Six recommendations for fostering reflective judgment in introductory college science¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article closes with six recommendations for introductory college science: engage students in authentic scientific thinking rather than teaching about science; teach less and spend time on thinking skills, possibly at the expense of content; intentionally structure a complex, collaborative social learning environment with decentralized authority; provide guiding and modeling by a variety of peers and teachers; personally mentor and lead highly reflective students with appropriately challenging situations; and respect, nurture, and listen to students of all levels of reflective functioning.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Teachers must take a leadership role in forming learning communities, often by facilitating group work and discussion even in rooms ill-suited to the purpose.

Constraints¶

• The article notes the shift between pre- and quasi-reflective reasoning brings an abrupt change in epistemological assumptions, so environments fostering reflective judgment are predictably stressful and often emotional for students and teachers alike.

Target Learners¶

• college students in introductory science courses
• pre-reflective through highly reflective functioning students

Target Learning Goals¶

• reflective judgment
• science literacy
• critical thinking in science

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Carr, K. M. (1997). A Constructivist Approach To Reflective Judgment and Science Literacy in Introductory College Science Instruction. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED414179