10. Designing a critical thinking activity using spreadsheets

Preamble: The last activity made explicit a theme that underlies most of the activities in the course, including this one, namely, critical thinking in the sense of understanding ideas and practices better when we examine them in relation to alternatives. The discussion in this activity should allow us to place the use of spreadsheets in tension with the use of newer tools or technologies as they relate to the goal of understanding and applying the idea that quantitative tools can extend what we can think about/through.

Preparation
Read Taylor, “We know more..."
Review basic spreadsheet commands (if needed; look at page 6 of earlier handout)

Goals

• Understand and apply the idea that quantitative tools can extend what we can think about/through
• Continue to pursue critical thinking in the sense of understanding ideas and practices better when we examine them in relation to alternatives
• Either learn and apply guidelines for lessons using spreadsheets or develop and apply guidelines for lessons using a newer tool (of your choice)

Activity
1. Either
Lesson on alternative mortgage schemes

• Instructions: http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/mortgage.docx
• Spreadsheet: http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/mortgage.xlsx
• (Check in with instructor promptly if you get frustrated with making formulas or need help in some other way.)

or
Sketch out a lesson that uses a newer tool or technology than spreadsheets (of your choice) in relation to the goal, "understand and apply the idea that quantitative tools can extend what we can think about/through." (45 mins)

2. Discussion of experience following the lesson or designing a lesson (20 mins)
3. Plus-delta feedback on activity (5 mins)

References
Taylor, P. J. (2002), “We know more than we are, at first, prepared to acknowledge: Journeying to develop critical thinking,” Working Papers in Critical, Creative, and Reflective Practice, http://scholarworks.umb.edu/cct_ccrp/1/