Critical & Creative Thinking Graduate Program

Annual report to Graduate Studies, 2009-10

by Peter Taylor, Program Coordinator, June 5, 2010

 

Overarching Goals for '09-10

A.     Support the intellectual, professional, and personal development of CCT and other students, through teaching, advising, mentoring, a coherent program of study, and post-graduation activities and community-building.

B.     Attract applicants to CCT and advise them through to matriculation.

C.     Establish sustainable, non-exploitative operations and planning, given that all the CCT lectureship position was not guaranteed to be continued.[1] 

 

Capsule summary (in relation to these goals)

A.     The program offers a rich, innovative, and expanding range of courses, monthly public events, online forums, internet-based documentation, and other resources for pedagogical innovation and reflective practice.  The new graduate track in Science in a Changing World has begun offering courses, attracting students, and building recognition in the Boston/New England area.

B.     A large increase in Certificate students meant total matriculation numbers increased, but M.A. recruitment needs improvement. Through an expanded partnership with Continuing Education (CCDE) and the Learning, Teaching, and Educational Transformation (LTET) non-licensure M.Ed. program, the total number of course registrants increased to its highest level since 2002.  Despite a range of support measures, the backlog of students who have finished all course work, but not their capstone syntheses, remains significant.  These students are now being urged to graduate with a Certificate and reapply for admission to the M.A. when they have a complete draft of their synthesis.  A new one-year completion contract for students who do not finish their synthesis in a semester draws attention to this exit option. The core faculty continue to explore ways to address the needs of students in the need-writing-improvement and overdue syntheses categories.

C.     Through an expanded partnership with Continuing Education (CCDE), CCT now has a 50% Assistant Coordinator who will eventually be able to share the administrative burden with the Program Coordinator/Director. Day-to-day program costs (guest speakers, events, etc.) are covered by course "dividends" from CCDE.  For the foreseeable future, the roster of required courses and electives can be maintained by the core faculty and CCDE-funded assistant coordinator and part-timers even though the lecturer line will not continue after '09-10.  M.A. matriculation numbers can increase without additional State-funded resources— provided capstone completion can be improved in ways that do not consume all the energies of the core faculty.


Numbers

8 M.A. students and 9 certificate students matriculated in 09-10.

(For the M.A. this is lower than recent years' average of 13, but for the certificate it is much more than ever before, primarily due to students from other programs adding the CCT certificate.)

 

As of May Õ10, there were 31 students in M.A. program and 13 in certificate program.

5 of the 31 had completed all course work and were working, some with significant life/family interruptions, on completing their capstone syntheses.  (4 more are in this situation but are behind in paying program fees, so don't show up on Peopelsoft as students.)

5 of the 31 graduate in May and 4 more plan for August degrees.

In addition, 2 M.A. students and 1 certificate student graduated in December 09 and 3 certificate student graduate in May, including the first two in the new "Science in a Changing World" Track.

Synthesis topics ranged from ÒMentoring Towards Resilient ThoughtÓ by Jeneen Mucci, director of a teen after-school program, to " Navigating The Complexities In Teaching: Exploring The Thinking Processes That Trigger And Sustain Teacher Development," by Marie Levey-Pabst, a high school English teacher.

Anticipated matriculants for Fall Õ10 = 4-8 in the M.A. tracks plus 3-5 certificate students

 

Through regular, online, other CCDE, and cross-listed sections and some independent studies CCT instructors served over 241 course registrations, made up of almost an equal number of non-CCT as CCT students (or soon-to-be matriculated students).  50% of these registrations were in sections taught by core CCT faculty (and the new CCDE-funded assistant program coordinator); 50% were taught by part-timers through CCDE.  These numbers and percentages are very similar to the previous year, except the registrations grew by 10% and all of the increase was in sections taught through CCDE by part-timers and the assistant coordinator.

 

Developments and Achievements in '09-10 [in relation to the overall goals]

 

1 [A].   Maintained a multi-year course schedule that ensures that, even if the CCT lectureship position were to be discontinued at some point, matriculated students could still be served by regular CCT faculty and they would have a maximum number of electives to choose from over a two-year cycle.

2 [B].    Enhanced the coordination with the Learning, Teaching and Educational Transformation (non-licensure) track of the M.Ed. program, drawing more M.Ed. students into CCT courses.[2]

3 [B].    Continued to address the main shortcoming of the CCT curriculum, namely, some students get to the capstone synthesis course but are not well prepared to write a major paper and/or do not finish during the synthesis semester.

The Program:

a) continued an entrance interview and formalized a mid-program check-in[3], both of which draw attention to a series of measures designed to support students through to timely completion of their degree[4];

b) established a weekly writing support group[5];

c) continued the day-long intensive synthesis-completion sessions each semester ("Marathon days"); and

d) established an expectation of completion of capstone synthesis within a year of taking the synthesis seminar.[6]

4 [A,B].                Promoted the practice of students assembling a "Reflective Practice (or MetaCognitive) Portfolio"[7] during the course of their CCT studies (now a program requirement).

The goal is to help students: a) perceive the interconnections among courses; and b) be better prepared to synthesize their theory and practice when they get to their capstones (see #3 above).

5 [A].   Continued the CCT Network[8], a series of monthly activities (with recordings made available as podcasts[9]) (in conjunction with CrCrTh688, Reflective Practice[10]) and the online social network site.[11]

6 [A].   Extended the use of the CCT wiki for documenting CCT activities, tools and resources,[12] and enhanced course interactions through creation of wikis for each CCT student.[13]

7 [A, B].              Promoted CCT's "Science in a Changing World" track[14] in both the Certificate and M.A. Program by:

a) establishing a reliable schedule for the four alternative core courses, which began in Spring '10;

b) joining the University-wide Professional Science Masters initiative and taking steps towards certification;

c) hosting "Changing Science, Changing Society," an exposition of initiatives, coalitions, and social movements engaging with scientific, technological, and social change[15];

d) using the SICW wiki for documenting SICW activities[16]; 

e) creating an online social network site[17]; and

f) continuing the Intercollege faculty Seminar on Humanities and Sciences both semesters.[18]

8 [B].    Continued to build recognition at UMB and in the Boston/New England area for CCT-centered work in the SICW area.

In 09-10 CCT provided some funds for the 7th annual New England Workshop on Science and Social Change (actually two workshops)[19]; and see #7 above.

9 [B, C].              Expanded the partnership with Continuing Education (CCDE) with the goals of increasing online offerings and enrollments (targets were exceeded[20]; see #2) so as to fund a 50% Assistant Coordinator,[21] promoting the SICW emphasis, preparing for a CCT M.A. program for students in China (which was cancelled at the last minute), and scheduling Certificate courses on Cape Cod.[22]

10 [A].                                    Instituted a CCT-style course evaluation for online courses to supplement the official ones, with plans to make these visible to prospective students.

11 [A].                  Students and commentators on student presentations, and CCT Network participants were brought via skype into regular CCT classes and events from a distance (from Perth to London to Bogot‡ to Texas).

12 [A].                  CCT approaches were displayed at the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award presentation on "Engaging colleagues in a Caring University"[23] and ran through the spring CIT faculty seminar on "Engaging Students in a Changing University," [24] both led by Peter Taylor. Experience developing a writing support group was shared at the Teaching for Transformation Conference[25] and experience using wikis in multiple ways was demonstrated at the annual Educational Technology conference.[26]

13 [B]. Nina Greenwald and David Martin helped organize Minds In Motion, in collaboration with Arts Learning, a statewide arts advocacy and programming organization.[27]

14 [A].    A tribute event was held to recognize Nina's Greenwald's 25 years of contributions to CCT.[28]

 

Areas that need more development

 

15.      Efforts to boost M.A. recruitment stalled (even as Certificate numbers and overall course enrollments grew[29]).  After this year Nina Greenwald's appointment will be on a course-by-course basis, so she cannot be expected to continue to lead recruitment.  The CCDE-funded CCT assistant has been following up on indications of interest from students taking online courses and—once he has his required teaching in place—may make greater use of the CCT Network events and social network site to coach alums to become active in outreach and recruitment).[30]

16.          The administrative division of labor in CCT[31] continued to place almost all of the administrative burden on the Program Coordinator.  Gradually some of this may be taken over by the CCDE-funded program assistant—again, once he has his required teaching in place.

17.          Developing the weekly Writing Support Group (see #3b) was a wonderful learning experience, but cannot claim to be the magic bullet for ensuring completion of overdue syntheses and or pre-synthesis research courses for students who have difficulty with extended writing projects (or of addressing the concern under #19).

18.      A significant backlog of students who have finished all course work, but not their syntheses, remains (despite measures in #3 and 4).  These students are now being urged to graduate with a Certificate and reapply for admission to the M.A. when they have a complete draft of their synthesis.  The completion contract for students who do not finish their synthesis in a semester (see #3d) draws attention to this option.    

19.          The higher frequency of students of color in the need-writing-improvement and overdue syntheses categories continued to be a concern.  The Program took stock of its efforts around diversity[32] and Denise Patmon led the core faculty in a personal diversity audit.  Follow-up is needed.

20.      Systematic discussion by the core faculty of things (other than synthesis completion and diversity issues) that the Program is not doing well, with a view to identifying and prioritizing improvements, was not undertaken.  Perhaps the '10-11 AQUAD reviews will reactivate such discussion.

 

Additional information requested by Graduate Studies

 

1.              Goals: See #A, B, C and #1-14 above.

 

2.              Program development: See #1-14 above.  Possible governance actions: see footnote 3.

 

3.              Faculty Achievements related to CCT: See #12-14 above.

 

4.              Program Strengths: See #1-20 above and footnotes, which indicate that CCT provides a model for pedagogical innovation, reflective practice, program documentation on the internet, and planning that makes the most of limited resources.

 

5.              Weaknesses: See #15-20 above.

 

6.              Collaborations: See #2, 7b&c, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 above.

 

7.              Student support outside OGS: none.

 

8.              OGS stipends:  One ¼-time GAs earmarked by OGS for CCT plus one faculty member's RA (also funded by OGS) allowed for two CCT assistants.

 

9.              Additional services needed from OGS: Response to these annual reports; Informative notes from GPD meetings; Initiation of a practice of minutes and/or timely informative feedback from GSC on proposals; and Negotiation with Deans to arrive at equitable CLRs for GPDs (or track coordinators) based on workload after allowing for staff support (or lack thereof).



[1] The lectureship for 09-10 was confirmed in mid-August '09.  It will not be continued in '10-11.

[2] Peter Taylor was coordinator of both CCT and LTET this year.

[3] Governance approval may be sought for making this check-in have teeth/consequences.

[4] files/SupportToCompletion.html

[5] files/WritingSupportGroup

[6] files/incomplete694.doc

[7] http://cctrpp.wikispaces.umb.edu  Each student now has a private cct-xx.wikispaces.umb.edu on which to prepare this portfolio (where xx = the student's last name). These wikis are closed to outside viewers, but the template can be viewed at http://cct-template.wikispaces.umb.edu

[8] files/CCTNetwork The goals of the CCT Network are to: a) organize, in a sustainable fashion, personal and professional development, community building, and educational-innovation activities beyond the formal CCT program of studies, supplementing students' education through the involvement of alums and continuing alums' education by their involvement in the education of students and each other; and b) stimulate visitors to apply to join CCT based on their experience of the Network activities and of CCT community-building.

[9] http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/16894

[10] This 1-3 credit course allows students to get credit for participation in and reflection on the CCT Network activities, as well as providing a structure for supervision of students outreach activities in schools, workplaces, and communities.

[11] files/CCTNetworkNing

[12] Updates were made to the draft of a book, Taking Yourself Seriously: A Fieldbook of Processes of Research and Engagement (based on the tools of CrCrTh 692 and 693). files/TakingYourselfSeriously

[13] See note 7.

[14] The SICW track builds on an area of strength for the CCT core faculty and brings in associate faculty from the Sciences.  It has the goal that "students graduate well prepared to move across the persistent divide between sciences and humanities, to participate in questioning and shaping the direction of science and society, and to teach and engage others to participate in this important endeavor."

[15] http://www.stv.umb.edu/SICW.html

[16] http://sicw.wikispaces.umb.edu

[17] http://sicwumb.ning.com

[18] http://www.stv.umb.edu/ISHS.html

[19] http://www.stv.umb.edu/newssc09.html

[20] A survey of the students taking online CCT courses in the fall indicated that:

the promotion of CCT thru LTET probably accounted for most of the increase in online students that semester;

cultivating/maintaining lines of communication with other UMB programs is an important way to get students in courses; and

at least for people who have emails and reply to online surveys (response rate 26/61), the ways that get them interested in the CCT program is thru their web searches and when the Program follows up after they take a course as a non-matriculated students.

[21] Jeremy Szteiter was hired as a result of a competitive search in October '09 after the hiring freeze was lifted.

[22] There were two well-attended open houses during the summer about these courses, but they ended up not enrolling enough students to run in the fall or spring.  After a successful half-day workshop, a problem-based course is scheduled for the fall along with other half day promotional workshops.

[23] files/CaringUniversity

[24] http://ptaylor.wikispaces.umb.edu/citseminar10

[25] files/WritingSupportGroupJan10

[26] http://ptaylor.wikispaces.umb.edu/wikiuses

[27] Nina Greenwald and David Martin took responsibility for different segments of the program. Teachers were involved in hands-on activities in each of the Arts, and also generated ideas on ways to stimulate thinking strategies through the arts in the classroom. This may lead to an off-site offering of CrCrTh630, Creativity & Criticism in Literature and Arts, which may attract students to join the Program.

[28] files/CCTNetwork19May10

[29] See note #21.

[30] The core faculty under the multi-year course schedule—see #1—could serve 15-18 M.A. matriculants.

[31] files/AdminChecklist.html

[32] files/DiversityPlanning