Documents I did find the time to read, this week, are: “Coaching critical thinking to think creatively” and 50 Ways to Foster a Culture of Innovation , both of them really interesting. The first one drive me to reflect about my teaching, about teaching metodology, generally speaking. At the same time I wondered myself why, in Italy, we don’t have Critical Thinking courses! Something could think: “watch at the premier and the government in your country” (Berlusconi, you know . . .;-) ), but really it was allways the same. So my thoughts concerned about the possibility of insert the critical thinking ability inside the different subjects we teach. Well, sure I have to continue my thinking about it.
From the second one I made this map (if you see it to little may be better here):
You can see my attempt to show a more systemic approach based on the four main blocks: Actions on myself, action on organization, actions on people, management actions.
I hope it will be someway useful.
Internetizzato dagli albori (almeno quelli italiani) approfondisco attualmente i temi legati all'e-learning e ai learning object, ma in realtà vorrei conoscere e sapere usare tutto del web. Per vivere insegno (almeno ci tento) elettronica in un Istituto Tecnico Industriale, ma per sentirmi realmente vivo non posso fare a meno delle camminate in natura e della fotografia ;)
June 12th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Excellent, Carlo!
I was just going to write something ideas to my blog but this gathering is so good that I have to explore it next hours. I am sure I’ll learn a lot.
Thanks a lot!
Heli from CritLit2010
June 12th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Thank you very much, Heli! I see your last posts about patterns and dynamics: really, really intersting. I must read them as soon as possible
June 12th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hi Carlo,
Thanks for your great post. I share with you the feelings after reading the Critical thinking course. I think it still takes awhile before critical thinking could be introduced in a “course” or subject, as most students are expecting a “pragmatic” approach in vocational education and training. May be in HE, this could be possible. Also, it is a subject that is very difficult to assess, and I think the instructor has tried very hard in making it a success.
How would you intend to introduce it to your subjects?
John
June 14th, 2010 at 10:12 am
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June 15th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Thank you John! I really don’t know, actually, how to introduce critical thinking learning objective into the next courses. Probably I need to persuade my collegues too! May be we could do something better if we’ll work togheter. I’ll think about it during the summer holidays.
June 19th, 2010 at 3:13 am
Hi Carlo,Thanks for your great post. I share with you the feelings after reading the Critical thinking course. I think it still takes awhile before critical thinking could be introduced in a “course” or subject, as most students are expecting a “pragmatic” approach in vocational education and training. May be in HE, this could be possible. Also, it is a subject that is very difficult to assess, and I think the instructor has tried very hard in making it a success.How would you intend to introduce it to your subjects?John
+1
June 29th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
I’ll work on this subject in september or, probably, I’ll start at the end of august. Actually I’m still engaged in the final examination of my courses.
Generally speaking, I think it would be possible to have a sort of joke with the students, something like preparing “fake news”, “school hoax”, and so on, in order to develop a critical thinking about it
July 2nd, 2010 at 5:19 am
Dear Carlo Columba,
Thanks for sharing my article on revamping a critical thinking course with your readers. Actually, revamping a course and infusing a bit of deep thinking and creativity is not so hard as you might think.
And tools like 6 Thinking Hats has worked with kids as low as 5-6 years old, meaning anyone can practice at basic thinking skills without too much hassle, and it can be great fun, too.
The 2 major problems with transforming a course or infusing more thinking activities, is finding the time transform and assessing the students.
But, if you are passionate about it, you will find the time. As for assessing, well be comfortable with using rubrics, collaborative activities, relevant projects, and being more subjective (being as objective as you can).
Assessing requires more work, as you need to reflect more their work (open minded), but if it that can enhance the learning process, and perhaps infuse more authentic learning that has more impact beyond just scoring in the exam, we should keep on trying.
Good luck and hopefully students are allowed to think more and have some fun while doing so. It is amazing how fun learning can be when we can relax, think deeply and laugh about it.
Have a great day learning!
Warm Regards,
Zaid(Learn)
July 2nd, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Hi Carlo,
There has been some “critical incidents” in which a professor did introduce some controversal ways in “teaching students”. There was a Youtube video showing a student who claimed to be a “professor” and shared some “fake information”. The incident was revealed by others.
Would that be an ethical concern if this was done within the boundary of an education institution? What would be the impact of such fake news (meme) on educators and learners?
Would we need to think about the risks and implications of those jokes to education institutions, educators, learners and the media site? I think there are many social implications that we still don’t know enough when networking in social media/space, where critical thinking needs critical judgment, individually and collectively.
Thanks for your stimulating comment.
What do you think?
John
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:34 am
Sorry that it should be controversial ways. My poor typo.
John
July 4th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Thank you John, I’ll try to reply to your last two comments.
Really I didn’t know that “critical incidents” and I have not seen the youtube video you cited.
Generally speaking, I don’t care so much similar episodes. I think that in a networked world we’ll periodically meet incidents like that. Sometimes my feelings about “the net” are the same when I’m on the road: on the road you’ll meet the truck, the ferrari, the good driver and the bloody driver. Smart men and idiot men. Fine people and not so fine . . .
I hope in the wikipedia-like dynamics: when a fake occurs, its life is only few minutes thanks to the peer review by the users.