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[0] CTW Plan [1] SOA Critical Thinking through Writing Definition We define Critical Thinking through Writing in Accounting as the ability to identify and solve unstructured problems in unfamiliar accounting domains and effectively communicate the thinking, solution process and conclusions. Students demonstrating critical thinking skills must be able to locate, obtain, organize, and analyze information and to exercise judgment based on comprehension of a set of facts and available evidence. They must be able to present, discuss and defend their views through written and spoken language. Conclusions or recommendations must be complete, plausible, and compelling, and demonstrate an understanding the accounting problem. SOA plans to meet the CTW requirement by designating Auditing and Assurance Services (AC 4610) a required course for all accounting majors as the CTW course. In this course students will complete CTW assignments both in teams and individually. A graduate assistant will assist the faculty member instructing the course. [2] CTW Plan [3] AAS intends to identify two CTW courses: (1) African American Political Thought (AAS 4120, 3 credit hours); and (2) Seminar and Practicum in African American Studies (AAS 4980, 3 credit hours). Both courses are required upper-level courses which reflects the department�s commitment to the CTW initiative. Both courses will be offered as "pilot" CTW courses in spring 2008. The AAS CTW ambassador is Jonathan Gayles. The CTW activities in AAS 4120 will require five 2-3 page comment papers that will provide students with an opportunity to critically engage, through writing, each assigned reading. In these papers, students will answer questions that will require a critique of the reading's relevance, strengths and weaknesses within the reading�s historical context. This will evoke the core components of CTW as defined by Bassham, Irwin, Nardone & Wallace (2005:1). Students will be afforded the opportunity to revise and resubmit the comment papers in order to encourage increased reflexivity in future submissions. CTW activities account for twenty percent of the student's grade. In AAS 4980, two CTW assignments have been identified that represents a total of twenty-five percent of the overall grade. Students will submit a Reflexive Researcher Paper(10%)that will require students to critically situate themselves as researchers in a reflexive manner. Students must examine the ways in which they, as researchers, are biased, bound and limited. Students will also submit minimum of four papers that will require critique of peer-reviewed journal articles (15% total). Each article will be identified by the instructor as important to the discipline and/or identified by the student as particularly pertinent to their research project. Students will assess the degree to which the article's literature review, methodology and results support the conclusions offered by each author. This critique is also evocative of the above-referenced definition of CTW. Students will again, be able to revise and resubmit the critiques. [4] CTW Plan [5] The Department of Anthropology�s CTW Ambassador will be Dr. Emanuela Guano. The Department will use the University-provided CTW training, and Dr. Guano will train the faculty by conducting a workshop. The Anthropology CTW courses will be Anth 3033, Anthropology of Violence, Anth 4980 (Selected Topics), and Anth 4970, Senior Seminar in Anthropology. Both courses will be organized around the production of a final paper through multiple drafts and revisions. The grades will be given on the A-F scales, with +/-. In anthropology, critical thinking entails examining and contextualizing the multiple perspectives that inform complex social, cultural, and biological realities pertaining to the human condition in its past and present dimensions. [6] CTW Plan [7] The Applied Linguistics Department has identified Stephanie Lindemann as its CTW Ambassador. The department will use the university-provided CTW training. The CTW courses will be AL 3031: Language in Society, AL 4161: Practicum in teaching ESL/EFL to adult learners, and a new course, AL 4241: Senior Seminar in Applied Linguistics. All majors are required to take 3031; they will have the choice of one of the two 4000-level courses depending on whether they prefer to focus on teaching (4161) or research (4241). Critical thinking in Applied Linguistics always involves evaluating arguments and presenting the rationale behind the conclusions drawn. The CTW-specific courses additionally address personal prejudices, for example as relating to language-trait-focused discrimination, and making reasonable, intelligent decisions about how to address real-world language-oriented controversies. [8] CTW Plan [10] CTW Plan [11] Susan Richmond is the Ambassador for CTW courses in the School of Art & Design; she will coordinate instructor training and complete assessment reports on the following classes: AH 3000 (Introduction to Art Historical Methodology), AH 4990 (Art History Capstone), AE 4200 (Art Education for Preschool through Fifth Grade) and AE 4900 (Art Theory and Criticism). Written assignments that require critical thinking in Art History and Art Education provide students with the skills to 1) formulate pertinent questions and compose valid interpretations of works of art or art historical problems; 2) assess and synthesize interpretations of art and art historical claims made by others; 3) understand and evaluate the creative and cultural significance of art on both micro and macro levels. In the Art Education major, students also complete written assignments (lesson plans) that require the use of meta-cognitive skills; art education students must be able to think about their thinking and teach those thinking skills to their students. All of the above match the University's stated policy that CTW develops a student's ability "to identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.� Breakdown of specific courses: AH 3000 introduces students to the discipline of Art History. Students will do a number of short writing assignments that require them to comprehend and evaluate different methodological approaches. Through application and comparison, students will test the validity of these approaches, and in the process, develop their own critical positions vis-a-vis methods of art historical analysis. Students will also write a longer research paper, its components broken down into several stages so that opportunities for revisions are provided. The process will encourage students to move through several stages of critical thinking, from the basic application of knowledge to the construction of a persuasive evaluation. AH 4990 is the major's capstone course. Students will write a short narrative paper that asks them to reflect on their experiences as art history majors at GSU. This assignment will require students to develop self-reflexivity as they identify and assess past achievements and future goals. Students will also practice revising both their own written work and that of their peers by preparing formal oral presentations and brief abstracts of papers they have written for other art history courses. These assignments will enable students to develop thinking and writing skills that are applicable to a range of professional careers. AE 4200 introduces students to the field of art education. It prepares students to teach art to young students, and provides a solid foundation in critical thinking and writing for the Art Education courses that follow. Students will do several short written responses to course material that will develop their skills in comprehension and evaluation. They will also learn how to identify and assess their own values and critical perspectives by writing teaching philosophies. AE 4900 focuses on using an analytical model of art criticism both orally and in writing. The goal of the writing assignments is for students to construct a persuasive interpretation and evaluation based on a point of view, or criteria. In the interpretation of artwork students are not expected to necessarily present an argument that is right or wrong, but one that is well reasoned and persuasive. Students will also complete written assignments that require them to think and write metaphorically. Creative (synthesis) writing assignments ask students to make connections between concrete objects (or artwork) and the symbolic meaning that they represent. Students are likewise expected to utilize meta-cognitve skills in the creation of lesson plans. [12] CTW Plan [13] Constance Thalken will serve as the CTW Ambassador for the BFA in Studio Art major for The Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design. The curriculum of the visual arts program is highly specialized with 7 possible studio concentrations in the BFA Studio Major. Each concentration requires a suite of foundation courses in Area F that must be successfully completed before application to and acceptance in a specific concentration. The School has designated the following two courses required of each BFA in Studio Arts major as CTW courses: ART 3910/Critical Issues and 4950/Portfolio II. The first CTW course in Area G for the BFA majors is ART 3910/ Critical Issues in Contemporary Art. This course provides an overview of social, cultural, technological, aesthetic and political issues that have impacted contemporary art since 1990. The CTW writing assignments are designed to operate in tandem with these academic investigations. The second CTW designated course for the BFA Studio Art major is the capstone course Portfolio II. All studio concentrations culminate in this final portfolio course. Please note that Portfolio II courses are specified in the course listings by the respective discipline with such prefaces as PHOT 4950 for Photography, CER 4950 for Ceramics, etc. The goal of this capstone course is for students to produce a fully resolved portfolio of work that is supported by professional documentation and written support materials. The portfolio experience culminates in the exhibition of the studio work at BFA Senior Exhibition in the Ernest G. Welch Art Gallery. The CTW component of 4950/Portfolio II will be a written statement in support of the final studio portfolio. This statement will require students to choose descriptive language that effectively communicates the themes of their work and how those themes are embodied in the work. They will articulate a personal individual perspective regarding their ties to the work, which should offer greater insight into and understanding of the work. In order to demonstrate critical thinking, the writing will be void of �artspeak� and easily understood by a wide audience. The School has designated the following two courses required of each BA in Studio Arts major as CTW courses: ART 3910/Critical Issues and ART 4500 Directed Study. The first CTW course in Area G for the BA majors is the same as the BFA majors: ART 3910/ Critical Issues in Contemporary Art. This course provides an overview of social, cultural, technological, aesthetic and political issues that have impacted contemporary art since 1990. The CTW writing assignments are designed to operate in tandem with these academic investigations. The BA in Studio Arts provides an emphasis in the same disciplines offered in the BFA Studio Arts major. However, the requirements for an emphasis are limited to only 4 studio courses in one discipline as opposed to 10 - 12 courses in one discipline for the BFA majors. This limitation in the BA allows students to explore a variety of studio disciplines and results in a general exposure to all mediums. The CTW writing for both the BFA and BA majors in Studio Art will develop cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do. [14] CTW Plan [15] CTW Plan for the Department of Biology The Biology department has identified Francisco Cruz and Therese M. Poole as its CTW coordinators. The CTW initiative will be integrated into two existing courses, BIOL3810 and BIOL4980. Critical thinking is the human mental process of developing conclusions that proceed logically from the study of evidence. Specifically in the biological sciences, critical thinkers analyze the quality and relevance of experimental results to determine whether they meet the goals of scientific studies on life processes. Critical thinkers in biology also use conclusions drawn from empirical evidence to formulate new scientific questions and ultimately, they design and implement new experiments to answer such questions. Thus, biologists with critical thinking skills not only evaluate published scientific reports competently, but also apply various forms of the scientific method appropriately. The BIOL3810 (Laboratory in Molecular Biology) course is a gateway course which is required for all Biology majors. It is already writing intensive with two lab reports and three short reports in addition to keeping a detailed lab notebook. Adding an extra credit hour will allow the instructor to spend more time on the critical thinking aspect of writing, which includes students rewriting edited reports several times. Reports will be assessed using rubrics which are based upon the paper submission guidelines for ACS journals. Formative assessment of student writing will be attained by comparing the numerical scores of initial and final drafts of reports. Summative assessments will be attained by comparing scores from reports submitted at the beginning and end of semesters. The change in credit hours has already been approved by the College. The BIOL4970 (Seminar in Biology) course is also a requirement for Biology majors and currently consists of guest lecturers discussing their research. We propose increasing the credit hours for BIOL4970 from 1 to 3 (not approved by College yet). There will be one speaker per week discussing research for an hour, leaving the remaining time in the course to critically evaluate and write about research manuscripts relating to speakers specific research and/or the research field of the speaker. Writing assignments will include critiques of manuscripts and having students write logical discussion/conclusions for a given data set. Student papers will be assessed using rubrics similar to the ACS submission guideline-based rubrics for BIOL3810. Also, formative and summative assessment of student progress in BIOL4970 will be similar to the methods stated for BIOL3810. Every year, the coordinator will run a report which will aggregate the rubrics scores for the department, list the assignments that professors asked students to write responses to, and present examples of effective, less effective, and ineffective student thinking. With this information, the coordinator will convene an annual meeting with the professors who taught the courses to discuss the assignments, the rubrics and the experience in general and then make recommendations for refining the rubrics and the assignments. The report and the recommendations for the following year will be forwarded to the GEAC committee and put on WeaveOnline. [16] CTW Plan [17] Community Studies The CTW ambassador for the Community Studies BIS degree will be Charles Jaret (Department of Sociology). The senior level CTW course for Community Studies students is �Metropolitan Atlanta� (cross-listed as Hist 4320, Geog 4768, and Soci 4279). Instructors in this class will receive the University-provided CTW training. The Metropolitan Atlanta class was selected as the CTW course for several reasons. First, it is the only course that all Community Studies students are required to take, and they typically do so in their senior year. Second, the subject matter � metropolitan Atlanta � is of high interest and great relevance to our students and is therefore quite conducive to stimulating thought and writing. Third, this course already had a significant student writing component in it and did not have to be drastically restructured to be a CTW course. More specifically, the Metropolitan Atlanta course is designed to enhance students� abilities to identify and analyze arguments or theories, and it requires that they evaluate evidence or judge competing claims to draw sound conclusions. In addition, this CTW class will improve students� skill in assessing written and visual media and in clearly communicating thoughts about the subject matter. Towards these goals, class writing assignments are geared to develop students� analytical, interpretive, and communication skills. The instructor will fill out an assessment sheet on each student�s performance on CTW assignments, which evaluates students in terms of how well they are able, through their writing to: (1) demonstrate their understanding of sociological, geographic, and historical work on Atlanta (e.g., research articles, books, theories, museum displays); (2) analyze, interpret, and synthesize those materials; (3) articulate coherent and logical arguments; and (4) formulate new research questions and/or to extend analyses in new directions. We believe the course requirements in Metropolitan Atlanta, as described above and in the sample syllabus, fits with the University�s definition of a CTW course, namely one in which assists students �to develop the wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.� [18] CTW Plan [19] Department of Chemistry Plan to Implement the Critical Thinking through Writing Graduation Requirements The Department of Chemistry wishes to nominate Fundamentals of Chemical Analysis (CHEM 4000) and Chemistry Laboratory IV A (CHEM 4160) as the creative thinking through writing courses. The proposed course descriptions can be found in below. CHEM 4000 Fundamentals of Chemical Analysis 3.0 Prerequisites: Chem 3410 with a grade of C or higher and Math 2212 with a grade of D or higher Two lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Chemical equilibria of acid/base systems, metal ion complexes and solubility , and their relationship to chemical analysis; use of manual and semi-automated methods of data collection. Application of chemical theory to hands-on experimentation. This course is one of the critical thinking through writing courses for the department. THIS CLASS MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION. CHEM 4160 Chemical Laboratory IV 3.0 Prerequisites: Chem 4000 and Chem 4110 with grades of C or higher and prior selection of special problems. Concurrent enrollment in Chem 4160 and Chem 4170 is not allowed. Laboratory to be arranged. Advanced laboratory problems; independent research. This course is one of the critical thinking through writing courses for the department. THIS CLASS MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION. Dr. Doyle Barrow will be the departmental CTW ambassador for chemistry and will attend the training sessions at the university level. The department will be using a set of rubrics based on the Journal of the American Chemical Society guidelines for authors. (The rubric is attached as an appendix). The Department has the following assessment procedure in place. At the end of every semester the Undergraduate Director receives all exit scores on the national exams and the results of student feedback (Question 17). This data is combined with the DWF rate and AB rate and the results are given to the department chair for comment/discussion on the needs of the department. We will incorporate the rubric results for Chem 4000 (the first course of the Junior year) and Chem 4160 (the capstone course for the department) into this report. At the chairs request this report in full or in part can be made available to the General Education Sub-committee. Other attachments to this document are a sample syllabus and sample assignment. [20] CTW Plan [21] In film, �critical thinking� is defined as identifying, analyzing, and evaluating arguments and truth claims; and formulating and presenting convincing reasons in support of conclusions. In this document, �writing� refers to the skill or writing clear, well-organized, and grammatically correct English prose. The CTW classes for the Film major will be Film 4750 (Film Theory and Criticism) and Film 4910 (Senior Seminar in Film). Film Theory and Criticism is a writing intensive, outcome-based class that breaks the process of critical writing about film into a series of skills: finding a thesis/central idea; description of supporting examples; linking description to analysis; paper/paragraph organization; and written expression. Students in this class redo exercises until they demonstrate they have learned the writing skill associated with the exercise. Senior Seminar in Film emphasizes the creation of a capstone project: a research paper, a website, or a video. Students work on the project in stages, articulating the clear rhetorical aims of the project and receiving feedback on their argument/choices using a rubric. In small groups students will examine each other�s projects at an intermediate stage and will evaluate the persuasive claims of these projects, giving the individual student an opportunity to incorporate feedback/suggestions into the final project. [22] CTW Plan [23] The Dept. of Communication�s Journalism major has identified Doug Barthlow as its CTW Ambassador. The three CTW courses are Jour 3030, JOUR 4040, and Jour 4800, but each course has a different plan to meet the CTW requirements of critical thinking, analysis and evaluation of source credibility, synthesizing information from several sources with diverse opinions and deciding what kinds of information to include in the assignments. The Journalism faculty members view the process of critical thinking as part of the routine of professional journalists/PR practitioners who use journalistic norms, standards and conventions of objectively assessing information and then decide what portions of synthesized information their audiences will receive. Both courses will have syllabi templates approved by the full-time Journalism faculty who will be required to teach at least one of the courses every year. The junior-level course will have numerous writing assignments for different media, e.g. newspaper, broadcast and web site. At least one of the initial drafts of a story for each medium will be returned to the student with the instructor�s suggested revisions in order that the student can revise and resubmit before the grade for that assignment is recorded. A rubric, similar to one used currently by instructors of Jour 1010, will be established by the Journalism faculty to standardize the grading of student submissions. The stories in Jour 3010 will be relatively brief compared to the writing assignments in Jour 4040 and4800, the capstone courses for the Journalism major. These courses will emphasize ethics, and the writing assignments will be a sequential completion of a 20-25 page research paper on an ethical dilemma faced by practicing public relations professional and/or journalist, e.g. naming a confidential source to avoid imprisonment. The first assignment will be a paper identifying the ethical dilemma and the review of the relevant sources about the event and the ethical choices the journalist/PR professional weighed in deciding on a course of action. The second assignment is the draft of the research paper, and the final assignment is the revision of the paper. The first two assignments are returned to the student with the instructor�s suggested revisions. [24] CTW Plan [25] The Department of Communication�s Speech area CTW ambassador will be Dr. Jeff Bennett. The department will use the university provided CTW training. The Speech area CTW classes have been identified as Persuasion (SPCH 3250) and Communication and Diversity (SPCH 4800, the capstone course being developed for the major). Both of the courses will analyze critical thinking through the use of a final project. In Persuasion a final paper broken down into smaller components throughout the semester will act as the text to be assessed. These smaller components will be left to the discretion of the professor teaching the course. In Communication and Diversity, the final project will be a �portfolio� featuring a student�s work on a topic of their choice. In each class the student�s work will be given a regular �semester� grade and will also be scrutinized and assessed based on the critical thinking guidelines agreed upon by the department. In Speech �critical thinking� is the art of actively producing and analyzing arguments for particular audiences in specific cultural and historical contexts. Critical thinkers are able to construct and assess arguments in their cultural situatedness; evaluate stated or unstated claims and their supporting forms; recognize the creation of knowledge through symbol systems; and converse and pose question about the production of knowledge through the communicative process. [26] CTW Plan [27] As a multidisciplinary art form, theatre engages students in a variety of critical thinking activities, including the synthesis of historical research, the analysis of scripts and the application of theoretical and historical concepts to scripts and productions. Critical thinking in theatre prepares students for theoretical work that contributes to scholarship in the field, historical research that augments and shapes our views of the art form's past, present and future, and praxis, whereby the results of critical thinking are written on stage in the work of directors, actors and designers. This requires students to engage in close readings of theatrical texts, theoretical work and historical materials in order to formulate research questions, collect and evaluate often conflicting historical and artistic evidence and construct compelling arguments for hypotheses. The B.I.S. program in theatre will transform the two courses required of all majors -- THEA 3100 Play Analysis and THEA 4070 Western Theatre History -- into CTW courses. Although the materials covered will not change, we will design short writing assignments to provide students with feedback on their CTW skills throughout the semester and THEA 4070 will provide a stronger focus on the use of writing as a part of the research process. In addition, a smaller number of longer papers will be submitted in draft format for instructor feedback and student revision prior to their final submission. [28] CTW Plan [29] For the CIS major, the CTW evaluation plan will be implemented in the capstone course, CIS 4980, System Development projects. In this course, students are required to analyze, propose, develop and implement a computer-based system that solves a "real" problem for a "real" Atlanta-based information systems manager. We have developed the following definition of CTW in CIS: Critical thinking through writing is defined in Computer Information Systems by behavioral (typically written), or other evidence, of certain skills and/or traits. These skills and/or traits include the abilities to: (1) identify problems (and in some cases, opportunities) before they become critically important or demanding of immediate attention to ameliorate and address; typically these problems relate to organizational work processes and workflows that could best be addressed through computer-based solutions; (2) identify multiple, innovative, and creative solutions to these problems; typically these solutions are formulated as multiple alternative designs for computer-based solutions to the problem(s); (3) evaluate the possible solutions to these problems in such a way to rank order them, from best to worst, in terms of their relative efficacies and inherent costs in brokering the �best� solution; (4) exhibit a concern for, and appreciation of, pursuing solutions that are characterized by ethical and social responsibility; (5) propose an effective approach to implement the �best� solution. This definition applies the University's CTW policy in the context of our discipline in the following ways: The CIS definition of CTW in consistent with the University�s definition for the following reasons: (1) a wide range of cognitive skills are required to perform the CIS behaviors. This includes identifying, analyzing, and evaluating arguments and truth claims (points 1-3); (2) the need to recognize ethical and social responsibilities is addressed in point 4; (3) identifying problems, solutions, and evaluating solutions requires the formulation and expression of convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and (4) the exhibition of reasonable, intelligent decisions is also embedded in points 1-2 and point 5 of the CIS definition. [30] CTW Plan [31] For Computer Science, critical thinking is defined as documentation, clearly stating assumptions, explaining logic (through in-code comments), and testing solutions for correctness. The computer science CTW plans are to have students evaluate and choose between alternate solution strategies. In this major, there are multiple ways to solve a given assignment. Often, there are several equally correct methods, however, there will also be methods that are not as good due to inefficiency (in time, space, cost, or other resource), over-complexity, fragility (non-robustness), scalability, etc. Thus, for our majors, we interpret the statement "identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims" to mean our students should clearly state their assumptions, explain (through in-code comments) their logic, and test their solutions for correctness. Testing (debugging) will allow them to "formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions", i.e., they present a series of test cases and demonstrate that their solution (most likely computer code) functions as expected. Grading can include different test cases, defined by the instructor, that reveal faults in the students' assumptions. In other words, the test cases will allow the students to "discover and overcome personal prejudices" in the sense of their preconceived assumptions. [32] CTW Plan [33] The Criminal Justice Department has identified Sue Carter Collins as the CTW Ambassor and Sandra Blount as the CTW Assessor. CrJu 3020 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and CrJu 4930 Seminar in Criminal Justice have been identified as the Department's two CTW courses. The teaching faculty for these courses have met and discussed the course requirements and have designed curriculums, syllabi, and assessment rubrics that are suitable for the major and that meet the University's CTW requirement. Each course contains diverse and challenging assignments intended to engage students intellectually and encourage them to think critically through writing on a variety of criminal justice problems and issues. The Department believes that this process will build critical thinking and writing skills and provide students with immediate and valuable feedback, while enhancing their undergraduate learning experience. Although it is expected that the initial aoption of this process may result in a slight increase in faculty workload, the Department plans to pilot the courses prior to Fall 2009 in order to identify and rectify potential problems and streamline the delivery process. [34] CTW Plan [35] The department of Early Childhood Education considers critical thinking to be an important aspect of teacher education. We consider critical thinking to be a disposition toward thoughtful consideration of detail, evaluation of evidence, analysis of broad perspectives, and synthesis determined by a careful mix of cited and subjective conclusions. Subjectivities should be self-aware and biases should be explored and evaluated. In teaching (Prekindergarten through grade 5), critical thinking is essential for evaluating teaching methods, advocating for "best practices," considering student assessment data, and expanding theory and practice to account for a variety of socio-cultural influences on children's development and learning. The department has identified one mandatory six-hour course to fulfill the CTW initiative: ECE 3601 Reading and Language Arts in Early Childhood Education I. This course occurs in the mid-point of the major program. Any professor who teaches these classes will consult with the department ambassadors: Caitlin Dooley and Teri Holbrook (who are often professors for this course as well). The course will include the following assignments to nurture critical thinking: (1) Short assignments (about 1 page) that require students to connect theory, research, and practice, evaluate cases/scenarios, and respond to policy issues. (2) Collaborative reflection with peers that require the students to write and evaluate lessons, revise after application, and "publish" lessons to share with peers. (3) Online discussions that require students to analyze and synthesize readings as well as classroom experiences. (4) Projects that require students to turn in parts in phases, providing for interim feedback and encouraging revision. These projects require students to investigate learning, connect real-world experiences in and out of schools to research and theory about instructional practices. [36] CTW Plan [37] The B.S.E. major in Birth Through Five (B-5) prepares teachers and other early care and education professionals to work in varied settings with young children and their families from infancy through Kindergarten age, including children who are typically developing and those with disabilities. As part of this program, teacher candidates will be prepared to critically analyze and integrate child development theories and research into their understanding of environments and educational processes that best facilitate learning. In particular, teacher candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the complex ecological nature of development as it pertains to multicultural contexts. In addition, through participation in CTW assignments, candidates will become more thoughtful and careful consumers of content and pedagogy in developmentally and individually appropriate practices for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and Kindergarten age children. As a result of their CTW experiences, candidates will become effective at evaluating the impact of these practices on children's development. [38] CTW Plan [39] The economics department plans to incorporate Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) elements into the following two required major courses: ECON 3900 (Macroeconomics) and ECON 4999 (Senior Capstone in Economic Policy). The CTW components, embedded in problem sets for ECON 3900 and a book review and quizzes in ECON 4999, require the students to assess and evaluate concepts in economics as they relate to the real world and to be able to recognize (1) how economic theory relates to policy and (2) how many classical assumptions in economics do not apply in reality yet can still be a useful point of departure. All CTW assignments will be redone after students incorporate the feedback they have been given by the instructor. [40] CTW Plan [42] CTW Plan [43] The English Department has identified Audrey Goodman as its CTW coordinator and English 3040 (Introduction to Literary Study), 3050 (Introduction to Advanced Composition and Rhetoric), 4300 (Senior Seminar in Literary Studies) 4310a (Senior Seminar in Creative Writing: Poetry) and 4310b (Senior Seminar in Creative Writing: Fiction), 4320 (Senior Seminar in Rhetoric and Composition), 4330 (Senior Seminar in Secondary Education) as its CTW courses. The Department offers four concentrations (in literary studies, creative writing, advanced composition and rhetoric, and secondary education), and all English majors take one introductory course at the beginning of the major and the appropriate seminar as their capstone course. The plan is for each professor of any of these classes to design and assign brief assignments that ask students to respond in writing and to practice specific critical thinking abilities. Critical thinking in English means working towards the expression of an informed, valid, and persuasive understanding of a text. Students engage in critical thinking in the discipline when they interrogate the reciprocal relation between the production and reception of a text; analyze the components of a text�s form; summarize a text�s argument and purpose; evaluate the merit of a text according to literary and rhetorical criteria while also considering the role that changing ideologies and fashions play in assessing value; and articulate their own point of view within relevant literary, historical, and theoretical frameworks. The assignments in CTW courses will be presented to the students online. The students will write their answers online, and the professor and sometimes the other students will provide feedback on each assignment in the form of commentary, annotation, and the application of departmental rubrics. The English Department believes that this process will enable professors to ask their students to write more often and approach the challenges of interpreting texts and building convincing arguments in new ways. Every year, the coordinator will run a report which will aggregate the rubrics scores for the department, list the assignments that professors asked students to write responses to, and present examples of effective, less effective, and ineffective student thinking. With this information, the coordinator will convene an annual meeting with the professors who taught the courses to discuss the assignments, the rubrics and the experience in general and then make recommendations for refining the rubrics and the assignments. The report and the recommendations for the following year will be forwarded to the GEAC committee and put on WeaveOnline. [44] CTW Plan [45] We believe there are two reasons for making writing an important part of this course. First, employers should expect GSU graduates to be able to structure analyses that are well ordered, focus on key issues, logically lead to a recommendation or decision, are professionally attractive, and are grammatically correct. Second, research shows that if we write about what we are studying, our learning increases. We plan to implement critical writing in the course through business analyses. Students will write short analyses of cases using a specified format. We will use the same format throughout the term so that students will be able to use feedback from earlier analyses to improve their later write-ups. We also plan to have students write one page opinion papers. They will write opinion papers following writing rubrics � some or all of these will be peer reviewed and graded. Finally, we plan to have students write a group research paper. This paper will be written by multiple students with each part reviewed and edited prior to submission by everyone in the group. Because of the value of writing, written work will compose about 60 percent of the total grade for the course. [46] CTW Plan [47] CTW Plan, Geosciences The CTW ambassador for the Department of Geosciences is Dr. Katherine Hankins. The Department currently has two majors, a BA in Geography and a BS in Geology. As such, there will be designated CTW courses for both majors. Critical thinking is defined as "a wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do." (Bassham, G., Irwin, W. Nordone, H., & Wallace, J., 2005. Critical Thinking: A Student's Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill, page 1.). For both geography and geology, critical thinking involves the ability to recognize and evaluate truth claims, synthesize different approaches to knowledge/scientific findings, and articulate coherent and logical arguments. For the BA in Geography, students will take two of the following courses: Geog 4674: Urban Geography, Geog 4784: Climatic Change, and Geog 4830: Senior Seminar. In all three courses, students will produce evidence of critical thinking and professors will assess the students based on agreed upon rubrics. � For Geog 4674 Urban Geography, students will be required to write a series of short papers (at least ten, one-page papers). Students will be assessed based on their ability to think critically about the literature they are reading and to express their ideas in clear, concise prose. Students will be required to revise their short response papers after receiving feedback on their writing. These weekly writing assignments should provide students with the ability to practice critical thinking through writing and to improve their ability to engage with urban geography literature. Students will be assessed on individual assignments based on a defined rubric. � Students in Geog 4784 Climatic Change will be required to produce a literature-review paper and to write four �persuasive� paragraphs that deal with specific topics addressed in lectures. The literature-review paper will be an in-depth exploration of peer-reviewed literature dealing with a specific climatic-change topic. Students will integrate the works based on themes and subsequently uncover gaps in the literature. After receiving permission from the instructor to explore a particular topic, students will complete a rough draft that, in turn, will receive substantial feedback from the instructor. Students will use those comments as a guide when performing revisions for the final draft. Concerning the paragraphs, the instructor will provide detailed comments on the first-submission paragraphs; thus, students will be expected to take those comments into consideration when producing their final paragraphs. Further feedback will be provided on the final paragraphs. The instructor will use a rubric as a guide for feedback and for assessment purposes. � For Geog 4830 Senior Seminar, students will be required to submit short response papers in addition to multiple drafts of a term paper. Short papers will provide an opportunity for students to engage in particular paradigms that characterize geographic knowledge. The term paper will be an opportunity for students to develop an original research paper. The instructor will provide feedback on various stages of the student work, including proposals, detailed outlines, and drafts of the paper. Students will be assessed based on their ability to synthesize literature and to construct cogent arguments. The instructor will use a rubric as a guide for feedback and for assessment purposes. For the BS in Geology, students will take the following courses: Geol 4006: Sedimentary Environments and Stratigraphy and Geol 4xxx: Critical Thought and Analysis in the Geological Sciences, which will be a newly created senior capstone course for all geology majors. In both courses, students will be assessed based on their ability to think critically about data and scholarly articles and to express clear, succinct analyses. � For Geol 4006 Sedimentary Environments and Stratigraphy, students will be expected to produce multiple drafts of a term paper in which they analyze stratigraphic data and reconstruct a history of an assigned geologic region. The purpose of the CTW assignment is to analyze, synthesize, interpret, and communicate the state of knowledge regarding the sedimentary environments and stratigraphy represented by the rocks and sediment of Georgia. The instructor will use a rubric as a guide for feedback and for assessment purposes. � For Geol 4xxx: Critical Thought and Analysis in the Geological Sciences, students will be expected to produce multiple short papers in which they reveal critical thinking about different facets of the history and application of geology. They will be required to evaluate and synthesize academic literature, such as exploring the debates around plate tectonic theory versus the geosynclinal theory. The instructor will use a rubric as a guide for feedback and for assessment purposes. [48] CTW Plan [49] The Department of History�s CTW Ambassador will be Jared Poley. The Department will use the University-provided CTW training. Because the history department must conform to the Faculty resolution, any faculty members teaching the two CTW-certified courses (History 3000: Introduction to Historical Studies and History 4990: Historical Research) will be familiarized with CTW technique by Poley (see implementation plan). The history department subscribes to the definition of Critical Thinking as it was proposed to the Faculty Senate: our courses will help �students develop the �wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.�� History 3000 promotes the acquisition of a series of skills vital to student success in this realm: historical mindedness, multidimensional analysis, the awareness of historical context, the analysis of texts, and the presentation of findings. History 4990 provides students the opportunity to collect and analyze evidence and to produce historical knowledge. Each of these classes incorporate a variety of different CTW-based assignments that emphasize skills like analysis, synthesis, explanation, summary, as well as the conjuring and evaluation of alternative explanations. Students typically receive written feedback on their work, and the production of multiple drafts of major writing assignments is a common feature of these courses. The Undergraduate Studies Committee will prepare a qualitative report each year that evaluates a random sampling of student assignments and instructor feedback from History 3000 and History 4990. The report will, if deemed useful, recommend changes to the CTW courses as well as the CTW assessment regime. This report will be submitted to the General Education Subcommittee. [50] CTW Plan [51] The first CTW course for hospitality majors will be BUSA 3000. The second CTW course is the capstone course for hospitality majors, "Hospitality Strategic Management" (HADM 4800). This coures incorporates assignments that focus on critical thinking as demonstrated through writing including a group project that focuses on analyzing an actual business and several types of case studies. Students will be expected to demonstrate the identification and analysis of business issues and problems. Through a comprehensive evalaution of available options, students will also formulate recommendations and implementation plans. The student's processes will be described in both written forms and in class presentations. [52] CTW Plan [53] The BUSA 3000 course (Globalization and Business Practices) is a core requirement in RCB. Since international business is a multi-diciplinary field, aspects of all the business disciplines are surveyed. BUSA 3000 has two key individual writing assignments. One relates to a business case and the other involves international media. By applying CTW criteria to both of these assignments, RCB will address both corporate business analysis and international data gathering. [54] CTW Plan [56] CTW Plan [57] The Department of Kinesiology and Health's Ambassador will be Dr. Jacalyn Lund. The Department will provide CTW training to faculty members teaching CTW classes. The workshop will include an overview of the purpose of CTW, a discussion of how assignments can contribute to CTW, and information about developing rubrics for CTW assignments. The Department has two majors. Both majors will use KH 2130 Introduction to the Allied Fields of Health, PE, and Fitnessas a CTW class. Exercise Science will use KH 4630 Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription for the second CTW class and the Health and Physical Education program will use KH 3700 Sexuality Education Inclusive of Special Needs Students. All classes identified have writing assignments that will demonstrate critical thinking and critical thinking represents a significant part of the grade for the classes. Department of Kinesiology and Health Georgia State University Definition of Critical Thinking �Critical thinking is a reflective process of acquisition, analysis, and evaluation of information and ideas that leads to the development and active implementation of reasonable and defensible solutions to problems, issues, and situations.� It includes the ability to: � Gather, organize, classify, and analyze pertinent information, materials, and data � Evaluate assumptions, evidence, ideas, and information � Consider and/or integrate new and disparate ideas, information, methods, systems, and beliefs � Develop rational, reasonable, and informed conclusions � Render accurate judgments � Present a clear expression of derived conclusions, judgments, and solutions � Apply understanding and knowledge to new and different problems and situations [58] CTW Plan [59] The Department of Managerial Sciences will have the faculty in each of the four concentration areas develop assignments to be completed during course of the semester that will involve critical thinking. For CT assignments there should be a very tight link between the application of critical thinking skills set out in the University policy and the application of subject matter concepts. The assignments should therefore be practice-oriented situations that involve the students having to identify relevant facts from a rich situation, rationally analyze the identified facts by systematically applying tools developed in the disciple, and reach logical conclusions based on that analysis. These elements need to be presented clearly in prose writing, preferably in the style and format of a standard business memorandum using skills developed in Business Communications (BCOM 3950) [60] CTW Plan [61] The Department of Managerial Sciences will have the faculty in each of the four concentration areas develop assignments to be completed during course of the semester that will involve critical thinking. For CT assignments there should be a very tight link between the application of critical thinking skills set out in the University policy and the application of subject matter concepts. The assignments should therefore be practice-oriented situations that involve the students having to identify relevant facts from a rich situation, rationally analyze the identified facts by systematically applying tools developed in the disciple, and reach logical conclusions based on that analysis. These elements need to be presented clearly in prose writing, preferably in the style and format of a standard business memorandum using skills developed in Business Communications (BCOM 3950) [62] CTW Plan [63] The Department of Managerial Sciences will have the faculty in each of the four concentration areas develop assignments to be completed during course of the semester that will involve critical thinking. For CT assignments there should be a very tight link between the application of critical thinking skills set out in the University policy and the application of subject matter concepts. The assignments should therefore be practice-oriented situations that involve the students having to identify relevant facts from a rich situation, rationally analyze the identified facts by systematically applying tools developed in the disciple, and reach logical conclusions based on that analysis. These elements need to be presented clearly in prose writing, preferably in the style and format of a standard business memorandum using skills developed in Business Communications (BCOM 3950) [64] CTW Plan [65] Six case analyses will be submitted in writing during the semester. Five written assignments will be case note write-up assignments which are required to be prepared for all cases assigned but will be taken up at random for grading. The sixth written case analysis is the midterm examination. During the first half of the semester, case notes assignments will be taken up randomly and feedback provided using the rubric created to assess case analysis skills. Written assignments will provide the students with experience in the following areas: 1.) creating a comprehensive situation analysis, 2.)clearly defining the central problem that the decision-maker in the case must address, 3.)specifying relevant alternatives as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each one and finally 4.) selecting the alternative they consider to be the best course of action and defend it based on both quantitative and qualitative arguments. The process of case analysis demands critical thinking because the student must identify and define the basic problem in the case, evaluate the options available to address the problem, and prepare a recommendation they feel will best address the problem. Identifying case problems is not usually obvious. Yet accurately defining the problem is essential because, if the problem is misidentified, the rest of the case analysis will be seriously flawed. The alternatives and the recommendation will likely be incorrect if the problem is not accurately defined. Students will use a template to impose structure on what frequently is an ambiguous situation. Often, very little in the case is obvious. New insight must be gleaned by carefully studying all the case information including tables of numbers, charts, graphs, as well as the text. Quantitative analysis is critically important in understanding the situation well enough to make a solid recommendation. This quantitative analysis may entail calculating ratios or creating a spreadsheet to perform what-if analysis in order to test different assumptions. The students are required to apply their knowledge of concepts from general business and marketing gained in other required courses in order to arrive at logical and defensible recommendations. A rubric is provided to assist the students in their analysis. Grading of the case notes assignments will be based on the rubric disseminated to the students. [66] CTW Plan [67] The Dept of Math & Stat has identified Math 3000, Bridge to higher math, and Math 4991, Senior seminar, as its CTW courses. The department has assigned Yi Zhao as its CTW ambassador. Instructors who teach CTW courses need to attend departmental workshop conducted by the ambassador (unless they have attended any university CTW training). Critical thinking in math usually means (1) analyzing and evaluating mathematical arguments, (2) formulating and presenting a proof or a counterexample in support of conclusions, and, (3) deriving an abstract claim from examples and solving a problem by applying known results. Writing in math refers to composing logically correct, well organized, and clearly represented arguments which consist of math formulas and English sentences. Each of the CTW courses will include writing assignments that ask students to practice these critical thinking skills. For example, a typical assignment in Math 3000 is to write a proof for a simple claim, and an assignment in Math 4991 can be solving a practical problem. [68] CTW Plan [69] EDRD 4600 � Reading and Writing in the Content Areas and EDCI 4640 � Critical Issues in Middle Grades Education are the two CTW courses for our undergraduate teacher preparation program. The course objective of EDRD 4600 is to �examine reading and writing instructional strategies and materials in the content area classroom. Emphases are on adolescent literacy development, the process of reading and writing in middle grades, the role of textbooks and trade books, concept development, comprehension, vocabulary, and study strategies.� The other CTW course, EDCI 4640 is designed to help future educators examine critical issues in middle childhood education such as � classroom management, multicultural issues, technology and education, family/community involvement, reflective inquiry and interdisplinary instruction.� [70] CTW Plan [71] In accordance with the University's regulations regarding the Critical Thinking through Writing component of courses, the French faculty has defined critical thinking in French as follows: students who demonstrate their commitment to critical thinking through writing analyses, and who improve the quality of their work through the rewriting of successive drafts, gain a better understanding of the intellectual production that has taken place among French-language writers over the past several hundred years. They learn more about French thinking processes and are better equipped to find and express their own voices in the target language. Ultimately, students in CTW courses are able to apply their critical judgment by writing commentaries on literary texts and answering critical questions on literary and civilization topics. More specifically, students who think critically about French culture and literature can: 1. Interpret (categorize, decide significance, clarify meaning), 2. Analyze (examine ideas, identify arguments, analyze arguments), 3. Evaluate (assess claims, assess arguments), 4. Infer (query evidence, conjecture alternatives, draw conclusiong), 5. Explain (state results, justify procedures, present arguments), 6. Self-reflect (self-examine, self-correct). [72] CTW Plan [73] Critical thinking goes hand in hand with analytical thinking. For Cottrell (1999:188) analytical thinking involves the following additional processes: � Standing back from the information given � Examining it in detail from many angles � Checking closely whether it is completely accurate � Checking whether a statement follows logically from what went before � Looking for possible flaws in the reasoning, the evidence, or the way that conclusions are drawn � Comparing the same issue from the point of view of other theorists or writers � Being able to see and explain why different people arrived at different conclusions � Being able to argue why one set of opinions, results or conclusions is preferable to another � Being on guard for literary or statistical devices that encourage the reader to take questionable statements at face value � Checking for hidden assumption" German = Auseinandersetzungsverm�gen (Discussion/Debate/Looking into a subject + capacity/ability/assets/means). In terms more specific to the German major, the assignments in our CTW courses will enable students to gain a better understanding of literary and -- more broadly -- cultural and historical trends in the German-speaking world, and equip students with the tools necessary to query their intellectual and personal positions with respect to the long and complex tradition of Germanic cultural production, which at times intersects with other traditions with which students may be familiar, and at times diverges from them. Ultimately, students in our CTW courses will be able to comprehend German texts within their cultural, intellectual, and historical contexts, and engage these texts in ways that are both intellectually rigorous and personally meaningful. The German section plans to make the entry level course Grmn 3301 and the capstone course Grmn 4402 a CTW designated course. Currently there are only two full-time faculty who teach these levels, with a third to be hired spring 2008. The current CTW ambassador, Robin Huff, will train these faculty in CTW procedure and assessment. Writing has always been a key component in all of the German courses and critical thinking through writing with a holistic rubric can be applied to all three concentrations. These designated courses require no curriculum modification and are currently required of all majors in all concentrations. [74] CTW Plan [75] The faculty in the Spanish section have chosen SPAN 3307 (Introduction to Hispanic Literature) as the first CTW course; for reasons specific to the nature of department (and to our section within it), we have decided that any in a series of 4000-level courses will serve as the capstone CTW course (these courses will always carry the CTW designation). All our CTW courses will provide significant opportunities for students to write assignments in their native languages so that they may concentrate more on the development of ideas and less on the process of communicating them in the Spanish language. In accordance with the Faculty Senate's statement on CTW, the assignments in Spanish CTW classes will help students develop the �wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.� (Bassham, Irwin, Nardone & Wallace, Critical Thinking: A Student's Introduction (McGraw-Hill, 2005) page 1.) Students will have the opportunity to revise at least one assignment during the semester. In terms more specific to the Spanish major, the assignments in our CTW courses will enable students to gain a better understanding of literary and -- more broadly -- cultural and historical trends in the Spanish-speaking world, and equip students with the tools necessary to interrrogate their intellectual and personal positions with respect to the long and complex tradition of Hispanic cultural production, which at times intersects with other traditions with which students may be familiar, and at times diverges from them. Ultimately, students in our CTW courses will be able to comprehend Hispanic literary texts within their cultural, intellectual, and historical contexts, and engage these texts in ways that are both intellectually rigorous and personally meaningful. [76] CTW Plan [77] Definition of Critical Thinking through Writing in Music Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) about music involves written interpretation and evaluation of the knowledge, the performance, and the creative, technical and instructional skills associated with music. For the purpose of critical thinking such skills are needed to identify, analyze and evaluate arguments and claims about music. Because School of Music offers curricula in a variety of area concentrations in music critical thinking has been approved as objective of the School of Music in the following areas: 1) the theoretical understanding of music, 2) music in historical and cultural contexts, 3) the use of technology in creating, performing and listening to music, 4) the individual and collective performance of music, 5) the composition and improvisation of music, 6) the conducting of music,7) the processes of educating others about music, and 8) the development of careers in music. Sample CTW Plan, Music The School of Music has identified Oliver Greene as its Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) Ambassador. The department has selected MUS 4810: Music from 1750 and MUS 4820: World Music as its two required CTW courses because these courses are required of all music majors of all concentrations. The School of Music will use professors who have been trained by CTW Ambassadors to teach these courses. In CTW music courses students will be required to demonstrate elements of critical thinking such as concept development, organization, analysis, and application. The assignment through which critical thinking through writing will be assessed in both courses is a three-part research assignment that involves the submission of (1) a paper topic and a 250 to 300 word proposal for the research paper on that topic, an outline for the paper, and an annotated bibliography, (2) a 7 to 10 page draft of the research paper, and (3) the revised draft of the research paper. In MUS 4820 the research project will include a fieldwork component. For the critical thinking component of the assignment students will be required to expound on the social, cultural, and or political significance of the music or musician and her/his relevance in the area or region if applicable. Feedback from CTW-trained assistants and the professor will be given for part one and part two of the assignment and will include evaluations of the form or structure of the submitted work, the level of critical thinking exhibited, and quality of writing, and the application of the rubric(s) created specifically for the assignment(s). The School of Music believes that these assignments will lead to improvements in the quality and depth of student critical thinking and writing. With the aid of CTW trained assistants, the assignment will not substantially increase the time professors spend responding to student work. Professors for CTW courses will maintain examples of research papers exhibiting effective, less effective, and ineffective critical thinking for students to view. (Of course the anonymity of student�s work will always be maintained.) [78] CTW Plan [79] The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing department has identified Kathy Plitnick as the CTW Ambassador and CTW Assessment coordinator. The CTW courses identified for the school are NURS 2080 - Basic Concepts of Nursing Care and NURS 4600 - Leadership and Management in Nursing. Both of these courses fall into area G of the Undergraduate program. Critical Thinking is defined by the School of Nursig as, "a process of reflective and cognitive thought that involves systmatic, rational, and creative thinking. Critical thinking leads to the formation of conclsions and appropriate alternatives in the process of clinical decision making". [80] CTW Plan [81] The Division of Nutrition has identified Jana Kicklighter as its CTW ambassador and Nutr. 3010, Introduction to Research, and Nutr. 4950, Senior Seminar, as its CTW courses. The ambassador attended the CTW workshops on October 12, and November 5, 2007 and she will be responsible for training faculty members who will teach the two CTW courses. Currently, research methods is incorporated into an introduction to the nutrition profession course, Nutr. 3000, and Nutr. 4950, Senior Seminar, is a 2-credit course. To meet CTW requirements, research methods will become a separate, 3 credit hour course and Nutr. 4950 will become a 3 credit hour capstone course. Nutr. 3010 is taken at the beginning of the junior year and Nutr. 4950 is taken the last semester of the senior year. Both of these courses will be designed around the production, through several smaller assignments and multiple drafts, of a final written paper. The plan is for the instructor of each of these classes to develop and implement multiple assignments that ask students to identify a nutrition or dietetics-related question and to select, critique, analyze, synthesize and communicate information which addresses the question. Students will be required to respond in writing and utilize critical thinking abilities to evaluate and make decisions related to the question. The instructor will provide specific feedback to each student by providing written comments and by applying rubrics which will be developed by the nutrition faculty, similar to the one used at Washington State University. The assignments in the two CTW courses will provide students with opportunities to practice critical thinking and writing skills necessary for effective dietetic practice. The Division of Nutrition defines critical thinking as the ability to identify a nutrition or dietetics-related question and to select, critique, analyze, synthesize and communicate information which addresses the question. To function effectively as future nutrition and dietetic professionals, dietetic students must be able to access and accurately interpret the scientific literature and make practice-related decisions based on strength of evidence and evidence-based guidelines. [82] CTW Plan [83] The Department of Philosophy�s CTW Ambassador will be Dr. Andrew J. Cohen. The Department will use the University-provided CTW training. As all continuing faculty in the Department will be teaching CTW courses, Dr. Cohen will train the faculty by conducting workshops. Philosophy�s CTW courses will be Phil 3000, Introductory Seminar in Philosophy, and Phil 4900, Senior Seminar in Philosophy. Both of these courses will be organized around the production (through multiple drafts) of a final seminar paper. See attached sample paper assignment. [84] CTW Plan [85] The Department of Physics and Astronomy CTW plan is to introduce two new courses. The first is a three credit hour junior level lab course, Phys3300 (Advanced Physics Laboratory), which will replace several existing one credit hour lab courses. The course will be offered each fall term and will typically be taken by physics majors in their junior year. The second course is a three credit hour research project, Phys4900 (Research Project), and will replace the current one credit hour course Phys4950 (Senior Research). This course will be taught each spring term and will typically be taken by senior physics majors. The plan is for the first course to establish and develop both critical thinking through writing and laboratory research skills which can be further developed in the Research Project. The definition of critical thinking used by the department for both these courses includes the following aspects from the university's learning outcomes in the core: a. Students develop research questions appropriate for research. b. Students appropriately collect experimental or theoretical data to address identified research questions. c. Students analyze and interpret data to evaluate research questions. d. Students use results of data analysis to formulate new research questions. In addition, the department adds the following aspects of critical thinking important to scientific writing: e. Students choose appropriate ways to communicate information in words, graphs, and figures. f. Students communicate correct kinds of information in each section of scientific report. g. Students understand and reflect an understanding of the appropriate audience. [86] CTW Plan [87] The Department of Political Science has identified Dr. S. Rashid Naim as its CTW coordinator. The Department will use the University-provided CTW training. All continuing faculty in the Department will be eligible to teach CTW courses. Dr. Naim as the coordinator will work with faculty members to ensure that the CTW courses are consistent in terms of developing and practicing specific critical thinking abilities (identified below) as well as evaluation of learning outcomes in these areas of critical thinking. The Department endorses the definition of Critical Thinking proposed to the Faculty Senate. Political Science courses will be designed to train students to �develop the �wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims; to discover and overcome personal prejudices; to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do.�� The Department has designated the existing POLS 3800 (Introduction to Political Research) and the as yet uncreated POLS 4900 (Senior Seminar in Political Science) as its CTW courses. Students will be required to have taken and completed POLS 3800 before they take POLS 4900 as the latter will further develop and refine skills acquired in the former. These courses will be designed to develop and practice the following specific critical thinking skills - identification of a question or issue, consideration of assumptions and/or context, formulation of a testable hypothesis, collection and presentation of facts/data, analysis of facts/data, integration and synthesis of other perspectives and presentation of conclusions. POLS 3800 (Introduction to Political Research) will achieve this goal through a series of assignments designed to practice one or more of the specific skills listed above. Faculty will provide students with feedback on their level of competence and/or proficiency in each of the above skills. The final grade for the course on the A-F scales with +/- will reflect proficiency in CTW as shown through the acquisition of these skills. In POLS 4900 (Senior Seminar in Political Science) the above skills will be developed and practiced through the production of a final term/seminar paper by each student. The production of the paper will go through multiple stages where the above critical thinking skills are developed and practiced (see instructions attached under sample assignment). Faculty will provide feedback to students at each stage of the paper�s development using a rubric developed for the purpose (see attached rubric). In some cases peer comments may also be used as a feedback and development tool. The final paper will be assigned two scores, one on critical thinking and one on writing. The critical thinking score will be based on the rubric (0-35). The writing score (which will also be the grade for the course) shall be on the A-F scales with +/-. [88] CTW Plan [90] CTW Plan [91] The Department of Public Management and Policy (formerly PAUS) has identified Shena Ashley and Katherine Willougby as the CTW Ambassadors. In the Bachelors of Public Policy degree, we will concentrate on CTW elements in the citizenship course, PAUS 3021 and the evaluation of public policy course, PAUS 4051 beginning in the fall of 2009. Both courses are required for our undergraduate majors. Critical thinking in Public Administration and Policy involves evaluating arguments and making and justifying claims based on theoretical understandings and/or empirical assessment. The two CTW courses were selected because, in addition to course specific content, they address the following critical thinking skills- identification of a question or issue, consideration of assumptions and/or context, formulation of a testable hypothesis, development of an appropriate research design to test hypotheses, integration and synthesis of other perspectives and presentation of conclusions. In PAUS 3021, the CTW assignment is a set of weekly memos submitted to the instructor where students are asked to record their experiences from their service learning activity, describe their feelings about their experiences and draw insights from the course objectives and theoretical explanations in the course readings. The instructor will evaluate the memos according to the scoring rubric and students will get experience developing CTW skills by making improvements in the memos each week based on evaluations of memos from prior weeks. In PAUS 4051 the CTW assignment consists of an evaluation research proposal where students are expected to integrate research methods and evaluation theory and apply them to a real problem. The final evaluation proposal is due at the end of the semester; however, the instructor will review and evaluate drafts of earlier versions. The drafts and the final proposal will be evaluated using a scoring rubric that is typically used by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) when evaluating research proposals. [92] CTW Plan [93] The Department of Real Estate has identified BUSA 3000 as the first CTW course in its major sequence and RE 4700 as its second CTW course. Students will be encouraged to take BUSA 3000 early in their junior year. RE4700 is a capstone course that will require students to use material from the major courses to analyze problems and cases using mathematical analysis and writing. Because of the prerequisites (RE3010, RE4050, RE4150, RE4160, and BCOM3950), students will take this course at the end of their program of study. Critical thinking through writing in Real Estate is defined as using writing to assist in developing ability to select, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and draw inferences about business situations and information, and apply problem-solving skills to formulate and communicate convincing reasons in support of conclusions and solutions. The instructor of RE4700 will design and assign cases and projects that will require students to use critical thinking abilities expected in the real estate field. Specifically, the assignments will require students to: � Gather, organize, and classify, pertinent information, materials, and data � Evaluate assumptions, evidence, ideas, and information � Analyze information � Consider and/or integrate disparate ideas and information � Develop rational, reasonable, and informed conclusions � Present a clear expression of derived conclusions, judgments, and solutions Two case write ups will be submitted as drafts for feedback and a score using rubrics; then the students will be required to revise their work and resubmit to the instructor for evaluation and another score. The Department�s Ambassador will be Dr. Karen M. Gibler. All instructors will be trained through the University-provided CTW training. [94] CTW Plan [95] The CTW Ambassador for the Department of Religious Studies is Timothy Renick. The designated CTW courses for the Department of Religious Studies are 1) Religion 3750 and 2) Religion 4750. Religion 3750, an adaptation of the department�s current Religion 4220, is an introduction to methodological and theoretical issues in Religious Studies. Religion 4750 is an upper-level capstone seminar that will help students understand methodological and theoretical issues as they are discussed in one specific Religious Studies sub-discipline. Religion 4750 will also help students write longer, research papers. Because many of our majors propose and complete honors theses, the CTW sequence will help students develop the thinking and critical writing skills they will need to complete successfully their thesis projects. Critical thinking in our discipline involves carefully analyzing religious phenomena in their different contexts, developing valid interpretations of these phenomena, and communicating these interpretations persuasively in writing. Both of our CTW classes are designed with these goals in mind. They will involve reading challenging primary texts; analyzing these texts, other arguments and theories in class; and discussing course material in seminar-style settings. Faculty members will emphasize "low-stakes" short writing assignments in order to build key competencies such as close reading, summarizing texts, evaluating evidence, and constructing and evaluating arguments. At least one assignment in each course will require students to revise written work previously submitted to the instructor. Longer writing assignments, in which students will be required to use skills learned in shorter tasks, also will be required. Since all upper-level Religious Studies courses require significant writing and since many of our majors go off to top graduate programs, the goal of our CTW program will be to hone skills introduced in other courses, generate active discussions about critical thinking and writing and help students apply their skills directly to theories and questions central to the discipline. [96] CTW Plan [97] The Division of Respiratory Therapy will merge the principles of logical reasoning, problem solving, judgment, decision making, reflection, and lifelong learning in respiratory therapy. Each respiratory therapy student, through CTW courses and the program will analyze and evaluate clinical data to formulate and enhance clinical effectiveness. [98] CTW Plan [99] We have a two part plan. First we will get the students to write in a relatively unstructured format about class or current events. We plan on using public journals (like blogs) to get students writing and interacting with each other. These public journals will be a student's running commentary on issues involving the class topics ( either generated from classroom discussion or from actual events). Secondly, we will undertake a set of structured critical thinking assignments based on case studies. For the purposes of our courses, critical thinking is defined as the ability to evaluate a set of facts, use the facts in conjunction with a theory to develop a conclusion. Specifically, the structured assignments will be designed to train the student to: 1) identify relevant facts; 2) identify relevant issues; 3) identify which approaches are candidates to solve the problem; and 4)Identify the appropriate approach and be able to explain why this approach dominates others. We plan on having two to three of these exercises tied to risk management cases. Students will have the opportunity to revise after receiving feedback. [100] CTW Plan [101] Georgia State University School of Social Work Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) Plan DRAFT The School of Social Work�s CTW Ambassador is Dr. Deborah Whitley. The CTW courses are Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (SW 3330), Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (SW 3340), and Social Welfare Policy (SW 3930). The BSW Curriculum Committee (BCC) in the School of Social Work presently oversees all course content for undergraduate social work majors. It will serve as the focal point for CTW course/assignment design and assessment to ensure designated courses have critical thinking content. The plan is for the CTW Ambassador to provide guidance/training to instructors of designated courses as they develop writing assignments that promote the demonstration of critical thinking skills. Examples of writing assignments may include writing weekly political activity logs, legislative briefs, major term papers that explore a single social issue across the life span, and journal article critiques. The instructors will provide student feedback in the form of commentary, annotation and/or application of school rubrics. Assessments for each CTW assignment and overall course grade will be reported to the CTW Ambassador at the end of the academic semesters (Fall/Spring). Course Descriptions SW 3330 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I: The course focuses on the biological, psychological, and social influences on the development of infants, children, and adolescents. Knowledge from multiple theoretical perspectives such as systems theory, learning theory, and psychosocial theory is integrated to provide a comprehensive view of infants, children, and adolescents in their social environments. The effects of race, gender, social class, culture, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and physical/mental ability will also be examined. SW 3340 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II: Using an ecological perspective, this course examines human behavior as individuals develop from adolescence through late adulthood in the context of family, social groups, and community. Knowledge from the biological, social and behavioral sciences is integrated to provide a comprehensive view of people in their social environment to gain an understanding of their strengths and needs as a foundation for social work practice. SW 3930 Social Welfare Policy: This course introduces students to the development and execution of contemporary social welfare policies and service programs in the United States. The influence of social values on policy development is highlighted relative to the differential allocation of materials, goods and services in society. Students will demonstrate critical analysis of the policy-making process by tracking the development of state public policy during the spring session of the Georgia State Legislature. [102] CTW Plan [103] All sociology majors will have the opportunity to take two CTW courses beginning in Fall, 2008 (provided we have the staff necessary to implement this plan at that time). "Sociological Methods" will become the first required CTW course -- required for all majors; and a variety of upper level courses will rotate as CTW courses as well (but will not be taught exclusively as CTW courses). These courses will be offered under umbrella course headings that are named for our concentration areas: "CTW in Family, Health, and the Life Course," "CTW in Gender and Sexuality,"and "CTW in Race and Urban Studies." We will add a fourth umbrella title for courses that are outside our three concentration areas as well: "CTW in General Sociology." Our goal will be to offer three or four CTW sections of courses (other than "Methods") each semester (beginning Fall, 2008 -- again, provided we have the necessary staff). Ideally, for their second CTW course, students will be able to choose from options spread across our three concentration areas and general sociology. These rotating courses will include: Under "Family, Health, and the Life Course": "Birth and Parenthood" (3152); "Cognition and Society" (3040); "Families and Society" (3101); Aging and Society" (4116); and "Self, Identity, and Social Interaction" (3110). Under "Gender and Sexuality": "Gender and Society (3216)"; "Sexual and Intimate Violence" (4150); and "Sexuality and Society" (3156). Under "Race and Urban Studies": "Race and Ethnic Relations" (3212); "Urban Sociology" (4226); "Activism, Protest, & Revolution" (3220); "Crime and Punishment" (3224); "Deviant Behavior" (3222); and "Educational Sociology" (4380). Under "CTW in General Sociology": "Sociological Theory" (3030); and "Wealth, Power, and Inequality" (3201). Syllabi for each of these sample courses are included. How we define "critical thinking through writing": Assignments in CTW courses will be geared to develop students' analytical, interpretive, and communication skills. Students will be assessed in terms of how well they are able, through their writing: to demonstrate their understanding of sociological research reports/articles/books/theories; to analyze and interpret these research reports/articles/books/theories; and to use results of their analyses to formulate new research questions and/or to extend analyses in new directions. [104] CTW Plan [105] In Women�s Studies, we plan to apply the CTW designation to three courses: one, WSt 3010, Feminist Theories, is required for all majors and minors; students are also required to choose between one of the other two, WSt 4920 or 4950, Internship or Senior Research, for their majors. These courses will help students develop cognitive and analytical skills necessary to fulfill our learning outcomes: they will be able to identify and analyze arguments, they will be able to demonstrate knowledge of theoretical perspectives pertinent to women�s studies, they will be able to demonstrate their writing skills as defined by the ability to organize material, provide sufficient evidence, and formulate new research questions. In 3010, students� writing assignments comprise 60% of their grade: 40% is in eight short, low-stakes, analytical papers, and 20% in the final analytical paper. Because the low-stakes papers are, in fact, ungraded (though students receive credit for them), they cannot be revised. Students must, though, participate in the revision process for their final paper. In 4920, students write both a journal and a short final paper, which comprise 70% of their grade; students in the 4950 focus on one major research paper, which comprises their only grade for the class. In both these courses students will be required to participate in the revision process for their final papers. [89] 
The Psychology Department's CTW Ambassadors are Chris Henrich and Kim Darnell. The department has identified three courses for CTW designation. The first, PSYC 3530, Advanced Research Design and Data Analysis, will be required of all majors. It is a new course that will replace the currently required, PSYC 3030, Principles and Methods of Psychological Investigation. The department will also offer senior capstone CTW classes through two existing course numbers - PSYC 4800, Senior Seminar, and PSYC 4000, Laboratory Experience in Psychology. Faculty will propose sections of these courses, which will be reviewed by the department's UPC on the extent to which they apply the university's CTW policy. Students in each of the department's CTW courses will produce a final research project, through multiple drafts, that will be used to assess their engagement in critical thinking through writing. In addition to meeting the requirements of the University's CTW policy, the proposed CTW courses are designed to address recommendations by the American Psychological Association (APA) related specifically to the development of critical thinking skills in undergraduate psychology majors. For this reason, we shall operationally define and assess critical thinking in terms outlined by the APA, such as students' ability to "evaluate the quality of information, including differentiating empirical evidence from speculation," "use reasoning to recognize, develop, defend, and criticize arguments and other persuasive appeals," "demonstrate an attitude... of persistence, open-mindedness, tolerance for ambiguity, and intellectual engagement," and "use scientific principles and evidence to resolve conflicting claims" (APA, 2007, p. 15). Additional information about the assessment plan, including a sample scoring rubric for assignments, is provided in a separate section of this document. The success of this plan is linked to the availability of resources to create and sustain lines of funding for graduate learning assistants and undergraduate peer-advisors, as well as space and technology for a department CTW support center/writing lab.
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