Lesson 11 Group Presentation Assignment - barriers to success

Student Development Programme
Group Presentation Assignment

Question
What are two of the barriers to success at A level examination for Lower Sixth students at the Community College of St Vincent and the Grenadines? How could these barriers be avoided or removed?

Instructions

1) Prepare a short presentation for the SDP class in a group of no more than 8 students and no less than 4. The presentation should take no more than 15 minutes.

a. Select 2 different logical levels of barrier using the categories identified by Robert Dilts (environment, behaviour, capability, beliefs and values, identity, spiritual).
b. Think through ways of avoiding or removing the barrier using the processes of Critical Thinking set out by Richard Paul (the 8+ elements of reasoning and 6+ standards).
c. Demonstrate that you have used the Critical Thinking processes in your presentation.

2) Submit a write up of the presentation.

Assessing the assignment
To pass the assignment:
* The student has taken part a group who has given a presentation and submitted a write up of the presentation.
* His or her peers in the group are satisfied with the student’s participation in preparation or presentation of the assignment. (peer assessment).
* The presentation demonstrates use of the critical thinking process, the presentation includes 2 barriers to success and solutions for removal or avoidance. (teacher assessment).

Completing the assignment

You will have two SDP sessions to prepare your presentation before the group makes its presentation.

By the end of the first class (the class when the assignment has been set)
You will have:
Chosen 2 barriers to success from different logical levels
Worked through some of the elements of reasoning in the group to identify possible hypotheses or claims about barriers and solutions.
Allocated responsibilities for preparation for the presentation to bring to the next class.

By the end of the second class
You will have:
Finalised the main elements of the presentation.
Agreed responsibilities for presentation to class, write up and any other tasks.


Example of a possible way of working to prepare for the presentation.

Chosen 2 barriers to success from different logical levels
Environment – late buses
Identity – No-one in the family has ever taken A levels
Worked through some of the elements of reasoning in the group to identify possible hypotheses or claims about barriers and solutions.
Late buses
main purpose: how can prevent the buses from being late,
question at issue – Can anything be done to prevent late buses?
point of view – van drivers, Ministry of Transport, passengers.
Information – evidence that student lateness to class is caused by vans, van drivers evidence, Ministry of transport policies,
Hypothesis/solution – Mini vans to have a timetable
Alternatives – to all of the above

Allocated responsibilities for preparation for the presentation to bring to the next class.
One to survey van drivers
One to question students (including Upper Sixth) about extent of the problem, examples of consequences
One to ask Ministry of Transport about their solutions.
One to ask teachers what is the history of the problem.
One to write up notes of the discussion already had for next class.

Fail Exception students - don't give up

If your grade has been deemed fail exception, it may be that you have misunderstood that Study Development Programme is compulsory or you had a timetable clash that you did not sort out. There are many reasons why people have not come to class but it does not mean that the College has written you off or that you must get out!

You can still pass term 1 by completing a very straightforward written assignment. You also need to join a class that you can attend regularly and show up for 90% of classes.

Come to the SDP office immediately and let's work things out together.

I have posted the assignment below for your information.

Exception Assignment for Term 1


The purpose of this assignment is for you to become aware of how you spend your time, particularly in relation to study and to improve your time management.


§ Using the time log provided, examine how you spend your time for one week. Submit the time log with the assignment.

§ Keep a study diary for the same week. Use the diary to record what you studied, any feelings about the studies, how successful you thought the study session was and the circumstances in which you studied. In the diary, identify areas of weakness in time management such as procrastination and time wasting. Submit the diary with your assignment.

§ Set study goals for each subject for the week and for the term, monitor your progress against the goals in your study diary. Submit your goals with your assignment

Assignment
Using the time log, study diary and goals, identify areas of weakness or areas you wish to improve. Document your strategies for improvement ensuring that the strategies or solutions are
§ Specific (What are you going to do?),
§ Measurable (What is the standard you wish to reach or how will you know when you have succeeded?),
§ Achievable and action orientated (Can you do this?)
§ Realistic (Will you do this?)
§ Time limited (When will you do this or implement the solution?)

Length

No more than 400 words (2 sides of A4 maximum) for the assignment indentifying areas of weakness or improvement.

Due date
By Wednesday 26th January 4 pm at the Study Development Office

When is a failure not a failure? When you have only failed Term 1

Pass (P)

The pass grade is based on attendance of 90% of all sessions (1 absence) from w/b 1st November (after the mid term break).

Students who failed on attendance after the mid term break have had good attendance before the break taken into account and in some cases have been given a pass grade. This will have been in the cases where two absences have been off set by full attendance before the mid term break.

Fail (F)

Students have not met the attendance criteria for term 1. They will be able to pass the course over the next two terms by full attendance which will result in 90% attendance overall.

Fail Exception (FX)

Students have not met the attendance criteria for term 1 and even with full attendance for the rest of the course cannot achieve 90% attendance overall.

The students will be required to pass a written assignment as well as attend 90% of all sessions for the rest of the course. The assignment is due in on Wednesday 26th January 2005.

Please see Mrs John immediately.

Even Einstein had his bad days......

Never regard study as a duty, but as the enviable opportunity to learn to know the liberating influence of beauty in the realm of the spirit for your own personal joy and to the profit of the community to which your later work belongs.
Albert EinsteinUS (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)

We are never sure where are studies might lead us. Even if most of us are sure we are not Einstein, we have a contribution to make. To study and achieve to the best of your ablility is a way of acknowledging our uniqueness in the world and that we have an unique contribution to make. God created us to be the only one of a kind and has a unique and special purpose for you all. Working to the best of your ability says thank you to God for your unique gifts and purpose.

Lesson 10 Using Critical Thinking to examine motivation

Working with the Elements of Reasoning

The questions are examples of what you might ask yourself if you were to address the question

Why am I studying at Community College?

1. What’s my main purpose to studying at College? What other goals or objectives do I hope to accomplish?
   Are there any alternatives to this answer?
   
2. What is the key question at issue or problem studying to College is addressing? How can I phrase my main purpose as a question?
   Are there any alternatives to this answer? (This question should be asked of every question)
   
3. What is the most important information I am using to reason through this issue? What other information or data does the person need in this piece of reasoning?
   
4. What are my major conclusions? How am I answering the main question at issue?
   
5. What are the main concepts my reasoning depends on.
   
6. What are the main assumptions I am making in this piece of reasoning?
   
7. What are the main implications and consequences of my choice to study at College? What are some of the unforeseen consequences of studying?
   
8. What is my point of view of the question? What other points of view are necessary to understand this question?
   
9. What is the context of the issue? What circumstances that led up to the studying at College? What is the background of my decision to study at College?
   
10. What alternatives are there? What alternative answers could you reasonably give to the preceding questions?

Examine your answers using the standards of critical thinking.

Lesson 10 Barriers to Success - the Neurolinguistic Programming perspective

Barriers to success
Our own behaviour as a barrier
Human behaviour is always purposeful. Your behaviour has a result you want to create in the world however we often don’t know the purpose of our actions and sometimes we are torn between two courses of action.

Particularly when we are studying, we may encounter some barriers to success. One way of getting past the obstacles is to look them using some of the principles of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). Firstly we need to understand ourselves and feel comfortable with our choices (rapport) then we need to know what we want (outcome). We need to get as much feed back as possible using our senses (sensory acuity) to make sure we stay on target. Finally, based on the feed back, we need to keep changing what we are doing until we get what we want (behavioural flexibility). Having as many choices of behaviour as possible will help us get through to our final goal.

Different logical levels

Sometimes we might want to look at the different levels to see where we might make changes. Robert Dilts (one of the founders of NLP) understood the levels to be

Environment (where & when)
Place you are in and people you are with.
Behaviour (what)
Our specific conscious actions and thoughts designed to achieve a purpose.
Capability (how)
Behaviour that is practised so often it is automatic and consistent such as thinking strategies or physical skills.
Beliefs and values (why)
Our beliefs and values act as prohibitions and permissions. If you believe you can’t or do not value the activity then failure may be the result.
Identity (who)
It has been built and developed over years so can be the hardest logical level to change. Am the kind of person who studies? Am I the kind of person who does not take things seriously?
Spiritual
Being at one with the world, the rest of mankind, the earth’s energy or God (the Higher Power).

Thinking about the different levels to overcome barriers

Having an idea about where the barrier might be helps us understand what needs to be changed. Looking a choices by examining where we might make a change most easily and effectively on the different levels helps give us as many choices as possible..

Any change still needs to keep the positive by-products of the present behaviour or meet them in some other form.

Any change which involves a skill goes through 4 stages of learning, firstly you don’t know you don’t have it; trying to learn it and knowing you are not very good at it and it takes a lot of attention to do it. It also feels very uncomfortable. Then you have the capability but it still takes attention to do. Finally you do it easily without thinking. Perseverance and practise will change beliefs

For example
Veronica has a group of friends from her old school who she ends up talking to at college when she has planned to study between classes. She is the only one of the group who is aiming to go to university.

What does she want (outcome)?
To study more preferably at College.

Environment - College/ school friends
Possible choices of place/time: Study at home, study at the public library, go home to study, see old school friends at lunch time
Possible choices of people: Make some new friends in each subject area to study with,
Behaviour: Talking with friends putting off study.
The positive by product for this behaviour is to maintain friendships and emotional support however it is not helping her study.
Choices for change of behaviour need to include maintaining the friendships.
Capability – to resist peer pressure and follow own plans
Practising and setting goals for study, recognising that this is not yet a skill she has and that at first this will be difficult. She is at the level of conscious incompetence.
Beliefs and values – Old school friends are important
Other choices are strengthening and understanding the value and beliefs around college and education.
Identity
Her identity is linked with her old school however is now changing from that of her friends as she is aiming for university.
Possible choices: seek support from friends about her difference in choice, recognise changing identity. Is she someone who goes to university? Is this out come right for her?
Spiritual
What is her view of God/Higher Power’s purpose for her life and how do these changes fit in?

Mainly based on
Principles of NLP O’Connor J & McDermott I (London: Thorsons 1996)
Using your brain for a change, Bandler R (London Real People Press 1985)

Lesson 10 Logical levels diagram

Logical levels

Marriqua Group now meeting at the College on Thursday at 8.30

The Marriaqua Group will now meet on site with the SDP class following difficulties with the meeting place (Community Centre) and time for students.

Anne Marie Barnes will be taking the class at college in the coming weeks of term. However until a further notice is posted, the following students should join Mrs John’s SDP class on

Thursday 8.30 am in G1


Please come and see Mrs John either after class or in the SDP office if you have any questions.

Marriqua SDP Group
Bacchus, Desena
DaSilva, Sonique
Davy, Marissa
Keeley, John
Richards, Patsy
Richardson, Diane
Robinson, Gondola
St Hilaire, Michael
Thomas, Omaro

Lesson 9 Key directives - D words

Understanding the directive in any question and indentifying the key words of the question make the difference between a pass and a high mark. At A level the examiner expects the candidate to effectively answer the complex question which has been set. At CXC, a mere demonstration of knowledge will assist the candidate. Not answering the question, irrelevance or lack of focus will hinder your chances of high marks at this level.

The D words have specific expectations for answers.

Analyse Break the topic down into important parts and examine each part in detail. Describe the inter relationship between them.
Compare Examine the topics or subjects and demonstrate their similarities
Contrast Examine the topics/subjects and demonstrate their differences
Criticise Discuss the evidence or topic and give your own views on the subject
Define Give the precise meaning of something, a definition or state terms of reference
Describe Give a detailed account
Discuss Examine the details and give reasons for and against
Examine Investigate all of the details
Explain Interpret or make something clear
Evaluate Make a judgment about the truth or usefulness of something
Illustrate Use examples facts and figures to make something clear.
Justify Show why you have reached a particular conclusion or make a case for a particular point of view
List Present an itemised series or tabulation in concise form
Outline Provide the main points of a topic, theory or argument
Prove Confirm by evaluating and citing evidence or by logical reasoning
State Present the points succinctly and clearly
Summarise Outline the main points briefly


With help from http://www.studygs.net
and TESS 2000, Toucan House

Lesson 9 Specific organisational patterns and "D words"

Most essay questions will have one or more "D words" (directive words) that indicate which organisational pattern you should use in your answer. The six most common organizational patterns for answers are definition, analysis, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, process analysis, and thesis-support.

Definition

Typical questions
§ "Define X."
§ "What is an X?"
§ "Choose N terms from the following list and define them."

D words
Describe
Define
Summarise
State
Enumerate

Process
State the term to be defined.
State the class of objects or concepts to which the term belongs.
Differentiate the term from other members of the class by listing the term's distinguishing characteristics.
Avoid sentences such as "An encounter group is where ..." and "General semantics is when ... ."

Tools you can use
§ Details which describe the term
§ Examples and incidents
§ Comparisons to familiar terms
§ Negation to state what the term is not
§ Classification (i.e., break it down into parts)
§ Examination of origins or causes

Example
Q: "What are the characteristics of the working memory?"

A: The working memory (WM) holds and processes information in the brain. The WM is one of 3 parts of the Information Processing systems (IPS). The Working Memory decides to hold and process information registered by the Short Term Sensory Store .(STSS) The STSS registers all stimuli to the senses but discounts most of the stimuli. The Long Term memory recalls information after a being passed it from the working memory however the WM needs to repeat or rehearse to continue to hold the information.

Analysis

Typical qustions
§ "Analyze X."
§ "What are the components of X?"
§ "What are the five different kinds of X?"
§ "Discuss the different types of X."

D Words
Analyse
Explain
Illustrate

Process
Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.
State the thesis (main ideas)Give supporting details and examples of the thesis

Example

Q: "Discuss the different services a Technical College offers a community."

A: (Thesis): A Technical College offers the community at least three main types of educational services: vocational education for young people, continuing education for older people, and personal development for all individuals.

Outline for supporting details and examples:
§ Vocational education – skilled work force development, prepares prior to professional qualifications, ensures
§ Continuing education – career enhancement, interest, hobby, career change, make up for previous failings in education
§ Personal development – skills, IQ, sense of achievement, purpose, self esteem

Cause and Effect

Typical questions-
§ "What are the causes of X?"
§ "What led to X?"
§ "Why did X occur?"
§ "Why does X happen?"
§ "What would be the effects of X?"

D words
Discuss
Outline

Process
Give the definition of the cause or list the causes link to effects in separate paragraphs giving examples

Example

Q: "Define recession and discuss the probable effects a recession would have on today's society."

A: (Thesis): A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would .......A......., it would .......B......., and it would .......C....... .
The rest of the answer would explain, in some detail, the three effects: A, B, and C.

Comparison-Contrast

Typical questions
§ "How does X differ from Y?"
§ "Compare X and Y."
§ "What are the advantages and disadvantages of X and Y?"

D words
Compare
Contrast

Process
Pattern 1
Subject X Advantages, Disadvantages, Key Qualities, etc (depending on question)
Subject Y Advantages, Disadvantages, Key qualities

Pattern 2
Advantages/Key Quality
1. Subject X
2. Subject Y
Disadvantages/Key Quality
1Subject X
2. Subject Y

Example

Q: "Which would you rather own--a compact car or a full-sized car?"
A: (Thesis): I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D....... .
Pattern 1
Full-sized car
Advantages
Disadvantages

Compact car
Advantages
Disadvantages

Pattern 2
Advantages
Full-sized car
Compact car

Disadvantages Full-sized carCompact car

Process
Typical questions
§ "Describe how X is accomplished."
§ "List the steps involved in X."
§ "Explain what happened in X."
§ "What is the procedure involved in X?"

D words
List
Describe
Explain
Outline
Enumerate

Process

This involves giving directions or telling the reader how to do something. It may involve discussing some complex procedure as a series of discrete steps. The organisation is almost always chronological.

Example

Q: "According to Richard Bolles, ' What Color Is Your Parachute? (1979) London Harrap, what is the best procedure for finding a job?"
A: In What Color Is Your Parachute? (1979) London Harrap,, Richard Bolles lists seven steps that all job-hunters should follow: .....A....., .....B....., .....C....., .....D....., .....E....., .....F....., and .....G..... .
The remainder of the answer should discuss each of these seven steps in some detail.

Thesis and Support
Typical questions
§ "Discuss X."
§ "A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?"
§ "Defend or refute X."
§ "Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position."

D words
Justify
Evaluate
Discuss
Criticise
Interpret

Process
Firstly state a clearly worded opinion or interpretation of the question (Thesis).

Defend it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied (Support).

Example
Q: "Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children."

A: (Thesis) Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because .......A......., .......B......., and .......C....... .
(Support) The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

Handout based on information from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/general/gl_essay.html
Copyright ©1995-2004 by OWL at Purdue University and Purdue University
Module 4 Essay writing, Tess 2000, Toucan House

Lesson 9 Using Critical Thinking to answer questions

Start by stepping back

Remember you are “thinking about your thinking to make your thinking better” (Richard Paul)

Asking the questions
(a) What is the question asking?
(b) What do I have to do in order to answer it
Rather than;
“What is the answer?” will start this stepping back from the question process.

Using critical thinking
Q: Focus on the procedure you need to use to answer the question (systems)
E: Think through the systems(s) using the elements
D: Think it through using the discipline
S: Check your answer meets the standards of critical thinking

Question (Q)
Procedure you need to use to answer the question (systems)
Category 1 (facts)
You think out the answer using one system.

For example:
Find the slope of the line by solving y:2x + 6y = 5
System: the maths system for solving y.

What is the limbic system?
System; (either) psychology, neuro-psychology, biology,

Features; usually requires facts, sometimes you just “know” (internalized system) e.g. grammar rules, not “easy” questions but usually can follow rules to answer them e.g. maths

Category 2 (opinions)
You can think out the answer without a system OR don’t need a system to answer them.

For example
Who is your favourite character in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
Do you believe there is one God and why?
Are you for or against hanging for murder?

Features: asks for preference, reactions or personal opinions, takes skill to identify our preferences and reactions
Note: Category 2 questions can be answered using critical thinking or a system: explaining the causes of the preferences, to understand feelings (do we prefer or are we conditioned to prefer?)

Category 3 (reasoned judgment)
You think out the answer using more than one system.

For example
How can I improve my exam marks in Sociology?
System 1 -analyse teacher’s requirements and previous exams
System 2 Look at memory systems to help recall facts, critical thinking/reading and listening to improve overall understanding combined with
System 3 understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, time available, motivation etc.

In what major ways did Leonardo embody the spirit of the Renaissance?
System 1 Discover what Leonardo did
System 2 What is the Renaissance? What is its spirit
System 3: How much of system 2 fits in with Leonardo’s work.

Elements (E) http://vincysdp.blogspot.com/2004/12/lesson-7-elements-of-reasoning.html
Think through the systems(s) using the elements
In Category 1 and 2 questions in day to day life you may not need to apply all the elements to think it through just use the system or explain your reactions but in an academic setting you may improve your answer by turning C1 and C2 questions that use critical thinking techniques.

Category 3 questions need more thinking through with the elements such as:

1. What is the purpose of this question?
2. What concepts are used in this question?

Discipline (D)
Think it through using the discipline
What are the systems used by the subject you are studying e.g theories and laws in science, schools of thought (e.g. functionalists in Sociology), expert practices (e.g. accounting techniques), experiments, points of view, respected academic points of view (e.g. literary criticism, historical studies).

Using the discipline means that you chose to answer the question “biologically”, “psychologically”, “mathematically” with the fundamental and powerful concepts of that discipline.

Standards (S) http://vincysdp.blogspot.com/2004/12/lesson-8-standards-of-critical.html
Check your answer meets the standards of critical thinking
During work on the answer and after answering.
Such as:
Importance and relevance: have I met the main purpose in answering this question, have I focused on the most important elements in the question?
Sufficiency: Have I given enough evidence, have I looked at alternatives
Is it reasonable overall?

Based on Learning to Think Things Through, Nosich (Prentice-Hall 2001)