Developing Scientific Reasoning: Targeted Physics Instruction for STEM Majors

University Of Cincinnati Main Campus, Cincinnati OH

Investigators

Abstract

Developing scientific reasoning skills is a major goal of contemporary education. The nature of jobs in the global, knowledge-based economy calls for a shift of educational goals from content drilling toward fostering higher-end skills in reasoning, creativity, and open problem solving. Unfortunately, the typical introductory science course does not significantly impact students in these areas. Although scientific reasoning has become a widely targeted domain for high-end skills in STEM learning, the knowledge base about the impact of curricula targeting scientific reasoning is still not very deep. This project will address the gap by producing a research-based curriculum specifically designed to develop scientific reasoning skills, as well as solid evidence about how the course activities and their specific strategies affect college students' development of scientific reasoning skills. Outcomes of the project will include (1) a complete lab curriculum for first-semester (introductory) physics, with lab modules designed such that they can be flexibly used in lab settings across institutions, and (2) a knowledge base with assessment outcomes on the effectiveness of different elements of the curriculum in helping students develop scientific reasoning skills, as well as best practices for implementing the curriculum in different settings to optimize learning. Because the scientific reasoning modules will be designed to readily fit into existing lab courses, this work has the potential to impact thousands of STEM majors (1,600 per year at the University of Cincinnati alone). Because scientific reasoning skills cross all areas of STEM, the project's research outcomes will be adaptable across many courses in the STEM disciplines. This project combines the development of promising curricula with a rigorous assessment/evaluation study. The robust assessment plan will be conducted across six pre-selected test sites. A validated assessment tool will be used to measure students' scientific reasoning. The research design, which involves multiple repeated measures with random subgroups of a student population, will produce data that allows for the identification of patterns of class mean performance on scientific reasoning skills over time, as well as an understanding of how changes in scientific reasoning performance are connected with specific instructional events. Statistical analyses involving multiple t-tests will determine whether the evolution patterns and states are statistically significant and consistent with instructional events by comparing performance before and after relevant instruction. Survey data collected from instructors at test sites will provide evidence of successful implementation strategies, as well as challenges, such that the curriculum and related products (i.e., instructor guides) can be designed to optimize learning and promote widespread use of the end products.