Development Of Higher Order Thinking Skills Research Articles

Challenges experienced by nurse educators on the delivery of content laden curriculum at a nursing college in Gauteng

Objective : Nursing education is characterised by content laden curriculum which results in superficial coverage of content by most nurse educators in order to get the curriculum finished. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the challenges experienced by nurse educators on the delivery of content laden curriculum at a nursing college in Gauteng. Methods : A purposive sampling was used to select 20 nurse educators who teach a four-year comprehensive nursing diploma at a nursing college in Gauteng. The data were collected through audio-taped, in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews until data saturation was reached. The study was enriched with field notes that were taken to increase the credibility of data collected. Data were analysed by the researcher and an independent coder using Tesch’s protocol of qualitative data analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through the use of Lincoln and Guba’s four principles. Results : The findings revealed that the challenges experienced by nurse educators during delivery of content laden curriculum were large classes, academically underprepared learner nurses, lack of learner nurses’ prior knowledge and learner nurses’ negative attitude towards nursing. Following these findings, the implications of the results were discussed and recommendations were made that can be used to facilitate effective delivery of the content laden curriculum. Conclusions : The findings from this study suggest that the need to cover the learning content should not supersede effective teaching and meaningful learning for the development of higher-order thinking skills in learner nurses.

Higher-Order Thinking Development through Adaptive Problem-based Learning

In this paper we propose an approach to organizing Adaptive Problem-Based Learning (PBL) leading to the development of Higher-Order Thinking (HOT) skills and collaborative skills in students. Adaptability of PBL is expressed by changes in fixed instructor assessments caused by the dynamics of developing HOT skills needed for problem solving, flexible choice of control tests and problems for students, and adaptive formation of HOT skills within heterogeneous collaborative groups. It induces the students to develop HOT skills and collaborative skills through a combination of personalized and collaborative PBL. Adaptability of PBL is realized by taking into account values of the proposed coefficient of HOT skills development. The two-stage process of adaptive PBL allows guided development of HOT skills in students during study of a subject. Attention in the first stage is devoted to development of analytical HOT skills in students through personalized PBL. The main attention on the second stage is devoted to the development of creative HOT skills and collaborative skills in students through collaborative PBL. The proposed approach provides effective development of HOT skills and collaborative skills in students owing to: availability of a two-stage adaptive PBL process, complex and adaptive assessment of HOT skills, dynamic choice of control tests and problems for students, adaptive formation of HOT skills heterogeneous collaborative groups, and management of HOT skills development of students.

Empowering Prospective Teachers to Become Active Sense-Makers: Multimodal Modeling of the Seasons

Situating science concepts in concrete and authentic contexts, using information and communications technologies, including multimodal modeling tools, is important for promoting the development of higher-order thinking skills in learners. However, teachers often struggle to integrate emergent multimodal models into a technology-rich informal learning environment. Our design-based research co-designs and develops engaging, immersive, and interactive informal learning activities called “Embodied Modeling-Mediated Activities” (EMMA) to support not only Singaporean learners’ deep learning of astronomy but also the capacity of teachers. As part of the research on EMMA, this case study describes two prospective teachers’ co-design processes involving multimodal models for teaching and learning the concept of the seasons in a technology-rich informal learning setting. Our study uncovers four prominent themes emerging from our data concerning the contextualized nature of learning and teaching involving multimodal models in informal learning contexts: (1) promoting communication and emerging questions, (2) offering affordances through limitations, (3) explaining one concept involving multiple concepts, and (4) integrating teaching and learning experiences. This study has an implication for the development of a pedagogical framework for teaching and learning in technology-enhanced learning environments—that is empowering teachers to become active sense-makers using multimodal models.

Computer-Mediated Assessment of Higher-Order Thinking Development

Solving complicated problems in a contemporary knowledge-based society requires higher-order thinking (HOT). The most productive way to encourage development of HOT in students is through use of the Problem-based Learning (PBL) model. This model organizes learning by solving corresponding problems relative to study courses. Students are directed to develop HOT skills needed for problem-solving that are essential for their future professional activities. However, in order to promote effective HOT skills development of students in PBL learning environment, enhancement of the model is required. The model enhancement can be attained through specific computer-mediated assessment of learning of students. In this paper we introduce an innovative approach to complex, adaptive, and computer-mediated assessment of HOT skills development of individual students. Complexity of assessment is expressed by forming the combined assessments of HOT skills of different types. Adaptation of assessment to the process of HOT skills development is expressed by changes in an instructor‘s fixed assessments by crossing from one phase of PBL to another. Assessment adaptation is provided for individual students as for a study group. Computer-mediation of assessment is provided by a Computer Assessment Tool which promotes students’ HOT skills development and facilitates the assessment process for an instructor. The proposed coefficient of success of HOT skills development serves as an effective tool of analysis of this process.

AUKŠTESNIO LYGIO MĄSTYMO GEBĖJIMŲ UGDYMAS 3–4 KLASĖSE SKAITANT GROŽINIUS IR INFORMACINIUS TEKSTUS LIETUVIŲ KALBOS VADOVĖLIUOSE

Reading and reading comprehension is necessary for almost every area of life. Therefore, it is important to start develop reading comprehension skills already in primary school. According to the international (PIRLS, 2001, 2006, 2011) and the national (2005, 2007, 2012) student achievement is observed that some 4 grade students literary and informational texts comprehension skills are deteriorating. Particular attention should be given to higher-order thinking skills development, i.e. textual information interpretation, integration, evaluation, because the results of these skills significantly descended over the past five years. Study of two alternative Lithuanian language textbooks for 3-4 grades helped to identify that given comprehension tasks develops student’s lower and higher-order thinking skills but some differences noticed as well. One textbook contains questions and tasks oriented to the lower level of thinking, i.e., the knowledge, understanding and the application of skills. In another textbook there are more questions and tasks that focus on higher-level thinking, i.e. analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills. Either in researched textbooks differ the number of questions and tasks for understanding literary and informational texts. This article presents results of the study, which revealed a higher-level thinking skills development by reading literary and informational texts in alternative Lithuanian language textbooks for 3-4 grades. Key words: higher-level thinking skills, reading comprehension, textbooks.

Developing Decision-Making Skills for Uncertain Conditions: The Challenge of Educating Effective Emergency Managers

Effective decision making under conditions of uncertainty involves the ability to recognize risk, formulate strategies for action, and coordinate with others in an effort to bring an incident under control quickly. Learning to make decisions effectively in urgent, uncertain conditions is not easily achieved in a classroom setting. Educators face a particular challenge in creating a learning environment in which students can develop this ability in preparation and/or support for careers in emergency management. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) suggests that higher-level thinking skills facilitate the kind of problem-solving skills and subject mastery helpful to decision making under conditions of uncertainty. A content analysis of syllabi on emergency management demonstrates that instructors, in practice, focus disproportionately on lower-level thinking skills. We present a set of propositions informed by SoTL and the study of cognition to design curricula that facilitate the development of higher-order thinking skills that support decision making under conditions of uncertainty.

Examining How Middle School Science Teachers Implement a Multimedia-enriched Problem-based Learning Environment

This study examined how a group of ten middle school teachers implemented a technology enriched problem-based learning (PBL) environment. The goal was to understand their motivation, document their implementation techniques, and identify factors that teachers considered important in using technology-based PBL tools in their teaching. The analysis identified four factors that provided the impetus for teachers to consider the adoption of technology-based PBL instruction. These factors are (1) the PBL program addresses the teachers’ curricular needs and implementing it has campus administrative and technical support, (2) the method is aligned with teachers’ pedagogical beliefs, (3) the PBL program offers a new way of teaching and promotes the development of higher-order thinking skills, and (4) the PBL program challenges students in a captivating manner and supports the learning needs of all students. Teachers’ implementation techniques with over 1,000 sixth graders were documented in detail with regard to: 1) the teacher’s roles, 2) the student’s role, and 3) the classroom interactions during the implementation of the PBL program. In addition, a detailed description of contrasting narratives of two pairs of teachers is provided, illustrating the range of implementation techniques that can occur using the same PBL program to allow for individualized instruction to meet different students’ needs. The goal of providing detailed implementation practices is to address the lack of “how to” in PBL implementation in K-12 classrooms as indicated in the literature and offer insights and ideas to those interested in adopting and implementing PBL. Findings are discussed within the theoretical framework and implications are provided.

How Students Think: Implications for Learning in Introductory Geoscience Courses

Non-major students in introductory geoscience classes exhibit a wide range of intellectual development. Approximately half of these students do not have the skills to understand the abstract scientific concepts traditionally discussed in introductory classes. Many geological concepts will remain unlearned without appropriate activities that build on a foundation of concrete examples. The good news is that these same students can improve their logical thinking skills when they participate in challenging in-class collaborative learning exercises with their more intellectually sophisticated peers. While the exercises themselves are important in promoting the development of higher-order thinking skills, the group interaction also appears to be a significant contributor to the improvement of reasoning.

Comparisons of Higher-Order Thinking Skills among Prospective Freshmen and Upper-Level Preservice Music Education Majors

High school students aspiring to become music educators ( N=116) and upper-level music education majors ( N=130) took part in this investigation comparing higher-order thinking skills in an observation analysis task. We used certain procedures from previous investigations (Sheldon & DeNardo, 2004; Standley & Madsen, 1991). Upperclassmen demonstrated greater higher-order thinking skills, measured by success in providing descriptive and inferential statements in an observation task, compared to prospective freshmen. This outcome is consistent with those of prior studies (Sheldon & DeNardo, 2004; Standley & Madsen, 1991) and suggests that the continued development of higher-order thinking skills among prospective music educators can be cultivated within an undergraduate music education degree program. When entrance examination variables of prospective freshmen were analyzed for relationships, few strong correlations were found. February 27, 2004 December 14, 2004.

The use of assessment in the development of higher-order thinking skills

In an increasingly complex and specialised society, it is imperative that individuals think critically and creatively. This kind of thinking is also required to achieve the critical outcomes as stated in the Revised National Curriculum Statement for South Africa. It seems, however, that higher-order thinking is unlikely to occur unless learners are engaged in activities that deliberately promote this kind of thinking. They should also be guided on how to engage in these complex thinking tasks. The aim of this article is to reflect on the use of assessment to promote learners' higher-order thinking skills. The role of assessment has implications for the nature of teacher training programmes. If lecturers model the way assessment can be done to develop higher-order thinking skills, it is hoped that teachers will have little difficulty in adapting it to their unique classroom situations. Examples from language modules of an in-service teacher training programme are used to show how assessment can be implemented to help learners develop higher-order thinking skills within the framework of outcomes-based education and the Revised National Curriculum Statement.

Using a Technology-Enriched Environment to Improve Higher-Order Thinking Skills

This study examined the effect of a technology-enriched classroom on student development of higher-order thinking skills and student attitudes toward computers. A sample of 80 sixth-grade and 86 fifth-grade students was tested using the Ross Test of Higher Cognitive Processes and surveyed using the Computer Attitude Questionnaire. The creation of a technology-enriched classroom environment appears to have had a positive effect on student acquisition of higher-order thinking skills. This study identified several implications related to classroom design to enhance the development of higher-order thinking skills. Teachers reported that the technology-enriched classroom differed from the traditional classroom in several significant ways.

Higher-Order Thinking, Philosophy, and Teacher Education in Physical Education

In this paper, we first present three educational perspectives inherent in the teaching of physical education and, parallel to it, in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. These perspectives are the traditional, the humanistic, and the social. We agree with advocates of the critical pedagogy and critical thinking movements who suggest that the development of higherorder thinking is neglected in these programs. In order to emphasize higherorder thinking in teacher education, we propose the re-introduction of philosophy—not philosophy in its traditional sense, but as in hermeneutics: philosophy in its pragmatic (Deweyan and Lipmanian) sense. We argue that philosophical dialogue within a community of peers provides the essential conditions for the development of higher-order thinking skills and dispositions. We then examine to what extent philosophy is relevant to future teachers in physical education, and provide one successful example of the implementation of philosophical dialogue into a conventional PETE program.

Using Commercially Available, Microcomputer-Based Labs in the Biology Classroom

One of the most promising developments in the use of computers in the science classroom has been the arrival of microcomputer-based labs (MBL) (Tinker 1987; Collette & Chiapetta 1989; Carin & Sund 1989). Microcomputer-based labs use microcomputers to collect and analyze data during real experiments; probes and software are used to measure physical quantities such as temperature, light, sound, pressure and motion (Bross 1986; McMillen & Esch 1984; Marks 1983). In working with high school students and with student teachers, I have found MBLs effective in teaching students science concepts and in motivating students. Microcomputer-based labs offer several advantages over other forms of computer-assisted instruction. Although simulations can be an excellent means of performing activities that would otherwise be too time consuming, dangerous, expensive or otherwise impractical, MBLs allow students to develop hands-on experience with actual experiments; the computer collects and analyzes real (not modeled) data. My high school students found drill and practice programs effective in learning sophomore biology terminology. Drill and practice, however, focus on material with specific right or wrong answers, and my students seemed to simply memorize terms. I discovered that microcomputer-based labs, like simulations, were ideally suited for inquiry and for the development of higher-order thinking skills. MBL experiences provide several advantages over traditional approaches to laboratory work. Often, data may be graphed in real time; students can see the data graphed as it is being collected. The time saved by not having to construct graphs is remarkable, leaving time for collecting more data, conducting additional experiments, or working on other assignments. In some cases, the computer can collect data when students are not available, such as overnight or during weekends. The computer may also create graphs that students cannot create; this is often true when I work with younger students, remedial students or special education students. There may be an additional benefit in using computers to construct graphs. Mokros (1987) found that middle school students who used microcomputer-based labs improved their ability to interpret and use graphs. At some point I want my students to create their own graphs, but they do this when MBLs are not available. The ability of the computer to construct graphs is especially helpful during demonstrations. By attaching the computer to a large screen TV monitor (or by using an LCD projection pad), I have graphs that are immediately created, easily visible and often easily printed. Igelsrud and Leonard (1988) have done an exemplary job of discussing interfacing in the biology classroom, as have Westline and Bahe (1986). However, their work focuses on homemade or do-it-yourself devices, and does not mention commercially available MBL packages. Homemade interfaces are certainly much less expensive than commercial programs and have the advantage of being tailored to an individual's needs. However, most biology teachers do not have the the expertise or the equipment to construct these devices. I certainly did not have the patience to construct them; despite money saved, I found assembling homemade interfaces frustrating. Commercial labs have the advantage of being preassembled, pretested and covered by warranty. Most are simple to work and are well-designed. Many labs offer sophisticated graphics capabilities and have a professional look to them that is attractive to students. The chief drawback to many commercial labs is cost. Ideally, a teacher purchases multiple copies of programs so that students work in pairs at separate computer stations. Unfortunately, many teachers have only one microcomputer in the classroom; those with more computers can usually not afford to buy multiple copies. At Hamett Central High, I was fortunate enough to work for a school system committed to computers in the classroom. My computer lab had 25 Apple IIe computers. I also received a GIFT grant from the GTE corporation that allowed me to purchase a significant amount of software. At the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, I work in a lab with 28 Apple Ilgs computers. Despite these resources, I usually purchase single copies of MBL programs. Even though all students are not doing the same thing at the same time, I do provide my students with a larger variety of experiences. Several strategies exist for using only one microcomputer with a class (Wainwright & Gennaro 1984). Often, I allow one group to work with a microcomputer while others complete another activity. With this rotation James K Stringfield, Ph.D., teaches at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, PA 15904.

Teaching Mathematics With Technology: Calculators and Division

Calculators help teachers teach in ways thot encourage students to become actively involved in their learning. This personal involvement is certainly consistent with the goals set forth in NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1989). Calculators also allow the exploration of exercises that, although beyond the computational expertise of the students, may furnish opportunities for development of higher-order thinking skills

Computers, Cognition and Curriculum: Retrospect and Prospect

Spearheaded by the writings of Seymour Papert, many educators have looked to computer use in education to usher in a new era in which the development of higher-order thinking skills would be promoted in schools. Early research aimed at showing the positive effects of programming instruction on students' thinking skills was not encouraging. More recent research is only somewhat more promising. This article begins with a summary and critique of the research, advancing eight hypotheses regarding the general failure of the research to confirm the expectations. Two major claims are made. The first is that the principle weakness of research on the cognitive consequences of programming instruction very likely has been its inadequate consideration of curricular issues. The second claim is that a relatively new programming language, Prolog, which is radically different from procedural languages like BASIC and LOGO, merits serious consideration for educational use. The article concludes with a brief introduction to Prolog.