A Preliminary Investigation into Critical Thinking Skills of Urban High School Students: Role of an IT/STEM Program

Abstract

This paper reports the development of critical thinking of urban high school students in an IT/STEM program-using information technology (IT) within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study used a quasi-experimental time-series design, involving 47 initial participants in an eighteen-month intervention period. Data were collected from the Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER), which provides an overall score on critical thinking skill (CTS) and five sub-scale scores (analysis, inference, evaluation, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning). Findings indicate that based on a mean score of 15.77, the average participant scored between the 16th and 19th percentiles at the beginning of the program compared to an aggregated national sample. Participants who completed the program and responded to all three time-series TER tests (14) significantly improved their critical thinking skills throughout the program. Program completers’ overall post-program CTS test score was more homogeneous than the pre-program scores with a 20.07 mean score. In addition, data showed significant improvement in inductive reasoning skills of the program participants during the first nine months with continuing improvement in the second nine months. In contrast, data presented improved inference skills during the first nine months with significant gains during the second half of the program. The study estimates the relative effects of IT/STEM experiences with technology-enhanced, inquiry and design-based collaborative learning strategies on CTS of urban high school students

The impact of an out‐of‐school STEM education program on students’ attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers

“…Duran, Höft, Lawson, Medjahed, and Orady () noted a similar pattern in another out‐of‐school education program. Because attendance was voluntary, student interest and motivation toward STEM fields were already high at the beginning of the program (Duran & Sendag, ). Similar to research findings in the present study, other investigations have noted significant increases in student attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers after attending STEM education programs (e.g., Duran & Sendag, ; Guzey et al, ).…”

“…Because attendance was voluntary, student interest and motivation toward STEM fields were already high at the beginning of the program (Duran & Sendag, ). Similar to research findings in the present study, other investigations have noted significant increases in student attitudes toward STEM and STEM careers after attending STEM education programs (e.g., Duran & Sendag, ; Guzey et al, ). However, while this study showed a significant increase in student attitudes toward science and engineering, there was no significant improvement in student attitude toward mathematics and its relationship to STEM, and learning and use of technology.…”

Views of Science and Mathematics Pre-service Teachers Regarding STEM

“…In this regard, science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines play a significant role in developing these twenty first century skills [1,4,24]. Gaining these skills is also important for making decisions in social, economic and political issues [24].It is noted that students trained with STEM education grow up to be problem solver, innovative, self-confident, logically thinker, science and technology author-reader individuals and those STEM programs using information technologies contribute the development of critical thinking skills of students [16]. However, students lacking STEM skills could not head towards science and engineering related professions or disciplines that require literacy in mathematics, science and technology [7].…”

Developing a useful and integrative STEM disciplinary language

“…Focus on PBLs emphasizing critical thinking and reasoning skills yielded positive results in student achievement. In addition, students who experienced fun and excitement with science and robotics in shared communities of peer learners increased their interest and attitudes (Duran & Sendag, 2012).…”