Promoting Critical Thinking Using

Web Based Resources and Activities

Seton Hall June 2015

Deb Park Rutgers University, Camden

How can we promote deeper thinking in our courses?

Sharon R. Sears, and Brian L. Burke:

Easy access to information makes the memorization of basic facts—once the hallmark of education—largely irrelevant in the modern world. The vast amount of information available calls instead for honing of different skills.

While students are repeatedly reminded not to believe everything they read or see on TV or other media devices, many still consider on-line open source sites to be acceptably reliable sources of information.

How to Judge the Reliability of Internet Information

•Who is the author or sponsor of the page? On the page you are citing, or on a page linked to it, that individual or organization should be identified, that individual's qualifications should be apparent, and other avenues of verification should be open to you. On the other hand, a page created by a person or an organization that does not provide this information is not a good source to cite. 

Are there obvious reasons for bias? If the page is presented by a tobacco company consortium, you should be suspicious of its reports on the addictiveness of nicotine. Is there any advertising? If the page is sponsored by Acme Track Shoes, you should be suspicious of its claims for Acme track shoes' performance. 

Is contact information provided? If the only identification available is something cryptic, such as "Society for Ferruginous Retorts," be suspicious of the page's reliability. If the page is sponsored by a reputable person or organization, there should be some other way to verify that reputation, such as an e-mail or postal address. (Note that a tilde [~] in the page's address usually indicates a personal home page and may require more searching for reliability.) 

•Is there a copyright symbol on the page? If so, who holds the copyright? 

Is this page a "zombie," or one considered "walking dead" because the person who posted it no longer maintains or updates it? Even though the information is "alive" in that it is still accessible, it is "dead" in that it could well be several years old! 

What is the purpose of the page? Why is this information being posted--as information, as a public service, as a news source, as a research tool for academics, as a personal ax to grind, or as a way to gain attention? 

How well organized is the page? Is the page easy to navigate? Is it complete? When was the page last updated? Is the information on it current? How credible are the links it provides? 

Is the information on the page primary or secondary? That is, is it a report of facts, such as a medical researcher's article counting cases of "mad cow" disease in England in 1997, thus making it primary information, or is it an Internet newsgroup discussion about "mad cow" disease, thus making it secondary information? The papers and reports you write for your college classes need to be based on primary information whenever possible. The further away from the primary sources your own sources are, the less reliable the information is. 

Can you verify the information on the Web page some other way? For example, can you check the page's bibliography (if there is one) against your library's holdings or check the information against a source in the library?

If you are worried that the information may lack credibility, try starting with a source you know is reputable. For example, if you have to do a project on the latest in cancer research, you can begin your search at major cancer research institutes, such as Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota .

Finally, remember that even though a page might not meet your standards as a citable source, it may help you generate good ideas or point to other usable sources.

Also, be sure not to stop your search at the first page you find--shop around and do some comparing so that you can have points of reference.

Beware of hearsay and rumors! For information seekers it can be impossible to tell where in the chain the information is coming from, but that makes a difference in the information's reliability. So it never hurts to check against a library reference

http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/webtutor/judging.htm

Even college students need this advice!

Critical evaluation of information

USING RESEARCH STUDIES

NOVA : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/aging.html

The “critical” thinker• Raises vital questions and

problems, formulating them clearly and precisely

• Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively

• Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards

Developing Discussion Questions to Promote Critical ThinkingSocratic questioning

◦Focuses on clarification◦Probes or explores the meaning,

justification, or logical strength of a claim or position

How is X similar or different from Y?

Debate format gets students to see multiple sides of an issue

(Walker, S.E. Active Learning Promotes Critical Thinking)

Developing Discussion Questions to Promote Critical Thinking

a) “What are the implications of ___?” (b) “Why is ___ important?” (c) “What is another way to look at

___?”  Questions that ask students to reflect

on their own thinking processes and to identify what particular form of critical thinking they are using – metacognition

(Joe Cuseo, Questions that Promote Deeper Thinking, Oncoursenewsetter)

Teaching Strategies that Promote Critical ThinkingAsk students to summarize in

writing and orally what the teacher or another student has said

Ask students to elaborate on what has been said either by giving examples and using their own words

Ask students to make connections between related concepts

PROMOTING ACTIVE LEARNING (How to Improve Student Learning: A Miniature Guide for those who teach) by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder

Teaching Strategies that Promote Critical ThinkingAsk students to state the most

important concept of the class thus far (Angelo and Cross,1993)

Ask students to state the most confusing point of the class thus far (Angelo and Cross, 1993)

Ask students to discuss any of the above with a partner for 30 seconds/or post on the forum and then ask them to participate in a class discussion / respond to other posts on the forum

Forum/Discussions

WEEK 5 Cultural Receptivity Complete the Cultural Proficiency Receptivity Scale

Open this link to access the CPRS scale:https://sakai.rutgers.edu/access/content/group/23889129-bde0-41b1-9ec3-6c1cae55dd35/HANDOUT Cultural Proficiency Receptivity Scale(1).pdf

Choose ONE of the 4 questions below to address in the Forum for Week 5.

Write a 100 word response and post by THURSDAY 11:59 pm

A disproportionately high percentage of minorities have been identified with learning disabilities, mental retardation, and emotional and behavioral disorders. Why do you think this is the case?

Identify reasons standardized tests pose a challenge to ELL students? How might this affect a child’s placement into special education?

Determining whether a child has normal language acquisition issues or a learning disability can be a difficult process. Many questions must be answered before appropriate decisions can be made. Brainstorm a list of questions you would need answered about the student you might be assessing.

How did you feel about the CPRS questions, and your responses? Do you think this scale should be given to all teachers?

WEEK 2:The Opportunity of Adversity 

DUE THURSDAY 1/29 View video and post reaction (open full description for link)

http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_the_opportunity_of_adversity.html

The thesaurus might equate "disabled" with syn-onyms like "useless" and "mutilated," but ground-breaking runner Aimee Mullins is out to redefine the word. Defying these associations, she shows how adversity — in her case, being born without shinbones — actually opens the door for human potential.

View the video and post a 100 minimum word re-sponse .

Aimee Mullins - Embracing Adversity Hailey Morelos (hsm44) (Jan 26, 2015 3:46 PM) - Read by: 17 | Email | Grade |     Using the word disabled, disables ourselves from seeing the true potential everyone.  The term disability should be used only in context and not as a character trait of someone.  As Aimee Mullins was reading the research she has done on the definition of disabled and the words such as incompetent, lame, helpless, useless, done-for, etc. I felt myself tense up with disgust and hurt from these senseless words being used for perfectly capable people.  The antonyms were the complete opposite and it seemed like, according to Webster dictionary, that someone who is disabled cannot be the opposite such as healthy, strong and capable. I was appalled with the “updated” revision of the entry, still including words such as lame, sick, unfit, unhealthy, and unwell. It is disgusting that as a society, and as dictionaries in themselves, have put such a negative label on the word disabled.  That there seems to be no hope for those who may use a wheelchair or have a learning disability.  That some people still, despite the turning of centuries that they are helpless and useless.  The words we set for ourselves have so much impact on our language and views set they are merely a bunch of letters put together.  I admire Mullins point about seeing adversity as natural and embracing it.  It is common for people with physical disabilities to be treated pitifully, but adversity can be in among all of us.  Each of us could be dealing with an emotional struggle that is behind closed doors.  We feel ashamed because of the label that society puts on us so we hold back our feelings fear of having to conflict with the issue.  As an adapted ability, we should acknowledge and not challenge adversity as a point of evolving. Mullins opened up my heart and strengthened my views and faith in everyone regardless of individual challenge.  “All you need is one person to show you the epiphany of your power and you’re off”.  This quote by Aimee Mullins speaks directly to myself and my career and life goals.  I set off in this career to be that one person that opens doors for children since I once had a door held opened for me when I was in elementary school. Mullins reassured me that I am in the right career field and that I can successfully be that light and hope in children’s eyes.

AdversityKatelyn Barok (kmb396) (Jan 25, 2015 3:10 PM) - Read by: 19 | Email | Grade |At the start of Aimee Mullins video, I was surprised to see the definition of the word disabled and what it meant not knowing of course that it was the 1980s version of it, but then when she read the updated one it just was not any better. It was sad to see language does effect our thinking and that definition makes that very evident. However, I loved Aimme Mullins new way of thinking and her definition that she produced that is what should be known to people. This little change can make people feel enabled. I also liked how she spoke about adversity, which any person can relate too, and understand how hard it was for one to overcome. As an aspiring teacher, I can be that person to hand any of students that key to open the door for themselves. I can be that one person to instill spirit into that child that makes them succeed just like Aimme Mullins had that one person who opened so many doors for her. All this can be achievable by starting inside the four walls of a classroom makes it that much more exciting to inform and impact the lives of others.

Re: Adversity Hailey Morelos (hsm44) (Jan 26, 2015 3:56 PM) - Read by: 14 | Email | Grade |

Katelyn,I think it is amazing that we can sometimes be ignorant with our words, yet words can also

empower us. I decided to look up the definition of disabled for myself and this is what Webster Dictionary defines disabled as: "incapacitated by illness or injury; also :  physically or mentally

impaired in a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education" (Webster).   I specifically looked up the definition of incapacitated, simply because the tem is negative and found that definition as "deprived of strength or power; debilitated" (Oxford

Dictionaries). This is a perfect example of Mullins point of how our words hold so much power and are ultimately crippling ourselves more than the actual "disability" that someone might have. I

would like to note the synonym listed related to the word Disabled, exceptional. I believe exceptional should be used in place of disability because it does not give a negative connotation.  It places faith in the label of the person and does not label a person "incompetent" or "unwilling".

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disabledhttp://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/

Re: Adversity Margaret Robinson (mar551) (Jan 29, 2015 10:19 AM) - Read by: 7 | Email | Grade |

I love that you talked about the word exceptional should be used in place of disability.  Positive attitudes will go a long way in schools if we all take approach.

 

http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html

Teaching Strategies that Promote Critical ThinkingGet students to keep journals on

their reactions and evaluations of what they read for class

Create problem-solving exercises and get students to work collaboratively

Give students essays to write that ask them to interpret, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate material

(Halstead and Tomson, 2006)

APP FOR THAThttp://www.schrockguide.net/app-for-that.html

Make good use of their smartphones!!!!

Polls Everywherehttp://www.polleverywhere.com/

Polls during class discussion:

Teaching Strategies that Promote Critical Thinking

JiTT Just-in-Time Teaching◦developed at Indiana University-

Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1996 and has since spread rapidly across disciplines, various types of institutions, and course levels

Teaching Strategies that Promote Critical ThinkingAccording to Gregor Novak, Professor

Emeritus at IUPUI, who spearheaded the development of JiTT and is now co-director of the JiTTDL (digital library) project, the heart of the JiTT approach is the “feedback loop” formed by the students’ preparation outside of class that affects what happens during the subsequent in-class session.

JiTT Just-in-Time Teaching

JiTT incorporates web-based materials with classroom instruction to maximize the in-class and outside-of-class learning environments

JiTT engages students in the course material by posting weekly questions for students that require outside of class reading and responses.

JiTT Just-in-Time Teaching

JiTT enhances student involvement because students come to class having recently completed their web assignment; therefore, they come ready to participate.

Students typically also feel empowered since they know that what will happen in class depends in part on what they and their classmates have formulated.

Question: When studying synaptic transmission you need to understand how information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse.

Go to: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/synapse.htmlRead the info on this page; Play the Interactive Word Search Game on the neuron and neurotransmitters.

See some synapses "Up Close and Personal". Go to: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/java/em.html

Take notes and be prepared to discuss in your small groups tomorrow in class / online forum

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/synapse.html

JiTT: Autism Spectrum Disorders

WEEK 10 Autism Spectrum Disorders

View Video / Explore websites and share information : reactions to what you have read and viewed. Suggestions based on experience working with children on the spectrum welcome!!!

Full DescriptionThere so many great resources in the Week 10 folder - I would like to know that you explored at least one of them. Please share what you explored and what you learned from ONE of the resources.

Here is a list of the links that I provided for you to choose from.

When you post your comments feel free to provide new resources that you may be aware of that could be helpful to everyone teaching children on the autism spectrum.

Be prepared to share in our class discussion tomorrow. Come with at least 3 questions to ask/discuss in your small groups

JiTT: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Social Psychology , Sixth Edition  Cengage Learning Online Study Center

http://college.cengage.com/psychology/brehm/social_psychology/6e/students/thinking.html

Other resources on-line:

Critical Thinking has been organized around Halpern's (2003) framework for teaching critical thinking skills across disciplines.http://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching/learning/critical-thinking

Teaching Critical Thinking (pdf available on this page of the entire article)http://jamiedavies.co/msc/teaching-critical-thinking-in-psychology

Psych Central http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/01/12/critical-thinking-what-is-true-and-what-to-do/

PPT 8 Basic Guidelines http://wa.westfordk12.us/pages/FOV1-0006DB0B/Whittemore/thinking.htm