Document Type

Research

Abstract

The physical science course for nonscience students has the following objectives: subject matter achievement, an understanding of the methods and philosophy of science, and the development of critical thinking ability. Also, courses of this type offer unparalleled opportunities as a public relations medium between the world of science and the educated layman. It was found that most college freshmen enrolling in the physical science course had little academic experience in the solution of problems requiring critical thinking. However, they were usually quite proficient in work depending mainly upon memorization and seemed to expect questions requiring only this ability. At the beginning of the course they would frequently complain in mild outrage, "The answer to this question isn't in the book." This situation led to a study of teaching techniques that might be expected to encourage the development of critical thinking and finally to methods of measuring this ability.

Publication Date

1958

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

356

Last Page

358

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Lorenz, Philip J. (1958) "Critical Thinking Development Among Physical Science Students," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 65(1), 356-358.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol65/iss1/53

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Critical Thinking Development Among Physical Science Students

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