections, and record
the grammar or punctuation rule.
 Rewrite graded papers: use the instructor’s
feedback to improve your writing. Show the
revision to your instructor; you may even receive a
higher grade.
• Compare your answers to those listed in On
Course.
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CREATING AN ACADEMIC SKILLS PLAN FOR WRITING
• Make a list of the biggest challenges you have
had with writing assignments.
 Look over strategies for Writing.
Choose the three strategies that you will use.
Explain to a partner the three strategies that
you have chosen and why.
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7 SS | 34