Ideas to Action (i2a)
Using Critical Thinking to Foster
Student Learning and Community Engagement
Presentation for EDTL Faculty
March 4, 2009
1
Introductions
• CEHD i2a facilitators
o Dr. Ann Larson
o Dr. Cheryl Kolander
• CEHD i2a contributors
o Dr. Joanne Webb
o Dr. Jeff Valentine
2
Objectives
Upon completion of this presentation participants
will be able to:
1. Identify components of the i2a initiative.
2. Describe the components of the Paul-Elder
critical thinking model, with an emphasis on the
standards.
3. Recognize unit-specific examples related to i2a.
4. Formulate department specific strategies to
infuse i2a in the EDTL curriculum.
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Ideas to Action: The basics
 Ideas to Action (i2a): Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student
Learning and Community Engagement is our Quality
Enhancement Plan (QEP).
 Part of our accreditation report to SACS-COC to demonstrate our
ongoing commitment to student learning
 Our 10-year initiative we created to renew our focus on critical
thinking and community engagement and the undergraduate
experience.
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Call to action at UofL
“Our extensive consultation with all University constituencies
yielded a surprisingly strong and clear call for education
focused on the skills and knowledge needed to deal with
real-world issues and problems, an education in which
students can see the importance of the parts (the
courses) to the whole (their education as citizens and
workers).” [QEP Report, 2007]
skills and
knowledge
real-world issues
& problems
the parts to the
whole
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/files/finalreport.pdf
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i2a: connecting classroom, campus
and community
Sharpen our
existing focus
on building
critical thinking
skills in the
general
education
program…
…..continuing
through
undergraduate
major courses
with an emphasis
on applying and
refining those
skills…
…resulting in a
culminating
experience, such
as a senior thesis,
research, service
learning project,
internship, or
capstone project
that fosters
engagement
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Critical Thinking Expectations:
Exercise
What are the top thinking skills and/or thinking
behaviors candidates need to demonstrate to be
successful in your class, practicum and/or lab?
What changes in mindset (or mental models) do
you want to see in candidates at the end of your
time with them in the class, practicum and/or
lab?
What thinking or behaviors do you find in
candidates that presents a barrier to 1 and 2?
What is your most effective teaching strategy?
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Critical Thinking & Faculty
• Paul, 1996
• 140 randomly sampled California college faculty
• 89% indicate critical thinking is a primary
objective of their instruction
– 19% could give a clear explanation of critical
thinking
– 77% had difficulty describing how to balance
content coverage with fostering critical thinking
– 8-9% could articulate how to assess critical
thinking
i2a Definition of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is
the intellectually disciplined process
that results in
a guide to belief and action.
Understanding
Concepts
Appreciation
Decisions
Synthesize
Application
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(From: Scriven and Paul, 2003)
A Well-Cultivated Critical Thinker:
 Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly
and precisely
 Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas
to interpret it effectively
 Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them
against relevant criteria and standards
 Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought,
recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions,
implications, and practical consequences
 Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions
to complex problems
Miniature Guide page 2
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Critical Thinking Reflection
Questions:
1. How does the description of a well-cultivated
critical thinker (Miniature Guide page 2) compare with
the list of answers to the critical thinking
expectation questions 1 and 2?
2. What do you see in common with the two?
3. How does this fit with your ideas about what
candidates need to be able to do in class,
practicum, and or lab settings and beyond?
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Faculty Perspective
“I think that for decades I have given my students
many opportunities to engage in critical thinking,
and I have modeled critical thinking in class
discussions. But I don’t think I can claim ever to
have taught critical thinking in a systematic way.
The model gives me a way to share a critical
thinking vocabulary with students and to chart
their progress. I know and can tell my students
exactly what I am looking for.”
Spring 2008 Pilot Program Participant, Department of English
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Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model
Intellectual Standards
Accuracy
Clarity
Relevance
Logical
Sufficiency
Precision
Depth
Significance
Fairness
Breadth
Which leads to deeper
Intellectual Traits
Humility
Autonomy
Fair-mindedness
Courage
Must be applied
to
Elements of Reasoning
Purpose
Question
Point of view
Information
Perseverance
Empathy
Integrity
Confidence in reasoning
Inferences
Concepts
Implications
Assumptions
to develop
13
Social Work Practicum Faculty
• Original critical thinking prompt:
Identify an ethical issue or high risk incident and analyze how you
responded to it this month.
• Revised critical thinking prompt:
Briefly describe an ethical problem or high risk incident that you
responded to this past month. How did you conclude this is a high
risk incident? Provide at least two examples of evidence or pieces
of information that informed your response or reaction. What
were possible solutions, what were the consequences, and what
did you decide to do? Based on your reflection, how could you
have responded differently? Are there other points of view or
perspectives that did—or might have—influenced your decision?
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Standards for Thinking
Clarity: Understandable, the meaning can be grasped
Accuracy: Free from errors or distortions, true
Precision: Exact to the necessary level of detail
Depth: Containing complexities and interrelationships
Breadth: Involving multiple viewpoints
Relevance: Relating to the matter at hand
Logic: The parts make sense together, no contradictions
Significance: Focusing on the important, not trivial
Fairness: Justifiable, not self-serving (or egocentric)
Richard Paul Keynote, 28th International Conference on Critical Thinking
Miniature Guide, 2008, pages 8-10
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Communication Internship Report
• Assessment
– Has the student provided a clear
example and logical explanation of a
situation and how they solved
significant problem in their
internship?
– Has the student drawn upon relevant
theory/conceptual underpinnings in
solving problems?
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i2a Assessment
• Vision
– Process: Systematic, ongoing
– Assess: Critical thinking
Connect learning to the community
– Purpose: Quality enhancement
Accreditation accountability
• Goals
– Value-added to existing measures
– Direct and indirect measures
– Faculty input and participation
• Task Group Subcommittee
– “Big Picture” and “Nuts and Bolts”
– Representation: Diverse faculty, staff, administration
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/what/assessment
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Critical Thinking Assessment
• Global vs. Contextual
• Instruments
– Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal
– California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and Skills Test
– Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric by Facione & Facione
• Sample
– Critical Thinking Self-Checklist
– Critical Thinking Holistic Rubrics
• Written assessment incomplete measure of “thinking” skill
• Multiple measures
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CEHD Assessment
• Hallmark Assessments
• Continuous Assessment System for Candidate Performance
Assessment: CARDS 1-3 (initial candidates) CARDS 4-6 (advanced
candidates)
• Assessments of Candidate Performance using the CEHD Conceptual
Framework, Shaping Tomorrow: Ideas to Action, Constructs:
Inquiry, Action, and Advocacy.
• Assessment of Candidate Dispositions, aligned with CF Constructs:
Inquiry, Action, and Advocacy
• Assessment of Candidate Performance related to Professional
Standards, aligned with CF Constructs: Inquiry, Action, and
Advocacy
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CEHD Assessment-Paul Weber
• EDTL 2008 Paul Weber Application
• Department-wide Hallmark Assessment
Project that is aligned with:
• State and national standards
• Conceptual Framework
• i2a – Ideas to Action
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CARDS System
Cards 1 – Critical Thinking
Competencies
Cards 2
Cards 3
Trajectory of Growth in Critical
Thinking
Cards 3 – Impact on Student Learning
Connecting to our Community
i2a Components:
Culminating Experiences
• Practical application of knowledge and critical
thinking skills to address problem solving in “real
world” contexts
• Course or credit bearing experiences
• Examples:






Capstone Courses/Projects
Internships
Senior Theses
Research Projects
Service Learning Projects
Other Independent Study Projects
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Culminating Experience
• Process
– Working with faculty and staff on a protocol
for designating and designing CEs.
– Considering Registrar designation for new
and existing CE courses.
• Spring 2009
– CE Research and Development Project
– FLC on Experiential Learning
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Practicum/Field Critical Thinking
• Contextual Learning Intervention
– 6 month pilot study with 6 novice nurse/preceptor dyads
– 4 interrelated components:
• Narrative reflective journaling
• Individual interviews
• Preceptor coaching
• Leader-facilitated discussion groups
– Progression: Anxiety→Questioning→Intentional Critical Thinking
Forneris & Peden-McAlpine (2007)
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Culminating Experience
CEHD Exemplars
• SUN Grant
– Jon Lee
• FLC on CE Research and Development
– Sherri Brown
• EDTP 201 “Light, Camera, i2a” Project
– Christine Sherretz
• Atkinson Elementary
– Starr Lewis
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Critical Thinking Strategies
Literature Summary
• Groups or Cooperative Learning
• Questioning-Handout
• Faculty:
– Plan critical thinking activities
• In and out of class
• Active participation in problem solving, Concept maps
– Model critical thinking skills
• “Think Out Loud” protocol
– Provide multiple, diverse, unique real-world exercises (novel
situations)
• Simulated scenarios and Case studies
• Refute, debate, intuition, connection exercises
Hart (1990), Halpern (1993), Youngblood & Beitz (2001)
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EDTL Application
Reflecting on the i2a initiative and the PaulElder Critical Thinking model, what revisions
or modifications do you feel are important to
consider with:
1. Hallmark Assessments
2. Depth of Knowledge Levels
3. Conceptual Framework
4. Course-specific activties
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Next Steps for ‘U’
• Culminating Experiences Research and
Development Project (Spring 09)
• i2a Day (April 13, 2009)
• i2a Institute on Critical Thinking (May 27-29, 2009)
• Faculty Learning Community
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/flc
• Collaborative Learning Community
• i2a Supporting Undergraduate iNnovation (SUN)
Grants http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/grants
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For more information
Please visit:
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction
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Feedback
Let us know through your i2a facilitators:
1. What was helpful about this session?
2. What questions were raised from this
session?
3. What do you think are the next steps for
you and/or the unit?
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