News2014September
News from the Graduate Program in Critical & Creative Thinking
University of Massachusetts Boston26 September 2014
Student Matters
Applications for spring 2015 admission are due November 1, 2014. Please review the application requirements (http://www.umb.edu/admissions/grad/apply) and contact cct@umb.edu with questions.
Prospective students: please visit CCT at the Graduate Studies Showcase 2014: Wednesday, November 12, 4:00-7:30 p.m. in the UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom. Meet with representatives of CCT and learn more about the program, courses, and how the graduate study of critical and creative thinking can meet your needs. Registration is open: http://www.umb.edu/admissions/visit/graduate_studies_showcase/admissions_graduate_showcase
CCT Community
CCT Professor and Program Director Peter Taylor was recently interviewed by Howard Rheingold for his highly popular video blog series:
"Howard Rheingold wants to address how to 'impart to young people the always useful but now essential skills of how to question, investigate, analyze and judge that link they just got in email or the factual claim they just found through a search engine.' In his video interview with me (http://dmlcentral.net/blog/howard-rheingold/teaching-critical-thinking-age-digital-credulity), I emphasize the 'challenge of getting students to take themselves seriously - not to perform according to some standards of mastery of content, but to identify projects that are really important to them to advance in the program and to continue afterward.' "
CCT faculty Orin Davis recently attended the APA Convention in Washington, DC, where he gave a talk on his research on the creative personality in which he highlighted some of the difficulties determining what constitutes a creative personality and likewise that the development of creativity may be more directly related to maturity than previously thought. "I also gave a talk with Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro about some research we did on using the Experience Sampling Method to assess whether engineering students are able to exhibit creativity in the classroom and how that can inform future pedagogy. In addition, I was invited to Judson College to meet with faculty and staff about how they can create opportunities for critical thinking throughout the college experience."
The New York Times recently published CCT faculty Larry Blum's Letter to the Editor concerning the issue of elite colleges expressing that they want to accept more low income students but don't actually do so:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/opinion/leveling-the-college-playing-field.html
CCT faculty Ben Schwendener's company, Gravity Arts, is developing a collaboration between the Mobile Trio, ADN Dialect and Boston dancers titled "No Plan B", a project involving dance, experimental jazz, and culture. A central component of the No Plan B stage is a giant 9' tall steel Tetrahedron, built with low piano and bass strings and Piezo mics to be played and integrated into the work by musicians and dancers. The culminating performance takes place on November 21 & 22, 2014 at Green Street Studio 1 in Cambridge, MA. For a sample of this work, watch the groups perform at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysMdyYlLmE4
CCT Events
Upcoming CCT Community Open House
Monday, October 6, 7:00-9:00pm, UMass Boston Campus Center, Room 2540.
Participation at a distance possible for those who reply to cct@umb.edu.
Theme: Our Lives and Other Worlds: Bringing Critical and Creative Thinking to Teaching and Other Work in Higher Education
All are welcome. Prospective students and all in the CCT community are invited to attend this session, where graduates of the Critical and Creative Thinking program will join us and share experiences in bringing critical and creative thinking into teaching and other kinds of projects at the college level. Come and meet students, faculty, and alum of the program, enjoy refreshments, and learn more about graduate study in Critical and Creative Thinking at UMass Boston. For more information, please see http://www.cct.umb.edu/CCTNetwork6Oct14.html or contact cct@umb.edu.
Register now for upcoming Collaborative Exploration (CE) for October 2014: Using Critical Thinking as a Tool for Empathy in a Polarized Culture
Free, online Collaboration Exploration (CE), open to all, in which participants investigate critical and creative thinking in more specific contexts. A CE involves four 1-hour online meetings in Google+ Hangout spaced one week apart, with time in between the online meetings for independent investigation of the topic according to individual interest. The day and time of the online meetings will be determined based on availability of those who register early, but the first meeting will likely be held between Oct. 6-10. For full details about the topic and background, and to register, visit http://cct.wikispaces.com/CEOct14
Alum and CCT associates Notes
CCT graduate Pam DiBona ('10) announces her first-ever solo art show, at the Cutter Gallery (in the Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum at 611 Massachusetts Ave. Arlington, MA)
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 4, 5:00-7:00pm
Wednesday Gallery Hours, 5 to 7pm: October 8th, 15th, and 22nd; Saturday Gallery Hours, 2 to 4pm: October 18th, 25th.
Alums and CCT associates are invited to submit items to be included in our email newsletter by using this link. These may be announcements of events, personal news and/or updates on your work and projects, job opportunities and calls for participation, and any other items that you'd like to share with the wider CCT community.
Events
Tagged and Exposed: 'Sext education' as an affective, visual pedagogy of gendered blame and sexual shame
A talk by Jessica Ringrose, Ph.D., Institute of Education, London, UK
Monday, September 29, 2014, 2:45-3:45pm; UMass Boston Campus Center Room 2-2405
In this talk Dr. Ringrose explores 'sext education' pedagogy through close discussion of two cyber-safety campaign films, 'Tagged' from Australia; and 'Exposed' from the UK. The films tell gendered stories where teen girls are given alarming narrative examples about the ways in which their digital interactions and representations can be misused by others.
Jessica Ringrose is Professor of Sociology of Gender and Education, at the Institute of Education, University of London. Recent research includes projects on youth digital sexual cultures and digital feminist activism. Her books and reports include: Post-Feminist Education? Girls and the sexual politics of schooling (Routledge, 2012); Rethinking Gendered Regulations and Resistances in Education, (Routledge, 2011, edited); A Qualitative Study of Children, Young People and 'Sexting' (2012, London: NSPCC); Deleuze and Research Methodologies (Edinburgh University Press, 2013); and Children, Sexuality and 'Sexualisation', (Palgrave, coming). Sponsored by Counseling and School Psychology Department, College of Education and Human Development -- for further information contact Dr. Sharon Lamb Sharon.lamb@umb.edu
Feminisms Unbound Event Series, sponsored by the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies at MIT:
Sexualities, States, Governance (Wednesday, November 12: 5:30 - 7:30 PM; The Moore Room, Building 6 Room 321, MIT Campus)
The Dark Room: Race and Gender in the Visual Archive (Wednesday, February 11: 5:30 - 7:30 PM; The Moore Room, Building 6 Room 321, MIT Campus)
A Celebration of Books by GCWS Authors (Wednesday, April 8: 5:30 - 7:30 PM; The Moore Room, Building 6 Room 321, MIT Campus)
For more details, please see http://web.mit.edu/gcws/news+events/FeminismsUnbound.html or contact the GCWS at gcws@mit.edu
Defending Your Digital Devices And Online Identity: A Talk by John Sileo
October 22, 2014 from 11:00am-12:15pm, UMass Boston Campus Center 3rd Floor Ballroom
Space is limited; registration recommended here.
Creative Minds in Medicine Conference
October 29 and 30, 2014 - Global Center for Health Innovation
For more information: http://www.cultureforward.org/Our-Programs/Creative-Minds-in-Medicine-Conference
The Global Center for Health Innovation serves health and health care innovation, education and commerce through state-of-the-art spaces, programs and virtual offerings while building on the rich heritage and distinctive capability of Northeast Ohio health care.
Greater Cleveland’s world renowned arts and culture and healthcare assets have long been a source of great pride; delivering excellence, innovation and service to our communities. And now, more than ever before, those assets are joining forces, using creativity to deliver positive personal and community health outcomes to the region and beyond. Join us on October 29 and 30 as we explore how the fusion of arts and healthcare in Cleveland can be a more powerful force for shaping our lives and our communities.
UMass Boston resumes its Film Series for fall 2014. All films are free and open to the public and often involve Q&A with the director, with particular attention to documentary films about timely social and cultural issues. For the fall schedule and film descriptions, please visit: http://www.umb.edu/filmseries
Creativity World Forum: November 5-6, 2014
Europe’s biggest conference about entrepreneurial creativity. Visit http://creativityworldforum.be/
Campus on the Common: UMass Boston Showcase
Tuesday, October 7, 2014 on the Boston Common in Boston, MA
In celebration of UMass Boston's 50th anniversary, join the university community on the Boston Common grounds for guest speakers, interactive exhibits, and other presentations and events. For more details as they become available, please see: http://www.umb.edu/news_events_media/events/campus_on_the_common
Opportunities
The Foundation for Critical Thinking is offering
First International Fellows' Academy on Critical Thinking on How We Design Our Instruction: Fostering Deep Thinking Through Content
University of California at Berkeley, October 6-10, 2014
This academy is designed for those wishing to work with us in an intimate setting, as we delve more deeply into the foundations of critical thinking and as we come to better contextualize critical thinking principles in teaching and learning. Space is very limited due to the unique learning process of this academy.
For more information and to register, please visit:
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/international-fellows-academy/1193/
Resources
Writing support for graduate students through the Graduate Writing Center at UMass Boston - a variety of opportunities for support are available to graduate students in the form of tutoring, workshops, and events. Please see the GWC wiki for more details about each item below:
http://graduatewritingcenter.wikispaces.umb.edu/Resources+for+Thesis+and+Dissertation+Writers
SPACE at the GWC: Drop-in hours for students working on major writing projects (capstone, thesis, dissertation, final projects) with quiet and focused atmosphere
Peer Writing Support Groups: help from the GWC to find or work with an organized group of peers in order to support consistent and disciplined progress with writing and sharing of feedback.
Facilitated sessions on writing topics to help with the planning and organizing writing and idea development.
One-on-one tutoring with GWC writing consultants.
Graduate Students: Enroll in a One-Credit Graduate Writing Course offered through the English MA program (6-week courses that meet once per week):
Want to improve your writing? Take advantage of these just-opened Fall 2014 courses!
ENGL 689-01-CE (#17666): English Studies Workshop: Grammar & Style Review
FRIDAYS, 2:30-4:00: Sept 26-Oct 31 (will meet 6 times during the first half of the semester)
We will use writing from your other graduate courses to work on sentence-level writing issues, including intensive work on grammar and style
Course taught by English Prof. Ryan Judkins via CAPS; a dedicated writing tutor supports students in course
ENGL 689-02-CE (#17667): English Studies Workshop: Planning & Writing Final Projects & Dissertations
FRIDAYS, 2:30-4:00: Nov 7-Dec 12 (will meet 6 times during the second half of the semester)
We will focus on developing a writing process that you can use to successfully propose and complete your major graduate project (capstones, theses, dissertations)
Course taught by English Prof. Ryan Judkins via CAPS; a dedicated writing tutor supports students in course
To enroll: email Samantha.Regan@umb.edu (English MA Administrator) and "cc" EnglishMA.Program@umb.edu
The organization NCIIA (National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance) has now been relaunched as VentureWell and continues to support student inventors within higher education to develop their innovations. For more information, see http://venturewell.org/.
Google's Idea Springboard Resource: https://www.googlesciencefair.com/springboard/
Food for Thought
(additional web links and posts can also be found on CCT's Diigo pages. General critical and creative thinking focus: https://groups.diigo.com/group/ccreflect; Science in a Changing World focus: https://groups.diigo.com/group/sicwumb)
To Read:
Welcome to Graduate School: Six key lessons to help master’s and doctoral students thrive in their first year
Teaching Critical Thinking in Age of Digital Credulity
Salaita to U. of Illinois: ‘Reinstate Me’ or Brace for Legal Fight
Dizzying New GIFs at the Intersection of Art and Math by Dave Whyte
Let’s Watch the Video—and Confirm Our Prejudices
Neuroscientists watch imagination happening in the brain
3D-printed books make pictures real for blind children
Why Original Artworks Move Us More Than Reproductions
9 Incredible Science Projects by Brilliant Kids
Reading, Writing, Grenades? School and College Police Have Serious Military Hardware
The Ethics of Innovation
A Shockingly Low Percentage of Americans Believe a College Education Is Important
Science Confirms It: If You Want to Succeed, You Have to Screw Up
The audacious plan to end hunger with 3-D printed food
STEAM Adds The Arts Into STEM
Curiosities, Collections, and Curating: Considering Maker Portfolios
A Twist on Floor Tiles Gives 'Power Walking' New Meaning
Neuroscience: Where is the brain in the Human Brain Project?
The Floating +Pool in the East River Is Almost a Real Thing
Research from the The Journal of Positive Psychology: Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life
Seven Challenges When Using the Neuroscience Lens to See the World
Why Your Library May Soon Have Laser Cutters and 3-D Printers
Inside the Minds of 11-Year Olds From Around the World
“Creativity and the brain” Workshop to Teach Brain Science and Development Creativity to Preschool and Early Elementary Teachers
The Swedish Recycling Revolution
Fact or Fiction?: Video Games Are the Future of Education
The Radical Homemaker’s Guide to the Wonder of Science
Diversity in Science: Where Are the Data?
What Does "Deep Time" Mean to You?: An art exhibition at the National Academy of Sciences offers perspective on our geological past and future
Australian federal court rules isolated genetic material can be patented
Ig Nobels give a playful nod to weird science
Humor
Introducing Google Nose