The Quest for Critical Thinking

The Quest for Critical Thinking

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:00:00 PM EDT - 3:00:00 PM EDT

Few phrases are bandied about as much in higher education circles. These days as “critical thinking” is. Professors say they teach it; politicians and people hiring graduates say they want to see it. But it is difficult to define with precision. Perhaps as a result, colleges mean different things when they use the phrase and when they evaluate their courses and programs to consider whether they are teaching critical thinking.

Join Inside Higher Ed editors Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman for a            lively discussion on these issues in a free webinar. Before attending the webinar, we invite you to download our free booklet, The Quest for Critical Thinking, a compilation of articles and opinion essays from Inside Higher Ed offering a range of ideas and perspectives, at www.insidehighered.com/booklets. The Quest for Critical Thinking booklet and webinar are made possible in part by the support of ETS. Your registration information will be shared with the company. Captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing is provided by CaptionAccess for all Inside Higher Ed webinars. Transcripts available upon request.

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Building Community and Creating Relevance in the Online Classroom

Remember feeling nervous before starting your first day on the job? You may have experienced butterflies in your stomach, had questions about expectations, or concerns about learning the rules and finding information. Students feel the same way with a new professor, regardless if the class is face-to-face or online. With technology, you can reduce new-class jitters and get your students on track for success.

According to Jose Antonio Bowen, author of Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning, students are comfortable (and even expect) constant e-communication. One could even argue that they crave it. You can provide this kind of communication to your online students via a weekly announcement that shares course expectations, class rules, and how to access vital course documents. Moreover, weekly e-communication to students can provide you with an extra opportunity to create connectivity in your classroom.

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