Fostering Critical Thinking & Mature Valuing Across the Curriculum
(While Increasing Achievement, Equity and Retention)

Craig E. Nelson

Announcement
Transcript

 Windows Media Player                                           Download Player  Window Media Player -- Instructions to Enable Captioning
Play Now low-band

Play Now hi-band

Abstract:   Sophistication in thinking is prerequisite to many of the goals of liberal and professional education including critical thinking, mature valuing, effective communication, a responsible self and collaborative interpersonal interactions. The basic question for faculty is: Why are sophisticated ways of thinking so difficult for students to acquire? We will examine several answers to this question, building from a core that asks what we can do tomorrow in the classroom. We will both examine two major frameworks for fostering critical thinking, intellectual and ethical development (especially Perry, Belenky et al. and Baxter Magolda) and selected aspects cognitive science (mental models and misconceptions, novice v. expert distinctions, models for thinking about thinking) and explore the implications of each for classroom practices. However, help with cognitive frameworks is only half of our challenges as teachers. For most students, critical thinking is a deeply social enterprise. The most dramatic gains by far come changes that also carefully structure discussion and other aspects of social dynamics. An underlying theme will be that critical thinking can often be fostered best by increasing the ratio of support offered for a given level of challenge. These approaches markedly increase achievement, equity and retention. I will present spurts of theory and example applications. Writing and peer discussion will help make sure that participants go home with new ideas that can be implemented in the classes immediately.

Bio:   Professor Emeritus of Biology at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he has been since 1966. His biological research (60 articles and chapters) has been on evolution and ecology, most recently on sex-determination in turtles. He has been instrumental in the development of IU's award winning Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) program and was founding Director of Environmental Programs in its School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He has received several awards for distinguished teaching from IU and nationally competitive awards from Vanderbilt and Northwestern universities. He has been a Carnegie Scholar since 2000. He was named the "Outstanding Research and Doctoral University Professor of the Year 2000" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). He received the President's Medal for Excellence, "the highest honor bestowed by Indiana University," in 2001.

California State University, Dominguez Hills • 1000 E. Victoria Street • Carson, California 90747 • (310) 243-3696
If any of the material is in violation of a copyright, please contact copyright@csudh.edu.
The statements found on the CSUDH Center for Teaching and Learning page are for informational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure that this information is up to date and accurate, official information can be found in the University Catalog and Class Schedule.
Last updated Thursday September 27, 2007, by rambrosino@csudh.edu