Ideas to Action (I2A)

Presentation to the Council of Academic OfficersDr. Patty Payette, Executive Director, Ideas to Action

September 2, 2008

Ideas to Action

Ideas to Action: Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community

Engagement

I2AUofL’s quality enhancement plan

(QEP)

QEP: SACS Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-COC)

http://www.sacs.org

2005: call for “Big Ideas”

“Our extensive consultation with all University constituencies yielded a surprisingly strong and clear

call for education focused on the skills and knowledge needed to deal with real-world issues and problems, an education in which students can see the importance of the parts (the courses) to the whole (their education as citizens and workers).”

[QEP Proposal, 2007]

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/files/finalreport.pdf

skills and knowledge

real-world issues & problems

the parts to the whole

I2A: Components

I2A Thematic Priority: Community I2A Thematic Priority: Community EngagementEngagement

I2A: Central Messages

• Centered on enhancement of student learning and undergraduate experience

• Driven by institutional mission and continuous improvement

• Strategic Plan 2020 themes tied to I2A• Transformative process; ongoing and

integrative• Sustained and shared focus on teaching

innovation, curriculum development and climate for learning

• Practical plan with measureable results over 10 years

• Twin themes: Critical Thinking and Community Engagement

I2A & Higher Education in the 21st Century

• Shift from “coverage” to “uncoverage”• Focus on student learning outcomes and

accountability• New emphasis on intellectual, technical and

practical skills• Emerging literature on brain research, integrative

learning, digital literacy, effective pedagogy• Shifts in traditional structures and divisions in the

academy • Holistic view of the student experience• AAC&U: College Learning for New Global Century

Ideas to Action Organizational ChartPROVOSTPROVOST

DEANSDEANSVICE PROVOST FOR UNDERGRADUATE AFFAIRS

VICE PROVOST FOR UNDERGRADUATE AFFAIRS

I2A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I2A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I2A SPECIALISTS

Critical Thinking Assessment Culminating

Experiences

I2A SPECIALISTS

Critical Thinking Assessment Culminating

Experiences

UNIT I2A FACILITATORS

UNIT I2A FACILITATORS

FACULTYFACULTY

DELPHI CENTERDELPHI CENTER

TASK GROUP

I2A Team I2A Facilitators Academic & Student

Affairs Staff Students

TASK GROUP

I2A Team I2A Facilitators Academic & Student

Affairs Staff Students

I2A Staff

Dr. Patty PayetteExecutive Director

Dr. Cathy Bays

I2A Specialist for Assessment

Dr. Edna Ross

I2A Specialist for Critical Thinking

Dr. Eileen McFallI2A Specialist for

Culminating Experiences

Hannah Anthony

Program Assistant

I2A Task Group

• 33 members drawn from across campus

• Faculty, academic & student affairs staff, students, I2A staff

• I2A Facilitators from schools/colleges

• Subcommittees serve as smaller working groups

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/leadership

I2A Components: Critical Thinking

• Common vocabulary for discussing, modeling, measuring critical thinking

• Richard Paul-Linda Elder model of critical thinking adopted for I2A

http://www.criticalthinking.org

A Well-Cultivated 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

Thinks open mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences

Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

(Richard Paul and Linda Elder, the Foundation for Critical Thinking: http://www.criticalthinking.org/)

Which leads to deeper

Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model

Intellectual Standards

Elements of Reasoning

Intellectual Traits

Must be appliedto

to develop

ClarityAccuracy Precision

SignificanceRelevance

SufficiencyLogical

BreadthFairness

Depth

QuestionsPurposes Inferences

Points of viewInformation

Concepts

AssumptionsImplications

HumilityAutonomy

Fair-mindednessCourage Confidence in

reasoning

IntegrityEmpathy

Perseverance

Advantages of a P-E Model

• Makes explicit complex thinking that is often implicit, intuitive

• Integrates into existing content and highlights disciplinary contexts and “cognitive moves”

• Common framework for institutional measurement

• Students “connect the dots” across domains

Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on Critical Thinking

• 12-15 cross-disciplinary faculty meet regularly for focused support and sharing

• Faculty complete individual projects integrating Paul-Elder into their courses

• Group activities, readings, sharing, discussion

Faculty perspective on FLC and P-E model

“I think that for decades I have given my students many opportunities to engage in critical thinking, and I have modeled critical thinking in class discussions. But I don’t think I can claim ever to have taught critical thinking in a systematic way. The model gives me a way to share a critical thinking vocabulary with students and to chart their progress. I know and can tell my students exactly what I am looking for.”

Spring 2008 Pilot Program Participant, Department of English

Pilot/FLC Participants

Undergraduate Unit

Pilot FLC

Arts and Sciences 10 5

Business 1

CEHD 1

Kent School 1

Speed School 1 3

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/flc

Deadline for nominations for FLC Spring Deadline for nominations for FLC Spring 09: December 5, 2008 09: December 5, 2008

Faculty perspective on FLC and critical thinking

“I now think very hard about the way I think about things, and I try to convey this to the students. More importantly, I’m trying harder to think about the way that the students think about things.”

Spring 2008 Pilot Program Participant, Department of Engineering

I2A Components: Assessment

• Vision– Process: Systematic, ongoing – Assess: Critical thinking

Connect learning to the community

– Purpose: Quality enhancementAccreditation accountability

• Goals– Value-added to existing measures– Direct and indirect measures– Faculty input and participation

• Task Group Subcommittee– “Big Picture” and “Nuts and Bolts”– Representation: Diverse faculty, staff,

administration

I2A Components: Assessment Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes: General Education

Students who satisfy this requirement will be able to communicate important ideas and to use critical thinking as a tool for learning by:

1. Applying the Elements of Thought* in selected, course assignments.

2. Using the Universal Intellectual Standards** as criteria for quality in reasoning.

Assessment Measures: Direct: Critical thinking rubric

Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA)Indirect: National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

Course Evaluations

*p. 3 in Miniature Guide **p. 8-9 in Miniature Guide

I2A Components: Culminating Experiences

• Practical application of knowledge and critical thinking skills to address problem solving in “real world” contexts

• Course or credit bearing experiencesExamples: Capstone Courses/Projects

Internships Senior Theses Research Projects Service Learning

Projects Other Independent

Study Projects

Culminating Experience• Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the culminating experience students will demonstrate the ability to:1. Apply the Elements of Thought* when engaging in an I2A culminating experience project.2. Use the Universal Intellectual Standards** as criteria for assessing quality during the I2A culminating experience project.3. Demonstrate well-cultivated critical thinking skills when engaging in an I2A culminating experience project.

• Process– Committee to review proposal and assess

experiences– Registrar designation

• CE Pilot Program, Spring 2009

*p. 3 in Miniature Guide **p. 8-9 in Miniature Guide

I2A Engagement Campus-Wide

• I2A informational sessions and workshops

• Consultations/projects with faculty or departments (e.g. Speed co-op project)

• Collaborations with academic & student affairs staff (e.g. Collaborative Learning Community)

• Ongoing campus collaborations (e.g. Signature Partnership Initiative)

New I2A programs for 08-09

• Culminating Experiences Pilot Program (Sp09)

• I2A Supporting Undergraduate iNnovation (SUN) grants

• I2A Institute on Critical Thinking (May 09)• I2A Day (Spring 09)• Faculty Learning Community• Collaborative Learning Community

http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/grants

Call to Action: Deans

• Encourage and support work of your I2A Facilitators

• Support participation of your faculty in I2A workshops, FLC, grants, etc.

• Help us align with your existing priorities and goals

For more information

Please visit:http://louisville.edu/

ideastoaction