Defining_the_Task

--Are we assessing critical thinking or creating assessments that teach/require critical thinking? Will teachers say they don't know HOW to teach critical thinking? --Intellectual laziness or intellectual fear? When the teacher does ask "why?" they have a preconceived notion of the answer. How do we work with teachers to open this up so kids can learn from each other without the fear of performing for the teacher? --Encourage writing and talking about writing/reflecting (referenced in 90-90-90 research) --How do we articulate the skills vertically? --Marzano and Wormeli's Tier 1/Tier 2/Tier 3 questions? --Tomlinson's 3 P's of grading -- Process, Product, Progress --What will motivate students to take this task seriously? --What happens with the "scoring"? --Is this assessment going to take place in a class period or a week or what? Outside of the class? --Application agnostic? Define what we mean by technology. What are we assessing? --Are we coming up with one task or one template or many little tasks? --Include element of design? Include element of persuasion? Could one task span preK - 12? One concept that ties it all together? One question that we ask every year?-- What imprint am I leaving on the world? -- -- If we are preparing you to succeed as a member of a global community and in a global economy, ...? -- Who will you teach? What will you teach them? Why is it important for you to know what you know? -- Are we creating a question or a task? Critical thinking happens when you DO. Plan a trip...K plan to Grandma's and HS kids create an itinerary --Can we think about this as a framework for a pre- and post-assessment for teachers to use? Implies teachers are teaching critical thinking. --Assessment for learning like DSA - diagnostic?
 * Defining the Task**

Non-negotiables -User friendly for teachers who don't have much time (be mindful of not making it so overwhelming teachers won't try it)...accessibility -If we tie it to SOL, people might be more apt to try it -If it correlates to our existing frameworks (Are we using the Framework unit frame? Or, do we create a partner structure?) -Specific, targeted, intentional -interdisciplinary...how would this work at the secondary level? Content specific models that center on critical thinking OR create something that takes place after the SOL during "movie week"? -We need to educate people as to why we want to assess critical thinking (so and so doesn't know how to think) -It's not about one right answer -Evidence student thinking (through writing?) -There is a response to the student, but the team using the assessment decides how to do this -Maximizes metacognition

Desireables -Promote interdependence - they all contribute and we need each others' input -Feedback is something other than a "grade" -Separate scoring from feedback...does the feedback need to come from us? -Flexible for teachers to take it to the next step -Minimizes the sting of failure - mistakes as learning opportunities - so use to being right or so use to being wrong has to be balanced...success tied to self and not to other people's perceptions? -Peer involvement? Think-pair-share/peer instruction/peer feedback -Entry points for different kids - make it about them

Next steps //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 // · 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
 * Reason Effectively** //
 * Use Systems Thinking** //
 * Make Judgments and Decisions** //
 * Solve Problems** //

Grapple with this given your content and age group...what do these things mean? How do they relate to our Frameworks and standards? What will it look like elementary, middle, and high? Then, what will it look like in different disciplines?