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45th Conference FAQ and Announcements

 

We recommend keeping this map open in your browser (or printed and at hand) while reviewing the Announcements and FAQ below:

 

Files available for download  »
  • U of L Campus Map
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    Conference Announcements

    1. Focal Session Selection Please log into your CriticalThinking.Org account, check that your Focal Sessions are selected, and ensure you have selected the Focal Sessions you would like to attend. You must pre-select these sessions so we have an accurate count of participants for room assignments and print resources. While at the conference, please attend only the sessions you have registered for.

    2. Checking in at the ConferenceThe conference occurs entirely in Davidson Hall. 

    The Pre-Conference check-in period on Wednesday, July 23 is from 8:15 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. in room DA 109, where you will receive your conference materials upon providing your name. 

    The Main Conference check-in period on Thursday, July 24 is from 8:15 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. in room DA 109,     where you will receive your conference materials upon providing your name. 

    If you are not able to attend the check-in area before 9:00 a.m. on July 24, you can proceed to the Opening Ceremony and Keynote, which will be in room DA 103. Then, during the first break, you can obtain your materials from the FCT Help Area in DA 109.


    3. Materials You Will Receive at Check-In     When checking in at the conference, you will receive a packet of all relevant information, the publications used during sessions, a printed copy of the conference program, a pen and notepad, and a tote bag in which to carry everything. In your packet, you will find campus and parking maps (similar to those linked at the top of this page), a name tag, and the Focal Sessions for which you are registered and the rooms in which they take place, general information about the conference, and a professional development proposal. Please take time to review the packet, which contains much valuable information.

    4. Payment 

    All registration fees should be received by us prior to the conference. Anyone attempting to pay on-site will need special permission in advance. A signed purchase order from qualifying U.S. institutions (e.g. accredited schools, military or government offices, etc.) is an acceptable substitute for pre-payment, as long as we receive the signed P.O. before the conference. 
    5. If You Get Lost or Need General Assistance    Visit the Help Desk in room DA 109.


    6. Lunch

    A complimentary catered lunch will be served. 


    7. Coffee & TeaA Starbucks is found in the Swain Student Activities Center (building number 0016), a 200-yard eastward walk from Davidson Hall. This will be open weekdays until 3:00 p.m.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. What airport should I fly into? Where should I stay? What are my options for ground travel? Where should I park?

    Please review our Travel & Lodging Page.

    2. What should I wear?

    Attendees generally dress casually – everything from shorts and t-shirts to 'business casual.' We recommend dressing to be as comfortable as possible; Louisville in late July is typically hot and humid, but the campus buildings are air-conditioned. We also strongly suggest bringing comfortable walking shoes, as the lunch venue is about 200 yards from Davidson Hall, and there may be optional extracurricular activities during evenings. 


    3. May I have a list of all conference participants?

    Our privacy policy prevents us from providing this. However, we design sessions so that participants frequently work with others in pairs and small groups, and our lunches will also be together on-campus. This enables those interested in establishing personal contacts at the conference to exchange contact information.

    4. How do the Concurrent Sessions work?

    All Concurrent Sessions will be held on Saturday, July 26, and you do not need to register for these in advance. For each Concurrent time slot, there will be several sessions to choose from. Concurrent Session descriptions are available here, and will also be available in the printed conference program that you will receive at check-in. Reviewing these descriptions enables you to attend whichever Concurrent Sessions are most relevant to you.

    5. How do the Roundtable Discussions work?

    Roundtable topics are clustered into pairs or groups three. Roundtable Presenters will take their respective turns conducting 10-15 minute presentations, and after all presentations are finished, the discussion will open into a Socratic dialogue among everyone in the circle.

     All Roundtable Discussions take place concurrently for one hour. Participants are free to attend whichever ones they wish, and can move between discussions after initial presentations are finished. You can read Roundtable Discussion descriptions here, which will also appear in the printed conference program that you will receive at check-in.

    6. What is the closing session?

    This is a time for all registrants to come together on the last day, to process what you have learned at the conference, and to think about next steps for moving forward. This session will be led by Drs. Linda Elder and Gerald Nosich with input from our Visiting Scholars as well.

    7. Does the Foundation for Critical Thinking offer on-site or remote professional development programs in critical thinking?

    Yes, both. You will receive a basic proposal regarding professional development in your registration packet, which explains our programs. Information is also available on our website here. 

    To communicate with us about our professional development programs, please email us at     cct@criticalthinking.org.

    8. What is your policy on canceling my registration?

    Please see the policy description on this page .








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    CRITICAL THINKING IS AT RISK.

    Here are some of the big reasons why:

    1. Many people believe that critical thinking should be free and that scholars qualified to teach critical thinking should do so for free. Accordingly, they do not think they should have to pay for critical thinking textbooks, courses, or other resources when there is "so much free material online" - despite how erroneous that material may be.
    2. There are many misguided academicians, and some outright charlatans, pushing forth and capitalizing on a pseudo-, partial, or otherwise impoverished concept of critical thinking.
    3. Little to no funding is designated for critical thinking professional development in schools, colleges, or universities, despite the lip service widely given to critical thinking (as is frequently found in mission statements).
    4. Most people, including faculty, think they already know what critical thinking is, despite how few have studied it to any significant degree, and despite how few can articulate a coherent, accurate, and sufficiently deep explanation of it.
    5. People rarely exhibit the necessary level of discipline to study and use critical thinking for reaching higher levels of self-actualization. In part, this is due to wasting intellectual and emotional energy on fruitless electronic entertainment designed to be addictive and profitable rather than educational and uplifting.
    6. On the whole, fairminded critical thinking is neither understood, fostered, nor valued in educational institutions or societies.
    7. People are increasingly able to cluster themselves with others of like mind through alluring internet platforms that enable them to validate one another's thinking - even when their reasoning is nonsensical, lopsided, prejudiced, or even dangerous.
    8. Critical thinking does not yet hold an independent place in academia. Instead, "critical thinking" is continually being "defined" and redefined according to any academic area or instructor that, claiming (frequently unsupported) expertise, steps forward to teach it.

    As you see, increasingly powerful trends against the teaching, learning, and practice of critical thinking entail extraordinary challenges to our mission. To continue our work, we must now rely upon your financial support. If critical thinking matters to you, please click here to contribute what you can today.

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