1. Faculty Champion Meeting March 2011
Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking Scenario Writing for Faculty Champions
Faculty Champion Meeting
March 2011
2011

2. Faculty Champion Meeting
Class Without CT
Didactic instruction where students are presented with factual information from a text book
Assessment is primarily multiple choice items where students are expected to regurgitate factual information
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

3. Faculty Champion Meeting
Class With CT
Interactive learning environment where students not only learn facts but the relationship between the facts and the application of that information
Authentic assessment where students are able to model the applications of the discipline through simulations, projects, etc.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

4. Authentic Assessments
Authentic assessments serve dual purposes of
encouraging students to think critically and
providing assessment data for measuring improved student learning.
These assessment techniques fall into three general categories:
criterion-referenced rubrics,
student reports (reflection or self-assessments), and
student portfolios.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

5. Authentic Assessments
Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking
A global rubric template developed to provide a snapshot view of how student learning is being affected by the critical thinking initiative.
Designed to be flexible enough to address a number of student project modalities including written and oral communications.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

6. Assessment Rubric for CT
Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking
Will evaluate the student’s use of critical thinking skills in the development of the paper as opposed to specifically evaluating the quality of student’s writing skills.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

7. Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking
ARC was designed by the QEP staff and the Faculty Champions to…
Enhance the QEP
Align with the College’s definition of critical thinking
Be flexible for use in multi-disciplines
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

8. Faculty Champion Meeting
SPC CT Definition
“Critical thinking is the active and systematic process of communication, problem-solving, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, and reflection, both individually and in community, to foster understanding, support sound decision-making, and guide action.”
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

9. Assessment Rubric for CT
Performance
Element
Exemplary
(4)
Proficient
(3)
Developing
(2)
Emerging
(1)
Not Present
(0)
I. Communication
Define problem in your own words.
Identifies the main idea or problem with numerous supporting details and examples which are organized logically and coherently.
Identifies the main idea or problem with some supporting details and examples in an organized manner.
Identifies the main idea or problem with few details or examples in a somewhat organized manner.
Identifies the main idea or problem poorly with few or no details or states the main idea or problem verbatim from the text.
Does not identify the main idea or problem.
II. Analysis
Compare & contrast the available solutions.
Uses specific inductive or deductive reasoning to make inferences regarding premises; addresses implications and consequences; identifies facts and relevant information correctly.
Uses logical reasoning to make inferences regarding solutions; addresses implications and consequences; Identifies facts and relevant information correctly.
Uses superficial reasoning to make inferences regarding solutions; Shows some confusion regarding facts, opinions, and relevant, evidence, data, or information.
Makes unexplained, unsupported, or unreasonable inferences regarding solutions; makes multiple errors in distinguishing fact from fiction or in selecting relevant evidence.
Does not analyze multiple solutions.
III. Problem Solving
Select & defend your final solution.
Thoroughly identifies and addresses key aspects of the problem and insightfully uses facts and relevant evidence from analysis to support and defend potentially valid solutions.
Identifies and addresses key aspects of the problem and uses facts and relevant evidence from analysis to develop potentially valid conclusions or solutions.
Identifies and addresses some aspects of the problem; develops possible conclusions or solutions using some inappropriate opinions and irrelevant information from analysis.
Identifies and addresses only one aspect of the problem but develops untestable hypothesis; or develops invalid conclusions or solutions based on opinion or irrelevant information.
Does not select and defend a solution.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

10. Assessment Rubric for CT
Performance
Element
Exemplary
(4)
Proficient
(3)
Developing
(2)
Emerging
(1)
Not Present
(0)
IV. Evaluation
Identify weaknesses in your final solution.
Insightfully interprets data or information;
identifies obvious as well as hidden assumptions, establishes credibility of sources on points other than authority alone, avoids fallacies in reasoning; distinguishes appropriate arguments from extraneous elements; provides sufficient logical support.
Accurately interprets data or information;
identifies obvious assumptions, establishes credibility of sources on points other than authority alone, avoids fallacies in reasoning; distinguishes appropriate arguments from extraneous elements; provides sufficient logical support.
Makes some errors in data or information interpretation; makes arguments using weak evidence; provides superficial support for conclusions or solutions.
Interprets data or information incorrectly;
Supports conclusions or solutions without evidence or logic; uses data, information, or evidence skewed by invalid assumptions; uses poor sources of information; uses fallacious arguments.
Does not evaluate data, information, or evidence related to final solution.
V. Synthesis
Suggest ways to improve/strengthen your final solution.
Insightfully relates concepts and ideas from multiple sources; uses new information to enhance final solution; recognizes missing information; correctly identifies potential effects of new information.
Accurately relates concepts and ideas from multiple sources; uses new information to enhance final solution; correctly identifies potential effects of new information.
Inaccurately or incompletely relates concepts and ideas from multiple sources; shallow determination of effect of new information on final solution.
Poorly integrates information from more than one source to support final solution; Incorrectly predicts the effect of new information on final solution.
Does not identify new information for final solution.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

11. Assessment Rubric for CT
Performance
Element
Exemplary
(4)
Proficient
(3)
Developing
(2)
Emerging
(1)
Not Present
(0)
VI. Reflection
Reflect on your own thought process.
“What did you learn from this process?”
“What would you do differently next time to improve?”
Identifies strengths and weaknesses in own thinking: recognizes personal assumptions, values and perspectives, compares to others’, and evaluates them in the context of alternate points of view.
Identifies strengths and weaknesses in own thinking: recognizes personal assumptions, values and perspectives, compares to others’, with some comparisons of alternate points of view.
Identifies some personal assumptions, values, and perspectives;
recognizes some assumptions, values and perspectives of others; shallow comparisons of alternate points of view.
does not consider alternate points of view.
Does not reflect on own thinking.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

12. ARC Assignment Profile
ARC Assignment Profile is designed to provide consistency and accuracy in the evaluation of the ARC at the institutional level as well as provide guidelines for the use of the assessment at the course level.
The ARC is essentially a ‘tool’ to evaluate critical thinking. For a tool to be effective it must be used in the correct situation or ‘job.’
The purpose of the ARC Assignment Profile is to outline the most appropriate course assignment.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

13. ARC Assignment Profile
1. Participating faculty should have one assignment during the course that can be evaluated using the ARC scoring rubric. The course assignment could be a graded homework assignment or a major assessment for the course.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

14. ARC Assignment Profile
2. The course assignment for the ARC should include all of the elements of the rubric and should be aligned with the task outlined for each element. Assignments that only evaluate some of the elements or are not aligned with the specific ARC tasks will be considered incomplete and not used in the institutional analysis.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

15. ARC Assignment Profile
3. Faculty may add additional discipline specific rubric elements (such as grammar and punctuation in a composition class), but must maintain the ARC elements as listed.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

16. ARC Assignment Profile
Students should be provided a copy of the assignment rubric (ARC and any additional discipline specific elements). The specific elements and tasks include:
Communication: Define the problem in your own words.
Analysis: Compare & contrast the available solutions within the scenario.
Problem Solving: Select one of the available solutions and defend it as your final solution.
Evaluation: Identify the weaknesses of your final solution.
Synthesis: Suggest ways to improve/strengthen your final solution (may use information not contained within the scenario).
Reflection: Reflect on your own thought process after completing the assignment.
“What did you learn from this process?”
“What would you do differently next time to improve?”
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

17. ARC Assignment Profile
5. The evaluating scenario (selected or created) should be stated in such a manner to allow the student to address each of the tasks. The QEP team is willing to assist with the creation of the scenario or identify possible sources of existing scenario that could be used.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

18. Sample Scenario (Deer)
Three teenagers were seriously injured in a car accident when swerving to avoid a deer on a two-lane road near a small, rural town in Florida. The residents of the town have seen more and more deer enter the town’s populated areas over recent years. Local law enforcement has been called numerous times this year to remove the animals from backyards and neighborhood streets, and one deer even caused considerable damage as it entered a restaurant in town. The mayor has been charged by the city leaders to keep the town residents safe.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

19. Sample Scenario (Deer)
Local crops have even been damaged by the animals. some long time residents have requested that the hunting season and catch limits be extended in order to reduce the deer population. One city leader even proposed that the city purchase electronic devices to deter the deer from entering populated areas. Health concerns have recently been elevated as three deer carcasses were found at the edge of town and local law enforcement suspect that the animals had been poisoned.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

20. ARC Assignment Profile
Competency
Task
Detail
Communication
Define
Problem
Define the problem in your own words.
Analysis
Compare & Contrast Solutions
Compare & contrast the available solutions within the scenario.
Problem Solving
Select & Defend
Final Solution
Select one of the available solutions and defend it as your final solution.
Evaluation
Identify Weaknesses
Identify the weaknesses of your final solution.
Synthesis
Suggest Improvements
Suggest ways to improve/strengthen your final solution (may use information not contained within the scenario).
Reflection
Reflect on
Thought Process
Reflect on your own thought process after completing the assignment.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

21. Sample Scenario (Deer)
Possible Solutions:
Some long time residents have requested that the hunting season and catch limits be extended in order to reduce the deer population.
One city leader even proposed that the city purchase electronic devices to deter the deer from entering populated areas.
Health concerns have recently been elevated as three deer carcasses were found at the edge of town and local law enforcement suspect that the animals had been poisoned.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

22. Faculty Champion Meeting
Scenario Elements
Ideally, the scenario should be related to the discipline.
Scenarios must contain a problem.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

23. Sample Scenario (Deer)
Three teenagers were seriously injured in a car accident when swerving to avoid a deer on a two-lane road near a small, rural town in Florida. The residents of the town have seen more and more deer enter the town’s populated areas over recent years. Local law enforcement has been called numerous times this year to remove the animals from backyards and neighborhood streets, and one deer even caused considerable damage as it entered a restaurant in town. The mayor has been charged by the city leaders to keep the town residents safe.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

24. Faculty Champion Meeting
Scenario Elements
Scenarios must contain a minimum of three possible options for the student to identify.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

25. Sample Scenario (Deer)
Local crops have even been damaged by the animals. some long time residents have requested that the hunting season and catch limits be extended in order to reduce the deer population. One city leader even proposed that the city purchase electronic devices to deter the deer from entering populated areas. Health concerns have recently been elevated as three deer carcasses were found at the edge of town and local law enforcement suspect that the animals had been poisoned.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

26. Faculty Champion Meeting
Scenario Elements
Scenarios should not be too elaborate and involved. The intent is for students to demonstrate their critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Students must be provided a copy of the rubric with the assignment
Students should grade their own assignments as part of the reflection process.
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

27. Faculty Champion Meeting
Improving Scoring
Anonymous papers
Anchor papers defining levels of proficiency for reference
Use of multiple scorers
March 18, 2011
Faculty Champion Meeting

28. Faculty Champion Meeting March 2011
Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking Scenario Writing for Faculty Champions
Faculty Champion Meeting
March 2011
2011