The Challenge of Change: Implementing Critical Thinking Instruction in the Culture of Independent, Private Schools

Professional development;Critical thinking;21st century skills;Student-centered instruction;Private schools;not listed

Macek, Molly AKarp, Karen S. ;

Johns Hopkins University

关键词: Professional development;    Critical thinking;    21st century skills;    Student-centered instruction;    Private schools;    not listed;   

Others  :  https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/58635/MACEK-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: JOHNS HOPKINS DSpace Repository

【 摘 要 】

Among the 21st century skills promoted by educational reform initiatives is critical thinking, an advanced cognitive ability required to solve complex problems in real-world contexts. In spite of national reform efforts, critical thinking skills remain underdeveloped among many high school graduates. Challenges unique to autonomous, independent, private schools often hinder teachers’ adoption of reform-oriented, critical thinking instructional practices. In the private school sector, teacher efficacy, pedagogical beliefs, collaboration, professional development, and evaluation systems all greatly influence the teachers’ adoption of reform-oriented practices. According to the results of a needs assessment study performed at a secondary, independent school, the pedagogical beliefs and professional development variables were selected as targets of an intervention designed to enhance the teachers’ adoption of critical thinking instructional practices. The intervention, implemented within the school’s Science Department, incorporated components recommended by the professional development and critical thinking literature in order to positively influence the teacher participants’ knowledge, pedagogical beliefs, and adoption of critical thinking instructional practices. A program evaluation revealed that the intervention only produced a moderate impact on the participants’ knowledge and pedagogical beliefs but a significant impact on the participants’ adoption of critical thinking practices. Overall, the program components, including the mentoring sessions, professional development workshops, peer observations, observation feedback, and peer collaborations, supported the participants’ professional growth in critical thinking pedagogy.