We Are Pleased to Announce That UWSP Will Host The

We are pleased to announce that UWSP will host the

5th Annual Critical Thinking Conference

Critical Thinking and Civil Discourse

on Friday, October 21, 2011, from 8:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

in the Legacy Room of the Dreyfus University Center.

Registration is free and lunch will be provided.

UWSP faculty and staff may register for the conference at the following Registration Link

Off campus registrants please email with your name, home campus, department and email address.

Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12th.

Conference Agenda

No expertise in teaching critical thinking will be assumed, although we will certainly benefit from the expertise and experience you bring. Everyone is welcome.

Please feel free to direct any questions to Dona Warren, .

Conference Objectives

Individuals who work with students at every educational level are eager to help them find ways to engage in respectful and productive conversations with those who disagree with them. This instructional objective has assumed increasing urgency as the often intemperate debate around recent political events has cast into sharp relief the need to reclaim civil discourse as a central ideal of responsible citizenship.

Concurrently, critical thinking is assuming ever greater prominence on the educational stage, with Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa devoting their Academically Adrift to an examination of the extent to which students develop (or fail to develop) their critical thinking skills in college.

This conference, Critical Thinking and Civil Discourse, will explore the intersection of these two vital areas of concern by bringing individuals together to address the following questions:

·  What is critical thinking and what is civil discourse?

·  What are some obstacles to critical thinking and what are some obstacles to civil discourse?

·  To what extent can the application of critical thinking skills foster civil discourse and to what extent can civil discourse foster the application of critical thinking skills?

·  How can we help students to practice and encourage critical thinking and civil discourse about controversial and potentially polarizing issues?

This conference is made possible by an OPID grant and support from UWSP’s Center for Academic Excellence and Student Engagement.