Transcript Ideas to Action (I2A) Using Critical Thinking to Foster Student Learning and Community Engagement Presentation for School of Music Faculty March 21, 2008

Ideas to Action (I2A)
Using Critical Thinking to Foster
Student Learning and Community Engagement
Presentation for School of Music Faculty
March 21, 2008
Introductions
• I2A Team
Dr. Patty Payette
Executive Director
Dr. Cathy Bays
Dr. Edna Ross
Delphi Specialist
for Assessment
Delphi Specialist
for Critical Thinking
Hannah Anthony, Program Assistant Senior
Ideas to Action Leadership Team
• Dale Billingsley, Professor and Vice Provost
for Undergraduate Affairs
• Gale Rhodes, Assistant University Provost &
Director, Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning
• Marianne Hutti, Associate Director, Delphi
Center for Teaching and Learning
Ideas to Action Task Group
• I2A Task Group
• I2A Facilitators
– Dr. Edie Tidwell
– Dr. Anne Marie De Zeeuw
Ideas to Action Implementation
Ideas to Action (I2A): Using Critical
Thinking to Foster Student Learning and
Community Engagement is our Quality
Enhancement Plan (QEP), and we need
to show measurable progress to the
Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS) by April 2012.
I2A and “Connecting the Dots”
“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 Report, 2007]
skills and
knowledge
real-world issues the parts to the
& problems
whole
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/files/finalreport.pdf
What’s in it for us
Better prepared students who need to live and work in a
complex world
Re-affirmation of the centrality of a liberal arts foundation
for every University student
A framework for thinking about the education we provide
as we attract increasingly better-prepared students
Resources to inform the development of pedagogy,
planning and programming in all units
Higher Education in the 21st Century
 Public accountability & SLO’s: state legislatures,
accrediting bodies and other stakeholders
 New emphasis on intellectual, technical and practical
skills
 UofL’s Metropolitan Mission
 Emphasis on “deep learning,” integrative learning,
brain research, digital literacy, etc.
 Shifts in traditional structures and divisions in the
academy
I2A: What are the components?
Sharpen our
existing focus
on building
critical thinking
skills in the
general
education
program…
…..continuing
through
undergraduate
major courses
with an emphasis
on applying and
refining those
skills…
…resulting in a
culminating
experience, such
as a thesis,
service learning
project, internship
or capstone
project that
fosters
engagement
What is Critical Thinking?
“Higher-Order Thinking”
“Complex Thinking”
Critical Thinking = “Grappling with open-ended problems”
It’s “thinking things through.”
Critical Thinking Definition
adopted for I2A
Critical thinking is
the intellectually disciplined process
that results in
a guide to belief and action.
Understanding
Concepts
Appreciation
Decisions
Synthesize
Application
(From: Scriven and Paul, 2003)
How does this model help us?
"In addition to the obvious act of disciplined
practice, the intellectual process which must
always come before a skilled performance
includes analysis of elements of compositional
styles and genres, historical context (both
musical and cultural), and an appreciation and
understanding of the needs or diversity of the
intended audience with thoughtful intention of
how best to reach them."
Thinking in creative disciplines
We create and assess; we
assess what we create; we
assess as we create.
“Critical and Creative Thinking”p. 37
What is the connection between
critical and creative thinking?
…without development of critical capacities, raw inborn talent is easily
wasted or misused. The cultivation of innate gifts must be joined with critical
thinking skills and abilities if one is to achieve results worthy of high praise.
For one, even in art, where creativity of the highest degree is essential,
critical thinking plays a vital role. Great artists are not uncritical about art,
especially about their own art. They typically have a lot to say about what
they are striving to achieve and how they are trying to achieve it. And when
artists or art critics reason about art, that reasoning must be subject to
critical analysis an assessment. Each field of art generates a vocabulary of
art-specific standards. Assessment occurs at multiple levels. But in art, as in
every other domain of human achievement, critically and creativity work
hand-in-glove, mutually dependent, mutually interacting, mutually influencing
each other.
Purple Book - p. 13 & p. 30
Why should we use a common Critical Thinking
model?
 allows students to make connections
between subjects and skill sets.
 units/teams of faculty design courses and
instruction around common
conceptualizations of CT
 expectations for student performance are
not vague, incomplete or narrowly defined
 Paul-Elder model is comprehensive can be
used within and outside of disciplinary
contexts
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/)
Paul-Elder
Critical Thinking Model
Intellectual Standards
must be applied to
The Elements of Thought
in order to develop
Intellectual Traits
which will produce a well-cultivated
Critical thinker
Intellectual Standards
CLARITY
Could you elaborate?
Could you illustrate what you mean?
Could you give me an example?
ACCURACY
How could we check on that?
How could we find out if that is true?
How could we verify or test that?
PRECISION
Could you be more specific?
Could you give me more details?
Could you be more exact?
RELEVANCE
How does that relate to the problem?
How does that bear on the question?
How does that help us with the issue?
DEPTH
What factors make this difficult?
What are some of the complexities of this question?
What are some of the difficulties we need to deal with?
BREADTH
Do we need to look at this from another perspective?
Do we need to consider another point of view?
Do we need to look at this in other ways?
p. 8-10
LOGIC
Does all of this make sense together?
Does your first paragraph fit in with your last one?
Does what you say follow from the evidence?
SIGNIFICANCE
Is this the most important problem to consider?
Is this the central idea to focus on?
Which of these facts are most important?
FAIRNESS
Is my thinking justifiable in context?
Am I taking into account the thinking of others?
Is my purpose fair given the situation?
Am I using my concepts in keeping with educated
usage, or am I distorting them to get what I
want?
COMPLETENESS
How complete are the facts related to the issue?
How complete is the description?
Is the description of each perspective complete?
Tidwell Example
Question from a Listening Assignment:
As to the composer – when and where did/do
he/she live? Is he/she contemporary with the
librettist or poet? Where does this music fit
within an historical timeline?
Which Intellectual Standards?
Accuracy – Breadth – Relevance
p. 3-6
Tidwell Example
Question from a Listening Assignment:
As to the composer – when and where
did/do he/she live? Is he/she
contemporary with the librettist or poet?
Where does this music fit within an
historical timeline?
Which Elements?
Information – Concept –
Point of View – Inference
The Intellectual Traits
• Intellectual Humility • Intellectual Integrity
• Intellectual Courage • Intellectual
Perseverance
• Intellectual Empathy
• Confidence in
• Intellectual
Reason
Autonomy
• Fairmindedness
p. 13-15
Tidwell Example
Question from a Listening Assignment:
As to the composer – when and where did/do he/she
live? Is he/she contemporary with the librettist or
poet? Where does this music fit within an historical
timeline?
Which trait?
Intellectual Empathy
This trait correlates with the ability to reconstruct accurately the
viewpoints and reasoning of others and to reason from premises,
assumptions, and ideas other than our own... (p. 14)
Pulling it all together
How can the model help us sharpen our
thinking about …
•
•
•
•
•
crafting our curriculum?
articulating course goals?
describing student learning objectives?
assessing and measuring student abilities?
making explicit the thinking and performance
goals for students in very specific,
measurable ways?
Music 141: Theory 1
• Course content/goal:
Theory I is “an introduction to the principles of harmony
and voice leading, coordinated with ear training, sight
singing, and keyboard harmony, and incorporating a
review of the rudiments of music”
• Course Objective BEFORE:
At the end of the semester you will be able to:
5 ) understand metric structure and notate common
rhythmic patterns correctly;
De Zeeuw Example
Music 141: Theory 1
Course Objective AFTER:
( 5 ) understand explain metric structure and
notate common rhythmic patterns correctly
precisely
De Zeeuw Example
Music 141 Course Assessment
Assessment Before
You will demonstrate your knowledge of
tonal harmony in the third-unit written test
and the written final examination.
De Zeeuw Example
Music 141 Course Assessment
Assessment After
You will demonstrate the accuracy, logic,
and depth of your command of your
knowledge of tonal harmony in the thirdunit written test and the written final
examination.
De Zeeuw Example
Music 348: Analysis II
Revised Course description:
• Analysis II, “an analytical study of harmonic,
contrapuntal, and formal procedures as found in the
works of such composers as Bach, Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, etc.”
• We shall also revisit, in more depth, some of the
basic concepts covered in Analysis I, develop some
graphic analytic tools, and investigate relationships
between analysis and performance.
De Zeeuw Example
Music 348: Analysis II
What IS analytical study? How can it be mastered, demonstrated,
made “visible”?
Revised Objectives:
• At the end of the semester, students will be able to: be familiar with
use analytic terminology applicable to tonal music with accuracy and
precision; recognize accurately identify standard tonal forms and
contrapuntal procedures; understand and be able to explain and
apply significant concepts such as tension/repose, stasis/motion,
musical direction, means of musical unification, balance, and
proportion, in order to analyze music in depth and breadth; be able
to apply relevant analytical findings to performance; be able to
create effective musical illustrations that communicate analytical
ideas clearly and precisely for analytical papers and presentations ;
and be able to communicate analytical findings clearly, logically, and
in a scholarly manner, both orally and in writing.
De Zeeuw Example
Music 361: Music Literature I
Goals and objectives before:
• The student will be expected to master a certain body of factual
material pertinent to the history of Western art music. …
• Emphasis will be placed largely on the genres, forms, and styles of
music in the period covered. These will be introduced through
assigned listening examples, scores, and facsimiles …
• In addition to the assigned listening examples, students will be
tested on non-assigned pieces that are very similar to those on the
assignments.
• Writing assignments incorporate practice in revision and peer
review, and are designed to facilitate student learning of formal
writing about music….
• Score and/or facsimile identification will be included on every
exam, and in-class exercises in score and facsimile…….
Shinnick Example
Music 361: Music Literature I
Goals and objectives after:
• Upon completion of this course, students will be able to meet
intellectual standards of clarity, accuracy, precision, and logic in
explaining key concepts and historical facts in the history of Western
art music to c. 1530.
• Students will understand and be able to identify and explain
significant implications and developments (in genres, forms, styles,
and notation) within the history of Western music to. c. 1530.
• Students will be able to analyze and interpret musical and historical
evidence to come to logical conclusions regarding the ways
developments in music theory, styles, and notation reflect cultural
and historical events or issues of the period under study.
• Students will be able to communicate ideas clearly and use sources
accurately and precisely in formal analytical writing about Western
art music of these early eras.
Shinnick Example
What use is a rubric?
• Rubric is a scoring guide used in
subjective assessments
• Defines criteria for performance
• Saves time in grading and helps
preserve consistency
• Conveys meaningful feedback to
students
• Promotes self-regulated learning
What is the use of a rubric?
• A rubric provides explicit descriptions of
performance characteristics
Example of one characteristic: musicianship
• A rubric makes explicit expected
qualities of performance
Example of “accomplished” musicianship: Demonstrates accuracy
in pitch and rhythm and tempo indications
Goals of voice study
1. Develop a vibrant and resonant tone that can encompass
dynamic demands
2. Expand range
3. Improve breath management and technical security.
4. Strengthen level of musicianship.
5. Build strong intonation skill
6. Gain aspects of expression and sense of line and direction
of phrase to reflect musical understanding and awareness of
musical styles.
7. Gain ease with language diction in singing.
8. Be sensitive to textual content and develop interpretive skill.
9. Gain a broad knowledge of the standard vocal repertoire.
10.Become a better singer and performer.
Tidwell Example
Sample Rubric Component
ELEMENTS
ACCOMPLISHED DEVELOPING BEGINNING WEAK
MUSICIANSHIP Demonstrates
(Logic/Accuracy/ accuracy in pitch and
Precision)
rhythm and tempo
indications
A few
inaccuracies in
pitch and/or
rhythm and or
tempo indications
Tidwell Example
Errors in pitch
and/or rhythm
and/or tempo
indications
which interfere
with musical
presentation
Numerous
inaccuracies
in pitch
and/or
rhythm
and/or tempo
indications
which negate
musical
presentation
Music 361: Music Literature I
Grading rubric before:
• Title (1-3),
• Introduction, (1-10)
• Thesis Statement: [construction, clarity,
expression, validity, substance] (1-10)
Shinnick Example
Music 361: Music Literature I
Frame elements: Title, Introduction, Conclusion
[Title relates clearly to topic of paper;
communicates issues of paper. Introduction
provides clear sense of scope and context,
identifies and explains relevant key concepts and
historical facts. Conclusion is logical and well
reasoned, takes into account relevant information
and evidence, makes thoughtful inferences;
identifies most significant implications, integrates
historical context, musical evidence, musical
analysis.]
Shinnick Example
1
2
3
4
X
Inferences in
conclusion need
more explicit
reasoning.
Thesis
statement needs
more clarity.
(See written
comments on
paper.)
I2A Next Steps:
08-09 Programs & Services
• I2A Faculty Learning Community (Fall 08)
• I2A Instructional Grants (Spring 2008)
• I2A Website w/ resources (Jan 08)
• I2A Delphi Specialist in Culminating Experiences
• I2A Campus Collaborations (SPI, Civic
Engagement, Student Affairs)
For more information
Please visit:
http://louisville.edu/ideastoaction