Model for Enhancing Student Learning by improving Students’ Ability to Think Critically
2. Educational Oversight Group
Subcommittee on Critical Thinking
Process
begins
1. Institutional
assessments
3. Unit plans
8. Curriculum
changes
4. Academic
Roundtables
7. Formative
evaluation
5. Classroom
activities
6. ARC and
course
assessments
1. IE collects and analyzes data from various institutional-level Critical Thinking Assessments: CAT, MAPP, iSkills, CCSSE, Recent
Alumni, Employer, and ARC. These results are captured in the Comprehensive Assessment of Program
2. The Critical Thinking subcommittee of the Educational Oversight Group reviews the data, identifying goals and objectives
for improving student learning.
3. Objectives and action plans are put into unit plans for specific programs implementing QEP.
4. Academic Roundtables in those specified units review institutional data and unit plans to develop focus for improving student
learning, accomplished by developing critical thinking classroom activities.
5. Faculty implement classroom activities.
6. Faculty collect data on effectiveness of classroom activities for improving student learning, using ARC and course assessments.
7. Formative evaluation examines institutional and course-level assessment data to determine effect on student learning.
8. Changes to curriculum are formalized.
9. Cycle begins again – Curriculum changes are measured using institutional assessments (CAT, MAPP, iSkills, CCSSE, Recent
Alumni, Employer, and ARC.
Student Success
The success of this initiative will be measured by the following standards:
#
1-1.
1-2.
1-3.
Goals
Classroom Activities
1. By 2012, all students will
have demonstrated
improvement in critical
Enhance students’ critical
thinking skills, as evidenced
thinking skills through
by scores on external tests
“teaching for critical
and ratings on the
thinking” classroom
Assessment Rubric for
activities across the
Critical Thinking (ARC).
curriculum.
2. By 2012, key stakeholders
will report positively
regarding improvements in
critical thinking skills of SPC
graduates.
3. By 2012, students will report
an increase in instructional
practices improving critical
thinking skills in the majority
of modified courses or class
activities across the
curriculum.
Rubrics
1. By 2012, a majority of
programs will have at least
one discipline-specific critical
Develop and use general
thinking assessment tool or
and discipline-specific
strategy for measuring
assessment tools and
students’ critical thinking
strategies for measuring
skills.
students’ critical thinking
skills.
ePortfolio
Collect student artifacts
through ePortfolio.
1-4.
Year 5 Expected Outcomes
Student Activities
Implement critical
thinking programs
supported by key
student organizations.
Assessments
Direct
1. MAPP test
2. iSkills test
3. ARC template
Indirect
1. Employer surveys
2. Alumni surveys
3. CAPRs
4. Student surveys and focus
groups
1. Instruments (surveys, portfolio
reflections) related to faculty
feedback on effectiveness of
critical thinking assessments.
1. By 2012, a range of artifacts 1. ARC template
will have been collected that
demonstrate student growth
in critical thinking skills in
selected courses across the
curriculum.
1. By 2012, each key student 1. Instruments (survey, focus
organization will have had at
group, or “debriefings” from
least one activity related to
student activities) related to
critical thinking annually.
student reports of critical
2. By 2012, the majority of
thinking activities
students participating in
student programs focusing
on critical thinking skills will
report that the activities add
value to their development of
these skills.
Feedback/Suggestions
Professional Development
The success of this initiative will be measured by the following standards:
#
Goals
2-1.
Critical Thinking
Institute
2-2.
Faculty Champions
2-3.
Academic
Roundtables
Year 5 Expected Outcomes
Assessments
1. By 2012, SPC will have
1. Critical thinking workshop
developed advanced critical
evaluations
thinking seminars with a
discipline-specific focus for
Provide professional
identified disciplines.
development
2. In 2012, at least 75% of fullopportunities to assist
time faculty and the majority
faculty in developing
of adjuncts will have
class activities to support
participated in seminars on
“teaching for critical
“teaching for critical thinking.”
thinking.”
3. By 2012, the majority of
surveys and other forms of
feedback on critical thinking
seminars will be positive.
1. By 2012, SPC will have
1. Feedback from faculty
institutionalized the “train-the- champions on the “Train-thetrainer” program in order to
trainer” program
Develop in-house critical
continue developing
thinking expertise (i.e.,
expertise.
faculty champions) using
a “train-the-trainer”
approach.
Institute Academic
Roundtables (ARTs) to
investigate general and
discipline-specific
strategies for “teaching
for critical thinking.”
1. By 2012, SPC will have
1. Feedback from ART
fielded ARTs for the majority
participants
of General Education, A.S.,
and Baccalaureate
programs/faculty.
2. By 2012, the majority of
faculty participating in ARTs
will affirm the value of ARTs
to research strategies.
Feedback/Suggestions
Critical Thinking Resources
The success of this initiative will be measured by the following standards:
#
Goals
Year 5 Expected Outcomes
Assessments
3-1.
Gateway Website
3-2.
Reusable Learning
Objects (RLOs)
3-3.
Instructional Portfolios 1. By 2012, instructional
1. Professional Development Day
portfolios will be available for
surveys
the majority of programs at
Contribute to the critical
the College.
thinking literature through
2. By 2012, the majority of
presentation and
faculty will give a positive
publication of instructional
rating to the peer
portfolios of strategies
presentations and portfolios
that support teaching for
on teaching for critical
critical thinking.
thinking.
3-4
Critical Thinking
Resource Centers
1. By 2012, the majority of
1. Feedback collected from ART
faculty will identify the
participants
gateway website as valuable
Compile electronic critical
sources of information and
thinking resources for
ideas.
SPC faculty and staff
organized through a
College gateway website.
1. By 2012, SPC will have
1. Feedback collected from ART
collected or created a
participants
minimum of 50 RLOs
promoting critical thinking in
Create and collect critical
a variety of disciplines.
thinking reusable learning
objects (RLOs) for SPC 2. By 2012, a majority of RLOs
will receive favorable
and other institutions in
feedback in the form of
Florida and across the
positive student and faculty
world who are seeking
reactions.
multimedia/electronic
critical thinking materials.
1. By 2012, the majority of
1. Feedback collected from ART
faculty will identify the Critical
participants
Thinking Resource Centers
as valuable sources of
Acquire and use print and
information and ideas.
multimedia critical
thinking library resources
through the Critical
Thinking Resource
Centers.
Feedback/Suggestions