Webinar Viewing/Conversation Guidefor

Uncovering Critical Thinking in Social Studieswith

Wally Diefenthaler, Diane Lander and Karen LaRone

Overview of Learning Opportunity: This recorded webinar delves into Critical Thinking and provides a comprehensive overview of The Critical Thinking Consortium's (TC2) model. An interactive example of a critical thinking challenge is explored to give you a practical application of critical thinking in a Social Studies context. In addition, critical thinking resources that support implementation of the Social Studies program are introduced. You wiil learn how to access these resources through the LearnAlberta website.

At various points in the webinar, you will be invited to pause the recording to view video clips and search for resources introduced in the webinar.

Webinar Outline/Table of ContentsTime Clip Information & Key Ideas

0:00 Welcome and IntroductionsCritical Thinking Model

3:23 What is Critical Thinking?6:24 The TC2 Model of Critical Thinking

10:31 Modelling the Tools: Asking Powerful Questions Critical Thinking Resources available on www.learnalberta.ca

14:41 Overview of resources available on www.learnalberta.ca15:23 Professional Learning Resources26:43 Teaching Resources (OCIs, Critical Challenges, Modelling the Tools and Support

Materials)39:00 Classroom Examples

Resources in www.learnalberta.ca that Provide Further Support for Critical Thinking43:19 Student Resources, ORC, Literature Connections, Image Collections, Digital

Technologies.End of Webinar

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This viewing guide is intended for Professional Learning Communities, instructional leaders or self-paced study to help guide instruction, conversations and reflections on embedding critical thinking in Social Studies.

What is Critical Thinking? (4:20 – 9:59)

View: Roland Case Video Clip: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssogrcp/html/summerinstitute_roland_case_2.html

Discuss:o How can you use critical thinking as a method of teaching in your classroom?

The Critical Thinking Consortium’s (TC2) Model to Critical Thinking:o A person is thinking critically only if he/she is assessing or judging the merits of

possible options in light of relevant factors or criteria.o TC2 proposes a four-pronged to enhance students’ abilities to think critically:

build a community of thinkers within the school and classroom; infuse opportunities for critical thinking – critical challenges –

throughout the curriculum; develop the intellectual tools that will enable students to become

competent critical thinkers; on a continuing basis assess students’ competence in using the

intellectual tools to think through critical challenges.

Consider:o How do you create a community of critical thinkers in your Social Studies class?o Why do you want to embed critical thinking as a method of teaching?Teach and Assess the Intellectual Tools: o background knowledge: What information do your students need to know

about a topic?o criteria for judgment: On what basis do your students decide what is reasonable

or possible when addressing issues or problems?o critical thinking vocabulary: What terms and concepts do you teach and use in

your classroom to promote critical thinking?o thinking strategies: To what extent to you use such strategies as graphic

organizers in your classroom? o habits of mind: Why teach such habits of mind as open-mindedness in your

classroom?

Asking Powerful Questions (10:31 – 13: 59)

Modelling the tools: Asking Powerful Questions resource available at: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssmt/html/askingpowerfulquestions_mt.html

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As you watch the video of student’s questions for MLA’s available at http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=24, consider which question is the most powerful based on the following criteria.

o Criteria for a powerful question:» Informative» Open ended» Relevant

Discuss the “intellectual tools” (background knowledge, criteria for judgment, critical thinking vocabulary, thinking strategies and habits of mind) needed by students to write these powerful questions.

View the teacher reflection: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=19

Getting to Know LearnAlberta (14:41 – 15:23)

If you are unfamiliar with www.learnalberta.ca you may wish to view these previously recorded sessions at: http://erlc.wikispaces.com/Getting+to+Know+LearnAB.ca

LearnAlberta Resources to Support Critical Thinking:Professional Learning Resources(15:23 – 20:53)

o Reference Document- Embedding Critical Thinking into Teaching and LearningThis resource defines critical thinking and explores how critical thinking can be used as a method of teaching. It also provides details about critical challenges, and outlines the components of the TC2 Critical Thinking Model.

o Discussion Paper- Assessment: Linking Teaching and LearningThe discussion paper “Assessment in Alberta Social Studies,” located within the Assessment: Linking Teaching and Learning resource, explores internationally accepted principles and practices of fair assessment within a context of critical thinking and the Alberta Social Studies Program of Studies.

o Video clips- Various critical thinking sessions from the Social Studies Summer Institutes as well as interviews from experts in the field of critical thinking were videotaped. Video clips featuring Roland Case and Garfield Gini-Neumann provide a great starting point in deepening our understanding of critical thinking.

Locating the video clips: Search either “Roland Case” or “Garfield”Some recommendations:

a. Roland Case: Critical Thinking as an Effective Way of Teaching Social Studies (Part 3) (Support for “Embedding Critical Thinking into Teaching and Learning” page 4)

b. Roland Case: Critical Thinking as an Effective Way of Teaching Social Studies (Part 4)

c. Roland Case: Critical Thinking and Identity (Interview Response Question 3)

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d. Roland Case: A Model of Critical Thinking (Interview Response - Question 5) e. Garfield Gini-Neuman: Critical Thinking as a Way of Teaching Social Studies Part

2f. Garfield Gini-Newman: Embedding Critical Thinking into the New Social Studies

Program of Studies (Part 3)

Finding Resources on LearnAlberta(20:53 - 26:43)

Find resources by:o Searching for specific resources by typing in your search words in the “Search

box”o Search by the Program of Studies tab: Apple Icon=Teacher Resource, Backpack

Icon=Student Resource

Critical Thinking Teaching Resources on LearnAlberta(26:43 - 36:43)

Overarching Critical Inquiries (OCIs): OCIs cluster the teaching of many specific outcomes under a central idea; each OCI contains a set of related critical challenges.

Critical Challenges are lessons that engage students in thinking critically. Critical challenges have been developed to meet groupings of outcomes in the Social Studies Program of Studies for each of the grade levels Kindergarten through grade 12.The overarching inquiries (enquête d'analyse critique) and their respective critical challenges (défi d'analyse critique) have been translated into French for several grade levels.

Summaries of the Critical Challenges: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssocirm/html/summariesoftheccs/index.htm

To locate Critical Challenges in LearnAlberta:o Search “critical challenge,” and refine the search by selecting the grade level.o Search “OCI,” and refine the search by selecting the grade level.

OCI Example in the webinar: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssoc7/html/interactingplayersandforces_oci.html

Support Materials:(36:43 – 37:29)

Support Materials are ready-to-use instructional and assessment materials that can be used as “thinking strategies”. Support Materials can be adapted for use at different grade levels and different subject areas.

Some of the Support Materials (ressources pédagogiques) are also available in French. Locating Support Materials:

o Search “Support Materials” to get the complete list of Support Materials available.

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o Or search “Summaries of Support Materials” to locate a document that summarizes all of the Support Materials lessons, and allows you to link directly to each Support Material from there.

Modelling the Tools(37:29 – 39:00)

Modelling the Tools: detailed teaching suggestions that illustrate how teachers might help students develop a particular array of critical thinking skills. These lesson plans address the "tools" required for various tasks — from asking questions and interpreting pictures to solving problems and taking social action. Modelling the Tools resources can be adapted for use at different grade levels and for different contexts.

Some of the Modelling the Tools (enseigner les outils) are also available in French. Locating Modelling the Tools:

o Search “Modelling the Tools” to get the complete list of Modelling the Tools lessons available.

o Or search “Summaries of Modelling the Tools” to locate a document that summarizes all of the modelling the tools lessons, and allows you to link directly to each MT from there.

Classroom Examples(39:00 – 43:02)

The Classroom Examples showcase students and teachers working through the suggested activities in a Modelling the Tools (MT) lesson plan. Although particular grade levels were chosen for the filming, the MT can be adapted for a wide range of learners.

Classroom Examples include:o A Classroom Example of Investigating Pictures (filmed in combined 1,2

classroom)o A Classroom Example of Asking Powerful Questions (filmed in grade 6

classrooms)o A Classroom Example of Interpreting and Reinterpreting Visual Images (filmed in

a grade 8 classroom)o A Classroom Example of Creating Persuasive and Effective Visuals (filmed in

grade 10 classrooms)

Locating the Classroom Examples:o Search “Classroom Example”o The “Summaries of Modelling the Tools” document lists the Classroom

Examples that accompany specific Modelling the Tools

Student Resources:(43:19 – 45:01)

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In Pursuit of Excellence http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssaoe6/index.html Students demonstrate critical thinking as they assume the role of a council member for a

fictional Order of Excellence modelled after the Alberta Order of Excellence. Students examine excerpts from actual Alberta Order of Excellence nomination packages and select the examples that best meet the provided criteria. They rate the strength of evidence found in the nominations for five fictional candidates, justify the ratings, rank the candidates and make recommendations for investiture into the new Order of Excellence.

Although this resource is correlated to grade 6 outcomes, the “criteria training” component could be used by students in other grade levels as well.

Online Reference Centre (ORC)(45:01 – 46:10)

Access the ORC through the Online Reference Centre Tab in LearnAlberta. Contains a database of over 25 resources available for students to use when completing a

critical challenge. Many of the resources in the Online Reference Centre have been licensed for use by Alberta students, teachers, and parents. Note: Students will need the LearnAlberta username and password when accessing these resources from home.

Summaries of Current Research and Literature Related to Social Studies(46:10 – 46:39)

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssogscr/html/summariesofcurrentresearch.html This resource is comprised of a review of current research and literature related to social

studies education that is also relevant to other programs of study. Please note the sections that refer to critical thinking, creative thinking and metacognition.

Assessment Models(46:39 - 47:08)

At each grade level K-12, one critical challenge or modelling the tools resource has been built out as a model for assessment.

These assessment models are noted within the summary charts and can also be accessed by searching Alberta Assessment Consortium or AAC.

Literature Connections(47:08 – 47:45)

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sslc/html/index.html This resource contains bibliographical information and annotations for a selection of books

organized by grade for each grade K-12 that are correlated with the social studies program and can be used to support critical thinking. There are also annotated bibliographies for geographic thinking, historical thinking, and Canadian Symbols and Identity.

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Image Collections(47:45 – 48:29)

Social Studies Image Collections Summary: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sscanic/html/index.html

Currently there are 15 collections of images that can be used to support critical thinking at various grade levels.

Options to hide the image descriptions and documents to facilitate note taking provide options for encouraging critically thoughtful investigation of the images.

Several new collections are currently under development.

Video Resources(48:29 – 49: 21)

The refined search categories in LearnAlberta can be used to access a listing of videos in a specific content area, grade level, or language. Many of the critical thinking resources can be used to support critically thoughtful viewing of video resources.

Using Digital Technologies(49: 21 – 50:01)

Digital technologies can be used effectively to support and enhance critical thinking. There are 7 support materials focusing on various applications of digital technologies. These support materials can be accessed by using a key word search “using digital

technologies” or directly from the support materials summary chart. http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssocirm/html/smchartsummary/index.html

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