Helpful websites

• Critical thinking.org• http://educate.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign

Let’s Take A TEN Minute Break! How would I incorporate the best aspects of

this lesson in the future? What changes would I make to correct areas

in need of improvement? How can I best use my strengths to improve?

What steps should I take or resources should I use to meet my challenges?

Is there training or networking that would help me to meet my professional goals?

MAXIMIZING IMPACTFULLEARNINGTHROUGHCRITICALTHINKING

Dennis Eastman, A.D.H.D, Ph.D. Biola University

September 7, 2011

NOVA Academy• Program specifically designed for foster, at-risk, and first time

college attending students.• Ninety-five percent Hispanic, 90% Free/Reduced Lunch program. • 2007: First graduating class completed over 300 transferrable

units of college credit. One student graduated with her AA and transferred to Biola University with Junior status.

• 2008: API scores improved from 539 to 705 (166 points). Largest increase of any school in California.

• 2009: Over 65 inner city urban students attending Community College

• Over 1000 units of college credit earned since school opened in 2005 (enrollment under 100 until 2008)

• 2009: NOVA Academy awarded a Bronze Medal as one of the top 60 schools in California by US News & World Report

• 2010: NOVA Academy received “Educator of the Year” Award by OC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• 2010: NOVA Academy received Pacific Investment Management Corporation (PIMCO) Community Excellence Award

More than a philosophy…

Believing ALL students can learn to a high level MUST be more than just an

educational philosophy…it MUST be an EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE!

A Thot…

“And David shepherded them with integrity of

heart; with skillful hands he led

them.”-Psalm 78:72

Begin With The End In Mind!

Today’s Goals:• Identify characteristics of a 21st Century learner.• Evaluate characteristics of multisensory

pedagogy to determine potential for learner retention.

• Define Critical Thinking and examine obstacles that attempt to curtail critical thinking.

• Determine the impactful role that critical thinking strategies have on creating an active learning environment.

A Country in Crisis?Hosea 8:9

What Are Some Characteristics of the

21st Century Student?Are today’s students

different from when you were in school?

How?

What should our students know to be prepared

for the workforce?

How should we teach them?

21st Century Student Characteristics

• Multi-Tasker• Multisensory Learner• Use Sound & Images • Digital savvy• Collaborative• “Tolerate” traditional

print as last resort

MILLENIAL KIDSBy Age 21 students born in 2000 will have Spent,

Watched or Sent:• 10,000 hours playing video games• 10,000 hours on a cell phone• 20,000 hours of television• 200,000 emails (no estimate on number of text

messages 1 million (?))• Less than 5000 hours reading(SOURCE: Marc Prensky, “Growing Up Digital”)

21st Century Learning = “Full Body Experience”

• Memory is a Five Senses event!

• Emotion is the gatekeeper to learning

• Intelligence is a function of experience

• The brain stores what is meaningful from the learner’s perspective.

The 21st Century Classroom

“This technological revolution will have a greater impact on

society than the transition from an

oral to a print culture.”

- Dr. Douglas Kellner, UCLA

Consider the Competition…Our problem is NOT content…

Often it is DELIVERY

We have to be MORE interesting than Facebook, PSP, & Virtual Gaming

“That’s the way we’ve always done it!”

We Must Reach Higher Learning Objectives

Critical Thinking Defined

Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to

improving it.

Why Critical Thinking???

There are problems to be solved for professions that do not yet exist and

OUR students will have a part in creating those jobs and solving those

problems.

The Brain• Is like a “jungle”- nothing “runs” the jungle• All parts of the brain participate with each other, while each has its own function• There is natural pruning or neural pruning that occurs when parts are not used

(this may be why sounds not heard or used grow weaker over time)

• “LEARNING IS A DELICATE, BUT IS A POWERFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN GENETICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT…” Robert Sylwester, A Celebration of Neurons

Critical Thinkers… Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed,

self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous

standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective

communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native

egocentrism and socio-centrism.-Richard Paul

Critical thinkers routinely apply the intellectual standards to the elements of reasoning in order to

develop intellectual traits

Twelve Basic Principles Related to Learning

1. Brain is a parallel processor2. Learning engages the entire physiology3. Learning is developmental4. Each brain is unique5. Every brain perceives and creates parts

and wholes simultaneously6. Learning always involves conscious and

unconscious processes

7. The search for meaning is innate (Use Big IDEAS!) Built for Problem Solving!

8. Emotions are critical to learning9. Learning is enhanced by challenge

and inhibited by threat10.The search for meaning occurs

through patterning11.We can organize memory in different

ways12.The brain is a social brain

Simultaneous Elements of ThoughtSource: Foundations of Critical Thinking

What are some obstacles to Critical Thinking?

1.Density of Curriculum Standards

(Contributes to Teacher only classroom)

2. Students NOT trained to explore higher

ordered thinking skills3. One size fits all learning

experience (If it doesn’t fit you…

out of luck)

Teachers MUST Build A Bridge for Students Over OBSTACLES

To OPPORTUNITIES!

How Do They Learn???• Less than10 % of what they read• About 20 % of what they hear, such as in a lecture• About 30 % of what they see• About 50 % of what they hear and see, using 2 or

more media simultaneously• About 70 % of content that requires active

participation, either in discussion or giving a presentation

• More than 90 % of content that involves these three methods—teaching it to someone else, followed by the application of the content in a real-life task or simulation

What Are The Students Saying… “High school seems like it can be a lot more

challenging. I wish that more classes did document analysis and independent research papers. I LOVE education but lose interest when I'm not challenged and there is not independent thought.”

“More actual thought and real understanding/engaging ideas would make school a whole lot better and would allow students to get more out of it.”

No matter how interesting the lesson may seem to the

instructor, if the teacher does all the interacting with the

material, the teacher’s brain, NOT the student’s brain, will

grow new connections.

Brain Based Research & Learner Centered Curriculum

• Learning is a process of building neurons (literally creating bridges to knowledge)

• “The brain is a pattern seeking device in search of meaning.” – Karen Olsen

So What Does This Mean???

Straight facts often need some form of pattern to be meaningful

(e.g. Mnemonic device, manipulative, simulation, visual aid)

Meaning Making in the Classroom

In a moment you will have 14 seconds to view random letters and then place them in the

correct order: DV DFB ICI AC DB BCC NN CT NT

Do You Recognize Any of These Acronyms? DVD FBI CIA CD BBC CNN TNT

Differentiating Instruction

“We cannot be effective if we are not relevant.”

-Nabil Costa

Relevance 101• All kids are different.

• One size does NOT fit all.

• Differentiation provides ALL students with access to all curriculum.

What to do?

First-Get to Know Your Students

Learning styles Multiple Intelligences Interests

Research Says…Multiple Intelligences: Howard Garner

Cooperative Interaction: Elizabeth Cohen

Spiral Curriculum: Jerome Bruner

Understanding by Design: Wiggins & McTighe

Non-Linguistic Representation: Robert Marzano

So the question is NOT: How smart are you?

BUT...How are you Smart?

How are students smart?

Main Categories of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

Language Related Object Related Personal Related

Verbal/LinguisticMusical/Rhythmic

Logical/MathematicalVisual/SpatialBodily/KinestheticNaturalist

IntrapersonalInterpersonal

Differentiation Strategies

• Teachers can differentiate:

• According to students’:

Content Process Product

Readiness InterestLearningProfile

YOUR TURN Implementing Differentiation:

Case Studies

• Please look at the HANDOUT

What aspects of differentiation do you see ?

• Which techniques could you use in your classroom? How?

Substitute Curriculum*Substitute Curriculum*Alternate Goals*Alternate Goals*Participation*Participation*

Output*Output*Difficulty*Difficulty*Input*Input*

Level of Support*Level of Support*Time*Time*Quantity*Quantity*

Nine Types of Curriculum Adaptations

Adapt the way instruction is delivered to the learner.

For example:Use different visual aids, enlarge text, plan more concrete examples, provide hands-on activities, place students in cooperative groups.

Adapt the number of items that the learner is expected to learn or complete.

For example:Reduce the number of social studies terms a learner must learn at any one time.

Adapt the time allotted and allowed for learning, task completion, or testing.

For example:Individualize a timeline for completing a task; pace learning differently (increase or decrease) for some learners.

Increase the amount of personal assistance with a specific learner.

For example:Assign peer buddies, teaching assistants, peer tutors, or cross age tutors.

Adapt the skill level, problem type, or the rules on how the learner may approach the work.

For example:Allow the use of a calculator to figure math problems; simplify task directions; change rules to accommodate learner needs.

Adapt how the student can respond to instruction.

For example:Instead of answering questions in writing, allow a verbal response, use a communication book for some students, allow students to show knowledge with hands on materials.

Adapt the extent to which a learner is actively involved in the task.

For example:In geography, have a student hold the globe, while others point out locations.

Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using the same materials.

For example:In social studies, expect a student to be able to locate just the states while others learn to locate capitals as well.

Provide different instruction and materials to meet a learner’s individual goals.

For example:During a language test one student is learning computer skills in the computer lab.

Implementing Differentiation: Case Studies

Hannah is an 8th grade student who is easily distracted. She can stay focused for short periods of time, but when a lengthy assignment is given she will fade out and not complete it. She is not a behavior problem. When Alicia is assigned 20 math problems she will usually stop at ten. However, she shows mastery of the material with those 10 problems. When graded for 20 problems she will fail because she will only have only completed 50%. Her grade will not reflect that Alicia has met the standard. What adaptation can an effective teacher use to ensure Alicia’s grades reflect that she has met the standard?

Implementing Differentiation: Case Studies

• Sarah has great difficulty with written assignments. When asked to demonstrate by written work, her reading comprehension of the content material, Sarah will not do it. However she is very verbal and when asked to tell about what she has read, she responds articulately and shows comprehension of the material. Sarah is also very artistic and creative. What adaptation could the teacher make so that Sarah can demonstrate mastery of reading comprehension?

Implementing Differentiation: Case Studies

• It’s hard for Tony to concentrate when the teacher is giving direct instruction in front of the room. He needs to be doing something active to stay focused. During a lesson on map reading, what adaptation could an effective teacher use to ensure that Hector stays focused and learns the material?

Implementing Differentiation: Case Studies

• Jacob is a diligent, hard worker whose grades matter very much to him. He stays focused and on-task, but many times he cannot finish the work in the time allotted. He understands the material well, but when graded on work completed in a specific time period it will appear he has not mastered the standard. What adaptation can an effective teacher use to ensure that Jacob’s grades reflect that he has met the standard?

ALL Students Can Think Critically

If The Environment is ATTEMPT FRIENDLY!

Critical Thinking Our bodies are made for physical

exertion

BUT, unless we challenge our bodies

they will NOT be strong

Though our brains are made for deep thinking

They MUST be given a REASON to think deeper

You Do NOT Need A Computer to Get Them Thinking…

Give Them a REAL WORLD Problem

Primary Documents

– What does the existence of this document say about whoever created it?

– What does the existence of this document say about whoever saved it?

– What does the existence of this document say about American life in this era?

Positive Prompts…• List FIVE characteristics of a good leader.

Why did you select those five?• If you were stranded on a desert island with

five strangers, what THREE rules would you make? Why?

• If you had ONE super power what would it be?

• What ONE character trait is MOST important to you when selecting your friends?

You As A Detective…

1.Gather Evidence2. Interpret

Evidence3. Make a

Hypothesis from Evidence

To Go Deeper…Question Deeper• Level I: Gathering

Evidence• What do you see in this

image?• What key details, or

pieces of evidence, do you see?

• How would you describe the scene and the people?

• What do you hear or smell in this scene?

To Go Deeper…Question Deeper• Level II: Interpreting

Evidence• What do you think is the

approximate date of this scene? Give one piece of evidence to support your answer.

• Where might this scene have taken place? Give two pieces of evidence to support your answer.

• What concerns might the people arriving have?

To Go Deeper…Question Deeper• Level III: Making

Hypotheses from Evidence

• How do you think these people were feeling at this time and place?

• Why do you think these people are immigrating to America?

On The Scene Reporter

Imagine a classroom where . . .• A first grader says, “I think so too. The boy in

the book thought it was a good idea to steal the dog. I would be sad if my dog was stolen. I bet the owner is sad too but we don’t know because it doesn’t say in the book.”

• A sixth grader argues, “I used to agree with you that people shouldn’t be allowed to come and live in this country illegally, but I was reading an article in the paper today, and now I’m not so sure.”

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

Grades 1-3http://educate.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign

Framing Questions…Big IdeasEssential Question

What does the past tell us about the future? Unit Questions

What variables limit or sustain the continuation of a trend?How does a trend affect people’s choices?What will our quality of life be like in the future?

Content QuestionsWhat is an exponential regression, curve of best fit, and correlation coefficient?What are the advantages and limitations of linear regression for analysis of data?

Can You Predict The Future?

Grades 9-12http://

educate.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign

Part III: Putting it all together…

Good Morning Miss Toliver

“We cannot solve problems of tomorrow with the same knowledge

we have today”-Albert Einstein