Developing Minds 2020 

Developing Minds 2020: Connect Creative with Critical Thinking in the Classroom

Developing Minds 2020 took place on Friday February 14th at SFU Harbour Centre in Vancouver. Conference recordings are available under the Recordings tab above or via the livestream button to the right. Speaker presentations are available under Speakers. Full proceedings will be available shortly for download.

Teaching critical thinking from an early age equips students with transferrable skills eagerly sought by modern employers. However, for onward educational and career success, this skill should not be taught in isolation. Connecting Creative with Critical Thinking for Developing Minds brings teachers and experts to a one-day workshop that explores best practices in teaching critical thinking within the secondary school system. This year our focus is on creativity, exploring interconnections and synergy between creative and critical thinking for practical solutions for BC teachers. During collaborative breakout sessions, provincial education stakeholders and recognized experts will develop comprehensive lesson plans as practical tools for the classroom.

The Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at Simon Fraser University co-present a one-day conference with roundtable discussion on teaching critical thinking in BC secondary schools. Join us to share global best practices and experience on K-12 pedagogy, focusing on creativity and creative thinking in the BC secondary classroom.

Open to teachers and education professionals, Developing Minds gives delegates an opportunity to share and explore key concepts in teaching critical thinking at the secondary and post-secondary levels. 

EVENT DETAILS

  • Friday, February 14th, 2020 
  • 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver 
  • Registration desk and conference: first floor

DevMinds 2020 Recordings and Speaker Presentations captured the day.

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Critical Thinking in Secondary and Post-Secondary Education

Recent changes in the BC education curriculum established Critical Thinking as a core teaching approach throughout K-12 classrooms. Students benefit from a rich community of inquiry that promotes deeper understanding of curriculum content and equips them with valuable life skills. School systems already using this approach have documented success using a number of outcome metrics.

Critical thinking skills transfer readily from the classroom into post-secondary education, and beyond. Not only do they enhance learning outcomes but students also gain a competitive advantage in the job market by acquiring skills in critical, creative and collaborative thinking frequently sought by modern employers.

Developing Minds seeks to open up discussion among provincial education stakeholders keen to explore how teaching critical thinking in K-12 classrooms transfers into post-secondary education for student benefit. 

Simon Fraser University presents a day of roundtable discussion and keynote presentations on teaching critical thinking within BC’s education system, with a focus on connecting creative thinking with critical thinking skills in the classroom. Attendees will hear from keynote speakers with direct experience, and then collaborate to build a provincial framework of reference.