News2016February
News from the Graduate Program in Critical & Creative Thinking
University of Massachusetts Boston23 February 2016
Student Matters
Registration for summer courses opens on April 4. The Critical and Creative Thinking program offers the following courses:
CRCRTH 611 Seminar in Critical Thinking (Theme: Design for Living Complexities)
hybrid format, July 18-August 25th, 2016; Class meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00-8:00pm EST starting July 18. Face-to-face students: register for class #2138; online students register for class #2074)
CRCRTH 612 Seminar in Creativity (Theme: Overcoming Creative Blocks)
online format, May 31-July 14, 2016; Register for class #2075
CRCRTH 619 Biomedical Ethics
online format, July 18-August 25, 2016; Register for class #2076
CRCRTH 627 Issues and Controversies in Antiracist and Multicultural Education
online format, May 31-July 14 2016; Register for class #2077
CCT Community
CCT instructor Bob Schoenberg has recently published the 2nd edition of his book, Critical Thinking in Business, by Science and Humanities Press. The book is available on Amazon in either Kindle or hard copy format. The new edition includes enhanced chapters with practice exercises at the end of each chapter. There is an answer key in the Appendix and an entirely new chapter on "Critical Thinking and Social Media".
CCT Events
All are invited to join the Spring 2016 CCT Community Open Houses, including prospective and current students, faculty, and other guests. These events (held on campus and/or online) provide a chance to learn more about the CCT program, current projects and course offerings, and achievements of students and graduates in bringing critical and creative thinking to professional and personal settings. The events often involve discussions, activities, or presentations as well as time to speak to others about your interests. Open houses are scheduled for spring 2016 for evenings of March 7th, April 4, and May 2nd & 3rd. Please see upcoming newsletters for more details or contact cct@umb.edu.
CCT Open House: Monday, March 7, 7:00-8:30pm, EST (on campus, Campus Center third floor, room 3540, or online via Google Hangout)
Theme: The Teaching of Critical and Creative Thinking
Join us to speak with students and faculty, learn more about the CCT program and how the study of critical and creative thinking supports us in developing change in our workplaces and lives. RSVP: cct@umb.edu for details to join online.
Alum and CCT associates Notes
CCT alum Marnie Jain ('10) recently shared some thoughts on her CCT experience:
"There is frequent discussion in my workplace regarding the value of college vs. debt and if everyone needs to go to college, etc. A friend asked if the CCT program has made any difference to my life. My response went something like this...
Did CCT benefit me financially? Not significantly, but that was not my goal.
Did CCT benefit my art? Yes, yes, yes! But my creativity and my work developed along with my confidence and my openness to inquiry.
At the last Jamaica Plain Open Studios, September of 2015, I sold an unprecedented amount of work. But it wasn't the money that excited me. Several people told me that they have been following my work for a few years and were waiting for the right collage, one that spoke to them. That meant more to me than anything.
I think that the CCT program influences me continuously. I suppose that is an obvious statement. I tend toward those. It didn't make me a new person... I am still self-deprecating.... though I catch and curtail that mindset better now. I still have many uncertainties about my art.... but I sometimes use those uncertainties to drive my work or take a risk. I am good at accepting the emotions I feel and letting them tell me something I might need to know, rather than judging them...
I am still at the same job. I also spend a great deal of time in my studio (a room in my apartment). I belong to the Newton Talk of the Town Toastmasters. That has been good for my confidence. I even went through two contest levels with a humorous speech titled Lies My Mother Told Me...
I was in a members' exhibit at The Attleboro Arts Museum recently. I did not win any of the awards; however, one of my collages was featured on the main exhibit wall, and it was also mentioned in a local write-up.
Thank you all for being my teachers and for being people that I admire and who continue to remind me of the good and the positive and the possible."
CCT alums and associates are encouraged to send items of interest to the Critical and Creative Thinking community to be included in future newsletters. Please submit events, announcements, and opportunities through this form: http://bit.ly/CCTSICWi
Events
Learning & the Brain Upcoming Events (Boston area):
For more information and registration: http://www.learningandthebrain.com/
April 28, 2016: Moving the Frontal Lobe to the Front of the Class (Dedham, MA)
April 28, 2016: Teaching with the Brain in Mind (Dedham, MA)
April 29, 2016: Building Better Math Brains (Dedham, MA)
April 29, 2016: Constructing the Reading Brain (Dedham, MA)
June 28-July 1 & July 12-15: The Power of Mindsets (Boston, MA)
July 5-8: The Neuropsychology of Learning Disabilities (Boston, MA)
July 25-28: The Neuroscience of Reading (Cambridge, MA)
Learning & the Brain provides educational Conferences, Summer Institutes and one-day professional development seminars on the latest research in neuroscience and psychology and their potential applications to education.
Teachers, school administrators, psychologists, and clinicians from throughout the United States, Canada and more than 60 countries around the world have been attending Learning & the Brain® Conferences for more than a decade to hear from leading researchers and universities about the latest discoveries in neuroscience and neuroeducation. Come and learn about the latest brain-based learning, teaching, interventions and curriculum at our various events.
American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists (AIFRB)
Annual Symposium: Fisheries Science in 140 characters: The role of social media in our science
August 21-25, 2016
Kansas City, MO
Social media is not a new phenomenon. Many organizations have embraced it as a way of communicating with new audiences, making connections, and building partnerships. But what impact does it have on science, particularly fisheries science? In many ways, social media has transformed the way we disseminate our science, making it more transparent and open. Social media allows for a rapid exchange of information, but lacks the rigors of peer review which may lead to miscategorization of information. When used efficiently, it can be a powerful tool for engaging stakeholders. It can also be a dangerous tool, as highlighted by the recent debate over the ethical ramifications of live-tweeting at conferences. This symposium will explore several aspects of utilizing social media within fisheries science. Topics will include communicating science to lay audiences, the role of social media in the publishing arena, using social media to verify (or deny) rare fishery events and enforcement, and understanding the impact of your digital footprint.
For more information: http://www.aifrb.org/fisheries-science-in-140-characters/
EdMedia 2016: World Conference on Educational Media & Technology
Vancouver, British Columbia
June 27-30, 2016
Call for proposals due April 22, 2016 (see https://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm)
EdMedia is an annual international conference serves as a multi-disciplinary forum for the discussion and exchange of information on the research, development, and applications on all topics related to educational media and technology. EdMedia attracts more leaders in the field from over 70 countries.
For more information about the conference: https://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/
Opportunities
The College of Business Administration at the University of Rhode Island is currently looking to hire a Lecturer in Critical and Creative Thinking to start in the fall 2016 as a non-tenure-track position. For more information on how to apply, please contact Professor Elizabeth Cooper at ecooper at uri.edu
Call for Proposals: The Teaching Professor Technology Conference
Proposal due date: March 1, 2016
The Teaching Professor Technology Conference, to be held September 30-October 2, 2016 in Atlanta, GA, provides a thought-provoking and stimulating forum for educators of all disciplines and experience levels to share practical ideas and best practices for using technology to advance teaching and learning in higher education.
Submissions should relate to one of the following areas; however compelling and relevant proposals that fall outside of these designated topics are also welcome: Faculty Development, Active Learning Pedagogies, Course Design, Self-Directed Learning, Student Assessment
For more information and proposal requirements: http://www.magnapubs.com/2016-teaching-professor-technology-conference/call-for-proposals.html
Resources
The UMass Boston Graduate Writing Center (GWC) has recently launched a new format for GWC Online Graduate Writing Tutoring scheduling-GWC WCONLINE-which will be open to students enrolled in CAPS online Spring 16 graduate program courses. This online scheduling program will give students greater flexibility for requesting tutoring, as they will be able to view openings and schedule tutorials directly. For more information, see http://graduatewritingcenter.wikispaces.umb.edu/Online+Tutoring+Initiatives
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 Watch:
Typewriter Artist
In memorial for Marvin Minsky: Immortal minds are a matter of time
Recycling a bottle, flashmob style
To Read:
It's Time to Get Real About Work/Life Balance
Where Genius Comes From
60 Powerful Social Issue Ads That’ll Make You Stop And Think
30 Smartest People Alive Today
Why we need to stop thinking so much about climate change
Cracking the Code - The New Club for Creative Kids
The Case for Working With Your Hands
From Cold Case to Positive ID: An Art Class Helps Uncover Victims
Immortal Thoughts: Explorations of CMU's BrainHub Project
Ratings of College Professors Reveal Something Other Than Teacher Quality
Legendary Cartoonist Chuck Jones Reveals The 9 Rules Of Wile E. Coyote And The Roadrunner
Why Do Students Love (or Hate) to Read? This Teacher Asks Hers to Figure That Out for Themselves
More Evidence the Color Green Sparks Creativity
The College Where Thinking is Still Allowed
All of Your Federal Student Loan Repayment Options in One Chart
We don’t need more STEM majors. We need more STEM majors with liberal arts training
Study In Your PJs? What A High School 'Work From Home Day' Looks Like
20 cognitive biases that screw up your decisions, summarized
Humor