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Enhancing Science Success with Logical Thinking Skills Assessment

Explore the impact of logical thinking skills on students' science performance and discover strategies to improve reasoning abilities. The study uses a 12-question instrument to assess key logical operations. Findings reveal correlations between logical reasoning, student success, and specific course grades.

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Enhancing Science Success with Logical Thinking Skills Assessment

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  1. Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (Roadrangka et al., 1982) 12 question instrument that tests six logical operations: Conservation Proportional Reasoning Controlling Variables Combinatorial Reasoning Probabilistic Reasoning Correlation Reasoning See McConnell et al., 2005, Jour. Geoscience Ed. for detailed report on how we used this instrument and results

  2. Why are these skills so important to success in science classes? • The skills all deal with predictions based on available information • Involve sequential thought • Closely related to critical thinking • Learned skills

  3. GALT Scoring Categories (Wide spectrum in student logical thinking skills) ES Students ~24% • Concrete (0-4) • Prefer fact-based or “cookbook” approach (what, how, when), rely on memorization • Transitional (5-7) • Prefer to apply ideas in a practical way • “What does this have to do with me?” • Formal (8-12) • Abstract thinkers, capable of studying relationships and previously unseen ideas ~32% ~44% n=743

  4. F ’01 (n=83) Course Grade, A/B 57% 19% (0.6) (1.04) GALT score 8 - 12 GALT score 0 - 4 19% 38% (7.8) (5.3) Course Grade, D/F (Average number of missed classes) Impact of Attendance

  5. Link to Student Success Correlation between ability to reason logically and student success.

  6. Methods • Deconstructed concrete GALT scores • Pre- and Post-test • Used supplied instrument scoring rubric • Combined operations for analyses • Compared A/B to D/F students • T-test analyses (5% cutoff) • AB Pre: AB Post • DF Pre: DF Post • AB Pre: DF Pre • AB Pre: DF Post • AB Post: DF Post

  7. Results Positive Correlation No Correlation Negative Correlation

  8. When are conservation skills less important (maybe) … • Earth System • Scientific Method & Science and Society • Atmosphere and Weather • Plate Tectonics • Volcanoes and Mountains • Rock Cycle • Hydrologic Cycle • Geologic Time • Surface Processes • Climate & Global Change

  9. … and, when are probability skills less important (maybe)? • Earth System • Scientific Method & Science and Society • Atmosphere and Weather • Plate Tectonics • Volcanoes and Mountains • Rock Cycle • Hydrologic Cycle • Geologic Time • Surface Processes • Climate & Global Change

  10. How can we help students improve their logical thinking skills? • Engage the student with an activity that requires application of the skills. • Scaffold the activities. • Provide immediate feedback. • Follow up with summative evaluation.

  11. Conclusions • Wide spectrum in student logical thinking skills. • Correlation between ability to reason logically and student success. • Conservation and probability skills essential • Many Earth Science concepts require advanced logical thinking skills. • Must scaffold student learning to maximize success.

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