Critical Thinking & Metacognition

By the end, the learner can

• Classification problem-solving: resolves ambiguous arrangement problems by analyzing the administrative history and functional relationships of records creators
• Scientific testing interpretation: synthesizes results from materials analysis, dendrochronology, and radiocarbon dating with documentary evidence to form authentication judgments
• Deaccession evaluation: weighs institutional mission fit, condition, provenance, legal title, and market value evidence to develop reasoned deaccession recommendations

Session plan

1. 10 minHow these are scoredWhere this shows up: studios and media organizations, working with clients, creative teams, audiences. Conditions to expect: creative, deadline-driven, audience-centered. Entry roles this maps to: Actors, Athletes and Sports Competitors, Disc Jockeys, Except Radio.
   • investigates reported usability malfunctions to determine whether issues originate in information architecture, visual hierarchy, or interaction flow
   From Web and Digital Interface Designers (15-1255.00)
2. 25 minSituationsWork the task on your own first. Support is available, but ask for it out loud so the group hears what got you stuck.
   • Tools in play: Graphics or photo imaging software, Desktop publishing software, Video creation and editing software.
3. 10 minWhere the group splitCompare answers before the debrief. Where the room split is the useful part — the split usually marks a real judgment call rather than a knowledge gap.
   • Where did two people read the same situation differently, and what did each notice?
   • Which answer would survive a supervisor asking "why did you do it that way?"
4. 10 minThe pattern behind the answersClose the loop: what changed between the first attempt and the last, and what would have to be true for critical thinking to hold up on a bad day.