Critical thinking is an active learning process that requires students to study, think, and learn through processes such as reflecting, questioning, challenging, exploring, alternatives, reflective skepticism synthesizing and analyzing. In face-to-face classrooms, the professor can be actively involved in this process of encouraging students to think critically, but is it possible in the online classroom to do the same? The answer is YES!
This workshop will focus on specific teaching strategies to promote critical thinking in students taking online courses. Critical thinking activities will be discussed for both asynchronous and synchronous activities in online courses. Critical thinking online activities to be discussed will include critical thinking in reading and writing, online discussions, group activities, seminars, project-based learning, virtual field trips, online service learning projects, and connecting the online learning experience to real world applications. Workshop attendees will gain practical skills and participate in critical thinking activities that they can incorporate in their online classroom.
Julee Poole, Purdue University Global, Foley, AL, USADr. Julee Poole earned her Ph.D. in Psychology with a concentration in Family Psychology from Capella University – and was a professor for of Psychology for 15 years before going into administration. She has taught several universities during her tenure as an adjunct faculty member. She began teaching at Kaplan University, now Purdue Global University in 2007 She became the academic assistant chair before becoming the academic chair of the Graduate Psychology program in 2013.
She has been a nominee for the Kaplan Way (now Purdue Global) award and outstanding leader. Dr. Poole has presented at many national and international conferences. She is the author of two books on child witnessing of domestic violence, The Cryin’ House: A Story for Children Who Witness Family Violence and When Hitting Hits Home. She has published in a variety of journals to include the Family Guidance Journal and PsycCritiques. Dr. Poole has research interests in the areas of family violence, self-esteem and defense mechanisms, service-learning projects in the online classroom, best practices in online educational programs, and the use of technology in the online classroom.
At Purdue Global, Dr. Poole has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in Psychology. As the academic chair of the graduate psychology program, she is responsible for the ongoing improvement and development of the program, and providing oversight to the graduate psychology faculty in the delivery of exceptional online instruction in five specific psychology concentrations.
Susan Zukowski, Purdue University Global, San Diego, CA, USASusan Zukowsk teaches various graduate psychology courses in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She joined Purdue Global first as an adjunct faculty member and later as a full time adjunct faculty member in the online program. Previously, Zukowski has worked in health care supporting research, program development, data analytics, and building organizational leadership, performance improvement initiatives, and overall organizational success. She has taught a variety of courses in psychology, research methods, lifespan development, organizational effectiveness, leadership, prejudice and discrimination, strategic planning, business management, and project management for undergraduate students and master’s students at a school in northwestern Wisconsin.
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