Supporting a thinking classroom

Roland Case, Ph.D.Executive Director

The Critical Thinking Consortium

CAP National Conference

May 11-13, 2015

Turn-of-the-20th century vision of a 21st century thinking classroom

Creating thinking classrooms

Quality thinking is rigorous thinking that is both productive and responsive, done alone and in concert with others.

…is a classroom where students learn to think and think to learn: thinking is the way to engage with and deepen students’ understanding of the subject matter of the curriculum.  

Distinguishing principles from practices

Principle PracticeBe polite and courteous Say hello, acknowledge

people’s presence, shake hands, hold door

Better safe than sorry Count to 10, look and then act, think before speaking

Principles: the desired features or enabling conditions that inform or motivate actions

Practices: the policies, strategies or procedures that are implemented to achieve a desired outcome

Why focus on pedagogical principles?

• Hollow practices• Accretion over supplanting• Diversity of responses• Teacher autonomy• Easier to sell• Less intrusive (can be phased in)

Affirm, refine and aspire

Engage students• Students are

engaged in their learning when they personally commit to freely dedicating effort towards the pursuit of educational goals and the performance of ongoing tasks.

Not engaged

Compliant Interested Valued Challenging

Transforming

Students regularly do not complete assigned tasks

Students perform educational tasks largely because of external rewards or expectations

Students perform educational tasks to the extent that the tasks are enjoyable or pleasing

Students perform educational tasks not solely for their interest but because they appreciate their importance, usefulness or personal relevance

Students become caught up in their educational tasks because they present appropriate and meaningful challenges

The effects and enthusiasm of students being excited or caught by their work extend to other aspects of their lives

• Doing something for bonus marks.

• Selecting the novel for your book report.

• Finding the best argument to convince your parents to increase your allowance.

• Sending a twitter message instead of writing in a learning log.

What are the levels of student engagement?

Form of engagement

Practices

Transformed  (empowered)

provide an opportunity to feel as though one is making a difference

cause an aha moment to add insight beyond the immediate context

connect with students’ passions to lead them in new directions

Challenged (caught up)

require to think (intellectual challenge) propose a physical or performance challenge

Cares  (motivated)

connect learning to student’s own lives link to broader issues/topics/narratives that

students care about help to appreciate—not simply learn about—the

objective or purpose Interested   (entertained)

make visually attractive or startling humorous or entertaining embed in a story or narrative illustrate with a familiar example

Willing to do (on task)

offer rewards or inducements (marks) direct control through classroom management

Sustain inquirySustained inquiry is a mindset that involves students formally and informally in critical, creative and collaborative investigations at every stage of their learning.

Re-search is not the same a ”critical’ inquiry

Self-regulated learners

Self-regulated learning is the ability to carry-out assigned tasks in personally responsible, self-reflective ways and to exercise reasoned judgment in the pursuit of agreed-upon goals.

Self regulation is the prerequisite to self-directed learning

Digitally-enhanced learning

Digitally-enhanced learning is the use of digital technologies within virtual and face-to-face classrooms to enrich learning environments and experiences beyond what was possible through non-digital means.

Digitally infused vs digitally enhanced

Assessment-rich learning

Assessment-rich learning positions student and teacher assessment as an integral, continuous and genuinely helpful aspect of all student learning.

Assessment that truly assists learning because it is timely, informative and constructive.