Collaborative Research: Implementing and Assessing Strategies for Environments for Fostering Effective Critical Thinking (EFFECTs) Development and Implementation

该项目是南卡罗来纳州大学和马歇尔大学之间的合作。 它正在制定战略，以帮助教师设计和实施旨在培养批判性思维的特殊教学模块。该建议利用了第一阶段CCLI项目的成功，该项目确定了EFFECTS的教学结构，产生了六个可持续发展技术，并制定了评估方法。每个模块包含三个要素：1）指导第一堂课的初步设计的决策工作表，2）在接下来的n堂课中的主动学习模块和日记问题，以及3）指导小组讨论的材料，以在最后一堂课中产生最终设计。 在早期赠款的几个班级中使用这些模块，使学生的核心知识和批判性思维技能有所提高。开发一个系统的方法，使其他教师使用的CRTs是通过工程教育界广泛传播的方法的一个关键方面。 为了实现这一目标，调查人员正在努力开发教学材料，向教师教授生物技术，扩大目前的评估工具，开发一个实践社区，以支持生物技术的设计和实施，并评估为设计和实施生物技术而制定的战略。 传播是通过网络帖子（包括与NSDL的链接）、会议演示和期刊出版物以及教师研讨会来完成的。 在一名独立专家的指导下进行的全面评价工作包括使用衡量科学推理技能、批判性思维技能和内容知识的工具监测学生的学习成果。 更广泛的影响包括材料和评估结果的传播、教师研讨会以及通过现有K-12项目的外展。

The project is a collaboration between the University of South Carolina and Marshall University. It is establishing strategies to aid faculty in the design and implementation of special instructional modules (EFFECTs) designed to foster critical thinking. This proposal leverages the success of a Phase I CCLI project that defined the pedagogical structure for the EFFECTS, generated six EFFECTs, and developed an assessment methodology. Each module contains three elements: 1) a decision worksheet that guides an initial design for the first class period, 2) active learning modules and journal questions during the next n class periods, and 3) material to guides a group discussion to produce a final design during the last class period. Using these modules in several classes under the earlier grant led to gains in the students' core knowledge and critical thinking skills. Developing a systematic approach that enables other faculty to use EFFECTs is a key aspect for disseminating the approach widely through the engineering education community. To achieve this, the investigators are working to develop instructional material to teach the EFFECTs to faculty, to expand current assessment tools, to develop a community of practice to support the design and implementation of EFFECTs, and to assess the strategies developed to design and implement EFFECTs. Dissemination is being accomplished through web postings, including links with the NSDL, through conference presentation and journal publications, and through faculty workshops. A comprehensive evaluation effort, under the direction of an independent expert, includes the monitoring of student learning outcomes using instruments for measuring scientific reasoning skills, critical thinking skills, and content knowledge. Broader impacts include the dissemination of the material and the evaluation results, faculty workshops, and outreach through existing K-12 programs.