ASSESSING HIGHER-ORDER THINKING IN LARGE INTRODUCTORY SCIENCE

CLASSES
RICHARD F. YURETICH
Department of Geosciences
University of Massachusetts
611 N. Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 0100!"#"$
yuretich%&eo.umass.e'u
Engaging students sufficiently in the subject matter t stimulate critical thin!ing
and higher"rder reasning is a challenge in many teaching situatins# but the
difficulties are ften mst acute in intrductry"le$el science curses. The large
classes in lecture halls ften fund in clleges and uni$ersities cm%licate the
effrt e$en further. Acti$e"learning methds# such as c%erati$e in"class
acti$ities# and n"line &ui''es r hme(r! (ith ra%id e$aluatin and feedbac!#
hel% t %rmte higher"le$el reasning. In additin# multi%le"chice e)ams can be
mdified t include &uestins in$l$ing analysis# synthesis and e$aluatin f
diagrams# situatins and data. E)ams that include c%erati$e cm%nents hel%
align the assessments (ith the educatinal strategies# and these als %r$ide
%%rtunities t e)ercise critical thin!ing. Data frm student %erfrmance#
sur$eys# and inter$ie(s# cnfirm the efficacy f these techni&ues.
Introduction
*any science and mathematics classes at large uni$ersities are taught as lectures in
auditriums t large numbers f students# ften mre than +,,. E$en at smaller institutins#
intrductry"le$el classes f -, t .,, students are nt unusual. /uch classes e$l$ed frm a
%erce%tin that infrmatin transfer frm %rfessr t student is essentially inde%endent f the
setting in (hich it ccurs. 0arge lectures are $ie(ed fa$rably by administratrs as efficient
instructinal $ehicles# and de%artments find that such classes hel% bst the FTE cunt in their
%rgrams. In many cases# these large lectures are di$ided int smaller discussin r labratry
sessins that are su%%sed t %rmte greater engagement n the %art f the student. H(e$er#
labratries are ften decu%led frm the lecture# s that the cnnectins dn1t carry acrss. In
additin# many clleges and uni$ersities are scaling bac! the labratry re&uirement in science t
hel% address budgetary difficulties and the nly %%rtunity fr su%er$ised learning may be
during class time. 2e may de%lre these trends based n educatinal %rinci%les# but the reality f
mdern higher educatin is that the large lecture is here t stay.
At the same time# many faculty members (ill assert that ne f their gals in teaching is
t encurage students t 3reasn li!e scientists4 r 3thin! critically#4 &ualities (hich re&uire
sme nurturing# encuragement# %ersnal guidance# and careful assessment. Clearly large classes
%se s%ecial challenges t teaching and learning at higher le$els f 5critical thin!ing.5 Is it
%ssible t adjust ur instructinal strategies in such a (ay that students in large lecture classes
can m$e beynd learning 3just the facts64

The Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a western
boundary Current that originates in the
equatorial Atlantic, flows up the eastern
coast of North America and crosses the
North Atlantic towards Ireland and England
The water returns to the equatorial region
by way of the Canary Current along the
western coast of Africa
!" #hat causes the Gulf Stream to flow$
%" #hat are the ma&or physical
characteristics of the Gulf Stream$
#hat distinguishes it from the
surrounding water$
'" Is producti(ity high or low within the
Gulf Stream$ #hy$
)" #here is the Sargasso Sea$ *ow did it
get that name, and why is it there$
+" #hat are meanders in the Gulf Stream,
and how do they form$
," *ow does the Gulf Stream affect the
ocean ecology off the coasts of the
northeastern -nited States and
eastern Canada$
." *ow does the Gulf Stream affect the
climate of Europe$
Fig. .. An e)am%le f an ceangra%hy
in"class e)ercise that %rmtes critical
thin!ing 789.
:lm 7.9 has rgani'ed the ty%es f learning beha$irs int a hierarchical classificatin
;Table .<. 0ectures tend t fcus n the first ;infrmatin< and secnd ;cm%rehensin< le$els#
(hich are relati$ely easy t attain in this mde. Assessment f the students1 abilities at these
cgniti$e le$els can be achie$ed easily thrugh traditinal e)aminatins. If the instructinal
gals include learning at higher le$els# (hich encm%ass the generic term f 3critical thin!ing#4
then assessment methds need t be aligned (ith these gals.
Table .. :lm1s ta)nmy f learning le$els and sme s!ills demnstrated at each le$el.
(ompetence S)ills Demonstrate'
Knowledge (Inor!"tion# list# define# tell# describe# identify# sh(# label# cllect# e)amine# tabulate# &ute#
name# (h# (hen# (here# etc.
Co!$re%en&ion summari'e# describe# inter%ret# cntrast# %redict# assciate# distinguish# estimate#
differentiate# discuss# e)tend
A$$lic"tion a%%ly# demnstrate# calculate# cm%lete# illustrate# sh(# sl$e# e)amine# mdify#
relate# change# classify# e)%eriment# disc$er
An"l'&i& analy'e# se%arate# rder# e)%lain# cnnect# classify# arrange# di$ide# cm%are# select#
e)%lain# infer
S'nt%e&i& cmbine# integrate# mdify# rearrange# substitute# %lan# create# design# in$ent# (hat
if6# cm%se# frmulate# %re%are# generali'e# re(rite
E("lu"tion assess# decide# ran!# grade# test# measure# recmmend# cn$ince# select# judge#
e)%lain# discriminate# su%%rt# cnclude# cm%are# summari'e
The results and e)%eriences I summari'e
here are based n mre than fi$e years f cncerted
e)%erimentatin (ith $arius teaching methds in a
large"enrllment curse in intrductry
ceangra%hy at the Uni$ersity f *assachusetts
7+=. Each semester there are mre than >,, students
enrlled in t( lecture sectins taught by the same
instructr. Each sectin meets fr ?- minutes t(ice
(ee!ly# and the t( classes are taught bac!"t"bac!
in the schedule. There is usually ne teaching
assistant fr each sectin# and there are n
labratry r discussin sessins. This is a general"
educatin curse that is %rimarily fr first" r
secnd"year students (h are nt majring in
science r math. In fact# this may be the nly curse
in the %hysical sciences that these students ta!e in
their cllege careers. The challenge has been t
ma!e this curse an effecti$e learning instrument
fr the majrity f students enrlled# (h cme
frm a (ide $ariety f bac!grunds and %re%aratin
in science# and t engage them in the ty%e f careful
reasning that characteri'es scientific in$estigatin.
Fig. +. An e)am%le f an n"line &ui' used in the ceangra%hy curse.
)et%od&
I@"C0A// EAERCI/E/. 0ecturing alne des nt usually %rmte higher"le$el
infrmatin %rcessing# and# cnse&uently# ther acti$e"learning strategies during class are
encuraged 7B9. In"class e)ercises are ne (ay that critical thin!ing s!ills can be intrduced int
large classes. Cuestins can be designed s that thrugh discussin and c%erati$e"learning
methds# students are frced t %rcess the infrmatin befre reaching a cnclusin. Figure . is
an e)am%le f an e)ercise used in the ceangra%hy curse# (hich re&uires students t
synthesi'e and e$aluate infrmatin that they ha$e gathered frm the readings and lectures 789.
In the ceangra%hy class# students d these e)ercises as 3thin!"%air"share4# (here they
cntem%late the ans(ers# discuss them (ith their neighbrs# and then the entire class re$ie(s the
ans(ers tgether. In this %articular e)ercise# the students ha$e (atched a shrt $ide segment
abut the Dulf /tream# s these &uestins als ser$e as a (ay t fcus their attentin n the
substanti$e %arts f the $ide.
E@"0I@E I@TERACTIFE CUIGGE/. There are many su%%rted %latfrms n(
a$ailable fr students t cm%lete n"line hme(r! assignments r &ui''es. These systems ha$e
the fle)ibility t as! mre in$l$ed &uestins than just multi%le"chice# and t ha$e these graded
(ith feedbac! t the students. The ability t as! mre &uestins# gi$e feedbac!# and then ha$e
the students re%eat the &ui' r hme(r!# %r$ides e)cellent %%rtunities fr critical thin!ing#
in"de%th analysis# r higher"rder %rcessing f data. In the e)am%le %r$ided ;Fig. +< students
use a $ariety f critical"thin!ing s!ills. Cuestins . and + em%hasi'e cm%rehensin# (here
students must inter%ret the infrmatin n the gra%h. Cuestin 8 als re&uires gra%hical
inter%retatin# but they must relate and cnnect the diagram t the %rcess f tidal cycling.
Accrdingly# this tests their ability at analysis and a%%licatin. Cuestins B and - are &uestins
in$l$ing &uantitati$e reasns. In additin# rather than ha$e a list f chices# the student must
enter the crrect (rds r %hrases in the ans(er b). If the ans(ers are nt crrect# the %rgram
(ill gi$e sme guidance n %ssible ans(ers. Calculatin &uestins are es%ecially $aluable n"
line because the numerical $alues change (ith each succeeding attem%t. If a student gets an
incrrect ans(er the first time# the feedbac! (ill dis%lay the crrect ans(er. 2hen she r he then
des the &ui' again# the numerical $alues in the &uestin (ill change. Fr e)am%le in &uestin B
f Fig. +# the (a$elength ;0< (ill be a different $alue during a subse&uent iteratin. The student
must be able t sl$e a frmula t btain the desired ans(er. Cuestin - in$l$es mre than just
3%lug and chug4 int an e)isting frmula. The student must be able t understand the basic
%rinci%le f the tidal cycle and the different !inds f tides in rder t btain the crrect ans(er.
Again# if the (rng ans(er is gi$en# the re"ta!e (ill cme bac! (ith a different time fr the high
tide. Here they are integrating ideas and calculatins in rder t frmulate an ans(er# s!ills that
match the 3/ynthesis4 le$el f :lm1s ta)nmy ;Table .<.
RE"I@FE@TI@D THE TRADITIE@A0 EAA*I@ATIE@. *ulti%le"chice e)aminatins
are ften called 3bjecti$e4 tests# (ith the im%licatin that they are nly useful fr assessing
l(er"rder r fact"based !n(ledge. In large classes# machine"scred e)ams may be the nly
%ractical slutin t rutine assessment# s that if (e are truly de$ted t engaging students in
higher"rder learning# then the multi%le"chice e)am needs t be ada%ted t these gals. There
are t( strategies that (r!H
.. 2riting &uestins that re&uire a%%licatin# analysis# synthesis r e$aluatin. These are
nt as difficult t cm%se as they might seem# as illustrated in the fll(ing
e)am%lesH
En the fll(ing 3cntinent4# chse the letter crres%nding t the %lace (here co"&t"l
u$welling (ill mst li!ely t ccurH
A
;cntinent<
subtr%ical @rth subtr%ical
gyre * C gyre
D
This &uestin tests the students1 abilities t a%%ly and analy'e. They must ha$e a basic
!n(ledge f the facts abut cean circulatin# the Crilis effect and h( these interact in the
castal regin. Then they need t analy'e the %atterns and a%%ly them t this abstract situatin#
(hich they ha$e nt seen befre.
In the situatin illustrated in the diagram in Fig. B# (hat (ill ha%%en $er the curse f time6
A< /and (ill accumulate at lcatins . and +.
:< /and (ill erde frm lcatins . and +.
C< /and (ill accumulate at lcatin . and erde at lcatin +.
D< /and (ill erde at lcatin . and accumulate at lcatin +.
In this &uestin# the students need t synthesi'e and e$aluate.
They must first inter%ret the diagram as a re%resentatin f a castline
(ith grins# and then determine the %re$ailing directin f lngshre
drift. Then they must e$aluate the im%act f the grins n the
m$ement f beach sand# and decide (hat the li!ely utcme (ill be.
+. Changing the nature f the multi%le"chice e)am s that
students can learn frm the e)aminatin %rcess
This may seem li!e a tall rder# but it can ccur (ith the
strategy !n(n as the %yramid e)am 7-9# (hich (e ha$e ada%ted
successfully fr use in ur large intrductry ceangra%hy curse.
The essence f the %yramid e)am is that students re"ta!e an e)am ne
r mre times# (r!ing in successi$ely mre cllabrati$e settings t
cm%lete the test. In the riginal design# a $ery difficult e)am is
re%eated se$eral times thrughut the curse until the entire class
(r!s tgether t sl$e the final mst challenging %rblems. 2e use an
ada%tatin called the t("stage c%erati$e e)am# in (hich students d a
multi%le"chice e)am t(ice . The first g"rund is a traditinal test# and
students fill ut %tical scanning frms (ith their ans(ers. H(e$er# after they hand in the
ans(ers# they are gi$en ne( ans(er sheets and they re"ta!e the test# discussing their ans(ers
(ith ther students. These t( %arts are dne during the same class %erid. Fr grading
%ur%ses# (e ta!e ?-I f their indi$idual scres and add them t +-I f the c%erati$e scres
t arri$e at a grade. The c%erati$e e)am raises the class a$erage bet(een B and - %ints# but
the mst im%rtant %art is that it turns the much"maligned multi%le"chice e)am int a learning
e)%erience. :ecause students discuss the &uestins# ans(ers# and lgic r %rinci%les behind the
&uestins# they are analy'ing# synthesi'ing# and e$aluating the t%ics# and they are thereby
em%lying higher"rder learning s!ills.
E("lu"ting t%e A&&e&&!ent&
The critical &uestin remains# as al(ays# 5H( d (e !n( that these methds are
effecti$e65 The e$idence in this case cmes frm multi%le measuresH analysis f student
%erfrmance# sur$eys and inter$ie(s.
EAA* JERFER*A@CE. The class as a (hle has been im%r$ing in the numerical
scres n e)ams. The mst recent class ut%erfrmed its %redecessrs by a (ide margin n all in"
class e)aminatins sa$e the first ne ;Table +<. The differences amng the e)ams are significant
at the KKI le$el# (ing t the large sam%le %%ulatin and ensuing degrees f freedm.
C%erati$e e)ams (ere administered in .KKL and +,,+# and the chart cm%ares the results nly
n the sl %rtins f the e)am. There is a %rgressi$e increase in scres during the entire
%erid that the acti$e"learning techni&ues (ere being intrduced# but the incremental increase in
e)am scres fr the mst recent semester is the largest. Althugh the Uni$ersity cntends that
the student bdy is mre ca%able n( than in the %ast# I can1t say that this is b$ius frm my
(n e)%eriences in the classrm. I therefre cnclude that the mdificatins t the teaching f
the curse ha$e had an im%act n student learning.
c
o
a
s
t
1
2
Fig. B. /!etch ma% f a
castal regin
Table +. Cm%arisn f e)aminatin results frm se$eral years in the ceangra%hy
curse. .KKL and +,,. data are frm the sl %rtin nly f the cllabrati$e e)amM .KKB and
.KK> are traditinal e)ams. Highest grades are in +old t'$e.
2001 1998 1996 1993
E,"! - ?,.8 N .-.L ?... N .B.L ?B.. N .B.+ ?..- N .8.>
E,"! . /010 2 --13 ??.L N .+.- ?..- N .8.- >L.- N .B.8
E,"! 4 ?8.- N .B., ?,.. N .+.L ?-.L N .+.> ?-., N ...K
E,"! 5 6715 2 -.17 ?-.L N .B., """" """"
8in"l E,"! 6710 2 --19 ??.K N .+.8 ?..K N .+.8 ?8.L N .+..
O(er"ll //1- 2 -413 ?8.- N .B.B ?B., N .B.B ?..> N .-.B
Details f cm%arable final e)am &uestins sh( that the greatest im%r$ement ccurred
(hen acti$e"learning strategies (ere incr%rated fr the first time in .KKL ;Fig. 8<. Althugh
there (as im%r$ement in students1 abilities t ans(er all &uestins# f %articular nte are the
%siti$e changes in Cm%rehensin ;C<# A%%licatin ;A%%< and /ynthesis ;/< &uestins. A %rir
analysis f the data sh(ed that there (as e&ual im%r$ement in the class1 ans(ers t &uestins
frm earlier in the
semester as (ell as
mre recent t%ical
material# indicating that
their ability t retain the
subject matter had been
enhanced 7+9. The
+,,. class sh(ed
incremental
im%r$ement $er
.KKL# althugh there are
n b$ius trends r
%references related t
the ty%e f &uestin as
classified accrding t
:lm1s Ta)nmy.
There are differences
amng the indi$idual
&uestins# but the
teaching strategies ha$e
b$iusly matured t the
%int (here large
changes (uld nt be e)%ected.
The e)am results dn1t all( us t factr ut the relati$e im%rtance f in"class e)ercises#
n"line &ui''es and c%erati$e e)ams in influencing the %erfrmance changes. There is sme
crrelatin bet(een the number f in"class"e)ercises cm%leted and the %erfrmance n the sl
%rtin f the e)ams ;Fig. -<M a best fit line gi$es an R
+
$alue f ,.88. There is n crrelatin
bet(een the ttal number f n"line &ui''es cm%leted and e)am %erfrmance.
/%01
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/!01
/+1
01
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!01
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Bloom's Taxonomy Category
!22,/3
!223/0!
Average Change
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Average Change
1#"$1
Fig. 8 Cm%arisns f res%nses t s%ecific &uestins n final
e)ams in .KK># .KKL and +,,.1
/TUDE@T /URFEY/. E)am
%erfrmance is nly ne (ay f measuring
learningM student sur$eys gi$e anther
%ers%ecti$e n the issue. In +,,.# (e as!ed
se$eral additinal &uestins abut the
students1 e)%erience in the curse. Three
&uestins relate directly t the learning
%rcessH
a< Rate the usefulness f utside
assignments in hel%ing yu learn.
b< Rate the usefulness f lectures in hel%ing
yu learn.
c< Rate the usefulness f in"class acti$ities
in hel%ing yu learn.
/tudent res%nses t these &uestins ;Table
B< (ere based n a fi$e"%int 0i!ert scaleH
- O Almst al(ays useful
8 O Usually useful
B O /metimes useful
+ O Rarely useful
. O Almst @e$er useful
The results indicate that bth the
assignments ;n"line &ui''es< and the in"
class acti$ities (ere %ercei$ed as $ery useful# n a %ar (ith the %ercei$ed $alue f the lectures.
An earlier sur$ey dne during the curse in .KK? ;Fig. >< sh(ed a similar %r%rtin f students
(h felt that the in"class e)ercises increased their learning. In additin# an e$en greater
%r%rtin agreed strngly that the t("stage c%erati$e e)ams ;%yramid e)am< had an im%act
n their understanding f the subject
Table B. /tudent ans(ers t sur$ey &uestins abut as%ects f curse that hel%ed in learning.
Cuestin - 8 B + . @ /.D. *ean
Assignments +LI B?I +-I ?I BI B.? ..,B B.L,
0ectures BKI 8.I .-I BI +I B.? ,.LK 8..B
In"Class Acti$ities +>I B>I +>I KI BI B.? ..,. B.?8
I@TERFIE2/. /tudents (ere inter$ie(ed in fcus gru%s by e)ternal e$aluatrs (hen
the in"class e)ercises and c%erati$e e)ams (ere instituted in .KK? 7>9. Cmments during these
inter$ie(s %r$ide e$idence f a %siti$e im%act n critical thin!ing# mstly resulting frm the
%%rtunity t cllabrate n &uestins and %rblems during classH
3If yu really did get in$l$ed (ith the gru% yu1re inPyu can understand things
better because %e%le learn differently and they can teach yu the (ay they see it and yu can
y 4 %,,2'5 6 '),,3
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Total Score for E5ercises
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8inear 9E5ercises"
Fig. -. Relatinshi% bet(een semester scre fr in"
class e)ercises and sl e)ams.
$
2$
%$
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Strongly
agree
Generally
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'isagree
Strongly
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)n"class activities increase' learning
)n"class activities increase' interest in course
*yrami' exams increase' learning
better understand (hat is ging n rather than just getting ne %ers%ecti$e n h( things are
dne.4
3the c"% gru%s ffer a chance
t get ther ideas frm studentsM in a (ay
t get a ne( %ers%ecti$e# either n a
subject r a ne( (ay f thin!ing.4
3yu1re ta!ing yur !n(ledge
and yu are a%%lying it t smething#
s that hel%s a lt n the e)ams# t
better understand.4
The c%erati$e e)ams als elicited
se$eral cmments abut learningH
3I learned mre frm the %yramid
e)ams than frm any ther !ind..4
3I1m mre li!ely t
remember 7(hat a %eer e)%lains
during a c%erati$e e)am9 than (hat the %rfessr said.4
3If I get hel% 7frm a %eer during an e)am9# it might cntradict an ans(er and it (ill
ma!e me thin! abut it mre.4
Althugh (ritten cmments n the end"f"semester student sur$eys frm the mst recent
semester re$ealed se$eral strng negati$e im%ressins abut the n"line &ui''es# mst f these
related t the lgistics f the system rather than the learning e)%erience. Fr e)am%le# sme
students had %rtracted difficulty lgging in and cm%leting assignments n time. Jsiti$e
cmments utnumbered these negati$es# and learning im%r$ements (ere s%ecifically mentined
in a fe( instances.
Di&cu&&ion "nd Conclu&ion&
Higher"rder thin!ing can be a %art f a large"enrllment class# but it re&uires m$ing
beynd the traditinal lecture and e)am mde t encurage it. Acti$e"learning methds ffer the
best slutin. 2hen students really %nder a &uestin# discuss it in gru%s# r e)%lain their
ans(ers t thers# they are mre li!ely t use s!ills at the mre ad$anced le$els f :lm1s
Ta)nmy. It desn1t ta!e a re$lutin t incr%rate these techni&ues e$en int classes f
hundreds f students. Ha$ing the %%rtunity t %ause# reflect# analy'e# and discuss %rcesses
and cnce%ts is the real !ey. In the ceangra%hy class# the in"class e)ercises are the majr
de$ices fr this effrt. 2e ty%ically d ne e$ery class# and the e)ercises are ften multi"%art# s
that the instructr can ta!e - minutes fr the class t (r! n a &uestin r %rblem. Additinal
lecturing can fll( discussin f the ans(ers# (hich (ill lead int the ne)t set f &uestins fr
the e)ercise. The in"class e)ercises can als be built arund $ide segments# li$e demnstratins
Fig. >. Results f earlier student sur$ey ;.KK?< cncerning
effecti$eness f $arius instructinal methds 7>9
r a hands"nQ%artici%atry e)%erience fr the class. 0gistics may be a cnsideratin fr the
latter. In ceangra%hy# fr e)am%le# I1$e fund that 3ding a (a$e4 in the lecture hall is an ideal
intrductin t the difference bet(een the m$ement f (a$e and the mtin f the indi$idual
(ater %articles. /tudent sur$eys and inter$ie(s em%hasi'e that such acti$ities de$el% better
thin!ing and %rcessing s!ills.
Internet r n"line acti$ities and &ui''es can be an effecti$e means f de$el%ing higher"
rder thin!ing s!ills utside f class. *any n"line instructinal %latfrms ha$e &ui''ing
a$ailable that all(s students t recei$e cnstructi$e feedbac! n their ans(ers. It is als
%ssible t as! mre %en"ended &uestins re&uiring a shrt"ans(er res%nse s that the students
dn1t sim%ly chse frm a list f chices. Cuantitati$e reasning can als be em%hasi'ed mre
rbustly. @e$ertheless# the e$idence frm the ceangra%hy class indicates that cm%letin f the
n"line &ui''es has n influence u%n the students1 %erfrmance in subse&uent e)ams. There are
als issues abut the technlgy that detracts frm the e)%erience f cm%leting the &ui''es.
These include %rblems students ha$e in lgging n t the system# ha$ing the %rgram crash in
the middle f a sessin# and nt ha$ing sufficient technlgical su%%rt. *y mst recent
e)%erience suggests that these ha$e becme minr issues. Enly fi$e r si) students ut f >,, in
the Fall# +,,. chse nt t %artici%ate in the n"line cm%nent.
E)aminatins are %%rtunities t %rmte higher"rder learning that are nt fre&uently
e)%lited in large classes. *ulti%le"chice &uestins can be (ritten that d mre than just as!
fr infrmatin# althugh learning the basics is usually a gal fr mst intrductry classes.
Inter%reting gra%hs r diagrams# using data t analy'e a situatin# and a%%lying the results f an
e)%eriment t a ne( situatin are the !inds f 3bjecti$e4 &uestins that entail higher"rder
thin!ing. In additin# incr%rating a cllabrati$e cm%nent int the e)am is an effecti$e (ay
f increasing student learning. /tudents ha$e an immediate %%rtunity t re$ie( their ans(ers#
discuss the methds f slutin# and analy'e the im%licatins behind their decisins. These are
all s!ills that g beynd the basic ac&uisitin f infrmatin. In curses (here acti$e learning
has becme a significant instructinal methd# cllabrati$e e)aminatins align the assessment
(ith the teaching# a gal that all teachers shuld ha$e.
There is n sure"fire (ay f guaranteeing that all students in a large class (ill be e&ually
engaged and intellectually challenged in (ays that (ill encurage critical thin!ing. Yet the
e$idence frm this large class in ceangra%hy sh(s that acti$e"learning strategies#
%%rtunities fr %rblem sl$ing (ith ra%id feedbac!# and mdificatins f e)isting e)am
frmats# all cntribute t im%r$ing studentsR ca%abilities in higher le$els f reasning.
Ac:nowledg!ent&
The im%r$ements in the teaching f ceangra%hy ha$e been su%%rted by /TE*TEC#
the *assachusetts Cllabrati$e fr E)cellence in Teacher Jre%aratin ;@/F DUEK>-BK>><.
Additinal research in +,,. (as enabled by a grant frm the He(lett Fundatin. *ary Deane
/rcinelli and *artha /tassen (ere the Jrinci%al In$estigatrs f this latter grant# and I than!
them fr the su%%rt they %r$ided. *y clleagues *ar! 0ec!ie# 0aurie :r(n and Sulie
:righam"Drette hel%ed im%lement many f the teaching and learning im%r$ements in the
ceangra%hy curse.
*io
Richard Yuretich is a %rfessr in the De%artment f Desciences at the Uni$ersity f
*assachusetts. His research s%ecialties include gechemistry and sedimentlgy as (ell as
as%ects f science educatinM in the latter ca%acity he is currently a C"Jrinci%al In$estigatr f
/TE*TEC. He has been in$l$ed in the teaching f the ceangra%hy curse in &uestin fr
nearly +, years.
Reerence&
7.9 :. /. :lm# *a+onomy of ,'ucational -./ectives0 *he (lassification of ,'ucational
Goals, .y a (ommittee of (olle&e an' University ,+aminers# 0ngmans T Dreen# @e(
Yr!# .K>8
7+9 R.F. Yuretich# /. A. Uhan# R. *. 0ec!ie# and S.S. Clement# 3Acti$e"learning methds t
im%r$e student %erfrmance and scientific interest in a large intrductry ceangra%hy
curse#4 1ournal of Geoscience ,'ucation# 50 ;+,,.<# .."..K.
7B9 D. E. Un# 2an'.oo) on *eachin& Un'er&ra'uate Science (ourses, A Survival *rainin&
Manual, /aunders# Frt 2rth# .KKK.
789 R.*. 0ec!ie and R.F. Yuretich. 3nvesti&atin& the -cean0 An 3nteractive Gui'e to the
Science of -ceano&raphy, *cDra("Hill# @e( Yr!# +,,,.
7-9 D. Chen and S. Henle# 3The %yramid e)am#4 UM, *ren's# Suly .KK-# +#.-.
7>9 /. Uhan and S. Clement# 3Case study f inn$atins in an ceangra%hy curse#4
/TE*TEC Annual Re%rt ;.KKL<# E."E.8.