IMPROVING STUDENT THINKING IN INTRODUCTORY COURSES

Surveys of college faculty conducted over the last quarter century have consistently ranked the improvement of student cognitive development as a primary teaching goal. An introductory geology course, often taken during freshman year, represents a great opportunity to help students develop the thinking skills that are essential for success in college. Instructors must accept the responsibility for helping cultivate the specific intellectual skills necessary for students to perform at an optimal intellectual level.

Educational theorists recognize sequential stages in intellectual development. Concrete learners typically prefer a hands-on approach to solve problems whereas formal thinkers are more likely to use analysis and abstract reasoning to answer questions. Students progress from concrete to formal thinkers with increasing age and/or grade level.

The abbreviated form of the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) instrument was administered twice, as a pre- and post-test, to assess student logical thinking skills in four sections of Earth Science. Each section of the course was taught by a different instructor and began with 140-160 students. The majority (60-70%) of students in each section were freshmen. The classes were taught in large auditorium-style classrooms with fixed seats facing a projection screen. Two instructors incorporated daily active learning strategies into classes while two taught with traditional lecture techniques. Students in the active learning classes were organized into permanent groups assigned by the instructor based on their pre-test GALT scores.

The GALT survey results showed that: 1) Students entered class with cognitive skills that ranged from basic (25% concrete) to sophisticated (50% formal); 2) Scores improved by 6% in active learning classes but showed no gain in traditional lecture class; 3) The greatest gains in active learning sections were registered by students who scored lowest on the pre-test; 4) Initial GALT scores generally correlated with student achievement in the class; 5) Students who received the low scores on the pre-test were more likely to withdraw from a traditional section than an active learning class.