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An Elaboration of a Cardinal Goal of Science Instruction: Scientific Thinking |
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| Authors: | Robert H Ennis |
| Institution: | University of Illinois |
| Abstract: | In this essay I offer a set of characteristic scientific activities, accompanied by principles to be used as guides in performing these activities, and dispositions that are desirable for the person performing these activities to have. This set is intended to provide a rough and ready elaboration of scientific thinking as a goal for our schools and colleges. Although they are here labeled scientific, they are intended to apply to other activities than doing what is standardly called science. This wider application is part of the justification for offering science in our schools and colleges. We want people to think scientifically about many other aspects of their lives, as well as about science content. There is no suggestion that science content is not important, nor that scientific thinking should be taught apart from science content. In fact I think that a very good way to teach scientific thinking is by infusing such instruction in the instruction of science content. See Swartz (1987) for a discussion of infusion, and Ennis, (1985, 1989, 1990) for treatments of the subject-specificity issue that is generally raised when thinking and content are discussed. This essay contains one brief case study that exemplifies most of the activities, principles, and dispositions suggested as goals for the schools. I realize that the validity and comprehensiveness of these goals has not been here demonstrated. The scientists, science educators, philosophers of science, and critical thinking specialists to whom1 have shown them are in general agreement about them, but the ultimate test will be in whether the goals are widely adopted and successfully serve as guidance in the promotion of scientific thinking. I hope that this elaboration of scientific thinking and its formulation in terms of a suggested set of goals are "dear and precise as is needed in the situation". |
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