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Conference FAQs


CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS


1. Registration 
Registration for the Conference, beginning Monday, will be in the Horizon Room in the hotel lobby area between 7:30am-8:40am. The Keynote begins at 8:45am, so please arrive in plenty of time to register and find a seat.

Registration for the Preconference, beginning Saturday, will be in the Horizon Room in the hotel lobby between 7:30am-9am. Sessions on Saturday begin at 9am. If you are attending all six days, you will receive all the information you need on Saturday morning. Thus, you do not need to register twice.

Please see downloadable schedules at the bottom of this page. 

2. Information Packet 
At registration you will receive a packet of all relevant information, a tote bag, and a complete set of our Thinker’s Guides. You will find an area map, information about local restaurants, information about the Conference, room assignments, and general information about the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Please take a moment to review the packet when you receive it, as it will contain a lot of valuable information. 

3. Account Login 
Please log in to your account at your earliest convenience, check that your sessions are selected, and make sure they are the ones you want. It is important to pre-select sessions so that we  have an accurate count of participants for room assignments. Please attend only the sessions you have registered for. 

4. Payment 
All registration fees should be received by us prior to the Conference. We thank you for completing payment before you arrive. Anyone attempting to pay at the door will need special permission from us in advance. If you plan to pay using a PO, we must receive an authorized, signed PO at our office before the event. 

5. Refreshments 
Coffee and tea will be provided every morning, soft drinks in the afternoon, and water all day. If you would like anything in addition to this, including snacks, feel free to bring those as you wish. You may also purchase snack items in the lobby gift shop. 

6. Publications and Materials for Sale 
We will have several of our materials and publications available for sale at the Bookstore Sales and Information area, which is on the main lobby level in the Alumni Room. Please visit the sales and information desk during breaks and lunch, and at the end of each day’s sessions. 

7. Lunch 
Lunch will be on your own. The hotel restaurant will offer a lunch buffet for our guests (at a reasonable rate). You will have a 1.5 hr lunch break and may choose to walk a few blocks to ½ mile for alternative restaurant options. We will have the hotel menu and local restaurant information available when you arrive. Because of the limited time we will have for lunch break, we suggest that you eat lunch at the hotel when possible. 



ANSWERS to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


1. What airport should I fly into? 
Both San Francisco International (SFO) and Oakland International Airports serve the Bay Area, and are close to the Claremont. You should allow 40 mins to one hour commute time to/from the airports, depending on time of day and traffic.

For airport information, please see these links: 
https://www.flysfo.com/web/page/index.jsp 
https://www.flyoakland.com/ 

2. How can I get to the Claremont from the airport? 
We are sorry, there is no shuttle or bus service offered by The Claremont Hotel. 
Please see below for public transportation information. 

You may decide to rent a car, and both airports have full service car rentals available. 
Please note that there is a $5/day parking fee at the Claremont. 

Driving directions are available at the bottom of this FAQ, above the information about local public and private transportation services.

3. What should I wear? 
People generally dress casually – everything from jeans and sweatshirts to "business casual." You will be in air conditioned rooms, sitting a lot, so you will want to be as comfortable as possible. Also bring shoes you can walk in, as there are restaurants and shops about 1/2 mile away. The weather could be cool (50s-60s) or could be warm (80s) so be sure to check the weather for Berkeley, CA online before you come.

4. Where else can I stay besides the Claremont? 
We encourage our conference attendees to stay at the Claremont if possible for ease and convenience. However, if you choose to look elsewhere, we suggest you use a Google search or sites like Hotels.com. You will need to be sure that you can get to the Claremont via taxi, car, or other transportation. Please be aware that some neighborhoods are better than others, and it might be worth doing a Yelp search (www.yelp.com) for reviews and recommendations. 

5. Can I purchase the PowerPoint presentations? 
Yes you can. There will be two CDs available at the conference. Each will be available at our Bookstore/Sales Table for $20.  

6. Can I get a list of all conference participants? 
We design workshop sessions so that participants frequently work with others in pairs and small groups. This enables those interested in establishing personal contacts at the workshop to exchange contact information. In addition, there will be a message board available for our group. Feel free to put a message on the bulletin board that invites those sharing an interest in _______ (whatever category you please) to take down your email address, and to leave their own for you. The message board will be located near our information and sales area. 

7. How do the concurrent sessions work? 
All concurrent sessions will be held on Wednesday morning and afternoon. Please read the Concurrent Session Program, which you will receive in your packet, to decide which sessions seem most relevant to your work and life. 

8. How can I get academic credit for participation in the conference? 
Academic Credit for the international conference is available through Sonoma State University. Registration forms for academic credit will be available at the conference desk, along with a copy of the course requirements that you can review. Once you have registered for credit, you may download course requirements from our website. Please ask at the Info Desk for the forms.

9. What is the closing session? 
This is a time for all registrants to come together on the last day and process what they have learned at the conference, and to think about the next steps for moving forward. This session will be led by Richard Paul, Linda Elder and Gerald Nosich. 

10. Does the Foundation for Critical Thinking offer on-site professional development programs in critical thinking? 
Yes. You can obtain a College/University or K-12 inservice packet at the workshop desk, which explains our professional development programs. That information is also available on our website at this link: https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/professional-development-in-critical-thinking/433.
To communicate with us about our professional development programs, email Rachael Collins at collins@criticalthinking.org.

11. How can I establish an official affiliation with the Foundation for Critical Thinking? 
By giving us your email we will make sure you are informed of the new membership possibilities we are presently considering. You can do this at the conference desk, or email us at cct@criticalthinking.org

12. How can I gain access to a library of articles on critical thinking? 
There is a library of articles on our website, which includes numerous articles you can download - https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/index-of-articles/1021/ 

13. How can I get information on assessment regarding critical thinking? 
Information is available on our website regarding tests and assessment. 
https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-testing-and-assessment/594
Also, you received two Thinker's Guides on assessment during registration – Critical Thinking Competency Standards, and Critical Thinking Reading and Writing Test. 

14. What is your policy on canceling my registration? 
https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/return-and-cancellation-policy/643#Event_Cancel.


15. Is there a fee to park at the Claremont?Yes, but the Claremont is offering a specially reduced parking fee of $5.00 per day for guests of the Conference.



Driving Directions to the Claremont

 

If you are planning to rent a car, or driving from a nearby location, please see directions below. 

Please note: off-Street parking other than at the Claremont parking facility is very limited. The Claremont is offering a specially reduced parking fee of $5.00 per day for guests of the Conference. Please arrange for your parking with the Hotel at check-in.
 

Oakland Airport

Go straight out of the airport on Airport Blvd. Turn right on Hegenberger Road. From Hegenberger follow signs for 880 North. From Hwy 880 North, follow signs for Hwy 24 to Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, turning left at the bottom of the exit onto Claremont. Turn right on Ashby Avenue (5th stoplight) and the Hotel's entrance is two blocks ahead on the left.

San Francisco Airport

Follow signs for Hwy 101 North to San Francisco, take Hwy 80 East to the Bay Bridge to Oakland. Cross Bay Bridge on Hwy 80, follow to 580 East, and exit onto HWY 24 to Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, turning left at the bottom of the exit onto Claremont. Turn right on Ashby Avenue (5th stoplight) and the Hotel's entrance is two blocks ahead on the left.

Dumbarton Bridge

Follow Hwy 84 East over bridge, connect with 880 North. Follow Hwy 880 North and follow signs for Hwy 24 to Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, turning left at the bottom of the exit onto Claremont. Turn right on Ashby Avenue (5th stoplight) and the Hotel's entrance is two blocks ahead on the left.

San Mateo Bridge

Take Hwy 92 East over bridge, connect with Hwy 880 North. From Hwy 880 North, follow signs for Hwy 24 to Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, turning left at the bottom of the exit onto Claremont. Turn right on Ashby Avenue (5th stoplight) and the Hotel's entrance is two blocks ahead on the left.

East Bay Direction Heading West on HWY 580

Follow Hwy 13 North (the Warren Freeway to Berkeley). Continue toward Berkeley through the stoplight and the Hotel's entrance is 3/4 mile on the right.

South Direction Heading North on HWY 680

Take Hwy 680 North to Hwy 580 West. Follow Hwy 13 North (the Warren Freeway to Berkeley). Continue toward Berkeley through the stoplight and the Hotel's entrance is 3/4 mile on the right.

Northeast Direction Heading Southwest On Hwy 680

Take Hwy 680 South to Hwy 24 West. Follow Hwy 24 through the Caldecott Tunnel and take Hwy 13 Berkeley exit. Proceed straight through traffic light. Hotel entrance is 3/4 mile on the right.

Southeast Heading Northwest on HWY 680 or Above HWY 580

Take Hwy 680 to Hwy 24 West. Follow Hwy 24 West through the Caldecott Tunnel and take Hwy 13 Berkeley exit. Proceed straight through traffic light. Hotel entrance is 3/4 mile on the right.

West Direction Heading East On 80 Across The Bay Bridge

Cross Bay Bridge on Hwy 80, follow to 580 East, and exit onto HWY 24 to Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, turning left at the bottom of the exit onto Claremont. Turn right on Ashby Avenue (5th stoplight) and the Hotel's entrance is two blocks ahead on the left.

West Direction Heading East Over Richmond Bridge

Take Hwy 580 East over bridge to Hwy 80 West. Take the Ashby Avenue exit. Follow Ashby up about three miles to the Hotel entrance on your left.



Public Transportation: 

Shuttle or Taxi service from either airport:

Both airports have access to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), our underground mass transit system.

The nearest BART station to the hotel is Rock Ridge Bart Station, which is approximately a twenty-minute walk from the hotel. Taxis are on standby at the BART Station to the hotel; the charge is about $10.00. The Claremont Concierge will assist with taxi service, if needed, from the hotel to the BART station.

For a map of BART service and stops, please see the map at this link: 
https://www.bart.gov/stations/index.aspx

For information on BART from the airports, please see this link: 
https://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/index.aspx

Bicycle Rental:                              

Berkeley Bike Station

Contact: 

2208 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 

(510)548-7433 7 am – 9 pm 

Info: 2.7 miles from Claremont, 268 bikes, free valet parking, 24 hour self-service parking, rentals, repairs, sales, classes, events. $20.00 for up to 3 hours, $35.00 per day, $95.00 per week, and $200.00 per month

Bike Rentals at Jack London Square

Contact: 427 Water Street Oakland, CA 

(510)836-2311 Weekdays 10 am – 6 pm Sat & Sun 9 am – 5 pm

Info: All rentals include helmet, lock and seat or handlebar bag. Reserve online at www.bayareabikes.com or call. 6.5 miles from Claremont. Cost: $10-15/hour or $25-40/day

Green Choice Moto

Contact: Berkeley, CA (510)486-8088 10 am – 10 pm

Info: They have electric bikes (e-bikes), regular bicycles and electric scooters for rent. 2.0 miles from the Claremont.

Cost: Helmets: $5/day. Rentals: $10/hour, $30/5 hours, $40/day (10 am – 10 pm), $50/24 hours, $175/week, and $300/month. Insurance available $5-$60. 

Car Rental:                                   

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Contact: 1990 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 705-8989 

Cost: $50-150/day

Avis Rent-A-Car

Contact: 2000 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 705-8991

Cost: $50-100/day


To/From Oakland International Airport

Bayporter Express 
(510) 864-4000 OR (415) 467-1800 
$25.00 per person - one way; $15.00 for each additional person 
Charter van also available for groups at $90. 
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED 

Taxi 
Various companies on standby, $40-45 – one way

Berkeley Taxi Service

2900 Ashby Ave
(between Elmwood Ct & Pine Ave) 
Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 612-9000

Yellow Berkeley Cab

2625 Alcatraz Ave
(at College Ave) 
Berkeley, CA 94705 
(510) 548-4444

Bay Area Taxi Berkeley

3100 College Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 649-1234

 Airport Town Cab

3100 College Ave
(between Woolsey St & Alcatraz Ave) 
Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 548-9999

Coit Transportation (limousine) 
(510) 898-0022 
(Reservations by the Concierge when leaving the hotel) 


To/From San Francisco 
International Airport

Bayporter Express 
(510) 864-4000 OR (415) 467-1800 
$34.00 per person – one way; $15.00 for each additional person 
Charter van also available for groups at $95. 
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Taxi 
Various companies on standby, $ 70-80 – one way

Coit Transportation (limousine) 
(510) 898-0022 
(Reservations by the Concierge when leaving the hotel)



 

Files available for download:

 

Files available for download  »
  • 33rd International Conference Schedule

  • 33rd International Preconference Schedule