Think to Learn & Learn to Think

Thinking to Learn & Learning to Think
The Oiler Experience
Fall 2009

Information Literacy
In order to be “information literate”, students need to build skills in locating, evaluating, and utilizing sources for a variety of purposes

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.”
-William Butler Yeats

General Education Goals:
Build critical, analytical, & logical thinking skills
Build technological, written, & oral communication skills
Become acquainted with diverse perspectives, and the history of a variety of disciplines;
Develop an appreciation of the arts in order to grow as responsible global citizens

from Wick & Phillips, 2008“Liberal Education Scorecard”

General Education Goals, cont.
Establish personal dispositions needed to participate in a modern democracy

How are the learning goals measured?
Coursework
Service learning & volunteer work
Cooperative learning experiences
Standardized tests (ie: the CLA)

Collegiate Learning Assessment(CLA)
Measures students’ ability to analyze, think critically, and respond in writing
Given to a sampling of first semester freshmen and final semester seniors
Looks for growth in abilities from freshman year to senior year

“ Our job is to educate free, independent, and vigorous minds capable of analyzing events, of exercising judgment, of distinguishing fact from propaganda, and truths from half –truths and lies.”
- Nathan Marsh Pusey
President, Lawrence College, 1944-1953
President, Harvard University, 1953-1973

Three CLA Measurements
Create an argument
Analyze an argument
Solve a problem based on evidence (Performance Task)

The Oiler Experience
For the next few weeks of The Oiler Experience, we will be focusing on solving a problem based on evidence; in other words, we will be doing a Performance Task.

The Oiler Experience Performance Task
Week One: Given a CLA problem to solve and some articles to read
Week Two: Learn how to access and analyze sources that will help solve your CLA problem
Week Three: You will work collaboratively to analyze your sources and prepare a response to the problem
Week Four: You will complete your response and share it

Move Into Your Groups

Sample Performance Task
Crime Reduction Performance
Task Response

Performance Task
You are members of Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland’s task force on “Technology, Society, and You”. Specifically, the governor is looking for recommendations about whether or not to make cell phone use while driving illegal in the state of Ohio. This includes all aspects of cell phone use among drivers—in instances of private as well as public transportation.
Task:
As members of this task force, your group must submit a two-page report (based on credible evidence) to the governor arguing why cell phone use while driving should or should not be prohibited in Ohio.

Reminder!
Bring your computers & power adapters to class next week to do research on the internet.