Closing the Loop: Critical Thinking

Assessment Brown Bag SeriesApril 14-15, 2009

CRITICAL THINKINGLearning Communities Course

Well-cultivated Critical Thinker

• Raises vital questions & problems• Gathers and assesses relevant information • Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and

solutions• Thinks open-mindedly• Communicates effectively

HIS 451 & Critical Thinking

• Introduce and reinforce the concept• Engage students in planning and conducting

lessons• Engage students in metacognitive thinking

Karin’s Questions

• What kind of critical thinking is happening here?

• What’s a systematic way to measure it?• Can students identify when they do it?• Can they identify what kind it is?

Course Goals/Questions

• Essential Questions• Primary Sources• Argumentation• Important Concepts• Interpretation• Collaboration• Meta-cognitive

Essential Questions

• What essential questions will students try to answer with the information from the narrative text and primary sources?– How well did these questions work to stimulate

substantive conversation? – How many students participated?– Were students engaged?

Primary Sources

• What primary sources will students analyze and interpret during the class?– Which offered the best opportunity for substantive

discussion– Did students develop and consider a range of

interpretations, citing specific evidence from the text or the visual source to support their interpretations?

Argumentation

• How will students develop their arguments? Will they write individually? Collaborate in pairs or groups?– Did students work well in groups or as individuals?

– Did students successfully cite appropriate and

relevant sources to support their arguments? – How might you rephrase the questions to improve

clarity or controversy?

Important Concepts

• What important concepts must students understand to answer the questions for this lesson? (i.e., Cult of True Womanhood, patriarchy, feme covert, etc.) – How well did students define and use the concepts

in the discussion?

Interpretation

• How will students challenge assumptions, consider alternative interpretations, and weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the various interpretations? – How well did students challenge themselves and

each other to consider alternative interpretations?

Collaboration

• What contributions will each group member make to the unit? – How well did you and your group members

collaborate and resolve problems in designing and implementing this unit?

Metacognitive

• What value do you see in this assignment for yourself? For the students you taught?

• How would you restructure the assignment to achieve better results in the future?