2002 Conference

Improving the Reasoning of College Students

The First Annual Conference of the Reasoning Center

May 20 and 21, 2002

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia

Supported by The College of Humanities and Sciences,

Virginia Commonwealth University

The Annual Conference of the Reasoning Center will be held May 20 and 21 at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. This year's topic will be Improving the Reasoning of College Students. The conference is intended for college/university faculty members and administrators who are concerned over the degree of reasoning skills displayed by their students and those who are concerned with curriculum improvements in this area. The presentations at the conference will be of two types: plenary sessions on more general topics and more discipline specific colloquia. Following is the program for the conference.

Improving the Reasoning of College Students

Virginia Commonwealth University

May 20, 2002

Plenary sessions, registration and reception will be held in,
and adjoining to, Commonwealth Ballroom B, Student Commons

8:15 am Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45 am "Introduction and Welcome"
Professor Robert Redmon, Philosophy, Virginia Commonwealth University
Co-Director, The Reasoning Center

9:00 am "Teaching for Successful Intelligence:
Instruction Assessment for Critical, Creative, and Practical Thinking"
Professor Robert Sternberg, Psychology, Yale University and Director of the Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise
Introduction by Professor Donelson Forsyth, psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

10:10 am "Reasoning to the Best Explanation:
Teaching Problem Solving in the Physical Sciences"
Professor Kenneth Heller, physics, University of Minnesota
Introduction by Professor Alison Baske, physics, Virginia Commonwealth University

11:20 am Colloquia A1, A2, and A3

12:30 pm Lunch

1:15 pm "How to Think about Weird Things"
Professor Theodore Schick, philosophy, Muhlenberg University
Introduction by Professor Anthony Ellis, philosophy, Virginia Commonwealth University

2:30 pm Colloquia B1, B2, and B3

4:30 pm Reception

May 21, 2002

8:15 am Continental Breakfast

8:45 am Welcome and Introductions
Professor Nelson Pole, Philosophy, Cleveland State University
Co-Director, The Reasoning Center

9:00 am "Logic and Grammar"
Professor Norbert Hornstein, linguistics, University of Maryland
Introduction by Professor Elisabeth Kuhn, English (linguistics), Virginia Commonwealth University

10:10 am "Logical Thinking--In Studying Mathematics and in Ordinary Discourse"
Professor Ed Dubinsky, mathematics, Kent State University
Introduction by Professor William Terrell, mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University

11:20 am Colloquia C1 and C2

12:10 pm Lunch

1:15 pm Colloquia D1 and D2

2:15 pm Panel and Audience Discussion:
Professors Sternberg, Heller, Schick, Hornstein, and Dubinsky
Moderator: Professor Robert Redmon

3:45 pm Adjournment

Colloquia Presentations

The Student Commons

The Forum Room

Commonwealth Ballroom A

Capital Room C

A1: "Rhetoric, casuistry, and interactive media: new models for critical moral reasoning", Robert Cavalier, philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University

Moderator: Gregory Sapp, Mercer University
A2: "Using writing to develop mathematical reasoning", David Smith, mathematics, Duke University

Moderator: Nathaniel Miller, University of Northern Colorado

A3:"Why Aristotle never taught logic over the Internet", Harlan B. Miller, philosophy, Virginia Tech

Moderator: Iiham Izmirli, Strayer University

B1:Critical Thinking Session

"Critical thinking: a verbal dispute?", Daniel Flage, philosophy, James Madison University

"Evaluation of some widely used tests for critical thinking", William Knorpp and Thomas Adajian, philosophy, James Madison University

Moderator: Frank Whitehouse, University of Michigan

B2: Writing Session

"Considering inference and critical thinking as invention processes in student writing", Jennie Dauterman, English, University of Miami (Ohio)

"Frauds, Hoaxes, and Pseudoscience: A Backdoor Approach to Rhetoric and Probabilistic Reasoning", Martha Patton, English, University of Missouri

Moderator: Lynn Lundy Evans, Iowa State University

B3: Logic Session

"Using computer-assisted instruction to identify student difficulties in learning proof construction", Marvin Croy, philosophy, University of North Carolina-Charlotte

"Incorporating writing in symbolic logic classes", Geoff Goddu, philosophy, University of Richmond

Moderator: Eugene Mills, VCU

C1:"Web-based courseware for causal and statistical reasoning", Richard Scheines, philosophy, Carnegie-Mellon University

Moderator: Martin Lenhardt, VCU C2: "Enhancing the Reasoning attitude and skills of non-major mathematics students.", Dvora Peretz, mathematics, Michigan State University

Moderator: Barbara Reynolds, Cardinal Stritch University

D1: "Legal reasoning and preparing students for law school", James Dwyer, law, College of William and Mary James Dwyer, law, College of William and Mary

Moderator: Margaret Hundleby, Auburn University D2: "Math as a laboratory science: making chaos work for you", Richard O'Malley, mathematics, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Moderator: Peter Vallentyne, VCU

The Forum Room	Commonwealth Ballroom A	Capital Room C
A1: "Rhetoric, casuistry, and interactive media: new models for critical moral reasoning", Robert Cavalier, philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University Moderator: Gregory Sapp, Mercer University	A2: "Using writing to develop mathematical reasoning", David Smith, mathematics, Duke University Moderator: Nathaniel Miller, University of Northern Colorado	A3:"Why Aristotle never taught logic over the Internet", Harlan B. Miller, philosophy, Virginia Tech Moderator: Iiham Izmirli, Strayer University
B1:Critical Thinking Session "Critical thinking: a verbal dispute?", Daniel Flage, philosophy, James Madison University "Evaluation of some widely used tests for critical thinking", William Knorpp and Thomas Adajian, philosophy, James Madison University Moderator: Frank Whitehouse, University of Michigan	B2: *Writing Session* "Considering inference and critical thinking as invention processes in student writing", Jennie Dauterman, English, University of Miami (Ohio) "Frauds, Hoaxes, and Pseudoscience: A Backdoor Approach to Rhetoric and Probabilistic Reasoning", Martha Patton, English, University of Missouri Moderator: Lynn Lundy Evans, Iowa State University	B3: Logic Session "Using computer-assisted instruction to identify student difficulties in learning proof construction", Marvin Croy, philosophy, University of North Carolina-Charlotte "Incorporating writing in symbolic logic classes", Geoff Goddu, philosophy, University of Richmond Moderator: Eugene Mills, VCU
C1:"Web-based courseware for causal and statistical reasoning", Richard Scheines, philosophy, Carnegie-Mellon University Moderator: Martin Lenhardt, VCU	C2: "Enhancing the Reasoning attitude and skills of non-major mathematics students.", Dvora Peretz, mathematics, Michigan State University Moderator: Barbara Reynolds, Cardinal Stritch University
D1: "Legal reasoning and preparing students for law school", James Dwyer, law, College of William and Mary James Dwyer, law, College of William and Mary Moderator: Margaret Hundleby, Auburn University	D2: "Math as a laboratory science: making chaos work for you", Richard O'Malley, mathematics, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Moderator: Peter Vallentyne, VCU