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TCC and the Art of Critical Thinking
In the fall of 2004, frustration and disappointment brought WC faculty together. We groused and carped more than a
little, finding, again, at semester’s end that we wanted so much more for our students than they wanted for themselves.
This is no startling insight, no epiphany for the soul. It’s a fact.
Along with this fact comes the knowledge that our students struggle with cognitive tasks that require any one of the following: analysis, application, synthesis, and evaluation. Again, a well-known fact. So much so, that nearly all
educators report that they intentionally design curriculum with the intent of
improving the ability of students to think critically. Yet it is rare to find anyone who believes that most students are meeting the mark.
The Mission. Our initiative is comprised of cross-discipline faculty who share
a fundamental belief that thinking is a skill, a teachable skill. Moreover, the
learning outcomes we seek are predicated on cross-discipline faculty using a
language of shared terms and definitions to ensure students develop critical
thinking skills essential not only for college but also for life. We are engaged by the work, by the collaboration that seeks to strengthen and improve pedagogical strategies while simultaneously cultivating a cross-discipline curriculum focus embedded in critical thinking.
Application Curriculum. With enrollment numbers steadily increasing and information literacy driving much of the new
economy, community c olleges are at a pivotal juncture. Traditionally, curriculum in most disciplines and in many courses
focuses on content absorption. While this emphasis is essential for more than a few courses and programs, the 21st Century
workforce and our students in particular would surely benefit from a curriculum overhaul that elevates the cognitive skills
of analysis, application, synthesis, and evaluation and that employs a systematic, measurable, comprehensive platform of
learning outcomes. Using a CTI perspective, content serves the development of critical thinking skills, resulting in engaged
students who learn to think productively about the content they master.
The Conference: Bridging the Divide. It’s been my experience that faith in the future drives teachers to teaching, and CTI
faculty want to change the world—one student at a time.
On October 2, 2009, TCC’s West Campus faculty hosted Bridging the Divide: Critical Thinking across Disciplines, a conference organized by the WC Critical Thinking Initiative and funded through a TCC Faculty Innovation Grant. Chosen for
expertise in critical thinking, speakers included Sarah Kravitz, Alix Darden, Nivaldo Tro, and Honey Kirk. More than 130
individuals from 17 institutions of education ensured a successful conference (and we have the evaluation data!).
While the October conference was our first, CTI faculty have made multiple presentations, here at TCC and at the annual
NISOD conference in Austin, the League for Innovation, and the Oklahoma Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference.
What Next
Assessment remains a challenge for a number of reasons. Yet, we remain undaunted. In the spring 2010 semester, CTI
faculty will introduce an improved assessment instrument for our pre/posttest.
In March 2010, CTI will offer a hands-on, interactive workshop for the faculty participating in the Academy of Teaching
Excellence.
Sometime in the spring, faculty will begin to build/write a training manual (we hope!).
If you are interested in the evolution of education, contact Jackie Swicegood or Penny Colglazier for more details.
-Penny Colglazier