This paper reports the development of critical thinking of urban high school students in an IT/STEM program-using information technology (IT) within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study used a quasi-experimental time-series design, involving 47 initial participants in an eighteen-month intervention period. Data were collected from the Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER), which provides an overall score on critical thinking skill (CTS) and five sub-scale scores (analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning). Findings indicate that based on a mean score of 15.77, the average participant scored between the 16th and 19th percentiles at the beginning of the program compared to an aggregated national sample. Participants who completed the program and responded to all three time-series TER tests (14) significantly improved their critical thinking skills throughout the program. Program completers’ overall post-program CTS test score was more homogeneous than the pre-program scores with a 20.07 mean score. In addition, data showed significant improvement in inductive reasoning skills of the program participants during the first nine months with continuing improvement in the second nine months. In contrast, data presented improved inference skills during the first nine months with significant gains during the second half of the program. The study estimates the relative effects of IT/STEM experiences with technology-enhanced, inquiry and design-based collaborative learning strategies on CTS of urban high school students.
KeywordsCritical Thinking SkillsHigh School StudentsStem EducationUrban Education
Abdelraheem, A., & Asan, A. (2006). The effectiveness of inquiry-based technology enhanced collaborative learning environment. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 2, 65-87.
Appamaraka, S., Suksringarm, P., & Singseewo, A. (2009). Effects of learning environmental education using the 5Es-learning cycle with the metacognitive moves and teacher’s handbook approach on learning achievement, integrated science process skills and critical thinking of high school (grade 9) students. Pakistan Journal of Social Science, 6, 287-291.
Bernasconi, L. (2008). The jewels of ERWC instruction. California English, 14, 16-19.
Bob, B. (2009). A problem based on-line mathematics course and its affect on critical thinking, reasoning skills and academic achievement. Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Atlanta, GA: Georgia State University.
Bruce, B. C. (2003). Literacy in the information age: Inquiries into meaning making with new technologies. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Burkhart, L. (2006). Thinking critically about critical thinking: Developing thinking skills among high school students. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Claremont, CA: The Claremont Graduate University.
Chaffee, J. (1994). Thinking critically. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Chiappetta, E. L., & Russell, J. M. (1982). The relationship among logical thinking, problem solving instruction, and knowledge and application of earth science subject matter. Science Education, 66, 85-93. doi:10.1002/sce.3730660111
Demirta?l?-??kr?k??, N. (1996). Critical thinking: A scale and a study. 3. Ulusal psikolojik dani?ma ve rehberlik kongresi bildiri kitap???? (pp. 208-216), Adana.
Devi, P. K. (2008). D.A.R.TS using work sheets for developing process skills and critical thinking with pencil and paper tasks an experiment study in chemistry senior high school at “colligative properties concept”. VTE Research and Networking, 1. URL (last checked 07 March 2012).
Ernst, J. A., & Monroe, M. (2006). The effects of environment-based education on students’ critical thinking skills and disposition toward critical thinking. Environmental Education Research, 12, 429-443. doi:10.1080/13504620600942998
Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Facione (2011). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. URL (last checked 07 March 2012).
Garrett, M. L. (2009). An examination of critical thinking skills in the high school choral rehearsal. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Tallahassee, FL: The Florida State University College of Music.
Halpern, D. F. (1999). Teaching for critical thinking: Helping college students develop the skills and dispositions of a critical thinker. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 80, 69-74. doi:10.1002/tl.8005
Haury, D.L. (1993). Teaching science through inquiry. Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 359048.
Heit, E. (2000). Properties of inductive reasoning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 2000, 7, 569-592. doi:10.3758/BF03212996
Hove, G. (2011). Developing critical thinking skills in the high school English classroom. Unpublished Master dissertation, Menominee, WI: The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Insight Assessment (2010a). Report results, TER, The Test of Everyday Reasoning, Univ MI Dearborn Education. Dearborn, MI: Author.
Insight Assessment (2010b). Cap score results. Dearborn, MI: University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Insight Assessment. (n.d.). Scales of the TER. URL (last checked 07 March 2012)
Jonassen, D. H. (1997). Instructional design models for well-structured and ill-structured problem solving learning outcomes. Educational Technology Research and Development, 45, 65-94. doi:10.1007/BF02299613
Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Toward a design theory of problem solving. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48, 63-85. doi:10.1007/BF02300500
Jonassen, D. H., Carr, C., & Yeuh, H. (1998). Computers as mindtools for engaging learners in critical thinking. TechTrends, 43, 24-32. doi:10.1007/BF02818172
Kalayc?, N. (2001). Problem solving and applications in social studies. Ankara: Gazi Kitapevi.
Kaya, H. (1997). Critical thinking skills of the students of university. Unpublished PhD dissertation. Istanbul: Istanbul University Graduate School of Health Sciences.
Kuhn, D., & Dean, D. (2004). Metacognition: A bridge between cognitive psychology and educational practice. Theory into Practice, 43, 268-273. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4304_4
Lavy, J., & Wegner, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. In C. Parker, J. Malyn-Smith, S. Reynolds-Alpert, & S. Bredin (2010). The innovative technology experiences for students and teachers (ITEST) program: Teachers developing the next generation of STEM talent. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 18, 187-201.
Mishra, P., Koehler, M. J., & Zhao, Y. (2006). Communities of designers: A brief history and introduction. In P. Mishra, M. J. Koehler, & Y. Zhao (Eds.), Faculty development by design: Integrating technology in higher education (pp. 1-26). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Parker, C. E., Carlson, B., & Na’im, A. (2007). Building a framework for researching teacher change in ITEST projects. URL (last checked 07 March 2012)
Parker, C., Malyn-Smith, J., Reynolds-Alpert, S. & Bredin, S. (2010). The innovative technology experiences for students and teachers (ITEST) program: Teachers developing the next generation of STEM talent. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 18, 187-201.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2008). Critical thinking: The nuts and bolts of education. Optometric Education, 33, 88-91.
Pittman, K. (2010). College and career readiness. School Administrator, 67, 10-14.
Saunders, W. L., & Shepardson, D. (1987). A comparison of concrete and formal science instruction upon science achievement and reasoning ability of sixth grade students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 24, 39-51. doi:10.1002/tea.3660240105
Savery, J., & Duffy, T. M. (1996). Problem based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. In B. G. Wilson (Eds.), Designing constructivist learning environments. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
Sendag, & Odaba??, H. F. (2009). Effects of an online problem based learning course on content knowledge acquisition and critical thinking skills. Computers & Education, 53, 132-142.
Shute, V. J., Glaser, R., & Raghavan, K. (1989). Inference and discovery in an exploratory laboratory. In P. L. Ackerman, R. J. Sternberg, & R. Glaser (Eds.), Learning and individual differences: Advances in theory and research. New York: W. H. Freeman & Company.
Richardson, V. (2003). Constructivist pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 105, 1623-1640. doi:10.1046/j.1467-9620.2003.00303.x
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (n.d.). A framework for 21st century learning. URL (last checked 07 March 2012) http://www.p21.org
Willingham, D. T. (2008). Critical thinking: Why is it so hard to teach? Arts Education Policy Review, 109, 21-32. doi:10.3200/AEPR.109.4.21-32.