Lord Fairfax Community College | About the College | The Mission of the College | Lord Fairfax Community College Quality Enhancement Plan

Seeking the Ox: Developing Critical Thinkers at Lord Fairfax Community College

Mission: The LFCC QEP seeks to create a critical thinking culture that permeates every aspect of the College community.

In order to maintain accreditation, LFCC is required to submit a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). LFCC's QEP, entitled "Seeking the Ox: Developing Critical Thinkers at LFCC," is a five-year plan to improve critical thinking skills among students.

The title of LFCC's QEP is adapted from a series of traditional Buddhist images showing a young man's search for an ox (representing knowledge) and the process by which the ox becomes a part of the seeker's world. This theme highlights the multiple contexts and extensive time required to develop critical thinking skills across the curriculum.

The QEP plan promotes cultural change through three goals: fostering awareness and understanding of critical thinking among college employees in all disciplines and units, enhancing critical thinking skills in all courses and programs, and encouraging critical thinking practice outside the classroom. 

QEP Director: Dr. Miriam Moore, Professor of English/ESL