SUMMER INSTITUTE

A COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM
FOR FACULTY, STAFF, & LEADERSHIP

SUMMER 2025

JUNE 23-JULY 2, 2025 HELD VIRTUALLY

JOIN THE EVENT

INSTITUTE GOALS

  • View live presentations by faculty currently using thinkARGUMENTS in their courses, big and small, and leverage their insights as you consider how thinkARGUMENTS can support your own instruction
  • Take a deep-dive into the research-backed methods of thinkARGUMENTS: Argument Mapping and Systematic Empathy
  • Learn how other institutions are building Mapping and Empathy skills across class years, institution-wide programs, courses, and disciplines at scale through the thinkARGUMENTS platform
  • Walk through thinkARGUMENTS lesson by lesson, to experience it like a student
  • Hear about cutting-edge research in critical thinking instruction from experts in teaching and learning
  • Collaborate with your team to redesign existing programs or courses with support from thinkFELLOWS
  • Gain a certificate of completion and as much one-on-one support from thinkARGUMENTS staff before, during, and after the term ends as you like!

INTERESTED? FOLLOW THESE STEPS!

characters at a white board

STEP 1: BOOK A (BRIEF!) DEMO

Book a 20 minute thinkARGUMENTS demonstration if you haven’t already. A team member will show you the thinkARGUMENTS online program, give an overview of how the program is currently used at institutions globally and answer any initial questions.

You can book a demonstration on your own schedule. Let our team know if you plan to attend the summer institute during the call!

BOOK A DEMO

STEP 2: TRY & SIGN UP

Browse the thinkARGUMENTS online program for students if  to get a feel. Try taking some practice sets and mastery checks, just like a student would! When you’re ready, submit your name to request the Zoom login information for the summer program.

TRY thinkARGUMENTS
ATTEND THE INSTITUTE
Practice skills until you reach a streak
2 characters reading a script

STEP 3: ATTEND THE INSTITUTE

Once we receive your interest, our team will email you information about how to join the all-group sessions. 

There are two session types: 

1. Talks by faculty currently using the thinkARGUMENTS platform with students. Talks are scheduled for noon ET each day.

2. Deeper dives into the thinkARGUMENTS lessons and implementation support from ThinkerAnalytix staff.

All sessions will happen on the same Zoom link. You can decide which sessions are best for you! Find the schedule below.

STEP 4: IMPLEMENT & ITERATE

Use thinkARGUMENTS in your courses, and track changes in your students’ skills (we can help!). 

Along the way, reach out to ThinkerAnalytix and the network with questions. 

small group workshop

SUMMER INSTITUTE SCHEDULE

MONDAY JUNE 23

Peter Antich and Gwen Daugs

Assistant Professors of Philosophy, Dominican University New York

Topic: Using thinkARGUMENTS in General Education and Critical Thinking Courses

J.L. Vertin

Professor & First Year Liberal Arts Seminar Coordinator

Department of Mathematics & Data Analytics, Doane University

Topic: How to use thinkARGUMENTS in program or institution-wide pilots

Part 1
Understanding the DIAGNOSTIC

  • High-level overview of the thinkARGUMENTS modules
  • Survey of the DIAGNOSTIC module with time for Q&A
 

Part 2

thinkARGUMENTS 101: Argument mapping & asynchronous learning

  • The research behind argument mapping 
  • How does thinkARGUMENTS work?
    • Asynchronous learning with thinkARGUMENTS
    • Automatic feedback
    • Mastery learning
    • Chat function
    • Tracking student progress

WEDNESDAY JUNE 25

Heather Phillips

Lecturer and Coordinator of Graduate Teaching

Georgia State University

Topic: Using thinkARGUMENTS in face-to-face and online courses 

 

Gary Comstock

Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professor

North Carolina State University

Topic: Pre and post-testing with thinkARGUMENTS

Part 1
Understanding the BASICS lessons (0-2)

  • Survey of the BASICS module with time for Q&A

Part 2

thinkARGUMENTS 101: How to get started with students

  • Setting up a class
    • Understanding the instructor dashboard: Groups, Codes, Settings, and Progress 
    • Setting due dates & best practices re: pacing
  • What to do next, before students onboard

MONDAY JUNE 30

Dona Warren 

Professor of Philosophy and Critical Thinking Center Head

University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point

Topic: Designing a thinkARGUMENTS pilot at your institution

 

Reid Comstock

Postdoctoral Fellow, Civitas Institute

University of Texas at Austin

Topic: TBA

Part 1
Understanding the ANALYSIS lessons (3-10)

  • What should students be able to do after lesson 6? Lesson 10?

Part 2

thinkARGUMENTS 101: Using argument maps across disciplines

  • What do maps enable students to do? How can incorporating maps help you achieve your course goals? 
  • Survey of argument mapping use-cases

WEDNESDAY JULY 2

Justin Christy

Assistant Teaching Professor & Philosophy as a Way of Life Project Program Coordinator

University of Notre Dame

Topic: How to assign thinkARGUMENTS

Gary Comstock

Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professor

North Carolina State University

Topic: What to do after your students take thinkARGUMENTS

Part 1
Understanding the ASSUMPTIONS lessons (3*-5*)

  • Skills gained in ASSUMPTIONS lessons 3*-5*
  • What should students be able to do after lesson 5*?

Part 2

Final Q&A 

TRUSTED BY EDUCATORS

[thinkARGUMENTS] is basically a critical thinking course developed by folks out of Harvard that you can build into your own course as a unit. What is phenomenal in my mind is that they've used technology in exactly the right way, given the educational process, because in order to learn critical thinking, you need to practice extensively and you need immediate feedback, and you need to do it on your own over and over and over... It's a mastery-based system the students go through.
Professor Paul BlaschkoAssistant Teaching Professor, Notre Dame
“I noticed at the start of the semester that a number of students were butting heads. Politics is of course a contentious topic... As the semester progressed, I noticed that this happened less and less, and I noticed that the students were being more productive in their disagreement. Instead of frustration and blank stares, I saw my students giving and taking reasons…. [thinkARGUMENTS] didn't just teach my students some basic critical thinking skills. By implementing the skills in class and integrating them into my in class instruction, HWA helped make them more charitable, more fair-minded, better at evaluating not only the positions of others but their own positions as well. As someone who has struggled to teach critical thinking in my classes, this course was a godsend.”
Philosophy InstructorUniversity of Texas at Austin
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ABOUT US

thinkARGUMENTS is produced by ThinkerAnalytix, an education non-profit organization spun out of the Harvard University Department of Philosophy. Why philosophy? For philosophers, disagreement is expected, even invited, to tackle seemingly impossible problems. History shows that the best learning happens through disagreement that is inquisitive, respectful, and fearless.
We leverage thousands of years of pedagogy from philosophy and custom education technology to offer a portfolio of courses and programs that teach productive disagreement as an essential part of learning and working communities.