Why Science Faculty Should Learn about Research and Evaluation of Higher Order Thinking
Charlene D'Avanzo

ABSTRACT: Faculty identify critical thinking as a core goal for their teaching, but most know little about the intellectual foundations and research of higher-order thinking, including metacognition, epistemology, and adult developmental theory. One focus of this symposium is recent research on higher-order thinking as it relates to college science teaching. Speakers will also describe research and evaluation showing links between specific student-active approaches (e.g. use of primary literature, open-ended investigations, cooperative groupwork) and student gains in a variety of critical thinking skills. Examples are from both small and very large classes in several disciplines. These studies show how workshops and other educational sessions on higher-order thinking can help faculty make better use of approaches that help students improve higher-order thinking skills.

Research on Learning: Cognitive Domain, Cognitive Development, Cognitive Development:Bloom's Taxonomy, Instructional Design, Incorporating Research Experiences