Ideas to Action (i2a)

Part-time Faculty (PTF) Cohort Program

The purpose of this cohort group is to continue to increase part-time faculty (PTF) participation in the 2012 i2a Institute and thereby increase PTF use of basic i2a tools in the classroom.

This year's program is built on the success of the 2011 i2a Institute PTF Cohort Group, a small cohort of six faculty members that demonstrated the benefits of supporting PTF (contract lecturers) who wish to infuse critical thinking into the classroom using the university's chosen Paul-Elder framework. All six alumnae of the 2011 Cohort Group completed worthwhile projects and shared their innovations with colleagues in their departments. New to i2a a year ago, five of the six members of the 2011 Cohort Group participated in two moderated panels at the 2012 i2a Institute.

Registration for the 2012 PTF Cohort has now closed.

2012 Plan:

i2a seeks a lasting commitment to the teaching of critical thinking and professional development among more PTF. The plan is to involve PTF in the 2012 i2a Institute by providing a stipend for up to 15 PTF, along with copies of chosen critical thinking resources (Gerald Nosich, Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum& [4th ed.]; Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers; The Paul-Elder Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking.) Offering a stipend and these print resources, along with professional development opportunities at the Institute and in three cohort group meetings across summer and fall 2012, is part of our effort to extend the benefits of the i2a initiative to more part-time faculty and their students.

Achievement of Project Outcome:

This plan has four major outcomes:

  • Identify a specific strategy to incorporate the Elements of Thought and/or the Universal Intellectual Standards into at least one activity or assignment in an undergraduate course the PTF member will be teaching in fall 2012;
  • Provide evidence of students' responses to the critical thinking activity;
  • Elicit instructor reflection on the critical thinking activity and general use of the Paul-Elder framework within his or her course;
  • Share i2a innovations (to the extent possible) with colleagues or on the i2a web site.

Timeline:

  • April 2: The call for nominations/applications goes out.
  • Thursday, May 3:  Application Deadline
  • Friday, May 11: Successful applicants are notified.
  • Friday, August 10 (noon to 2:00): 1st Cohort Group meeting
  • Friday, Oct. 12 (noon to 2:00):   2nd Cohort Group meeting
  • Friday, Nov. 30 (noon to 2:00): 3rd Cohort Group meeting
  • Wed., Dec. 5: Final Deliverables are due to Delphi Staff

Selection Process

A selection committee composed of Dr. Cathy Bays, Dr. Edna Ross, and Rose Mills will select the fifteen members of the cohort group.

2012 Cohort Members:

  • Bob Hausladen, Marketing
  • John Hausmann, Music
  • Suzanne Hopf, Sociology

2011 Cohort Projects:

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