Building psychological critical thinkers from day one

1
Building psychologicalcritical thinkersfrom day
one

• Jane S. Halonen
• University of West Florida

2
Objectives

• Explore (briefly) some aspects of
  literature in critical thinking
• Examine novice-to-expert progression as a
  psychological thinker
• Share teaching strategies that facilitate optimal
  development (emphasis on
  first course)

3
This Sceptered Isle, A. Millar

• Education appears to have sunk to an
  all-time low. Discipline is lax or nonexistent,
  exams have been made easier over time to
  compensate for falling standards, and
  constant testing and the dumbing down
  of the curriculum has eroded the
  enthusiasm of pupils.
• 
  6-13-2008

4
Growth of CT in UK

• A level tests show sharp increase in students
  taking CT version
• Traditionalists criticize skills emphasis as
  dismissive of content
• In contrast, concentrating on skills that
  transfer
• Makes content as context for the skill
• Produces more enduring learning
• Facilitates greater employability

5

• Nothing in education is so astonishing as the
  amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of
  inert facts.
• Henry Adams (1938-1918)
• American historian, author

6
Origins of this accidental critical thinking
scholar

• Prototypical psych major (i.e.,
  Why do I have to take research and statistics?)
• New hire at Alverno College
• Research collaborator ?
• What does it mean to teach
  critical thinking in psychology?
  1983 - 1986

7
Why study psychology?

• So you wont be a jerk.

8
Primary conclusions

• CT is best thought of as a state, not a
  trait.
• CT features are context-specific disciplinary
  and developmental.
• Engaging students to think critically is most
  effective through disequilibrium.
• Faculty struggle to surrender role of stage on
  sage.

9
The briefcase model
10
Restoring equilibrium
11
External event varies

• In the beginning, a whopper!
• For example SAGGING
• The lower the pants,
• The lower the IQ
• As students progress from
  novice to expert, they can
  handle nuance and subtlety.

12
Fast forward to 2003

• A rubric for learning, teaching, and assessing
  scientific inquiry in psychology
• Halonen, Bosack, Clay, McCarthy
• Teaching of Psychology, 30,
• pp. 196-208
• SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY CRITICAL THINKING

13
What are the relevant domains of CT in
psychology?

• Descriptive skills
• Conceptualization skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Ethical reasoning
• Practice of scientific values
• Communication skills
• Collaboration skills
• Self-assessment practice

14
Description skills Unpacking a sample domain

• Observation
• Measurement
• Interpretation
• How do novices differ from experts?
• (a little audience participation would be
  nice.)

15
Observation

• Before training Observes behavior superficially
  and recklessly
• Basic (novice) Observes general patterns but
  confuses observation and interpretation
• Developing Distinguishes observation from
  interpretation
• Advanced (expert) Makes subtle, sensitive
  observations
• Professional (graduate) Sophisticated techniques
  appropriate to circumstance

16
Measurement

• Before training Uses measurement imprecisely and
  in limited ways
• Basic (novice) Needs direction to rely on
  measurement but resists precision
• Developing Uses measurement purposefully as
  empirical strategy, complying with precision
  demand
• Advanced (expert) Actively pursues appropriate
  instrumentation, reasoned measurement strategies
• Professional (graduate) Strives to produce
  optimal measurement strategy to reduce challenges
  to validity of conclusions

17
Interpretation

• Before training Relies on intuition to produce
  obvious, simplistic conclusions
• Basic (novice) Forms judgment with limited
  regard to quality of evidence
• Developing Selectively combines data-based
  interpretation with personal experience
• Advanced (expert) Relies on data for
  systematically for more complex interpretation
• Professional (graduate) Interprets behavior at
  appropriate level of complexity, reflecting
  context

18
How would this approach be reflected in
psychology programs?

• Programs that emphasize coherent,
  developmental focus
• Course structures that include and promote CT
  student learning outcomes
• Faculty who give up covering the content in
  service to cognitive goals

19
Retention curves (Ericksen, 1983)
20
Examples from introductory psychology

• The data page
• Two truths and a tale
• Quack like a duck
• Think and do homework
• The best exam ever
• Whats wrong with Emily?

21
The data page

• What information will help you
• Personalize the class?
• Learn student names faster?
• Contact students when necessary?
• Teach statistics more effectively?

22
Two truths and a tale UK style

• I have spent many hours on a Norton motorcycle.
• I have been kissed by a member of Monty Python.
• I cannot enjoy clotted cream due to
  lactose intolerance.
• Votes reveal hypothesis skills, overconfidence,
  description skills.

23
Quack like a duck (Hunter, 82)

• Clear your desks.
• Write with a pencil. Preferably 2.
• Take off your watch.
• Put your shoes under the seat.
• If youve written poetry in last week,
  put your head down.
• If youre Scottish, go to the back of the room
  and face the wall..
• Put two fingers up your nose and quack
  like a duck.

24
Think and do page

• Each class requires a prep page.
• Questions based on reading
• Activities or puzzles related to material
• Could be an outline
• Graded on good faith effort for prep.
• Each prep counts for specific percent of grade.

25
The best exam ever

• Now that you have studied the brain, perception,
  sensation, etc., how do you manage to perform
  your preferred leisure activity?

26
(No Transcript)
27
Rubric

• Shows reasonable depth of explanation
• Addresses all questions asked
• Relies on psychological concepts rather than
  personal opinion
• Demonstrates creativity
• Applies psychology concepts accurately to chosen
  activity
• Accurately self-assesses

28
Whats Wrong with Emily?

• Class interviews faux famous client (class
  graduate as Emily Dickinson).
• Final exam involves description skills,
  conceptualization, questioning, collaboration,
  etc.
• Outcomes
• Disagreement on diagnosis and treatment
  (just like in professional life)
• Demonstration that clinical work not as easy
  as it looks on television
• Students ask, Is it okay if we do more
  research?

29
(No Transcript)
30
Rubric

• Describes behavior accurately and distinguishes
  from inference
• Answers all parts of exam
• Applies concepts (e.g., mental status) accurately
• Justifies conclusions
• Accurately self-assesses

31
Key Success Elements

• Reward preparation
• Share air time
• Clarify performance expectation--gt write GREAT
  rubrics
• Require student self-assessment
• Pursue perfection
  (or at least improvement)

32
What American Psychological Association resources
support critical thinking focus?

• National standards for introductory psychology
• Guidelines/goals/outcomes for undergraduate
  programs
• Core competences for scientifically-minded
  clinicians
• Community college task force work
• Puget Sound conference

33
Selected References

• Barr, R.B., Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to
  learning A new paradigm for undergraduate
  education. Change, 27, 6, 12-25.
• Dunn, D.S., Mehrotra, C.M., Halonen, J.S.
  (2004). Measuring up Educational assessment
  challenges and practices for psychology.
  Washington, DC American Psychological
  Association.
• Ericksen, S.C. (1983). Private measures of good
  teaching. Teaching of Psychology, 10, 133-136.
• Hunter, W.J. (1982). Obedience to authority.
  Activities resource handbook for psychology.
  Washington, DC American Psychological
  Association.
• Mentkowski, M., Rogers, G., Doherty, A., Loacker,
  G., Hart, J.R., Richards, W. et al. (2000).
  Learning that lasts Integrating learning,
  development, and performance in college and
  beyond. San Francisco Jossey-Bass.

34
How does it feel to be a novice?
35
For follow-up

• jhalonen_at_uwf.edu
• I welcome conversations about teaching as a
  respite from DeanLand

36
(No Transcript)