Category: ILO Articulations

In our last post we offered an articulation of our Critical Thinking outcome. Feedback on this is still welcome. We will schedule open meetings throughout the remainder of the quarter to discuss the proposed definitions and articulations of our new ILOs. We will also add preliminary rubrics to the ILO articulation posts over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, here is what our Communications ILO working group has come up with:

Communication ILO   

(4-Pager)  

  

Communication is the ability to clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with diverse audiences in various settings and contexts. 

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) identifies several competencies that help prepare students for a successful transition into the professional work force.  First on the list of eight durable skills (or “career readiness competencies”) is communication– the ability to, “clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.”^1,2,3  In addition, a recent study by LinkedIn found that “durable” skills are growing in importance.⁴   

  

A significant amount of professional work is done in groups or teams where communication skills are needed to effectively collaborate with colleagues.  Communication skills enable individuals to effectively express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas to others as well as actively listen.  Moreover, good communication skills are essential for civic engagement, building trust, and establishing and maintaining professional and interpersonal relationships, allowing individuals to partake in meaningful dialogue that can lead to positive change.⁵    

  

The Bellevue College Communication ILO aims to help students effectively communicate with diverse audiences in a variety of contexts such as dialogue, group discussions, and presentations.  To accomplish this, students will develop skills in reading, expressing ideas clearly in writing and speaking/signing, and active listening/receptive skills^*6,7, readily preparing them for their life beyond college.  

1. Reading  

Students will read, interpret, and evaluate information effectively across a variety of contexts.  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities   

The learner:   

• Comprehends and analyzes text for main ideas and supporting details.  

• Summarizes information accurately.  

• Identifies the author’s purpose, tone, and intended audience.  

• Analyzes arguments, evidence, and reasoning for credibility, relevance, and bias.  

• Applies reading strategies to enhance understanding and critical thinking across disciplines (e.g. annotating, note-taking, questioning, summarizing, attention to genre).  

• Uses textual evidence to support conclusions and problem-solving and distinguishes genre. 

Rubric 

ILO:  Communication – Reading Rubric 

Level	1 pt- Beginning; Limited observable skill in this area	2 pt- Developing	3 pt- Proficient; Student ready to graduate with an AA	4 pt- Exemplary; Student ready to graduate with BAS or similar
	Has difficulty identifying main ideas or understanding basic meaning. Analysis and comprehension are minimal or inaccurate.	Shows partial understanding of the text. Identifies some main ideas but may overlook key details or misinterpret meaning. Uses limited analysis.	Generally understands the text and academic vocabulary.  Summarizes information somewhat accurately.  Understands main ideas and most supporting details accurately. Demonstrates basic analysis of key points with some attention to genre, though may miss some nuance.  Identifies some arguments and/or evidence.  Assesses some evidence and reasoning for credibility, relevance, and bias.	Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the text and academic vocabulary. Summarizes information accurately.  Clearly identifies main ideas and supporting details. Analyzes arguments, evidence and reasoning for credibility, relevance and bias.  Distinguishes genre and uses textual evidence to support conclusions and problem-solving.

2. Expressing Ideas Clearly for Audience and Purpose in Writing and Speaking/Signing 

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities  

The learner:  

• Communicates a clear and well-organized message.  

• Adapts message appropriately to a specific audience for a particular purpose.   

• Uses credible, relevant, and unbiased evidence and sound reasoning to support message.  

Rubrics 

ILO:  Communication – Expressing Ideas Clearly for Audience and Purpose (Writing) Rubric  

Level	1 pt- Beginning; Limited observable skill in this area	2 pt- Developing	3 pt- Proficient; Student ready to graduate with an AA	4 pt- Exemplary; Student ready to graduate with BAS or similar
	Ideas are unclear or disorganized (e.g. uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage). Message shows little or no adaptation to audience or purpose. Provides insufficient or lack of evidence and/or reasoning that supports message.	Ideas are somewhat unclear or loosely organized. Limited adaptation of message. Inconsistent awareness of audience and/or purpose. Limited use of evidence and reasoning to support message.	Ideas are generally clear and organized. Message is appropriate for the specific audience, with minor lapses. Generally uses evidence and reasoning to reinforce and support message.	Ideas are consistently clear and organized. Message is appropriately tailored to the specific audience and purpose.  Effectively uses credible and relevant evidence and sound reasoning to support message.

       ILO:  Communication – Expressing Ideas Clearly for Audience and Purpose (Speaking/Signing) Rubric  

Level	1 pt- Beginning; Limited observable skill in this area	2 pt- Developing	3 pt- Proficient; Student ready to graduate with an AA	4 pt- Exemplary; Student ready to graduate with BAS or similar
	Message is unclear or disorganized. Message and/or delivery shows little or no adaptation to audience and/or purpose. Nonverbal cues are ineffective or distracting. Insufficient or lack of evidence and/or reasoning that supports message.	Message is somewhat unclear or loosely organized. Adaptation of message is limited. Message and/or delivery sometimes distracts from message. Limited or inconsistent use of effective nonverbal cues that reinforce message. Inconsistent awareness of audience and/or purpose. Limited use of evidence and reasoning to support message.	Message is generally clear and organized. Message is appropriate for the specific audience, with minor lapses. Nonverbal cues generally support message.  Generally uses evidence and reasoning to reinforce and support message.	Message is consistently clear and organized. Message is appropriately tailored to the specific audience and purpose (e.g. adapts communication style to specific audience).  Effectively uses credible and relevant evidence as well as sound reasoning to support message. Effectively uses nonverbal cues to reinforce and/or support message.

3. Active Listening/Receptive Skills^* 

The learner listens effectively in a variety of contexts (e.g. dialogue, group discussions, presentations).  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities 

The learner:  

• Asks questions to gain understanding. 

• Identifies and responds appropriately to verbal and nonverbal cues appropriate in a specific context.  

• Practices openness and engagement with perspectives different from their own.  

• Engages in perspective-taking/empathy.  

• Attempts to understand the message the way the sender intended.  

Rubric 

ILO:  Communication – Active Listening/Receptive Skills Rubric 

Listens effectively in a variety of contexts (dialogue, group discussions, presentations); seeks to understand sender and consider different perspectives  

Level	1 pt- Beginning; Limited observable skill in this area	2 pt- Developing	3 pt- Proficient; Student ready to graduate with an AA	4 pt- Exemplary; Student ready to graduate with BAS or similar
	Demonstrates limited understanding of what constitutes effective listening in a specific context; Identifies listening behaviors that are ineffective or inappropriate for a specific context, goal and other person(s) (e.g. defensive, interrupts, dismisses or disregards speaker’s contributions; shows lack of respect)	Identifies active listening behaviors (e.g. asks questions to promote understanding and/or paraphrases); Shows inconsistent listening skills (e.g. sometimes interrupts or overlooks others’ ideas; shows lack of respect or focus at times.)	Provides evidence of ability to actively listen by identifying verbal and nonverbal cues/responses appropriate to a specific context, goal, and other person(s);  Provides evidence of intention to gain understanding and ability to remain open and tolerant; Generally listens attentively and responds appropriately; Shows respect and contributes constructively.	Provides evidence of ability to actively listen by engaging in perspective-taking/empathy; Provides evidence of attempting to understand the message the way the sender intended (e.g. shows engagement and interest through nonverbal and verbal cues; asks questions or paraphrases for the purpose of clarification; attends to speaker’s feelings and perspective without placing judgment); Responds appropriately and respectfully to verbal and nonverbal cues.

           “Difference” refers to distinctions among and between gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, nationality, ethnicity, worldview, socio-economic standing, ability, neurodiversity 

*Receptive skills in ASL refer to the ability to comprehend what others are signing.  

¹ https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/careers/top-soft-skills-employers-want/  

² https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/  

3 https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/the-top-skills-employers-seek-have-nothing-to-do-with-technology/#skills)  

⁴ https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-strategy/linkedin-most-in-demand-hard-and-soft-skills  

⁵ https://pace.princeton.edu/learn/effective-communication#:~:text=Effective%20communication%20can%20help%20you,so%20thoughtfully%2C%20strategically%20and%20humbly  

⁶ https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined#competencies   

⁷ https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/candidate-selection/what-are-employers-looking-for-when-reviewing-college-students-resumes  are-employers-looking-for-when-reviewing-college-students-resumes 

Proposed Bellevue College definition: 

Careful assessment of any position by clarifying and evaluating reasons for and against the position. 

Becoming a critical thinker is the long and arduous process of learning to yield to the better reason. There are excellent and well-established methods for evaluating reasons on their own merits. We will outline some of these skills in terms of the SEE (State, Explain, Evaluate) model. Developing these skills will be the central focus of any developed critical thinking curriculum. Less directly, developing some of these skills will be among the aims of much of the rest of a good education.

Inquiry aimed at understanding and knowledge proceeds by clarifying and examining the available reasons for holding one view or another. Along the way, we aim to surface unstated assumptions, clarify concepts, appreciate inferential relationships and evaluate the arguments under consideration. That is, our thinking proceeds by making arguments. An argument, in the context of critical thinking, is not an instrument of persuasion, it is a data point in a process of inquiry aimed at better understanding, better justified belief, or better planning and action. An argument consists of premises, our starting points, and an inference which leads us to a conclusion.

In practicing the reasoning skills central to the critical thinking curriculum, we cultivate a familiar set of intellectual character traits including intellectual humility, open mindedness, intellectual courage, persistence and thoroughness. As with virtues generally, these are not measurable outcomes that can be directly taught, but they can be instilled through mindful practice of reasoning skills. So, for instance, practicing intellectual humility and open-mindedness is implicit in evaluating arguments on their own merits, treating them as data points rather than mere assertions of one’s point of view or as instruments of persuasion. The qualities of mind we cultivate through critical thinking are essential not just to problem solving and truth-oriented inquiry (where truth here is understood in its primary literal sense of accuracy, or correspondence with the way things are), but also to fostering understanding across differing perspectives, engaging in productive disagreement, and sustaining democracy.

Whether we aim to clarify a concept, understand a view or a person, inquire into what is the case, or solve a problem, arguments are the basic units of our thinking processes. The central kernel of a typical robust critical thinking curriculum focuses on examining and evaluating the arguments we make. Core critical thinking skills can be organized in terms of the SEE model:

State the Argument:

• Identify premises and conclusion.
• Fill in missing premises if necessary to build the strongest version of the argument.
• Map out the structure of complex arguments.

Explain the Argument

• Clarify the elements of the argument (aiming for understanding).
• Analyze any concepts that might be unclear.
• Explain how the premises are intended to support the conclusion.

Evaluate the Argument

• Determine whether the premises support the conclusion.
• Determine whether the premises are true.

We are ill equipped to evaluate an argument we haven’t worked to understand. There remains much to be said about each of the skills identified in this model, how developing the skills operative in this model cultivate the intellectual character traits of critical thinkers, and how inquiry aimed at understanding and truth (understood as accuracy, or correspondence to the ways things are) is carried out through SEEing arguments. The SEE model provides a framework for organizing the various critical thinking skills that will be central to a robust meaningful critical thinking curriculum.

Some Critical Thinking resources:

David Morrow: Giving Reasons

Parker and Moore: Critical Thinking

ThinkArguments

Jonathan Haber, Critical Thinking

Interview with Aidan Kestigian

Critical Thinking Rubric:

Criteria	Examplary (4)	Proficient (3)	Developing (2)	Beginning (1)
State the Argument	Accurately identifies all premises and conclusion; fills in missing premises; clearly maps complex argument structures.	Identifies most premises and conclusion; attempts to fill in missing premises; maps argument with minor gaps	Identifies some premises and conclusion but misses key elements; mapping is incomplete or unclear.	Fails to identify premises/conclusion; no attempt to map argument.
Explain the Argument	Clarifies all elements; defines unclear concepts precisely; clearly explains how premises support the conclusion.	Clarifies most elements; defines some unclear concepts; explains premise–conclusion link with minor omissions.	Provides partial clarification; leaves key concepts undefined; weak explanation of premise–conclusion link.	Offers little or no clarification; concepts remain unclear; no explanation of how premises support conclusion
Evaluate the Argument	Thoroughly assesses whether premises support the conclusion and whether premises are true (accurate); considers unstated assumptions; evaluates inferential strength.	Assesses support and truth (accuracy) of premises with some depth; notes some assumptions; evaluates inference with minor gaps.	Limited assessment of support/truth (accuracy); overlooks key assumptions; weak evaluation of inference.	No meaningful evaluation of support, truth (accuracy), or inference.
Context Awareness	Consistently frames arguments within inquiry aimed at understanding, truth, or problem-solving; shows awareness of broader implications (e.g., democratic discourse).	Often frames arguments within inquiry; shows some awareness of broader implications.	Sometimes frames arguments within inquiry; limited awareness of broader implications.	Does not frame arguments within inquiry; no awareness of broader implication