SACS Certified Training

1. SACS Certified Training Critical Thinking is Mission Critical!

2. Objectives • Staff will be able to: • Answer prospective questions from the SACS on-site team. • Describe the importance of SACS to the college. • Describe the two main elements of the accreditation process. • Identify the focus of the QEP. Describe: • How it was chosen. • Why it was chosen. • What impact we expect on student learning. • Identify their role in supporting the QEP.

3. Agenda for today • SACS 101 • Details of the Quality Enhancement Plan • Small group activities • Discuss prospective questions from SACS • Review for the Jeopardy Quiz • Jeopardy Quiz

4. SACS 101 • Compliance • Document • Evidence • Off-site team report • Finalized by the on-site team (25-27 Sep) • Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) • Development of the plan • The plan • Review by the on-site team (25-27 Sep) • Implementation of the plan • Five-year Report

5. Overview of the QEP • Focus of the Plan: Critical Thinking • Broad-based Involvement • The Plan • Initiatives • Student Success • Professional Development • Critical Thinking Resources • Rollout • Assessment • Institutional Capability

6. What is Critical Thinking? CRITICAL THINKING is the active and systematic process of • Communication • Problem-solving • Evaluation • Analysis • Synthesis • Reflection both individually and in communityto • Foster understanding • Support sound decision-making and • Guide action

7. Why is critical thinking important to employers? • Employers are looking for people who can deal effectively with any situation at work: • Can you solve problems? • Can you analyze situations? • Can you make good decisions (based on data, not feelings)?

8. Why is critical thinking important to society? • Failure in critical thinking are disastrous • Space Shuttle Columbia • Levee construction in New Orleans • Faulty critical thinking can lead to wrong conclusions • Biased polls adversely affect public opinion • Urban myths • Enormous alligators inhabit New York City's sewer system. Adopted as babies by New Yorkers visiting Florida, they are brought home and then flushed down the toilet once their owners tire of them.

9. Why is critical thinking important to student learning? • College-level learning is deeper than memorizing facts: • Science – analyzing results of experiments in light of existing theories • Math – selecting appropriate problem-solving strategy for word problems • Humanities – putting literature and art into historical context • Health fields – making decisions in clinical settings • Communications – debate; persuasive writing • Criminal justice/fire science – reacting correctly to simulations • Political science/sociology – analyzing others’ points of view

10. Students’ What’s in it for me? • Critical thinking in the world of work • Medical – evaluating patients’ symptoms • Technology – problem-solving software/engineering solutions • Counter-terrorism – synthesizing intelligence to predict future events • Criminal justice/fire science – analyzing the scene – whodunit? • Government – solving problems like hurricane relief • Education – reflecting on student success resulting from your teaching • Business – analyzing information to detect trends; ethical decisions • Journalism – communicating fairly

11. Students’ What’s in it for me? (continued) • Critical thinking in everyday life: • How should I prepare for a hurricane? Should I evacuate? • What is the safest way to travel? • What is the slant of a news story? • What are my real chances of winning the lottery? • Why is my good friend angry at me? • What questions should I ask myself and my partner before getting married? • Which phone company plan is best for my needs?

12. Student Success Initiative Professional Development Initiative Critical Thinking Resources Initiative Details of the QEP QEP Icon

13. 1. Student Success Initiative

14. 2. Professional Development Initiative

15. 3. Critical Thinking Resources Initiative

16. Faculty GUIDANCE QEC Faculty Chair IMPLEMENTATION Faculty Champions Academic Roundtables QEP Staff QEP Director QEP Technology Coordinator QEP Assessment Coordinator INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT SPD IE Library Student Activities Collaborative Lab Enhancing STUDENT LEARNING by focusing on IMPROVING STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY Personnel and Institutional Support

17. What’s next? September 25-27: SACS On-Site Reaffirmation visit • What to expect Fall 2007 • QEP Awareness • Select Faculty champions and QEP staff • ePortfolio, gateway website, Critical Thinking Resource Centers started • Prepare/schedule professional development, rubric • Spring 2008 • Critical Thinking Institute • Academic Roundtables • Develop instructional portfolios and RLOs • Fall 2008 • Critical thinking activities in the classroom • Student programs

18. Small group sessions • Form into groups – sit with your department, if possible • Part 1. Discussion: Talk about how you would answer the prospective questions from the SACS team (next slide) • Part 2. Review for the “quiz”: Discuss what questions might be on a Jeopardy Quiz on the QEP • You have 15 minutes • 10 minutes to discuss prospective SACS questions • 5 minutes to discuss potential Jeopardy questions • Goal: Prepare for SACS interviews

19. Prospective SACS Questions for staff • Why was critical thinking chosen as the focus of the QEP? • How will students benefit from the QEP? • How will the QEP enhance student learning? • Why is the plan described by the QEP needed? • What was your specific involvement in the QEP’s development and implementation? • What is your role in helping students think critically?

20. What questions do you think might be on the “quiz”? Jeopardy