This section presents materials from current and previous workshops on critical thinking. PowerPoint presentations include hyperlinks to relevant websites and documents.
Critical Thinking and Preventing Plagiarism (Spring 2007)
This presentation explains the connection between critical thinking and plagiarism and offers suggestions for addressing and preventing plagiarism in the classroom. The benefits of research projects are outlined and strategies for creating plagiarism-proof assignments are shared. Online and print resources are also described.
Back to the Basics (Fall 2006)
This presentation explains why we need to review the foundations of critical thinking and provides an overview or review of critical thinking concepts. It includes questions for discussion as well as statements regarding the crucial role of critical thinking in education from Richard Paul and Linda Elder’s Critical Thinking Competency Standards (2005).
Pre-workshop PowerPoint for Creating Quality Assignments (Fall 2005, Spring 2006) This presentation analyzes the logic of the workshop using the elements of thought to explain the thinking behind it. It was sent to participants as background information before the workshop on creating quality critical thinking assignments.
Creating Quality Critical Thinking Assignments (Fall 2005, Spring 2006) This presentation explains the background of Surry's college-wide assessment plan for critical thinking: the assessment of randomly collected student artifacts using the college's critical thinking rubric. Workshop participants practiced assessing actual student artifacts using the rubric and were given homework - to submit a critical thinking assignment to TACT for feedback.
Fundamental and Powerful Concepts (Fall 2005)
This presentation reviews the concept of "fundamental powerful concepts" and guides participants through several exercises aimed at helping instructors identify the fundamental concepts in their courses, organize course concepts into three levels, and restructure their teaching to emphasize the most central concepts in their disciplines.
Questioning in the Critical Thinking Classroom (Spring 2005)
This presentation explains the importance of questioning in thinking critically, offers web resources on questioning, and describes the characteristics of "a questioning classroom." It also explains the three types, or levels, of questions as defined by Paul and Elder and gives tips for fostering a questioning mindset in students. Participants created and critiqued questions during the workshop.
Cooperative Learning in the Critical Thinking Classroom (Spring 2005)
This presentation defines and describes collaborative/cooperative learning, offers many web links to online resources, and lists the benefits of collaborative learning. It focuses on the five essential elements of effective cooperative learning (Johnson & Johnson), defining and offering teaching strategies for each. The presentation guides participants through a "jigsaw" activity.
Using Critical Thinking as a Tool for Teaching Concepts: The Engaged Lecture (Fall 2004)
This presentation offers an explanation of the "engaged lecture." Attendees participated in a demonstration of an engaged lecture using three math concepts. The presentation offers links to articles on active learning.
