The relationship between science process skill and formal thinking abilities

The purpose of this study is to examine integrated process skill and formal thinking abilities of middle and high school students and determine the relationship, if any, between the two. A relationship was thought to exist since both sets of skills strongly emphasize conducting fair experiments as well as other abilities. Pencil and paper measures of formal operational and integrated process skill achievement were given to almost 500 grade 7–12 students. Resulting correlations showed a strong relationship between achievement on the two meansures (r = 0.73) and all subtests of both measures. Factor analysis data corroborate the correlational evidence. One potential inference to be drawn from these results is that process skill teaching might influence formal thinking ability. A follow-up experimental study will determine this.

[1]  M. Linn,et al.  Effectiveness of the science curriculum improvement study in teaching scientific literacy , 1978 .

[2]  Kenneth Tobin,et al.  The Development and Validation of a Group Test of Logical Thinking , 1981 .

[3]  J. Piaget,et al.  The Growth Of Logical Thinking From Childhood To Adolescence: An Essay On The Construction Of Formal Operational Structures , 1958 .

[4]  F. G. Dillashaw,et al.  Test of the Integrated Science Process Skills for Secondary Science Students. , 1980 .

[5]  A. Lawson,et al.  Conservation reasoning avility and prrformation on BSCS blue vrsion examinations , 1977 .

[6]  Marcia C. Linn,et al.  The effect of experiential science on development of logical thinking in children , 1975 .

[7]  Alfred Devito,et al.  Relationship of Formal Reasoning to Achievement, Aptitudes, and Attitudes in Preservice Teachers. , 1975 .

[8]  Anton E. Lawson,et al.  Concrete and Formal Thinking Abilities in High School Biology Students as Measured by Three Separate Instruments. AESOP (Advancement of Education in Science-Oriented Programs) Paper. , 1974 .

[9]  Michael J. Padilla.  Science Activities—For Thinking , 1980 .

[10]  Anton E. Lawson,et al.  The development and validation of a classroom test of formal reasoning , 1978 .

[11]  Kenneth G. Tobin,et al.  Relationships between formal reasoning ability, locus of control, academic engagement and integrated process skill achievement , 1982 .

[12]  L. R. Allen.  An Examination of the Ability of Third Grade Children from the Science Curriculum Improvement Study to Identify Experimental Variables and to Recognize Change. , 1973 .