Speakers

Peter Ellerton
Lecturer in Philosophy
University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project

Dale Martelli, Social Studies Department Head
Vancouver Technical Secondary

Dr. Amy Parent
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education
Simon Fraser University

Dr. Jennifer Wang
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy
Simon Fraser University

Dr.Nicolas Fillion
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy
Simon Fraser University

Chas Desjarlais, District Vice-Principal, Aboriginal Education at Vancouver School Board

Dr. Natalia Gajdamaschko
Director, Undergraduate Studies, Faculty of Education
Simon Fraser University

Peter Ellerton

“Reasoning as a social competence: collaboratively developed thinking communities”

Critical thinking is the Cheshire cat of educational curricula, appearing everywhere half formed but disappearing on close inspection. What is it, where is it and how is it taught to students?  One way of thinking about this problem is to focus on the relationship between three key components: cognitive skills, affective dispositions and the values of inquiry. Cognitive skills are the things we do with knowledge, such as infer, categorise, analyse, synthesis and so on. Affective dispositions are those things that are typical of critical thinkers, such as willingness to inquire, opens to new ideas, self-reflection, etc. The values of inquiry are those things applied during the process of inquiry, such as precision, clarity, plausibility, coherence and the like.  Accepting this leads to certain pedagogical imperatives, principles that can be applied in any situation to guide the development and implementation of our assessment and learning experiences.  

In my work, I focus on critical thinking pedagogies that involve an understanding of the nature of inquiry and the pedagogical shifts required to teach for effective thinking. Another way this is framed is around developing teacher expertise in teaching for thinking. Since expertise is also about practice, I am therefore concerned with two vital questions. The first is “what do you do in the classroom to focus on student thinking?” But such a focus on doing can lead to nothing more than mimicry and does not develop expertise. The second question, therefore, is “how does our thinking need to change so that we know what to do to focus on thinking?” The schematic nature of expert knowledge in this domain is of critical importance and that’s what the text below addresses.

Bio
Peter Ellerton is Director of the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project and lecturers in critical thinking and in education. Peter was a high school teacher of physics, mathematics and philosophy when an interest in the public understanding of science and the nature of rational public engagement lead him to UQ to do a PhD thesis in Teaching for Thinking. He has worked internationally with teachers and schools to increase teacher expertise in teaching for thinking and with the International Baccalaureate Organisation to create the subject Nature of Science currently in pilot in schools around the world. Peter’s current projects include working on programs to help high performing indigenous students develop thinking skills necessary for achieving academic excellence at high school and at university.

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Nic Fillion

“Overview of Critical Thinking in the BC K-12 Curriculum Revisions: Implications for Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning”

This presentation will highlight features of the K-12 curriculum reform that is currently being implemented in British Columbia. Following a documented articulation of the intent and structure of the reform, we will identify areas in which there is room for improvement, in the sense that the general guidelines motivating the reform need to be better integrated with the practical needs that teachers face in the classroom. Finally, we will discuss avenues for further collaboration between schools, the Ministry, and post-secondary institutions that could contribute to the success of the reform.

Bio
Nicolas Fillion is a philosopher and mathematician who is assistant professor of philosophy at Simon Fraser University. His main research contributions are in the philosophy of science and applied mathematics, but his research and teaching includes the history of science & mathematics, formal logic, decision and game theory, critical thinking, and epistemology broadly construed. He has also been involved with various outreach, regulation, and curricular initiatives to promote the teaching of philosophy and critical thinking in BC high schools.

Dale Martelli

Bio

Dale Martelli is a secondary school teacher of History 12, Philosophy 12, and Classical Studies 8-10. He is the Social Studies Department Head at Vancouver Technical Secondary, the president of the BC Social Studies Teachers’ Association, and a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University, researching historical meta-cognitive/critical thinking. He designed the new Philosophy 12 course, first as a locally developed course in the Vancouver School district, and then as part of the new BC curriculum.

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Amy Parent

“Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Critical Thinking”

abstract

Bio
Amy Parent holds a Masters and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her doctoral work inspired her to work with Aboriginal youth, communities, and research-intensive universities across British Columbia in order to identify proactive ways to transform Indigenous students’ transition to higher education. Much of her research is conducted in partnership with community organizations where she seeks to build reciprocal relations between the university and Aboriginal communities.

Her postdoctoral work investigated Indigenous doctoral programming, supports and initiatives at 100 Tier one universities around the world. Research and Teaching Interests include: Aboriginal high school to university transitions; Aboriginal undergraduate to graduate transitions; Indigenous knowledge systems and methodologies; Aboriginal youth studies; Indigenous doctoral programming; and integrating Indigenous content into teacher education.

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Chas Desjarlais

Bio

My name is Chas Desjarlais and I am a Nêhiyaw/Metis educator and scholar working for the Vancouver School Board as the District Vice Principal of Aboriginal Education. I am a member of Cold Lake First Nations and a Treaty Six First Nation; and doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational Studies pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy.

Degrees:
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Victoria
Bachelor or Education, University of British Columbia
Master of Education, University of British Columbia
Doctorate of Education, University of British Columbia

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Natalia Gajdamaschko

“Practical Matters: Critical Thinking and Cognitive Development”

abstract

Bio
Natalia Gajdamaschko is the director of Undergraduate Studies and a Teaching Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University.

Her research interests include:

  • Vygotskian-Lurian psychology; Vygotsky's educational theory; activity theory
  • Cross-cultural investigation in psychology, education and public policy
  • Socio-cultural approaches to learning, teaching and development that span from childhood to adulthood
  • Research that links theory and practice and different levels of analysis (such as classroom pedagogy and curriculum development)
  • Q-methodology and study of subjectivity
  • Psychological aspects of management and human resource management
  • Theoretical and methodological problems of psychological practice in schools

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Jennifer Wang

“Theoretical Matters: Critical Thinking from Secondary to Post-Secondary”

Abstract: Critical Thinking is usually taught as a philosophy course at the post-secondary level. This presentation explains the approach used by the presenter. The focus is typically on theory rather than applications in specific domains.

Bio
Jennifer Wang is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at Simon Fraser University. Her work centers on topics in metaphysics (esp. modality) and philosophy of logic. She also has interests in epistemology, early modern philosophy, and classical Chinese philosophy.

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