In this podcast, Stephen D. Brookfield joins fellow Jossey-Bass authors Rena Palloff, Keith Pratt and Jonathan Finkelstein to discuss fostering critical thinking in the online classroom.  The conversation will interest anyone looking for ways to help online learners improve their depth of understanding, ability to challenge or confirm assumptions, and openness to thinking critically.  (And as a special bonus, music lovers will appreciate hearing how being in a band can teach us to model critical thinking.)

This podcast is a pre-cursor to the 2nd Annual OTL Conference Online to be held October 7-8, 2008, during which Brookfield will address this topic further as part of his online keynote address.  All participants in the online conference receive their choice of three books in the Online Teaching and Learning Series of guide books.

Dr. Stephen D. Brookfield is Distinguished University Professor at the University of St. Thomas, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He has written ten books on adult learning, teaching, critical thinking, discussion methods and critical theory.  Drs. Palloff and Pratt are presenters and co-chairs of the conference, and Jonathan Finkelstein will be presenting and moderating as well.

In this podcast, authors Rena Palloff and Keith Pratt talk with Jonathan Finkelstein about assessing learners in online courses, and offer practical ideas for measuring learner progress and gauging understanding online.  They also describe the role that “social presence” plays in learner success and retention in online programs of study.

The podcast is based on the Jossey-Bass Online Teaching and Learning guide book series, and is a pre-cursor to the 2nd Annual OTL Conference Online to be held October 7-8, 2008. All participants in the online conference receive their choice of three books in the Online Teaching and Learning Series of guide books.