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This study tested the amount of value added to critical and communication skills by the university experience using a strategy that compared the skills of entering and graduating students at York University (Ontario). The study involved, first, identifying skills that might be improved over the course of a university education; second, developing survey questions that measured skills for entering and graduating students at four faculties; and third, performing covariance analysis of survey results for entering and graduating students. Data were generated by three questionnaires, with response rates ranging from 55 to 58 percent for two surveys in the fall of 1995 to 58 percent one conducted in the summer of 1996. Eight tables detail skill categories and topics; list characteristics of survey respondents; correlate skills and grades for entering students, for graduating students, by gender, by ethnic origin, and by home language; and provide Z-scores to assess value added for entering and graduating students. Overall, graduating students were found to have better-developed skills than entering students. The paper also focuses on the rationale for the relatively cost-effective research design. (Contains 30 references.) (CH)

This instructional module from the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) explains how to design assessments for written reports, develop performance criteria and communicate them to students, monitor progress, and assess the outcome. Learning how to give students a role in assessment adds a dimension to their responsibilities. (SLD)

Studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of parental involvement in children's educational lives. Few studies, however, analyse parental involvement in a cross-national perspective and few evaluate a wide array of forms of involvement. In 2009, 14 countries and economies implemented the parental questionnaire option in the PISA 2009 cycle. This working paper evaluates the levels of parental involvement across countries and sub-groups within countries, as well as the relationship of involvement with both cognitive (reading performance) and non-cognitive outcomes (enjoyment of reading and awareness of effective summarising strategies). Findings suggest that some forms of parental involvement are more strongly related to cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes than others. These include reading to children when they are young, engaging in discussions that promote critical thinking and setting a good example. Findings also show that levels of parental involvement vary across countries and economies. Inequalities in parental involvement exist in practically all countries and economies. Policy implications signal the possibility that promoting higher levels of parental involvement may increase students' both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, and that high-quality parental involvement may help reduce performance differences across socio-economic groups. Annexed are: (1) Sampling and Analytical Limitations; and (2) The 2009 Parental Questionnaire. (Contains 63 tables, 16 figures, 1 box and 6 footnotes.)

While young children's problem-solving models are not as elaborate as those of older students, they share an important belief, namely, that writing and reading are fundamentally purposeful acts of communication. Focusing on the interpretation of process, in particular on writing and reading as forms of problem-solving that are shaped by communicative purpose, three sets of vignettes show students at different stages of schooling as they write and read. The first set illustrates the nature of problem-solving in skilled reading and writing processes that are held as goals for college students. The second set of vignettes places these processes in context by considering some of the factors that influence students' problem-solving as they write and read in response to typical class assignments. The third section explores the problem-solving skills that young students--children learning to write and read and adolescents expanding their writing and reading abilities--bring to their school assignments. It is critical that strategies such as summarization and self-questioning not become disconnected from the larger communicative, meaning-construction process. The critical question is how to sustain and further develop the potential evident in the problem-solving of young writers and readers. Flexibly structured opportunities for teachers and students to exchange views about both their own and professional texts provide the student with context for cultivating a deeper understanding of writing and reading as purposeful acts of communication and to transform the contexts in which writing and reading occur. (Sixty-six notes are attached.) (RAE)

Argues that effective history instruction requires students to think about content rather than merely reproduce it. Contends that this can be achieved best through peer interaction based on student research papers that require students to state opinions or positions. Provides an assignment example and a evaluation handout. (CFR)

Effects of ethnic/racial diversity among students and faculty on cognitive growth of undergraduate students are estimated via a series of hierarchical linear and multinomial logistic regression models. Using objective measures of compositional, curricular, and interactional diversity based on actuarial course enrollment records of over 6,000 students at a public research university, the study finds no patterns of positive correlation with objective measures of cumulative academic achievement (i.e., final graduating GPA, GRE/GMAT test scores, graduate school enrollment) net of academic preparation at college entry and socio-demographic background, and with or without accounting for academic major, college curricular experience, and financial aid. Results are consistent with student self-assessed level of critical thinking skills after graduation, but not with self-assessed level of understanding of racial and cultural issues, both affective outcomes showing a positive correlation with curricular diversity. As the findings contradict most of the higher education literature on survey-based cognitive benefits of ethnic/racial diversity, the study calls for use of objective measures to advance the research in this area. (Contains 19 tables, 4 graphs and 10 footnotes.)

As an alternative to the research paper for a course on Sexism in Literature, the idea of looking at feminine beauty through time and space was borrowed from Kenneth Clark's book, "Feminine Beauty." After a field trip to the Honolulu Academy of Arts and a background survey of library materials, each student chose a reproduction about which to write, complete with footnotes and bibliography. Despite some excellent papers, a realization that something was missing from the assignment led to the addition of a new facet. The students were asked to assume the identity of the woman in the art work and discuss her life and background, or alternatively, to assume the role of museum docent, explaining the woman and the art work to a group of museum visitors. A bibliography was required for the paper, but not footnotes. After researching the period, the students were asked to look through their notes and free write, working in the reference material. This time the students wrote better mechanically--the addition of "voice" or point of view added a freshness of expression; there was little evidence of plagiarism; students expanded on the topic as they became interested; from the standpoint of fostering writing as thinking, there was a much better synthesis of material; and students seemed better able to grasp the actual role of the woman in her society as they identified with her. (Copies of a handout outlining the project and procedures, as well as a comprehensive bibliography are included.) (NKA)

More than 800 students at geographically isolated Southern Arkansas University, many of whom are commuters, would be considered nontraditional students. For the most part, these individuals study harder and produce work of higher quality than many students entering college directly from high school. Critical thinking skills are especially necessary for such students, and one useful assignment is the research paper in diverse mass media courses where analysis forces students to take real world media concepts and assess underlying factors or individuals shaping them. Students can also be required to subscribe to professional media publications, both as resource material and to provide a knowledge base from experts in the field. Field trips can also aid critical thinking foundations of nontraditional broadcasting majors. In public speaking classes, nontraditional students are initially afraid of how they will be perceived by their younger colleagues, but this fear usually disappears after the first class session. The result of various broadcasting and public speaking critical thinking strategies is an increased awareness on the part of nontraditional students to ask the question, "Why?" (NKA)

The paper provides a rationale for using a decision-making model in teaching environmental issues, outlines specific steps in creating a simulation, and illustrates its use in the classroom. The objectives of environmental education are to provide learning opportunities for students to know, think, choose, and act regarding pervasive social issues from local to global levels. The primary goal of social simulations is to involve students in approximations of real-life, environmental issues. Ideally, simulations will encourage students to become actively involved in their own preparation to make political, social, and personal decisions. Procedures for a decision-making model include identifying a problem, defining the desired solution, identifying alternatives for accomplishing the desired outcomes, and selecting the best alternative. The hypothetical classroom situation which concludes the document involves applying decision-making procedures to the problem of storage of toxic chemicals near a school playground. (Author/CK)

This paper examines the context of critical reading and considers how it can best be taught. The paper also includes some reflections on the current "state of the art" in critical reading in an English for Special Purposes (ESP) or English as a Second Language (ESL) context. The paper details a series of attempts to develop a set of questions that can be used in teaching critical reading, and introduces "set theory" (a math concept) to ESP. The paper suggests six steps for the use of set theory in the teaching of reading, as well as a set of questions which systematize and break down some sub-skills in critical reading: (1) comprehension questions; (2) readership questions; (3) reader's appreciation; (4) text applicability; and (5) text or writer questions. The paper argues that: critical reading is an essential part of the genuine response to text; there is a need for teachable techniques for helping readers to learn how to react critically to texts; critical reading can and usually should be done on all text types, from poems to telephone directories; and critical reading is applicable not only to a detailed level of comprehension but also to general and to main points comprehension. (Three figures of data are included; a list of "Dishonest Tricks," 9 notes, and 17 references are attached.) (RAE)

The essentials of Piaget's theory and its application to teaching at the college level are described as part of the Learning and Evaluation Service workshop, Teaching Students to Reason, offered at Michigan State University. Objectives are to enable the teacher to: (1) diagnose and classify reasoning patterns of students; (2) evaluate current instructional materials and techniques in light of Piaget's theories; (3) redesign instruction to incorporate Piagetian concepts in order to facilitate the type of reasoning appropriate for the course; and (4) use guidelines for designing tools to evaluate reasoning skills. Examples are presented from various subject matters to enable the teacher to understand how many of the principles can be applied to college courses. After close examination of concrete and formal operation, a list of characteristics associated with each level of reasoning are presented, as are examples of student responses that can be classified accordingly. Some general teaching strategies that are useful to promote reasoning abilities in learning are presented for the following areas: when introducing a new topic, during instruction, when using the laboratory, when making assignments, and when testing. (SW)

This publication contains 20 learning activities for developing basic skills while teaching Asian studies at the secondary level. The activities, which were field tested, are self-contained and include short readings followed by student worksheets. For developing skill in reading about Asia, learning activities focus upon defining terms and identifying keywords in brief reading selections in Asian studies, and classifying sources of information and answering objective questions based on readings. The learning activities which teach critical thinking involve students in analyzing a retrieval chart on Communist party membership, solving a word maze which includes the names of the major cities in China, and comparing the Gross National Product of Asian countries. To develop skill in interpreting the geography of Asia, students read about evidence of the location of Japan and make inferences and examine places in Asia that have similar geographic features. Students develop skill in understanding the history of Asia by telling about time in the Asian tradition, making a timeline of Asian history, assessing similar ideas in Asia and the United States, and correlating events in Asia and Europe. A posttest is included. (Author/RM)

This publication contains 20 learning activities for developing basic skills while teaching about China at the secondary level. The activities, which were field tested, are self-contained and include short readings followed by student work sheets. For developing skill in reading about China, the learning activities focus upon translating Chinese into English, pronouncing Chinese in English, classifying sources of information on China, and using reference books on China. The learning activities which teach critical thinking involve students in applying Chinese mathematical skills, comparing the economy of China with other Communist nations, and judging right from wrong using American and Chinese perspectives. To develop skill in understanding the history of China, students learn to tell time in the Chinese tradition, make a timeline in Chinese history, assess the Chinese Ladder of Success, and analyze the 1978 Constitution of China. Students develop skill in interpreting the geography of China by drawing inferences about the location of China and by analyzing satellite pictures of China. A posttest is included. (Author/RM)

This paper, presented at the Indiana Library Association Meeting, discusses critical thinking in general terms and then briefly discusses why it is important to include critical thinking skills in bibliographic instruction sessions at the higher education level. A discussion of the instructional design of bibliographic instruction in relation to teaching critical thinking is followed by specific examples of how one educator has incorporated critical thinking skills into library instruction sessions. A 19-item bibliography divided into sections on Critical Thinking in General and Critical Thinking in Library Instruction is included. (THC)

Describes a workshop used with classes doing Web research for their English papers in a computer lab. Shows how this is a good opportunity for students to learn to find, evaluate, and save Web sources, how to read critically and annotate the sources, and how to weave them into working drafts and avoid plagiarism. (SR)

Faculty often overestimate the scholarly communication experiences, critical-thinking abilities, and information-seeking skills of the undergraduates to whom they assign papers. A stratified methodology is suggested for teaching information retrieval skills in the classroom. A strong curriculum-integrated approach could ease the burden on students and academic librarians. (BEW)

This paper discusses a first-year, second-semester composition course that develops thinking, reading, and writing skills both on an individual and on a group level; it is designed to enhance research and writing skills developed in the first-semester course. With this and the departmental course requirements in mind, according to the paper, the curriculum was structured around a semester-long project. The paper explains that the class partners brainstorm topics for the project, discuss the topics dismissing those which are not feasible and elevate those which are, and reach a consensus on personal interest and expertise--the final required product is the publication of the project on the Internet. The prompts to start the project are detailed in the paper, as well as ancillary assignments which build the research inquiry skills needed for the project. The paper also includes examples of specific classes and their interactions. A syllabus is attached. (NKA)

This paper discusses case studies as an active learning strategy for helping students develop the critical thinking processes that are key to composing, interpreting, and responding to literature and are important in other fields as well. To illustrate how case studies work in the classroom, why they are exciting and beneficial, and how they are inter-disciplinary, a sample case study exercise is presented, along with additional examples. Case studies are then defined, and good characteristics outlined to help instructors develop their own. The paper concludes by discussing some of the benefits of using case studies to teach writing and literature. (Contains 26 references and an appendix containing three sample case studies.) (EF)

This paper describes some problems one teacher has had trying to develop a feminist pedagogy for a composition class that does not elide sexual orientation as an identity facet in the classroom. The paper focuses on two essays, Mary Elliot's "Coming Out in the Classroom: A Return to the Hard Place" (1996) and Susan Jarratt's "Feminism and Composition: The Case for Conflict" (1991). Seeking to combine both these approaches, the paper invokes Donna Qualley's argument that teachers should consider students' developmental stages when teaching critical thinking and theoretical concepts. It contends that coming out in the classroom is essential--for gay and lesbian civil rights, for human rights, for individual and social improvement--and it offers suggestions for working through problems associated with personal disclosures. According to the paper, the context of the composition classroom varies with the content, the thematic focus, the institution, the instructor, and the students' identities. The paper suggests that a pedagogy aimed at teaching students to reconsider gender assumptions and how these are reflected and perpetuated in language seems to be a more productive strategy for advancing the long-term goal of changing social conditions. It suggests shifting the focus solely from the teacher to involving students actively in examining the institutions of gender and sexuality. (NKA)

The pedagogical imperative to prepare students to become critical thinkers, critical readers, and critical writers for the coming millennium necessitates a comprehensive college discourse on critical thinking. The paper cites seminars and workshops that incorporate theoretical and practical dimensions of teaching critical-analytical thinking processes. Using descriptions from the text, "Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric" (Howard Kahane), the paper outlines nine 75-minute seminars and workshops that offer examples and exercises drawn from a broad range of sources, including advertisements, political speeches, newspapers, audio-visuals, and sample examinations. Course objectives include developing a critical understanding of the following: (1) "Bloom's taxonomy"; (2) "the difference between fact and opinion"; (3) "the fundamental elements of analysis"; (4) "Aristotelian proofs: ethos, logos, and pathos"; (5) "divergent thinking (multiple perspectives)"; (6) "types of arguments and fallacies"; (7) "how culture affects thought processes"; (8) "how to decipher examinations"; and (9) "how to integrate technology driven data into the research process." Successful completion of the seminars/workshops means that each student completes satisfactorily 80% of the materials covered in each of the nine sessions. Pedagogical strategies are attached. Contains a 12-item selected bibliography. (BT)

Intended as a resource for student seminars, this guide describes the seminar process and provides suggestions for making seminars more productive. First, the learning objectives of the seminar process are listed, indicating that students should gain the following skills: group interaction, integrative discussion, critical evaluation, and exploring and mining a text. Next, positive outcomes of student seminars are presented: shy or reserved students find voice, students experience diverse views and gain a clearer understanding of texts, and smaller group discussion allows exploration of texts that might not occur in the classroom environment. A general description of seminars is then provided, focusing on basic processes, the responsibilities of the seminar group, and the intellectual activity that seminars provide, and the roles of the teacher and students are described, explaining the teacher's role as an experienced learner and the students' roles as facilitators, observers, or participants. A list of suggestions prepared by seminar participants at Washington's North Seattle Community College for making seminars more productive and comfortable is then provided, emphasizing the importance of being prepared, participating, and maintaining sensitive and polite interpersonal relations. The remainder of the guide describes the use of seminar reflection papers, criteria for assessing seminar observers, seven levels of seminar participation for use in assessing participants, and concerns and drawbacks of the seminar process. (TGI)

This paper reports on a study investigating the beliefs of general education faculty, including their assumptions about "typical" undergraduates' approaches to reasoning. The article maintains that in studies designed to identify and examine variables affecting complex cognitive tasks, researchers have discovered that performance often depends on individual epistemological beliefs. In addition a growing consensus is reported that adult reasoning behavior is affected by cognitive developmental patterns that evolve beyond adolescence. The Reflective Judgment Model served as the basis for the study. Seven faculty members completed a questionnaire on courses and students taught, focus of teaching and prior experience as well as the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. The professors were then interviewed by a graduate student regarding their course goals, teaching and assessment methods and kinds of assignments given to students and given a task involving judging reflective thinking levels of typical responses to a problem. The study found that, in general, professors assumed that their students possess epistemic beliefs consistent with the earliest levels of reflective judgment, whereas they view their own approach to reasoning as consistent with the very highest stages. Appendices provide more detail on the measures used and a graphical representation of the results. (Contains 23 references.) (CK)

This paper considers the teaching of journalism ethics and suggests readings to help students absorb the discipline and produce an original research paper. The paper also assists students' professional goals upon graduation. Two publications that examine journalistic ethics, "The Virtuous Journalist" (Stephen Klaidman and Tom L. Beauchamp) and "Committed Journalism" (Edmund B. Lambeth) are critically evaluated. It states that "The Virtuous Journalist" explores principles of journalistic morality and examines many relevant ethical areas, including serving the public, escaping manipulation and avoiding harm. The paper explains that in "Committed Journalism", a normative standard of journalism ethics is devised. It weighs the usefulness of both books to inform students and emphasizes that basic underpinnings of professional conduct and research methodology can be obtained by perusing the instructional analyses of "The Virtuous Journalist" and "Committed Journalism." Contains 2 references. (NKA)

This paper suggests that the study of holidays presents an opportunity for elementary school teachers to employ a range of social science disciplines and to teach their students the fundamentals of inquiry and critical thinking. The study of holidays from a cross-cultural perspective helps students to understand that peoples of all cultures find ways to celebrate, and that they celebrate for different reasons. Two brief case studies are presented in support of these contentions, and to provide teachers with examples. First, the customs involved with the celebration of Christmas are examined as they have evolved historically and across various cultures. Second, a number of holidays that are celebrated in countries and regions outside the continental United States are surveyed in order to demonstrate the variety of holidays that exist and that the need for peoples to celebrate is universal. A list of 16 books for further reference is included. (DB)

This report contains four learning modules designed to support a range of objectives that include increasing technological literacy, and improving written and verbal communication skills, psychomotor skills, computational skills, geometry, analysis, problem solving, and other critical thinking skills. The activities described in each module support topics in the physical sciences and may be tied to topics in the social sciences as well. Each of the four modules provides lesson plans for a different activity: (1) manufacturing a toy wooden van; (2) designing and constructing a robot; (3) constructing an electrical telegraph communications system; and (4) manufacturing a hot air balloon. Designed for use by elementary school teachers, the lesson plans contain lists of concepts supported in the module, materials lists, tools needed, and instructions for completing the activities. It is noted that these lessons may be modified for higher or lower skill levels, or may serve as a framework for different activities. (34 figures) (DB)

Noting that while the literature clearly states a need for colleges and universities to teach students critical thinking skills from a liberal arts perspective, this paper points out that there are few descriptions of how these skills can be taught. Using the canons of classic rhetoric, the literature is reviewed to discover the skills that arise from invention, organization, composition, memory, and delivery, and concludes that students need critical thinking skills that will help them expand perspectives, draw themes together, draw conclusions, present organized data consistent with audience expectations, and write in oral style. Labeling these as framing, scenario, prescription, and imagining skills, the paper presents exercises designed to assist students develop each skill within a public speaking course. Finally, the paper offers suggestions for testing critical thinking. (FL)

Too often students enter high school without being exposed to the research process and are often overwhelmed by the complex task of selecting and narrowing of a topic, developing research questions, writing the text, and appropriately documenting sources. This paper delineates specific learning activities that will simplify the process to make it manageable for developing readers and writers. The paper's literacy lessons emphasize both creative and critical thinking. It is divided into the following sections, one for each of the learning activities: Inquiry Chart; Computer Application; Notetaking: Pass the Notecard; and Cubing: An Expanding Technique To Stimulate Higher Order Thinking. (Contains 17 references.) (NKA)

This paper delineates an exercise where students are encouraged to give their point of view to a quotation received (the activity is an adaptation from the Impromptu Speaking event in Competitive Forensics). The paper states that students are to explain the meaning of a quotation (topic themes may be from ecology, education, environment, life, relationships, conflict, etc.) and that students must define necessary words, then give reasons of why they agree or disagree. It notes that the objective is to have students understand the basic structure of a formal argument and that this assignment is the first step in getting them to understand the meaning of argument in its most basic form. The paper outlines the procedures for the two class sessions suggested for the assignment; gives the requirements; and discusses the introduction, the body, the conclusion, and grading. Appended are an evaluation form and sample lists of quotations for diverse topics. (NKA)

This paper discusses the implementation of technology in social studies education. The first section addresses reasons why technology is used in social studies education, including the goal of making the social studies classroom a site of active learning and critical thinking. The second section describes three frameworks for using technology to promote active learning, i.e., inquiry-based learning, bridging reading and writing through online interaction, and making student work public in new media formats. The third section considers things to avoid, including educational software that promotes passivity, school systems' failure to provide professional development for using new technology, and the danger of viewing technology as an end in itself rather than a means to achieving better student learning. The fourth section offers the following recommendations: (1) a renewed national commitment to insuring that the benefits of new technology be shared equally; (2) a revised assessment to accurately measure learning in the new media environment; (3) more tools and supports that will enable teachers to use electronic resources actively and critically; (4) robust professional development programs that will allow teachers to retool for the electronic future; (5) efforts focused on preservice education as well as inservice; and (6) acknowledgment that this country is still at the starting point of the selective appropriation of new technology and that we need serious classroom research into what works is needed. (Contains 30 references.) (MES)

Presenting many listening activities, this paper discusses reading and listening development in elementary school. It lists five pointers to stress in developing pupils who listen well and gives a set of criteria to provide a framework to use in evaluating pupil achievement in listening. The paper lists six items teacher assistants should listen for when participating in a discussion with a pupil. It then offers five pointers each to emphasize in writing questionnaires, making introductions, and participating in a dramatic activity. The paper considers how answering questions raised by others leads to critical thinking and critical listening. It outlines the three evolutionary layers into which the brain is divided. Discussing listening to lectures and explanations, listening to musical recordings, and responding to sounds in the environment, the paper presents a list of five recommendations for each area. It recommends involving pupils in curriculum development. The paper describes four classroom learning centers that may assist pupils to develop independent, responsible behavior. (SC)

This paper describes how a language teacher educator guides her students through a particular literacy research project, with the goal of helping students to enjoy their research experience. It outlines two stages to make up the entire assignment--the interview and the paper. It describes the development of questions for the purpose of gaining more awareness of the writing and reading processes. It concludes that the action research approach created a context for students to investigate a problem, ask higher order questions, gather data, draw conclusions, and present findings. It includes a list of six final suggestions. Appendixes contain details of assignments on "Writing-on-Writing," and present results of groupwork on collected class data. (SC)

Case studies can be a powerful strategy to use for helping students learn critical thinking processes that are key to interpreting and responding to literature and writing. Some of the major benefits of applying case methods are: cases provide an environment for active learning; they encourage the creation of a community of learners; cases help students tap into their prior knowledge; and cases help students come to understand the characters, concepts, and themes in the literature, primarily through discussion and debate. One such case study activity prepares students for Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter" and also teaches students some of the skills and strategies involved in writing an argument. Another activity is designed as a prereading activity for works such as William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" or Jack London's "The Call of the Wild." The activity is designed to put students in a "survival mode." Case studies can enliven literary study, help students learn how to interpret and write about literature, and help them to become more independent learners. (Contains 19 references; appendixes contain the two case studies on which the activities are based.) (RS)

Noting that almost all current issues have some controversial "overload" to them which cause many teachers to approach them with trepidation, this guide aims to help teachers handle discussions and writing assignments related to contemporary issues. The guide aids teachers in framing and in balancing classroom interactions so discussions of controversial issues can proceed fairly. The four units in the guide contain material on: how to write personal essays; how to view and think critically about mass media presentations; how to deal with censorship of books; and how to conduct discussions about controversial issues. Activity sheets in the units guide students in: producing objective accounts, media viewing and group discussions, sending letters to their parents about issues, and giving persuasive speeches. The guide also contains an annotated bibliography on the "Schoolbook Protest Movement." Appendixes include an essay titled "Lessons Learned from Three Schoolbook Protests" (Edward B. Jenkinson); a censorship paper; and an informative paper, both written by students. (NKA)

This curriculum unit is adaptable for students in grades 1-12, from Mexico, Latin America, or any culture using the Roman alphabet in their written language. The unit proposes that students of limited English proficiency will transition from visual and tactile work to written English production. Using culturally familiar activities to enhance their cultural confidence and communicative skills, learners will write on paper in various modes of expression using the critical thinking common to the Mexican craft-making world. The six units of study are: (1) From Murals of Chicanos in El Paso to Informative Writing To Explain; (2) From Woven Wristbands of Tarahumaras in Sierra Madre to Fictional Narrative Writing; (3) From Amate Paper Making of Otomis in Puebla to Informative Writing of Instructions; (4) From Yarn Paintings of Huichols in Jalisco to Personally Expressive Writing of Haiku Poems and Personal Letters; (5) From Clay Figures of Purepeche in Michoacan to Dialogue Writing; and (6) From Codices by Mixtecs in Oaxaca to Persuasive Letter Writing. Each unit features background reading for students on a Mexican people group, their terrain, their craft, presented in the type of text required by students in that unit; critical thinking questions; objectives for the art and writing projects; warm-up and closure activities for art and writing; procedures that include word banks, instructions for students and teachers, writing prompts for students with teacher guidance, and evaluations using rubrics for students and teachers. An Appendix on Mexican music suggests selections for each unit. (Contains 47 footnotes and 25 references.) (BT)

By looking at narratively-rich poems both as individual poems and as part of much broader social narratives, students become extremely excited, and their papers become far more complex in exploring gender, ethnicity, and social class. An instructor tries to help students enter into the life of the poems, to enter into a conversation the poet has begun. The ability to talk and listen to each other, to know how to tell a story and to listen to the stories of others is becoming more and more an essential part of literacy in people's daily lives. The instructor has students translate a poem literally into a text of prose so they compare their lives to the lives inside the text and embrace the life and story inside. He stresses a more process-based pedagogy instead of a more formal one, and it has become clear to him that this pedagogical practice helps students understand issues surrounding literature, literacy, and diversity. (SC)

The use of film to supplement course material can be an excellent way to stimulate critical thinking. Film can be a particularly useful tool in the interpersonal communication course since students are able to observe both the verbal and nonverbal behaviors of the characters. However, discussion prior to and following the film is important, so that material can be highlighted. Another useful technique is the inclusion of a worksheet students can fill out while watching the film clips. Two films that work well to highlight interpersonal concepts surrounding the self are Albert Brooks'"Defending Your Life" and "Chameleon Street," an independent film by Wendell B. Harris, Jr. A key concept to incorporate into the "Defending Your Life" assignment is "self concept." In the film, Brooks's character, Daniel, crashes his car and finds himself on trial in Judgment City and asked to defend his life. One of the avenues of focus in the film and on the worksheet is whether Daniel's self concept had been altered in any way during the course of the story. "Chameleon Street" is the true story of a Detroit native who, with only a high school education, spent 14 years posing as everything from a Detroit Tigers rookie to a "Time" reporter, surgeon, attorney, and foreign exchange student. The "Chameleon Street" activity begins with a class discussion/review of concepts such as public/private self, residual self, self-handicapping strategies, and communicator style. (Contains activity sheets for both films.) (NKA)

This paper presents an exercise which serves as an addition to public speaking courses. Showing students how to uncover the speech patterns that shape their lives allows them to appreciate the importance of speech communication in their lives. In the exercise, groups analyze speeches and report their findings to the class. The exercise improves presentation skills and enables students to become better consumers of public discourse. The exercise is divided into three phases: phase one--"Developing a Knowledge Base"; phase two--"Sample Critique"; and phase three--"Criticizing and Reporting." Each phase is accompanied by step-by-step instructions, procedures, objectives, and time requirements. This group assignment meshes with the course purpose because it enhances both critical thinking and presentation skills. (CR)

Classroom techniques are suggested for teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students cognitive and academic skills needed for academic success, using the reading and analysis of folk tales. Skills targeted include comparing and contrasting, evaluating ideas, supporting claims with facts and evidence, organizing and grouping ideas, and using inference appropriately. A comparison and contrasting exercise using two variations of a folk tale is described. An activity focusing on techniques for supporting and evaluating ideas is intended for use after students have read a number of unrelated folk tales. An exercise in evaluating and summarizing ideas uses a single tale. In each case, preparatory activities for the teacher, detailed in-class procedures, and suggested variations for more advanced students are described. Some suggestions are also made for following story reading with questions that promote inferencing. (MSE)

The inclusion of critical thinking and viewing skills across the curriculum is one way to approach the development of problem solving, which could help develop the kind of students prepared to accept the challenges they face. Using popular media in teaching such skills links critical thinking to life in a way that keeps critical thinking from being isolated or seeming too difficult for students. Viewing activities are motivating, challenging, fun, and can enhance communication skills among students while they develop their critical thinking skills. This paper suggests activities for using video analysis, television production, computers, and photography, as well as hands-on geometrical/reasoning tasks and activities that involve visual analysis of color and shapes of letters of the alphabet. Ideas are presented for implementing these activities in several curriculum areas. (AEF)

In order to promote critical thinking in young children, particularly children ages 5-8, teachers need to understand skills and dispositions of critical thinkers. This paper discusses these skills, dispositions, and the appropriate classroom climate, within the context of pedagogy, along with learning activities for kindergarten and primary classrooms. Piaget's concept of autonomy is asserted as an important aspect of critical thinking, and the development of thinking skills is compared to the development of language in children. Developmentally appropriate practices are useful for incorporating thinking skills and dispositions into the curriculum. A list of skills and sub-skills necessary for adult critical thinking is given, along with a discussion of appropriateness for emphasis with young children, including the following: (1) interpretation; (2) analysis; (3) evaluation; (4) inference; (5) explanation; and (6) self-regulation. To emphasize these skills appropriately, teachers of young children should emphasize and model the following dispositions: (1) curiosity; (2) open-mindedness; (3) fair-mindedness; (4) flexibility; (5) organization; (6) understanding of other points of view; and (7) emotional maturity. Teaching techniques best suited for promoting critical thinking are also discussed, including: (1) developing questions; (2) teaching problem solving; (3) teaching conflict resolution; (4) using cooperative groups; and (5) developing a dramatic play corner. Contains nine references and a six-item list of additional helpful materials. (BGC)

This paper provides a rationale for including an interdisciplinary course in the university undergraduate or graduate curriculum that explores the interconnection between communication and gender. It also provides the framework for a semester-long course by which gender as a communicative accomplishment can be revealed. The course described in the paper requires that students examine the interconnection between communication and the constitution of gender: course goals include analyzing the matrix of biological, historical, social, and cultural forces that act as constraining features of gender construction; identify ways in which communicative activity always and already constitutes gender as a meaningful achievement; locate the place of feminist theory; recognize the relationship between structures of oppression and social activism based on issues of gender; develop critical thinking skills; and empower students by critiquing and suggesting alternatives to the existing systems of gender. A certain disciplinary eclecticism is exercised in compiling the reading materials to more clearly discern ways in which humans come into being as gendered selves. In total, 11 perspectives on gender are explored in the course described in the paper. Also described are course goals and objectives, assignments, and the readings for each of the 14 weeks of the course. Contains 48 references. Attached is a brief course description including references to the readings used in the course. (RS)

This paper presents an expanded lesson plan for "The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project." This is a revised and expanded version of one of the six items that constituted the earlier work. The objectives are to analyze a primary source document, recognize the importance of individuals who made a difference in community history, and understand the significance of the past in shaping present attitudes. The paper presents a synopsis of the James A. Chase et al. v. David Stephenson et al. (1874) case addressing desegregation in the schools. Also addressed are community values and social institutions, as well as conflict resolution of human rights issues. Copies of newspaper articles related to the case and documents pertaining to the court ruling are a part of the lesson plan. (EH)

An undergraduate course at the University of South Florida called "Relationships on Film" treats movies as relationship texts to be "read" by active viewers. Through the semester, students engage film in two ways. First, they interpret films as response papers. Each week, students watch the assigned film outside of class. Then they select the relational issues they want to address, and write about what they find most evocative, interesting, or questionable. Second, students turn a reflexive eye onto themselves and ask what values and assumptions they use to interpret relationship experience. In other words, after students write about issues they select, they examine their analyses and consider such questions as, "How am I positioned as a viewer of this film?" or "What does my selection of these issues say about me?" These questions call students to examine critically their own structures of interpretation--their memories, their family traditions, their cultural Cairo," two films that affirm that people today live in what N. Denzin Cairo," 2 films that affirm that people today live in what N. Denzin calls "a cinematic society." These "movies about movies" suggest that film mediates identity and relationships in several ways. Ingmar Bergman's "Persona" and Woody Allen's "Zelig" engage students in questions of identity. "The Virginian,""Shane," and "Red River" raise questions about what Westerns value. And "Annie Hall" and "When Harry Met Sally" help students to look at romantic relationships. (TB)

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) mathematics items measure critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and the ability to apply skills and knowledge to real-world problems. Students are asked to solve problems involving the key knowledge and skills for their grade level as identified by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), using mathematical practices, reasoning, and modeling. PARCC assessment is administered in paper-based and computer-based formats; both modes contained constructed response items. This document is designed to help educators understand the scoring of constructed response items.

The teacher who has become dissatisfied with the snapshot-type evaluation offered by most tests is probably ready to begin to use portfolios as assessment tools, but may not know how to go about it. Essentially, a portfolio is a collection of samples of student work that is developed over time, chosen according to specific criteria to represent student progress and achievement, and presented with an introduction, explanation, or assessment of the contents. Portfolios are created from things that students do over time in a subject area. They may be kept in a variety of formats, but should be kept in a way that provides frequent access. The teacher should present the criteria for selection for the portfolio, and the students should select what to include. It is essential that students evaluate their own work if the portfolio is to be effective. Critical thinking comes into the introduction, explanation, or assessment of the contents provided by the student. Once the portfolios have been collected, the teacher must evaluate them, and then, when students have seen their grades, the portfolio can be returned to the student, passed on to the next teacher, or filed in a central place determined by the school. Portfolios can be an effective tool to help students see their academic growth and identify areas where they still need to grow. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD)

Critical thinking (CT) teaching strategies are an effective way for teacher educators, especially those of child development students, to help students understand the individual nature of the learning process, the need for dialogue and interaction, and the need for students to be able to apply theory to practice. CT involves the ability to use what one knows about the world, including feelings and intuition, to evaluate the quality of conclusions. CT strategies include aspects of active learning, but with greater expectations. Students are expected to use their available metacognitive abilities to analyze their own performance, and evaluate and make use of their own abilities and talents as well as the abilities and talents of other students. Appendixes provide a list of differences between active learning and CT, an example of a CT individual group activity, and an example of a CT cooperative group activity. (MDM)

This paper presents an overview of the effectiveness of writing and cooperative learning in developing thinking skills in technical theatre education. The paper first offers a statement of purpose and an outline of a survey of university technical theater personnel and design students in an introduction. The four parts of the paper then discuss: (1) a designer's working definition of thinking; (2) the designer's need for effective language skills; (3) the use of writing in developing the design concept; and (4) cooperative learning in the design workshop. The paper concludes that the described methods of using language to develop thinking skills of design students: teaches students to use their minds well; develops the intellectual and imaginative powers and competencies that students need; transforms the role of the teacher into a coach provoking students to learn; and presents a nonthreatening atmosphere in which achievement, truth, and decency are expected and provided. Twenty-four references, and the results of the survey are attached. (RS)

By comparing Alfred Korzybski's and Richard Paul's approach to critical thinking, this paper presents a procedural example of how an individual can learn and develop expertise in human communicating. The paper offers various exercises beginning with select Korzybski general semantics communication theories and moving into critical thinking experiences. The approach outlined in the paper is suggested for students and faculty in classrooms as well as for persons who simply want to learn more about using general semantics and critical thinking as tools for observing, evaluating, and arriving at informed and fair judgments. The paper uses a PBS documentary, "In the White Man's Image" (about Native Americans) to point out how general semantics can be used in observing and analyzing, leading to more indepth critical thinking. To work out confusing and otherwise limiting symbolizing while communicating, the paper advocates using Paul's natural language approach aided by general semantics. The paper argues that selected general semantics devices can be used to counter what Paul sees as a weakness in Korzybski's overall theories. Nineteen references are attached. (NKA)

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on language across the curriculum is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the topic; the full text of several papers on the topic; copies of any existing ERIC/RCS publications on the topic; a set of guidelines for completing a goal statement, a reaction paper, and an application project; and an evaluation form. (KEH)

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on developing thinking skills through literature is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the topic; the full text of several papers on the topic; copies of any existing ERIC/RCS publications on the topic; a set of guidelines for completing a goal statement, a reaction paper, and an application project; and an evaluation form. (KEH)