74,590 research outputs found
Assessment and Active Learning Strategies for Introductory Geology Courses
Educational research findings suggest that instructors can foster the growth of thinking skills and promote science literacy by incorporating active learning strategies into the classroom. This paper describes a variety of such strategies that may be adopted in introductory geology courses to encourage the development of higher-order thinking skills, and provides directions for implementing these techniques in the classroom. It discusses six hierarchical levels of student learning and links them to examples of appropriate assessment tools that were used successfully in several sections of a general education Earth Science course taught by two instructors at the University of Akron. These teaching strategies have been evaluated qualitatively using peer reviews, student written evaluations and semistructured student interviews; and quantitatively by measuring improvements in student retention, exam scores, and scores on a logical thinking assessment instrument. Educational levels: Graduate or professional
Computer-assisted argument mapping: A Rationale Approach
Computer-Assisted Argument Mapping (CAAM) is a new way of understanding arguments. While still embryonic in its development and application, CAAM is being used increasingly as a training and development tool in the professions and government. Inroads are also being made in its application within education. CAAM claims to be helpful in an educational context, as a tool for students in responding to assessment tasks. However, to date there is little evidence from students that this is the case. This paper outlines the use of CAAM as an educational tool within an Economics and Commerce Faculty in a major Australian research university. Evaluation results are provided from students from a CAAM pilot within an upper-level Economics subject. Results indicate promising support for the use of CAAM and its potential for transferability within the disciplines. If shown to be valuable with further studies, CAAM could be included in capstone subjects, allowing computer technology to be utilised in the service of generic skill development
Research based criteria for the design and selection of literacy and thinking tools
This paper describes criteria for the design and selection of literacy and thinking tools. The criteria are that tools should be: (i) teaching focused (ii) learner focused, (iii) thought linked (iv) neurologically consistent, (v) subject specific, (vi) text linked, (vii) developmentally appropriate, (viii) culturally responsive, and (ix) assessment linked
Computer-Aided Argument Mapping as a Tool for Teaching Critical Thinking
As individuals we often face complex issues about which we must weigh evidence and come to conclusions. Corporations also have to make decisions on the basis of strong and compelling arguments. Legal practitioners, compelled by arguments for or against a proposition and underpinned by the weight of evidence, are often required to make judgments that affect the lives of others. Medical doctors face similar decisions. Governments make purchasing decisionsāfor example, for expensive military equipmentāor decisions in the areas of public or foreign policy. These issues involve many arguments on all sides of difficult debates. These issues involve understanding the arguments
of others and being able to make objections and provide rebuttals to objections. Students in universities deal with arguments all the time. A major purpose of a university educationāregardless of subject matterāis to teach students how to read, understand, and respond to complex arguments. The ability to do this makes for highly employable, adaptable, and reflectively critical individuals. We often call the skill of marshaling arguments and assessing them ācritical thinking.ā All universities claim to instill the skill of critical thinking in their graduates and routinely note this in their advertising and promotional documents. This short paper outlines one way this skill can be taught
The effectiveness of a single intervention of computer-aided argument mapping in a marketing and a financial accounting subject
An argument map visually represents the structure of an argument, outlining its informal logical connections and informing judgments as to its worthiness. Argument mapping can be augmented with dedicated software that aids the mapping process. Empirical evidence suggests that semesterālength subjects using argument mapping along with dedicated software can produce remarkable increases in studentsā critical thinking abilities. Introducing such specialised subjects, however, is often practically and politically difficult. This study ascertains student perceptions of the use of argument mapping in two large, regular, semesterālength classes in a Business and Economics Faculty at the University of Melbourne. Unlike the semesterālength expertāled trials in prior research, in our study only one expertāled session was conducted at the beginning of the semester and followed by class practice. Survey results conducted at the end of the semester, show that, with reservations, even this minimalist, āoneāshot inoculationā of argument mapping is effective in terms of studentsā perceptions of improvements in their critical thinking skills
Concept mapping, mind mapping argument mapping: What are the differences and do they matter?
In recent years, academics and educators have begun to use software mapping tools for a number of education-related purposes. Typically, the tools are used to help impart critical and analytical skills to students, to enable students to see relationships between concepts, and also as a method of assessment. The common feature of all these tools is the use of diagrammatic relationships of various kinds in preference to written or verbal descriptions. Pictures and structured diagrams are thought to be more comprehensible than just words, and a clearer way to illustrate understanding of complex topics. Variants of these tools are available under different names: āconcept mappingā, āmind mappingā and āargument mappingā. Sometimes these terms are used synonymously. However, as this paper will demonstrate, there are clear differences in each of these mapping tools. This paper offers an outline of the various types of tool available and their advantages and disadvantages. It argues that the choice of mapping tool largely depends on the purpose or aim for which the tool is used and that the tools may well be converging to offer educators as yet unrealised and potentially complementary functions
Research on learning: Potential for improving college ecology teaching
Provides pedagogical insight concerning learners' pre-conceptions and misconceptions about ecology The resource being annotated is: http://www.dlese.org/dds/catalog_DLESE-000-000-003-202.htm
CoRes as tools for promoting pedagogical content knowledge of novice science teachers
Expert science teachers possess a special blend of science content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge for teaching particular science topics to particular groups of students that is built up over time and experience. This form of professional knowledge, termed pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) by Shulman (1987), is topic-specific, unique to each science teacher, and can only be gained through teaching practice. The academic construct of PCK is a recognition that teaching is not simply the transmission of concepts and skills from teacher to students but, rather, a complex and problematic activity that requires many and varied āon the spotā decisions and responses to studentsā ongoing learning needs. Much has been written about the nature of PCK since Shulman first introduced the concept in 1987, and its elusive characteristics have led to much debate
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Knowledge Cartography: Software tools and mapping techniques
Knowledge Cartography is the discipline of mapping intellectual landscapes.The focus of this book is on the process by which manually crafting interactive, hypertextual maps clarifies oneās own understanding, as well as communicating it.The authors see mapping software as a set of visual tools for reading and writing in a networked age. In an information ocean, the primary challenge is to find meaningful patterns around which we can weave plausible narratives. Maps of concepts, discussions and arguments make the connections between ideas tangible and disputable.
With 17 chapters from the leading researchers and practitioners, the reader will find the current stateāof-the-art in the field. Part 1 focuses on educational applications in schools and universities, before Part 2 turns to applications in professional communitie
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