*Thoughts

=Elementary Group's Work:= Crack the Code wiki =Jeff's Thoughts and Engineering Process Diagram:= = I keep coming back to the stated description of why we are meeting and what we are attempting - //"This is a professional development opportunity for teachers to develop assessment items that combine Lifelong Learner Standards with Habits of Mind. The assessment items will require students to use technology to authentically explore problem-based tasks. The focus of these assessment items will be to assess students’ ability to use 21st Century Skills such as inquiry, critical thinking, and communication".// We have been discussing building critical thinking activities and we have been discussing how to assess these projects and such, but we really have missed in my estimation is the use of technology as a tool to teach these skills. I think we need to identify if technology is going to be a focal point of the project or not before we jump into how should the critical thinking evolution shift be brought about. Jeff, I know you agree with Ira's last statement here http://education.change.org/blog/view/technology_the_wrong_questions_and_the_right_questions --but is this work we're doing here about the technology or the learning? Paula =

Secondary Group's Possible "thingies"
Start by assessing the current state of their education. Propose areas where they are dissatisfied with the current state to identify the area they would like to change to make school better. Identify a single topic to work on for the project (teacher supports and assesses the relative scope of the topic to ensure it is well formulated). Students will identify the work involved in their solution and outline how the work will be accomplished (the teacher will be sure that students are incorporating all disciplines into the work of their project) Students will hunt and gather information relevant to their task. This will be analyzed and synthesized to be communicated. The communication will include a justification of the outcome. Technology will be incorporated in some way throughout the project.

[|Matrix] [|Wheel Graphic] [|Pentagon Graphic]

It has to be respectful and germane to the purpose of education (historically and locally) It has to be budget neutral and improve the educational experience for children

Possible posters: [|possible poster] [|Questions to ask]

Rubrics:

some rubrics we might want to look at... from Quest High School in TX... mentioned in TWagner's keynote I beleive...(need to verify) [|Rubrics from Quest]

[|Math Critical Thinking Rubric]

You are trying to decide whether you want to raise chickens or cows. You are given an initial budget of $20000. You need to purchase fencing and livestock. The cost of fencing is $20/ linear ft. Cows costs $800. Chickens costs $12. You can make the livestock yard any size given these constraints.
 * __"Moo or Cluck" Critical Thinking 1st Quarter Algebra Common Assessment (Perimeter and Area)__**

You should reserve about 4 square feet per chicken. You should reserve about 20 square feet per cow.

What type of animals would you raise to make the most money and explain why you would make these livestock choices.

Use computer technology to research the typical milk production for a cow, and the typical egg laying rates for hens.

Students may find the following numbers via the internet.... Cows produce 6 gallons milk of day. (Sell milk for $1.40 a gallon) Chickens lay 1 egg a day for 83 days. (Sell a dozen organic eggs for $1.70)

You have to come up with a name for your business (keep it clean) and have a 16 feet wide x 3 feet high sign area to fill. You need to decide whether to use 8 inch high x 6 inch width letters($60/letter) or 12 inch high x 8 inch wide letters($100/letter). Installation is a flat fee of $1800. Come up with a name for your business and your sign budget is $5000. Remember your business name should describe the product your sell, service you provide, etc.
 * __"Store Signage" Critical Thinking 1st Quarter Math Common Assessment (Area)__**

Trevor's Ill-Defined Reflections:
**General Critical Thinking Inquiries** 1. What is the purpose, goal, or point of the (author, poet, speaker)? 2. What is the problem or issue being solved or described (problem, article, lab, novel)? 3. On what data or evidence is the decision / definition / problem based? 3b. On what evidence do you base your claim, decision, conclusion about the problem? 4. What inferences are being made from what kind of data, and are these inferences legitimate? 5. What is the solution, outcome, or resolution of the problem or issue? 6. What are the short-term and long-term implications of the outcome? 7. What are the biases or assumptions behind the inferences, selection or collection of data, or framing of the problem / experiment? 8. Define the basic concepts or terms being used? How do these definitions affect the framing / understanding of the problem? 9. What point of view is being expressed? What political / ideological / paradigmatic considerations inform or govern or limit point of view? 10. How would someone from a related but different discipline look at the problem? Would the / solution / issue have a different solution if addressed by a scientist as opposed to a historian, etc.?

2. Literature reading is treated as question generating.

Teachers who support the development of students' literary understandings assume that after reading a piece, readers come away with questions as well as understandings, and that responding to literature involves the raising of "exploring horizons" questions. Thus, teachers continually invite students' questions -- in writing and in discussion. These questions focus on motives, relationships, feelings -- on the human experiences that are "read into" texts but never stated. They are the "gaps" that readers need to fill in for themselves. Writers often purposely leave these gaps to "invite" readers into the piece, and critical thinking in literature involves exploring possible ways to fill these gaps and how such possibilities might affect other parts of the readers' growing text worlds.

From Critical Thinking and English Language Arts Instruction by Judith A. Langer of the National Research Center on Literature Teaching at the University of Albany.

[|Language Arts Lessons w/ Critical Thinking Components]


 * General Lit-based Critical Thinking Questions**

1. Which character in the story / novel undergoes the greatest emotional change? How would you describe that change? Cite evidence for your answer. 2. What question or issue is the author / poet raising in this section of the work? 3. Which poet/author in this unit offers the strongest expression of their idea? What makes it stronger? 4. Why did the poet/author choose this image to convey their idea? What image would make the expression stronger?


 * To what “real life” situations can these questions be applied?**

Read the summaries of each candidate’s / party’s proposal for health care reform (or any other issue) and explain which proposal is the strongest. You are an environmentally conscious driver who needs a large vehicle to transport landscaping supplies and equipment. Consider the advertisements for these three vehicles and pick the best one. Support your choice with evidence. You want to be a blank. Read these two course offerings and decide which one best serves your purposes. Explain your choice.
 * Political speeches**
 * Sales pitches** –
 * Course offerings** –


 * Where was I? Where am I now?**

I've spend a good deal of time thinking about rationales and systemic structures rather than specific critical thinking assessment details and I feel like I have a better grasp on how something like this can work (at least in the launch stage). Wagner's book and the numerous examples he provides of alternative curriculum and assessments have been helpful. I've enjoyed the process of working through an initial assessment model. The rubric will be tricky, but there are some good examples already created and on-line.

I've come to think that in order to get teacher buy-in, we should offer this as a viable alternative to the content-based formative assessments that are already available. We also need to build a system for collecting, storing, and analyzing data from these assessments for later research and development. This has been fun work and I'm excited to hear where everyone else is and to start collaborating on more specific assessment structures.

[|Collge and Work Readiness Assessment] [|Collegiate Learning Assessment]


 * Thinking in "Disciplines"**

What project-based assessments could be designed that would challenge students to exhibit the habits of mind in particular disciplines rather than content areas? For example, historian vs. history student, book critic vs. English student, city planner vs. statistics student, environmentalist vs. science student?


 * The Thinking Person’s SOL Test

Some initial brainstorming on how to lay this out:**

1. Pull “critical thinking” components from SOL each grade level, or across content area.

2. Create three short-term quarterly assessments (an essay question, an in-class collaborative project, a lab) emphasizing just one or two of the critical thinking components pulled from SOL. These first three quarterly assessments could be given as formative assessments, pre-assessments, or diagnostics, depending on the goals of the individual teacher or PLC. A county-wide formative assessment could be done in the fourth and final assessment.

3. Fourth quarter or “final” assessment should be comprehensive, longer in duration, and collaborative. The assessment could (should?) be interdisciplinary in that it would encourage students to use sources and find solutions in any or all of the disciplines. A business plan, a park design, or a community wikispace, for example, could include skills and content knowledge from language arts, science, economics, health, math, and even visual and performing arts.

4. This is the part where we sell the “School Sucks” (School Improvement Plan) idea.

This is catered primarily towards secondary level but could be altered to fit middle or primary grades as well.


 * Who would administer the tests?**

At the secondary level, Critical Thinking Assessments could be administered in any content are (since they are interdisciplinary in nature). PLCs or building administrators could decide who and when, though if assessments are to be formative and data shared across schools, then the timing and placement of tests would need to be somewhat uniform (for example, the second week of each quarter in Language Arts or Earth Science).

Is there a target grade for such assessments (3rd, 7th, and 11th, for example)? Which content area at the secondary level would administer such assessments? How do we avoid assessment overlap? Smaller diagnostic assessments could be made available for teachers at any grade level.

Parameters for assessment? How does this connect to what we've already done? What cultural shift will take place in order for this to take place?

**Thoughts on Gardner's "Five Minds"**

It's interesting how well Gardner's conception of "discipline" fits with the FQL's insistence on inquiry and meaning-making. Mastering not only content (in the form of multiple choice or math procedures), but also the process of reaching "enduring understandings" and "essential questions" seeks to accomplish what Gardner refers to as the disciplined habits of mind. If we bring ourselves as teachers to examine our own cognitive processes in designing lessons and delivering instruction and reflect on how we ourselves are disciplined, and then project those habits and behaviors onto the exercises and activites we create for our students, we come closer to the kind of teaching Gardner advocates.

In the design of my classes I endearvor to create teaching moments, where all students have the opportunity to practice teaching something they've discovered in their reading or research. Gardner refers to this practice as giving students "a taste" of what a discipline requires. Not that I harbor illusions that all or even any of my students will one day be teachers, but the glimpse of what it takes to be one may engage them deeper in the material or at least inspire them to see the content as more than just stuff to memorize and promptly forget after the test.


 * Critical Thinking Defined**

"Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful manipulation of ideas in service of one’’s own, or one's groups’’, vested interest. As such it is typically intellectually flawed, however pragmatically successful it might be. When grounded in fairmindedness and intellectual integrity, it is typically of a higher order intellectually, though subject to the charge of "idealism" by those habituated to its selfish use."

To help children think critically, it is essential that we model the "intellectual integrity" that distinguishes useful inquiry from criticism and cynicism. A truly concept-based curriculum offers itself to an emphasis on critical thinking skills in that it becomes incumbent on the student to draw the lines between content and concept, to discover "when am I ever going to use this again." Perhaps that question itself could be the basis of a critical assessment that would transcend content or discipline.

The use of technology itself fits into any 21st Century conceptualization of practice and application. In my Language Arts classroom, I have often held out against the intrusion of technology, believing that kids need to have a space where they can actually be free from technology, to have the room to sit in a still space and meditate on the deeper themes of the literature we read. It is, however, in creating ways for kids to apply the themes and ideas in genuine and useful ways where technology becomes integral.

Kid: "When will I ever use this again?" Teacher: "Sounds like an assessment question."

Here are some Unit/Concept Assessments I'd like to explore: "Why school sucks" "Why auto mechanics should read MacBeth" "How math is actually poetry" "How football is actually poetry" "Deconstructing the 'F' word" "Deconstructing the 'N' word" "Who I'll be teaching, what I'll be teaching them, and why I'll be teaching it" "Why America is never wrong" "Why Canada is never wrong" "Why History repeats itself" "How baseball is American history" "War: what in fact is it good for?" "Why we don't take naps in America"

Can we make practical correlations between Critical Thinking skills and VSOLs?

Perhaps we should begin with a rationale for a Critical Thinking Assessment. That, followed by examples or projects and assessments, already in use? Grade level matrix or rubrics about what "critical thinking" is and how it can be demonstrated vertically.

Content specific models vs. Interdisciplinary analysis?

As final exam alternative? =Uland's Random thoughts:= [|Critical Thinking Rubric]1. What is the importance of memorization? kids could use google in today's world the ability to find correct knowledge facts is paramount. I am not a proponent of memorizing facts and formulas but would rather focus on how to use the facts or forumulas to solve real-world problems. there is a test coming up - what do I need to know about you as test takers? 2. ill-defined problem - develop critical thinking assessment using technology but don't lock into a particular technology what comes next in the work? What is the ill - defined problem?

Visited [] The most desirable skills: work ethic, collaboration, social responsibility, and critical thinking and problem-solving. Employers also see creativity and innovation as being increasingly important in the future. Idea: Using a wiki in the classroom - in stead of taking notes in individual notebooks take collborative notes/ideas/musings on a wiki site so all can see and share
 * Rethinking what we teach must come before we can rethink how we teach.


 * What would have to change about the classroom for students to be able to use a collaborative wiki? - Chris
 * We need to have access to some technology(laptops, ITouch, ...) to access the wiki's in the classroom

A small action item could be to reduce the number of multiple choice assessments - to me these types of tests tend to be extremely knowledge based and do not help to assess higher order thinking. ( However the grading time is much longer for non multiple choice tests and that would have to be taken into account by school administration, more planning, find technology (or write computer programs) that help grade open-ended responses, etc)

Interesting sites: [|Critical Thinking Assessment Project] [|Computer Science requires critical thinking] [|Critical Thinking Competencies] Interesting Books: [|Puzzle Based Learning for Critical Thinking in Math]an [|Science Critical Thinking through Mysteries]

Reflections July 15, 2009 Over the past month since the last session, I have really tuned into the phrase critical thinking and have noticed it is used quite a bit in the media and in conversation lately. I attended a computer science symposium in Dc on June 27th and they said that often computer programming has become a "cut and paste course that contains no critical thinking". There are excellent resources at this site for inquiry based curriculums. [|Computer Science Teacher's Association] [|CSTA Web Resources for higher level thinking] [|CSTA Presentations]

July 16, 2009 Develop content specific critical thinking tasks: Remember the definition: Critical thinking: is a form of judgment, specifically purposeful and reflective judgment. Using critical thinking one makes a decision or solves the problem of judging what to believe or what to do, but does so in a reflective way. It is a tool that we can use to evaluate incoming information. Think of questions phrased in these terms: 1. makes a decision in a reflective way (evaluate incoming information) 2. solves the problem of judging what to believe in a reflective way (evaluate incoming information) 3. solves the problem by deciding what to do in a reflective way (evaluate incoming information)

Math Critical Thinking Rubric [|Math Critical Thinking Rubric] [|Critical Thinking 4 Rating Rubric] [|Ethics Critical Thinking Rubric] = = =Wasch's Words:= 6/ 24 One of my main goals of this summer work is to learn ways in which to teach critical thinking skills to very young children. My other goal is to learn more about the many uses of technology for very young children. My hope is to be able to help develop assessments that will aid other teachers of very young students.

7/14 I have come such a long way since the start of this work. I felt lost! During our hiatus, I read two of the books, Levy and Gardner and many articles. I read the Crosswalk document that Chris shared with us and I combed the English SOL K-12 to sift out those which required the three most sophisticated critical thinking skills from Blooms. I am no longer lost. One important realization I came to was that the arts are vital in guiding children on the path to critical thinking, it helps children think out of the box. I now believe all children can be taught and nurtured to be critical thinkers. Prior to my work with this group and my recent reading I was not convinced of this. I also believe merging left brain skills with right brain insights leads to innovation, either within oneself or part of a team. I believe Steven Levy was right when he spoke of children's personal genius. Each child has a gift to contribute to the group. It is the gifted educator that can tease this out. My reading in the last three weeks has made me hungry for more. I have started thinking about all this in the context of the childrenI will work with this coming year. I am looking forward to the challenge, because I will teach reading intervention K-2. Prior to this work I would not have had the expectation that this was possible with my students. I am really feeling enervated by this challenge.

7/14 11:00 PM Assessment: 2nd grade Prepare for a class party. Groups of students will plan the food, drink and other products needed. The questions we ask will guide them to plan the menu, list groceries needed and plan what other products are needed.

Assessment: 4th or 5th grade Does Cale School generate more trash or more recycling and how might this impact our local landfill?

Assessment: grades 3-5 Write a 5 year plan for the purchase of PE equipment for Cale. =Elementary Group's Thoughts (July 15th)= = Brainstorming tasks, "thingies" - put grade level on yours if it is clearly limited to certain grades July 15th group work Talking about the habits of mind in different disciplines Primary and secondary sources as translated to math would be evaluating data. Look at the Resources pg for tons of good Critical thinking stuff. Looking at the ACAMB works in progress, scripts, activities, thanks to Sue. We can look at tasks and then look at how to expand the open-endedness of them: "How would you solve this?" "Make it clear how you solved this?" "What are the steps that you used to solve this?" We need model questions and how do we get students to use these as well, so that students can ask group member: "How do you know?" Bloom's Wheel has the question stems! Here are some stems : What is it about the....? What happens if you.....? Are there stems that lend themselves more to technology? How about: What tool could you use? There must be a way to show their thinking. Table 1: Teacher Questions. Question type Description Examples 1. Gathering information, checking for a method, leading students through a method Wants direct answer, usually wrong or right Rehearse known facts/procedures,Enable students to state facts/procedures[equivalent to closed, lower order questions] What is the value of x in this equation?How would you plot that point? 2. Inserting terminology Once ideas are under discussion, enables correct mathematical language to be used to talk about them What is this called in mathematics?How would we write this correctly mathematically? 3. Probing, getting students to explain their thinking Clarify student thinking Enable student to elaborate their thinking for their own benefit and for the class How did you get 10? Can you explain your idea? 4. Exploring mathematical meanings, relationships Point to underlying mathematical relationships and meanings. Make links between mathematical ideas Where is this x on the diagram? What does probability mean? 5. Linking & Applying Point to relationships among mathematical ideas and mathematics and other areas of study/life In what other situations could you apply this? Where else have we used this? 6. Extending thinking Extends the situation under discussion, where similar ideas may be used Would this work with other numbers? 7. Orienting / Focusing Helps students to focus on key elements or aspects of the situation in order to enable problem-solving What is the problem asking you? What is important about this? 8. Generating Discussion Enables other members of class to contribute, comment on ideas under discussion Is there another opinion about this?What did you say, Justin? 9. Establishing context Talks about issues outside of math in order to enable links to be made with mathematics at later point What is the lottery?How old do you have to be to play the lottery? Link: [] Paula - how life-like do we want this to be? If we can, we want it to be as authentic as possible. One idea - gaming is an environment in which they use larg- ish number. And remember, we want to move up the Bloom's scale.... More links: [] [] Building a teaching bridge from reading to math - Burns: [= nl_wp1&crid=160&contentid=529]What if your 4 yr old sister, who can count to 32, asks what this is: 5,462? How do you explain it to her? How are digits like letters? good question from Sherica also - When is a 2 not a 2? How could a 5th grader explain to a younger student that 2 decimal numbers are different? Chris - teachers ARE doing it, but they need to do it explicitly.Resource Books:"How to Assess Problem-solving Skills in Math" By Bena Kallick and Ross Brewer"Uncovering Student Thinking in Mathematics: 25 Formative Assessment Probes " By Cheryl M. Rose, Leslie Minton and Carolyn Arline "Habits Of Mind" Edited by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick "Math By All Means" By Marilyn Burns "10 Ready-to-Go Math Performance Assessments" By Ruth Melendez "Great performances: Creating Classroom-Based Assessment Tasks" by Larry Lewin and Betty Jean Shoemaker "Developing Number Concepts: Place Value, Multiplication, and Division" By Kathy Richardson

=JSW's musings-= = I continue to debate two main issues. If we create a global type of assessment that is flexible and can be used in a variety of grades and across subject areas, will it be as useful to teachers in terms of providing information and a measure of student growth and progress? Also, will we get teacher buy in if it is too global - will they see it as a useful tool and data source? The more an assessment supports the instruction and curriculum of a course or grade level, the more useful it is and the more likely it is to become an integral part of the instructional plan.

My second issue is with the conceptual framework of many of the resources we have explored that teaching and assessing critical thinking is some how new and needed to keep our educational program innovative and responsive to changing student needs. The cynic in me perked up when I read that a new goal has to be to start teaching students to be adaptive and agile thinkers. How is that new? As a history teacher I am struck by the hubris of area of educational research in framing such thinking skills as new priorities...rather I think the shift is that we want all students to have the support needed to develop such skills or that we want to purposefully balance the assessment program of our state with assessment and instruction that targets critical thinking for all students.

Comment from Melissa : I agree with the "wasn't good teaching always about critical thinking?" thought. What I like about your post is how you see this in terms of a shift. I agree that all students need the support. Also, the balance must be there in terms of external requirements; and it's so hard to do with the current frantic teacher attitude of "cover" it and move on!

=Paula's thoughts-= [|Collaboration or Parallel Play] =Possible Tasks or Questions from Elementary Group (June 24th):=

IF we want kids to be critical consumers of graphs, suppose we ask them to take a set of data--say the growth in Albemarle County over the last 100 years--and represent that data in three different ways to make people read the data so that they make three different conclusions. For example, make a pie graph and pick a piece of pie to talk about; OR create a bar graph with the key so small that there looks like no growth, OR the line graph, which is the correct way to show this type of data. ..
 * Elementary ||  || Middle School ||   || High School ||
 * **Graphing Do Figures Lie or Liars figure?**

SO, if kids can manipulate graphs in this way, does that mean they will be evaluative readers of graphs? that they will read graphs critically to see what the maker of the graph is TRYING to make us think? ||  ||   ||   ||   ||


 * How would we use [|Zoom -In Inquiry]? "Digital primary sources provide unique opportunities to ask questions and make connections." ||  ||   ||   ||   ||

[|Did Pocahontas Save Captain John Smith?]
 * [|Was John Smith a Liar?]

[|Captain John Smith: Historian or Liar?]

Sir Walter Raleigh - was he a thief or a hero?

What is history and how do we really know what happened?

||  ||   ||   ||

=Sherica's-= Should include more than 1 content areas, preferably all. math reading social studies science art Project based task with a rationale.
 * The Concept of Change: How does looking at Changes in our world build an understanding of Elementary Science concepts? weather, geology, water cycle, states of matter, cell structures, life cycles, ||  ||   ||   || ||

I am feeling a little uneasy right now. I have been reading the Global Achievement Gap, and it scares me more and more with each page. I think that as a whole we are aware that the global achievement gap exists. However, we are not doing much about it. We are here to develop critical thinking assessments, and I think that's great. However, I think that if we don't do more to monitor whether or not critical thinking is taking place or a regular basis or not, this will be for naught. I know that we want to ease the teachers into things, but what about the children? Each year that we wait to incite real change is a year that they lose. Is that fair? These are the questions that I continue to struggle with. I think we are looking at the mountain that we need to move, and because we don't quite know how, we are just jumping over the mole hills. I appreciate that we are coming up with tasks and questions that can transcend grades and content areas.

//Defining Critical Thinking and Problem Solving [|More info...] · Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation // · Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems // · Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs · Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view · Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments · Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis · Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes // //What are the 21st century skills that we look for? [|More info...] //
 * "Chunks of Goodness" (aka J) thoughts...**
 * Reason Effectively** //
 * Use Systems Thinking** //
 * Make Judgments and Decisions** //
 * Solve Problems** //
 * Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
 * Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions


 * The most desirable skills: work ethic, collaboration, social responsibility, and critical thinking and problem-solving. Employers also see creativity and innovation as being increasingly important in the future. **

//So why use technology to promote this? // Examples of 21st century skills include **global awareness, financial and entrepreneurial literacy, information and media literacy, civic literacy, and health literacy. Students also need to acquire skills such as innovation and creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, information and media literacy, self-direction, adaptability, and accountability**.

In terms of teaching methods, schools must recognize that **what engages this generation of learners is very different from what may have engaged previous generations**.

All together, students spend an average of **nearly 6.5 hours a day with media**.
 * Students today have grown up in a world where mobile computers, cell phones with browsers, and other personal digital devices are common tools, and instant messaging, blogs, and wikis are common modes of self-expression. **

Not surprisingly, **students today expect to learn in an environment that mirrors their lives and their futures-one that seamlessly integrates today’s digital tools, accommodates a mobile lifestyle, and encourages collaboration and teamwork in physical and virtual spaces. ** July 15th Looking back over the task of classifying standards to fit into "soft" categories of higher level thinking, I suspect there will be disagreement over the placement of standards or substantial overlap. = = =Melissa-=
 * Because of today’s digital technology, students live a media rich, connected, and mobile lifestyle, and they are just as often producers of content as they are consumers ** . Web 2.0 technologies, including social networks and participatory sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Second Life, and World of Warcraft, provide them with engaging opportunities for interaction and informal learning, and create new opportunities to leverage this **informal learning by integrating it purposefully into the fabric of formal learning.**
 * The disconnect between a student’s digital life and school matters because students learn better when they are engaged, and research about what engages them points to technology. **
 * Numerous studies have shown that effective integration of technology into teaching and learning can result in higher levels of student achievement. **
 * from Brian's pg**: ....new methods of collaborating and presenting..brings out:"critical need for self-regulation of learning by students, coupled with clarity of goals." (From [|Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow]


 * from Chris's pg**: good well-thought out look at what critical thinking is.... " the teacher who fosters critical thinking fosters reflectiveness in students by asking questions that stimulate thinking essential to the construction of knowledge." [|source]

This I Believe: 1.Failing and being persistent must be discussed, modeled and worked into learning every day.

Where I was after the last 2 sessions: A little overwhelmed, trying to think of how it all fits together in terms of an assessment, not sure if I was knowledgeable enough to be a real help to Deannine with a lower elementary math assessment. I was also thinking of what technology to "add in".
 * Reflection: Where I was, Where I am; What's Changed and Why**

Where I am now: Not so overwhelmed, because lots of things have had a chance to percolate. Also, after working with a co-writer and editor on an article lately, I've become much more flexible in my approach. Collaboration can be messy. After 3 amazing days at NECC09, I've got a real sense of the technology side of things as being just a venue, with the goal being the learning. I've always had those words in my brain, but they have taken on a new meaning for me. There are so many tech tools out there, that I feel like I'm starting to have a good general sense of how to find and use a good one. And that's why the whole "oh cool, look at this" side is starting to get out of my system. The learning and the lessons, with good differentiation, are what count. The assessment of critical thinking is vital; but the technology is starting to be a much smaller focus, moving to the category of pencils or dictionaries. I wonder how long people in the 1930's talked about typewriters and how different they were. Surely we can speed up the process. Paula on Schooling by Design: if goal is life after school, what do kids have to have? Then everything in the classroom, every classroom, is centered on that. McTighe - enduring intellectual accomplishments, so that the goal is not standardized testing. Notes from group - Practical Group - =Brian's thoughts-= Changes in thinking since last meeting.... Not so much a change in thinking as simply an insight: critical thinking skills are necessary to innovation, which is essential to the success of our children and our nation.

The West Virginia Dept of Ed. has come up with 21st century skill in an SOL-like format.... W VA 21st Century skills

This strikes me as a pretty good summary of the types of things an assessment can be, especially the reliance on peer feedback and group work:

As student work becomes more collaborative, technological, and inquiry-based, students are increasingly learning in online, informal, and team settings. As such, feedback is often generated by other participants working in the same virtual learning spaces and through joint development of wikis, blog responses, text messaging, verbal interactions, or video/audio responses. This is also the case when learners produce multimedia products, publish to the Web, and then peers, instructors, co-developers, parents and family, experts, and others provide feedback. This translates into a critical need for self-regulation of learning by students, coupled with clarity of goals. (From Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow.)

Talking to our neighbors at the table- high school teachers. Jeff - answers can change according to context - eg in engineering, answers depend on policies, costs, etc. He sees huge resistance to assignments that require real thinking, applying what they know. In math, there is a lot of re-teaching. Brian - the need for authentic assessments. Jeff - and the need for assessments to be useful, valued by learners. I wish technology could be used to grade open-ended stuff. Deannine - we do exit slips that become our assessments - we give those back and we have discussions ( with students using elmo) about how our thinking is going. It's frustrating to have bright students who don't know how they learn and bright students who love worksheets - because they don't have to think! Melissa - so how do we counter the passivity of so many learners? Jenn - our professional environment is very different from the learning environment we want. We need to model active learning in our lives. Jeff - we all really are critical thinkers, but the kids know they are not being assessed on that! Susan - intermural sports, theater, etc. wold be great - to have activities to offer kids who are not good enough for most teams (you have to be at the top of your game to be on most teams) Brian - we need new ways to model for our students. Jeff - it's amazing how much kids can learn from failure. Also the more we can have kids team together to learn, the better. I like this test idea: one kid answers the 1st question, then hands it to the 2nd one who checks the thinking of the 1st and adds to it....
 * Thoughts from Early Childhood Group (June 24):**

Many common issues w. secondary school! Jen - we need the structure to allow the creativity Deannine and Melissa - how do we start with young learners: =Tiny Chat Notes-= Saved: 6/25/2009 1:20 PM http://tinychat.com/acpscaw
 * teaching background knowledge that includes the culture of thinking - taking risks, making connections, creativity
 * helping them think about their learning, understanding how they learn and what strategies can help them
 * encouraging the practice of questioning
 * helping them to understand the "job" of being a student in a different way
 * having kids be able to deal wwel with feedback

[9:20] guest-2029 changed nickname to Paula [9:20] Paula changed nickname to paulawhite [9:21] guest-2033 entered the room [9:22] guest-2033 changed nickname to 44 [9:22] guest-2038 entered the room [9:23] paulawhite: Hey, folks, we'll be starting around 9:30--please tell us who you are. [9:24] guest-2045 entered the room [9:27] guest-2045 changed nickname to rashkath [9:28] rashkath: Hi Paulawhite [9:30] paulawhite: Hey There! We'll be starting a few. . . [9:32] guest-2063 entered the room [9:32] guest-2063 changed nickname to wingfriend [9:32] paulawhite: Hi, Laurel, [9:35] guest-2077 entered the room [9:37] guest-2077 changed nickname to Melissa [9:37] paulawhite: Hi, Melissa, [9:38] rashkath: Hello everyone, I 'm interested in having a chat on technology related issues. [9:39] wingfriend: Oh, here's where you talk! Hi Paula, and all. [9:40] guest-2085 entered the room [9:40] guest-2086 entered the room [9:40] guest-2087 entered the room [9:40] guest-2088 entered the room [9:40] guest-2089 entered the room [9:40] guest-2090 entered the room [9:40] guest-2088 changed nickname to Darcy [9:40] guest-2085 changed nickname to JonWamsley [9:40] guest-2090 changed nickname to Chris [9:40] guest-2092 entered the room [9:41] guest-2092 changed nickname to Jeff [9:41] guest-2089 changed nickname to Harri [9:41] JonWamsley: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:41] guest-2094 entered the room [9:41] guest-2095 entered the room [9:41] guest-2094 changed nickname to Brian [9:41] guest-2095 changed nickname to Lking2 [9:41] guest-2097 entered the room [9:41] Lking2 changed nickname to Lisa [9:41] Melissa: backchannels are also a good way to have a record of thoughts [9:42] guest-2097 changed nickname to Trevor [9:42] Trevor: OK, here I am. Ready to chat. [9:42] guest-2098 entered the room [9:42] Melissa: I've seen a mention on Twitter of a teacher using a backchannel stream for assessment [9:42] guest-2101 entered the room [9:42] JonWamsley: This is fantastic for classes- specifically the desktop view function [9:42] guest-2101 changed nickname to Sherica [9:43] Melissa: Jon has used this in classes-and exported it to other apps [9:43] guest-2102 entered the room [9:43] Melissa: wow, I didn't know about the desktop view function [9:43] guest-2102 changed nickname to kimberly [9:43] JonWamsley: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [9:43] JonWamsley: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:44] Sherica: This is very knew to me, and I think it might be distracting. [9:44] Melissa: it's a real test of multitasking, huh? [9:44] kimberly: I have never used this before [9:45] guest-2105 entered the room [9:45] guest-2105 changed nickname to Harri [9:45] Jeff: Multitasking is a killer to critical thinking [9:45] paulawhite: we're sharing Ah-Ha's--need for wikis to be collaborative rather than parallel play--so I've suggested this tiny chat as a discussion [9:45] guest-2098 changed nickname to suland [9:45] suland: this is cool [9:45] guest-2108 entered the room [9:46] Melissa: I agree with you Jeff, but I still sometimes need to capture thoughts - or they're gone [9:46] guest-2108 changed nickname to JAC [9:46] rashkath: what is the purpose of this activity. It is making me confused. [9:47] guest-2117 entered the room [9:47] guest-2117 changed nickname to Jeff4510 [9:47] Melissa: hey, rashkath, it's an optional activity - only if you want to post short comments [9:47] Chris: We are getting ourselves familiar with the backchat possibilities as a new way to share. [9:47] paulawhite: Rashkath, we're learning tinychat right now. . conversation will occur as we move on. [9:47] guest-2120 entered the room [9:47] guest-2120 changed nickname to Jeff2797 [9:47] JonWamsley: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [9:48] rashkath: thanks Mellisa for guiding [9:48] Melissa: memo to self - mostly I don't want students to use the camera [9:48] guest-2125 entered the room [9:48] guest-2125 changed nickname to Jeff [9:49] JonWamsley: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:49] Trevor: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:49] paulawhite: it's also a way to hold groups in class accountable--they can keep records of the conversation so you (as Tchr) can see it. [9:49] guest-2128 entered the room [9:50] JonWamsley: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [9:50] Sherica: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:50] Trevor: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [9:50] guest-2131 entered the room [9:51] guest-2132 entered the room [9:51] guest-2131 changed nickname to Jenn [9:51] Trevor: I feel 135 years-old. How does one keep up with this stuff? [9:51] guest-2132 changed nickname to Melissa [9:51] Sherica: I am going to be playing with this all day. What in the world. [9:51] Sherica: I had bagels for breakfast. [9:51] rashkath: Thanks Paula, a new learning experience. Good way to connect and share thoughts. [9:51] kimberly: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [9:53] Melissa: good pt. Jen: need to use the work that's already been done - ie benchmarks we already have for critical thinking [9:53] guest-2139 entered the room [9:53] guest-2139 changed nickname to JonWamsley [9:53] wingfriend: I am excited about how this adds a new level of participation. [9:54] Melissa: Paula, do you mean we should trust ourselve to naturally incorporate the important previous wk? [9:54] paulawhite: More ah-has. . have to release with prior work in county so it doesn't look like one more thing. . . what if we looked at doing it just with the people in this room right now? (it being creating assessments that deal with critical thinking) [9:54] guest-2141 entered the room [9:54] guest-2141 changed nickname to Jeff [9:55] paulawhite: I think, Melissa, that is a great connection. . . Jenn, the checks and balances will be good. . . [9:55] paulawhite: @wingfriend--you cna seee how kdis reticent to talk in class may participate here. ;-) [9:57] Melissa: Jen's comment to teachers - if you think about the colleagues you most respect, they ARE doing the FQL aligned teaching [9:57] paulawhite: Reading the Haward Gardner Book about 5 Minds for the Future--making connections between disciplines, between concepts reaffirmed our previous work on OUR FQL as well. [9:57] Melissa: this wk gives us a chance to assess ourselves - Trevor - gd pt [9:57] Jenn: I think in many ways Paula is right that we have to think of what would work for us on a personal level for us in our classes because that's how we ensure an authentic product and not just a thing that is discussed and debated but kids never see or do [9:58] paulawhite: (if you'r enot in ACPS and want the link to our FQL, tweet me later (@paulawhite) on Twitter. [9:58] guest-2157 entered the room [9:58] guest-2157 changed nickname to Trevor [9:59] JonWamsley: Visual art-Content Creation connection is clear. Content creation utilizes all these skills we are addressing. [9:59] guest-2162 entered the room [9:59] guest-2162 changed nickname to Jeff1055 [10:00] guest-2164 entered the room [10:00] guest-2164 changed nickname to Jeff2823 [10:00] JAC: technology tools offer many ways for students to create, publishing and sharing their voice with the world. should be considered as part of the product for critical thinking assessment [10:00] Jeff2823 changed nickname to Jeff8746 [10:00] guest-2167 entered the room [10:00] guest-2167 changed nickname to Jeff5845 [10:00] Melissa: Paula - students most involved when they are using their arena of least strength - lots to think about [10:01] paulawhite: we need to include fine arts in all we do. . . I'll tryto find the blog I read last week about differentiation and using strengths and weaknesses to help kids grow. [10:01] Melissa: this really ties into what we were saying about risk-taking, needing to see failures as opportunities [10:02] Melissa: JAC's comment reminds me of the crucial importance of presentation skills!!! [10:03] guest-2176 entered the room [10:03] guest-2176 changed nickname to dlahham [10:04] paulawhite: BUYT as we create these assessments, we cannot stop at researchand present. .it's not about presenting, but about what kids DO with the content. Applying it is imp't. [10:04] guest-2178 entered the room [10:04] kimberly: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [10:04] kimberly: ***Click here to view my desktop*** [10:04] kimberly: ***Stopped desktop sharing*** [10:05] Melissa: Paula said at the start - how to move kids beyond "wiki parallel play"? [10:05] wingfriend: Lots of ideas being tossed out. Lots of struggles with how we want to approach this. [10:06] guest-2188 entered the room [10:06] Melissa: Chris - what does true colalboration look like - it shouldn't be divide and conquer (only) [10:07] guest-2188 changed nickname to rashkath [10:07] paulawhite: Do we as teachers promote/teach/model collaboration well? How is that done? [10:09] paulawhite: the world is too big and becoming too connected for us to teach everything; what we need to do is to give them the skills to use technolgoy to find what they need to figure out the task. [10:09] Melissa: idea from Susan - give them something nobody is good at, no one knows how to do it - re collaboration [10:10] wingfriend: Might learning to collaborate be part of a process? If we set out to "teach" collaboration, would there be stages of progress that could be observed or measured? [10:10] Melissa: encouraging collaboration takes a new approach, lots of groundwork - time-consuming [10:10] paulawhite: OOH, good question, Laurel! [10:10] Melissa: discovery learning takes time, planning, etc [10:14] paulawhite: How do we get beyond discovery learning to using the habits of mind of the discipline in a task to get to deep understanding from the kids? [10:14] Melissa: maybe I want to have the Habits of Mind posted in my library... [10:15] JonWamsley: Habits of mind will have to be introduced SO early...established and reinforced. A "safety net" from elementary through 12th. [10:16] Melissa: Susan - maybe we need some students' perspectives on critical thinking [10:18] paulawhite: Little Big Minds (another of our texts) was an eyeopener for some; having those philosophical conversations is crucial for growing critical thinking [10:20] guest-2234 entered the room [10:20] paulawhite: Jon, do you think they (habits of mind) are not introduced/used in elementary? I'm not quite sure what you're saying. hel;p me understand what you mean by safety net, too, please. [10:20] guest-2239 entered the room [10:20] guest-2239 changed nickname to Melissa [10:21] JonWamsley: Sorry- I absolutely believe that habits of mind are introduced in elementary in many cases. I suppose I am thinking about strategies that are incorporated more often, and with a common vocabulary and approach. [10:22] paulawhite: Got, it, thanks! [10:23] JonWamsley: The term "safety net" is used in Geoffery Canada's book "Whatever It Takes". He established the Harlem Children's Zone, where children are supported from birth (Baby College) through the remaining system. It is the idea that a net exists, to prevent students from falling through the cracks. Interesting read. [10:29] paulawhite: One idea is setting parameters as to details; another is scaffolding--for both teachers and kids; (to make more explicit the critical thinking pieces) and, to discuss the cultural shifts that will occur if we move form teacher giving the answers-a-dn kids learnign that school is about learning the right answers form the experts. [10:30] paulawhite: if we lived ina perfect world, what would our assessment look like (let's not worry about ppl who are not here) ? [10:32] paulawhite: practical, creative and analytic--the practical is the detail; the creative is the set up for scaffolding and how to help folks understand/teach/assess critical thinking; the analytic is to discuss how schooling will change as we set different tasks. [10:33] Darcy: To be devil?s advocate... It feels like we are trying to create a project that might last for a few days, maybe a week, where the goal is to get the students involved in true critical thinking? but I feel like we need to think bigger ? if our overall goal is to teach students how to be critical thinkers, how is a ?3-day project? going to meet this end? [10:33] guest-2272 entered the room [10:34] guest-2272 changed nickname to Harri [10:36] paulawhite: Are we looking at creating an example; would that do what we want? What DO we want? [10:36] paulawhite: Do we agree as to what we want here? What I'm hearing is that some of us believe our goal is to create an assessment that causes teachers to think about how they teach in the classroom. [10:38] wingfriend changed nickname to Laurel [10:39] paulawhite: Chris says goal is to create an assessment that helps teachers understand if their kids are using critical thinking skills [10:41] paulawhite: challenges will be to help teachers understand how to embed some of the teaching of critical thinking skills into their work so they can see the value of the assessment. (not sure that captured what he said) [10:41] guest-2293 entered the room [10:41] guest-2293 changed nickname to galejohn [10:42] guest-2298 entered the room [10:43] paulawhite: Welcome, galejohn! We're a group of teachers who are trying ot figure out howwe can best create somethign that will ramp our county teaching up from the focus on our standardized tests to higher level thinking [10:44] guest-2305 entered the room [10:44] Jenn: I think Trevor makes a good point that we have as a county created the framework for the curriculum dev that encourages the teaching and use of critical thinking. If we keep our task focused it may be more useful to us and teachers at large - we don't need to reinvent the FQL... [10:44] guest-2305 changed nickname to Sherica [10:44] paulawhite: AMEN, Jenn, we do NOT need to recreate the FQL. . . [10:44] Darcy: Interesting link: http://www.criticalthinking.org/ from this site, some good articles: http://www.criticalthinking.org/articles/index.cfm [10:45] guest-2311 entered the room [10:45] guest-2311 changed nickname to galejohn [10:47] Laurel: I think Sherica makes a good point with beginning with the task, itself, sort of like a backward design model. [10:47] Darcy: Critical thinking rubric: http://wsuctproject.wsu.edu/ctr.htm [10:48] suland: This quote on www.criticalthinking.org resonates with me "Unfortunately, we cannot assume that teachers have a clear concept of critical thinking. Indeed research indicates the opposite is true. Available evidence suggests that critical thinking is rarely fostered in a systematic way in academic programs at any level" [10:50] guest-2336 entered the room [10:50] guest-2339 entered the room [10:50] guest-2339 changed nickname to Lisa [10:53] paulawhite: LOVE the rubric, Darcy. . .would loveto see similar continuum with the defintion we've chosen to embrace for this purpose. http://critical-assessment.wikispaces.com/Defining_the_Task (bottom of the page) [10:53] guest-2350 entered the room [10:54] guest-2350 changed nickname to JAC [11:04] guest-2383 entered the room [11:05] guest-2383 changed nickname to me [11:08] guest-2397 entered the room [11:08] guest-2397 changed nickname to JAC [11:08] JAC: I feel better about the parameters now! [11:10] Laurel: This isn't so hard, is it? : ) [11:18] JAC: common task, question, project (aka "thingy") that is embedded in commmon assessments [11:18] paulawhite: I am questioning why we need the frequency definition. . if critical thinking is imbued into my daily teaching, I wil be assessing (at LEAST imformally) all the time. To define that we do it quarterly is weird to me. [11:19] JAC: so as a result we will have discussion on whether students are thinking critically in PLC conversations [11:20] Laurel: And so, Paula, that frequency would probably be reflected in how your students approach and succeed in the quarterly task, no? [11:20] guest-2451 entered the room [11:20] guest-2452 entered the room [11:20] guest-2452 changed nickname to greenie1903 [11:20] JAC: agree, Paula. I guess we think of this as a scaffoldingpiece for commonality across teams/ grade levels [11:20] dlahham: isnt the time/duration just a guideline. [11:22] JAC: I would hope great teachers provide opportunities for critical thinking all of the time [11:22] dlahham: while I'll be looking at assessing the critical thinking often at my own class level but the quarterly assessment to compare with PLC members and other schools would be important to help promote further growth [11:23] dlahham: telling team members that they have to do a task that last longer then 30 minutes up front will cause all kinds of backlash at my homeland [11:24] Chris: @DLahham: Why are teachers so resistant to these types of projects: [11:25] Darcy: I agree... but if we can find a way to incorporate this into the chapter/unit tests we are already giving, I think it will be easier to sell. [11:26] dlahham: I dont' really get why I get so much resistence but to some it is the unknown and their own unsure ability with this type of work [11:26] Darcy: Teachers are resistant to anything they think will take time away from what they need to get done - so until they see it as something that will be a means to the mastery of the curriculum they need to teach, they will be resistant to the change. (Who Moved My Cheese comes to mind!) [11:27] JonWamsley: A thought for teachers of very young students- what about utilizing some of the questioning we do for TPAs? Antonetti's stuff like "In what ways are you challenged to think in this lesson?" [11:27] JonWamsley: "Why is this important to learn?" [11:28] JonWamsley: Maybe create a portfolio of quick responses [11:32] guest-2500 entered the room [11:32] guest-2500 changed nickname to poop [11:50] Chris: Thankfully pizza has arrived. We will be on lunch break. [11:51] guest-2588 entered the room [11:53] JonWamsley: Paula- have some good suggestions for work-related tweets? [11:55] guest-2624 entered the room [11:58] guest-2639 entered the room [11:59] paulawhite: you want english as the content area? [11:59] guest-2642 entered the room [11:59] guest-2642 changed nickname to nawalnader [12:00] guest-2646 entered the room [12:00] guest-2646 changed nickname to jerrytcher [12:00] guest-2652 entered the room [12:01] guest-2652 changed nickname to Smiley [12:01] paulawhite: Hi, Jerry, Smiley and Nawalnader. . we'll be back in about 15 minutes [12:03] guest-2668 entered the room [12:03] guest-2670 entered the room [12:06] guest-2690 entered the room [12:06] guest-2693 entered the room [12:07] guest-2693 changed nickname to plnaugle [12:07] guest-2700 entered the room [12:07] guest-2700 changed nickname to markwagner [12:08] paulawhite: Hi, Paula, Hi, Mark--we're on lunch right now--be back shortly. . . [12:08] guest-2624 changed nickname to Melissa [12:08] markwagner: Ah... Is anyone broadcasting or are the cameras off? [12:08] plnaugle: Okay just read tweet about this have to go get packed for NECC have a good day. [12:08] markwagner: I'm trying to see how well tinychat works... was actually testing it myself when I saw the tweets of this chat. [12:09] plnaugle: Hi Mark. [12:09] Melissa: Hi, Mark - look at a very recent tweet of mine - Paula's tip - Vicki Davis's slideshare on use of it in classroom [12:10] markwagner: Hi, plnaugle. And thanks, Melissa. Anyone broadcasting? Or text only right now. [12:10] paulawhite: It's been good. . . if you DM me yoru email, I'll send ya the chat we've had going all morning. . with a room full of people who had never used it before. [12:10] markwagner: Cool. I'm markdwagner@gmail.com - no need for a DM. ;) [12:10] paulawhite: Just texting at this point. . we're doing pizza at the moment. [12:10] Melissa: they're eating pizza - we were broadcasting earlier bu most went to text only [12:10] markwagner: :) [12:11] markwagner: I'll try a demo room for a minute then. Thanks for sharing during your lunch. :) [12:12] paulawhite: Mark, it should be in your email [12:15] guest-2733 entered the room [12:16] guest-2690 changed nickname to Lisa [12:19] markwagner: Thanks, Paula. I'll check... [12:22] Melissa: intersection of problem solving and higher levels of Bloom's IS critical thinking - Chris [12:26] paulawhite: will be splitting into 3 groups--analytic, creative, and practical to begin to brainstorm possible tasks. task will be listed here: http://critical-assessment.wikispaces.com --look for the group names; recording will happen there AND here [12:27] guest-2797 entered the room [12:27] guest-2797 changed nickname to melmcbride [12:27] melmcbride: not camera ready right now but .. [12:28] guest-2801 entered the room [12:28] guest-2802 entered the room [12:28] Melissa: we're choosing groups according to our areas of weakness - practical, analytical, creative [12:28] guest-2805 entered the room [12:29] Melissa: I'm in practical group, I'll be taking notes on the wiki, but checking in here too [12:29] guest-2805 changed nickname to suland [12:29] Melissa: looking longingly at group 3 [12:31] guest-2802 changed nickname to Laurel [12:31] Melissa: OK so we are going to generate a list of possible tasks that can be assessed for critical thinking [12:31] guest-2818 entered the room [12:31] guest-2818 changed nickname to dlahham [12:32] paulawhite: Welcome, Melanie. . . look at our wiki here to see our tasks right now: [12:32] paulawhite: Group 1: Practical - Brainstorming assessments? * What are possible topics or ideas?Group 2: Analytical - How is critical thinking embedded in the Division work? * Connections to: FQL? Habits of Mind? LLLS? Curriculum Framework?Group 3: Creative - What is the philosophical imperative driving critical thinking? * Connections to the literature? Five minds? * What are the cultural shifts that might occur? [12:32] Melissa: I'm sitting next to Deannine, amazing 1st gr teacher (background in studio art) and we plan to focus on lower el numberacy [12:32] guest-2821 entered the room [12:32] guest-2821 changed nickname to Brian [12:32] guest-2826 entered the room [12:32] Melissa: Five Minds is Gardner bk - not an indicator of mental statue [12:33] Melissa: I mean status [12:33] guest-2826 changed nickname to JAC [12:33] paulawhite: sorry, wiki is here: http://critical-assessment.wikispaces.com/June+25 [12:34] guest-2834 entered the room [12:39] Melissa: here's our page on the wiki - it records our brainstormed list: http://critical-assessment.wikispaces.com/Group+1+-+Practical [12:45] Melissa: Paula - why do we teach hand-raising in school? We should be taking turntaking .... Isn't school the only place anyone ever raises their hand? Aren't we preparing students for real lif? [12:46] paulawhite: talking about turntaking in schools; why do we teach kids ot raise thiei hands instead of teaching them conversational turntaking skills [12:50] nawalnader: I agree- archaic method in 21st century teaching lol! I teach 8th LA -I start off the year with the expectation of raising hands, and move kids towards a more conversational turntaking skills [12:50] guest-2911 entered the room [12:50] guest-2911 changed nickname to Brian [12:51] paulawhite: And, why do we teach kids school should be listening more than conversation or sharing? How do we change those cultural expectations? [12:52] paulawhite: critical thinking tasks about books--what if two characters switched places--how would that change the outcomes of the book? [12:53] paulawhite: Why are folk tales told in all cultures? Are there common themes/lessons/story architects across those cultures? [12:56] Melissa: Janelle catlett: Wilderdom - a project in natural living & transformation [12:58] paulawhite: Melissa, add this as an idea: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=22621 [12:59] kimberly: have the students make school new and imporved [12:59] guest-2973 entered the room [13:00] guest-2973 changed nickname to rj [13:01] guest-2977 entered the room [13:01] Laurel: Here's the link: http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/ctp/ex-a4.htm [13:02] guest-2977 changed nickname to dlahham [13:03] kimberly: Practical: Creating from research after visiting other schools, interviewing pricipals, students, teachers. Gathering information to demonstate the critical thinking skills they have learned throughout he year. Replacing the final exam. [13:04] guest-3000 entered the room [13:10] Chris: Group 1 - Spiraling ideas are filling my head. What if science spiraled through building labs or research projects? What is history spiraled through identifying how we know the "truth" of what happened or how things would be different in an event changed? [13:13] guest-3076 entered the room [13:14] kimberly: Teaching to the test =Chris's Thoughts-=
 * Has the division considered Professional Development opportunities to re-engage teachers in the teaching of Critical Thinking capacity? Would this be helpful in encouraging teachers to embrace this mission?** Trevor

When I googled "critical thinking" I got nearly 50,000,000 hits. Do we all have the same sense of critical thinking and the skills associated with critical thinking? How do we define critical thinking?


 * Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. [|source]
 * Assuming that critical thinking is reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do, a critical thinker:
 * 1) Is open-minded and mindful of alternatives
 * 2) Tries to be well-informed
 * 3) Judges well the credibility of sources
 * 4) Identifies conclusions, reasons, and assumptions
 * 5) Judges well the quality of an argument, including the acceptability of its reasons, assumptions, and evidence
 * 6) Can well develop and defend a reasonable position
 * 7) Asks appropriate clarifying questions
 * 8) Formulates plausible hypotheses; plans experiments well
 * 9) Defines terms in a way appropriate for the context
 * 10) Draws conclusions when warranted, but with caution
 * 11) Integrates all items in this list when deciding what to believe or do [|source]
 * There are two phases to the learning of content. The first occurs when learners (for the first time) construct in their minds the basic ideas, principles, and theories that are inherent in content. This is a process of [|internalization]. The second occurs when learners effectively use those ideas, principles, and theories as they become relevant in learners’ lives. This is a process of application. Good teachers cultivate critical thinking (intellectually engaged thinking) at every stage of learning, including initial learning. This process of intellectual engagement is at the heart of the[|Oxford], [|Durham], [|Cambridge] and [|London School of Economics] tutorials. The tutor questions the students, often in a Socratic manner (see[|Socratic questioning]). The key is that the teacher who fosters critical thinking fosters reflectiveness in students by asking questions that stimulate thinking essential to the construction of knowledge. [|source]

This is a key point, I think. In order for students to begin thinking critically, they have to have an "internalized" understanding of the accepted "truths" of the subject. This may be the strongest case for objective assessments as prerequisite to more critical assessments, but even the teaching of "basic ideas, principles, and theories," there is a need for teachers to "ask the next why"? Why do we trust that two plus two does, in fact, make four?
 * Good critical thinking is skillful and responsible thinking in which you study the problem from all angles, and then exercise your best judgment to draw
 * conclusions.[|source]

In the introduction of Little Big Minds, Marietta McCarty discusses the importance of participating without doing the assignment for them. Teachers are often seen as the source of information, clarification, or meaning making in the classroom. How would teachers have to change their role if the goal of the assessment is "to provide the opportunity for a child to expand his or her own mind"? It seems that the Air Force has already done some of this work: []