1. Prepared
by
Mark
Chia
Mingde
(26
May
2015)
Lesson:
Issues
and
Perspectives/Critical
thinking
Student
Profile:
General
Education
Module
students
from
across
the
academic
schools
Working
assumptions
on
prior
knowledge:
Students
will
have
some
awareness
of
(1)
The
Concept
of
Critical
thinking/Elements
of
Reasoning
(Paul
Richard)
and;
(2)
Design
Thinking
Framework
from
the
mass
lectures,
as
well
as;
and
(3)
An
awareness
of
the
tuition
phenomena
in
Singapore
and/or
Asia.
Students
will
understand
that:
Every
argument
is
made
from
a
point
of
view
to
achieve
a
certain
purpose
using
relevant
reasons
and
evidence
that
is
founded
on
certain
assumptions
which
has
a
whole
set
of
implications
which
may/may
not
be
positive.
Students
will
be
able
to
1. Analyze
a
perspective
on
a
given
issue
in
a
systematic
manner
by
using
the
elements
of
reasoning
Purpose
and
Point
of
View,
Information
(Reasons
&
Evidence),
Assumptions
and
Implications
2. Evaluate
different
perspectives
using
the
elements
of
reasoning
by
making
judgments
on
what
to
accept
or
reject
of
other
perspectives,
incorporating
good
ideas
for
modification
if
applicable
3. Synthesize
alternative
perspectives
and
generate
new
ones
(differentiation)
Time
Learning
Activities
Rationale
5
min
Recap
&
Overview:
1. Quick
recap
on
the
idea
of
critical
thinking,
its
purpose
and
how
it
impacts
learning
in
general
2. Quick
recap
on
the
elements
of
reasoning
(Purpose,
Question,
Assumptions,
POVs,
Evidence,
Concepts,
Inference/Interpretation,
Consequences/Implications)
3. Map
out
the
lesson
for
the
day:
• Situating
Critical
Thinking
within
a
larger
purpose
beyond
the
course
(motivation)
• Activate
lower
levels
in
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
(Understanding/Comprehension)
so
we
spend
more
time
on
higher
order
thinking
(Analysis,
Evaluation,
Application)

2. Prepared
by
Mark
Chia
Mingde
(26
May
2015)
-­‐ Objectives
–
application
of
elements
for
analysis/evaluation
-­‐ Learning
activities
–
problem
analysis,
modified
jigsaw
• Providing
a
road
map
for
the
lesson
so
students
can
regulate
their
own
learning
during
the
lesson
10
min
Future
Problem:
In
the
year
2030,
the
recommendations
of
the
ASPIRE
committee
have
been
fully
implemented
in
Singapore.
The
Public
has
come
to
accept
the
notion
of
multiple
pathways
to
excellence
and
have
grown
to
see
the
Applied
Study
model
promoted
in
the
local
Polytechnics
and
ITEs.
In
this
new
educational
landscape,
the
Polytechnics
have
risen
to
be
not
just
a
viable
alternative
but
also
very
popular
and
competitive
alternative.
Old
habits
die-­‐hard
and
once
again
the
specter
of
tuition
has
once
again
emerged.
A
confidential
shadow
report
done
by
Higher
Education
Branch
in
MOE
HQ
revealed
to
policy
makers
that
on
average
2
out
of
ever
5
Biomedical
Science
receive
at
least
3
hours
of
tuition
once
a
week.
Among
its
top
percentile,
the
figure’s
as
high
as
4
out
of
10
Biomedical
Science
grads.
Fees
for
the
best
private
tutors
have
gone
as
high
as
$200/hr.
Most
recently,
concerned
parents
have
written
to
the
Straits
Times
forum
to
raise
the
issue
for
public
discussion.
• Draws
on
elements
of
Problem-­‐based
learning
and
Future
Problem
Solving
Scenarios.
• Teacher
needs
to
avoid
analyzing
the
issue
at
the
point,
laying
only
out
aspects
of
the
scenario
that
highlight
the
severity
of
the
problem.
• The
severity
is
key
–
students
need
to
be
convinced
that
(1)
this
is
a
likely
problem
and
that
(2)
it
is
serious
and
socially
significant
enough
to
be
addressed
(3)
and
that
a
timely
solution
is
necessary
lest
irrevocable
and
messy
consequences
set
in.
• Possible
problem:
students
might
not
have
sufficient
knowledge
of
ASPIRE
to
really
know
what
the
fuss
is
all
about
–
if
this
is
the
fear,
consider
playing
the
video
to
give
some
background
knowledge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yKEoqAyKk

3. Prepared
by
Mark
Chia
Mingde
(26
May
2015)
20
min
Problem
Analysis
[Teacher
Modeling]
Ideas
for
Facilitation:
Purpose
–
my
purpose
for
reasoning
is
to
find
out
the
best
way
to
eliminate
or
reduce
the
reliance
on
tuition
among
polytechnic
students
so
that
the
benefits
of
the
ASPIRE
recommendations
can
fully
materialize.
Question
–
what
is
the
best
way
to
solve
the
problem?
What
constitutes
the
best
way
to
solve
the
problem
from
a
policy
point
of
view?
How
can
it
be
a
long-­‐term
solution
rather
than
a
temporary
solution?
Is
it
reasonable,
and
palatable
(even
if
not
popular
with
the
public)?
Point
of
View
–
What
are
the
perspectives
which
bear
on
this
issue?
Who
are
the
stakeholders
whose
view
matter?
What
are
the
different
groups
of
poly
students,
parents
and
lecturers?
How
different
are
their
concerns?
Why
do
they
matter?
How
will
getting
these
people
involved
help
me
to
find
the
best
way?
Assumptions:
In
order
to
move
forward,
I’ll
need
to
make
some
working
assumptions:
(1)
people
actually
want
to
reduce
the
problem
(2)
that
it’s
in
Singapore’s
interest
to
do
something
(3)
that
we
have
the
means
to
solve
the
problem

4. Prepared
by
Mark
Chia
Mingde
(26
May
2015)
30
min
Group
Work
(Expert
Group)
The
class
will
be
split
into
three
different
expert
groups:
-­‐ Parents
of
Students
-­‐ Polytechnic
Students
-­‐ Polytechnic
Lecturers
-­‐ Industry
Leaders/Practitioners
They
are
given
a
text
which
represents
a
different
viewpoint.
They
will
silently
read
the
text
and
annotation
for
(1)
Question
(2)
Reasons/Evidence
(3)
Points
of
View
(4)
Assumptions
Each
group
will
then
be
given
the
time
to
collate
ideas.
Teacher
to
circulate
the
class
to
check
for
accuracy
or
raise
additional
questions
to
further
the
depth
of
insight.
Students
will
generate
a
mindmap
of
ideas
that
came
from
their
analysis
of
the
article
based
on
the
elements
of
reasoning.
Teacher
has
three
choices
for
grouping
by
• Mixed
ability-­‐by
learner’s
Interest/Choice
• Ability
grouping
–
roles
further
from
their
experience,
especially
institutional
ones
require
more
prior
knowledge
(esp.
extensive
readers)
Each
group
needs
to
allocate
the
following
roles:
• Timekeeper
• Facilitator
x
2
• Notetaker
• Researcher
(optional
–
the
only
one
with
access
to
a
laptop/smartphone
for
quick
online
research)
Keep
the
group
to
four
students
(max:
5)
Provide
either
magic
whiteboard
sheets
or
butcher
paper
+
markers
for
them
to
generate
thoughts.
Students
may
use
the
internet
to
get
some
ideas
but
only
one
student
is
allowed
this
access.
20
min
Gallery
Walk
(Mixed)
Students
to
circulate
the
class
and
jot
down
questions/critiques
on
analyses
done
from
other
perspectives
such
as:
-­‐ Have
you
considered
the
weakness
of
such
a
viewpoint
-­‐ Is
this
the
best
way
to
solve
the
problem?
-­‐ How
will
it
affect
group
of
X
of
stakeholders?
-­‐ What
the
short-­‐term
problems
that
may
result?
-­‐ How
effective
will
the
solution
be
in
the
long
term?
-­‐ What
factors
may
create
problems
for
this?
During
this
stage,
the
teacher
should
be
circulating
around
the
class
to
note
examples
of
(1) good
critical
thinking,
as
well
as
how
certain
comments/questions
can
be
used
to
generate
further
depth
of
insight.
(2) fuzzy
thinking/vague
questions
or
comments
Use
the
above
as
a
way
to
sum
up
the
gallery
walk
and
model
for
them
how
to
work
with
comments/questions
given
by
their
classmates.

5. Prepared
by
Mark
Chia
Mingde
(26
May
2015)
30
min
Group
Work
(Expert
Group)
Students
are
to
return
to
their
expert
groups.
They
will
examine
the
comments/question
left
by
others.
They
will
spend
some
time
trying
to
respond
to
the
comments
and
questions
left
by
their
classmates.
Ideas
should
be
modified
if
comments
and
questions
given
by
classmates
leads
to
new
insights.
This
is
the
phase
at
which
they
will
build
on
additional
ideas/questions/comments
given
from
other
perspectives
to
generate
new
insight.
At
this
point,
having
considered
the
issue
at
length,
students
might
already
begin
to
have
ideas/recommendation.
Advise
them
to
note
down
those
recommendations
instead
of
debating
over
them.
5
min
Summing
up
the
lesson
objectives:
-­‐ Problem
analysis
with
elements
of
reasoning
-­‐ Text
analysis
with
elements
of
reasoning
-­‐ Evaluation
of
Ideas
with
elements
of
reasoning
-­‐ Synthesis
of
Ideas
through
modification
Taking
any
final
questions
Consolidation
-­‐
(1)
Class
representative
to
take
shots
of
the
classwork
and
upload
it
on
the
Poly’s
LMS
portal
(2)
Based
on
the
class
work
today,
provide
a
series
of
3
recommendations
with
supporting
ideas/evidence
Consolidate
the
learning
for
the
day
by
drawing
the
links
between
the
various
learning
activities,
their
purposes,
and
how
they
contribute
to
the
lesson
objective.
Help
them
to
regulate
their
own
learning
by
getting
them
to
assess
individually
(1)
the
key
learning
points
for
the
tutorial
and
(2)
if
any
of
those
lesson
objectives
might
not
have
been
met
or
fully
met
–
what
more
they
need
to
know.
The
homework
will
give
the
teacher
assessment
evidence
on
how
much
learning
has
taken
place
on
an
individual
level
–
this
will
be
their
‘passport’
for
the
next
lesson.