Developing a Comprehensive Critical Thinking Curriculum: From Goal-Setting to Assessment

An ACRL online course
February 6 - March 2, 2012

Description:Even professional educators have a tough time designing learning experiences that help students develop authentic critical thinking skills.  In this four-week online course, learn to do more than just pay lip service to critical thinking by planning, developing, implementing and assessing a library instructional unit that fosters higher-order thinking.

This four-week course will model and teach the Learning Cycle, a method of instructional design based on the learning theories of prominent educational researchers.  Participants will engage in hands-on activities, watch video demonstrations of the Learning Cycle in action, interact in class discussions, and apply course concepts in practical situations in their own work.  This course will offer scenario- and problem-based homework in order to help participants see how theories can be put into practice in a library setting.|

As a result of participating in this course, attendees will develop a comprehensive curriculum that includes clearly defined learning outcomes, a lesson plan that engages students in critical thinking, and a rubric and data-gathering plan to assess instructional effectiveness.

Participants will also establish a Community of Practice (through ALAConnect or Facebook) to get feedback from their peers during and after the course as they implement what they learned in their workplace.

Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:

  • define key information literacy learning goals in order to focus instructional design efforts.
  • write learning outcomes in order to incorporate higher order thinking skills into IL instruction.
  • understand the theory base of the Learning Cycle in order to design experiences that model learners' cognitive processes.
  • design learning experiences based on the Learning Cycle in order to lead students into critical thinking situations.
  • plan an assessment strategy in order to measure whether IL curriculum leads to critical thinking.

Instructors: Eric Frierson, St. Edwards University; Gretchen Trkay, The University of Texas at Arlington

Course Requirements:
Your participation will require approximately three to five hours (asynchronous) per week to:

  • Read and listen to the online seminar material
  • Post to online discussion boards
  • Complete online exercises 

Registration:
ACRL member: $135
ALA member: $175
Nonmember: $195
Student: $60

How to Register:

Register with Credit Card

  • Scroll down to the month when the event is offered.  Select the "Register" link next to the course on ALA's Distance Learning page (linked above).
  • You will need to log in with your ALA ID & password. If you do not have an ALA ID & password, you will be asked to create one in order to register.

Register by PO

  • Download and complete the PO registration form.
  • Submit the form along with your actual PO to ALA registration (fax or mail; see form for details).
  • You will not be considered registered for the course until both your PO and the registration form have been received and processed by ALA registration.


Access instructions will be sent out one business day prior to the start of the course.

Member rates apply to personal memberships only. Want to join ACRL or ALA? Complete the online membership form, available on the ALA Web site. If you join ALA/ACRL within five days of registering, we will adjust your fee (please fax a copy of your completed registration form to ACRL at 312-280-2520 ).

Payment may be made by credit card or purchase order (PO) only. If paying by PO, the PO number is required at the time of registration. Class size is limited to 60 participants. Full refunds will be granted up to 14 days prior to the start of the seminar.

Questions should be directed to Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org.