I would like to share a recent publication that I hope many of you will find of interest:

 

M. Espey (2017). “Enhancing Critical Thinking in Economics Using Team-Based Learning,” Higher Education Research and Development, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2017.1344196

 

ABSTRACT

This study examines students’ perceptions of the development of academic and critical thinking skills in college, with a specific focus on team-based learning (TBL), an active learning strategy designed to increase student interaction and engagement. Six hundred and fifty students in five different courses were surveyed at the beginning of the semester about the extent to which they felt the typical college course enhances various academic and critical thinking skills. These responses were compared to their responses after a semester of TBL regarding the extent to which the TBL environment enhanced these same skills. Students expressed significantly greater improvement in critical thinking skills in a TBL environment in comparison to typical courses for most of the skills assessed and greater improvement in all of these skills in comparison to lecture-based courses. These results held for every demographic subgroup examined, including males, females, freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as all levels of academic achievement as measured by grade point average.

 

 

Molly Espey, Professor

John E. Walker Department of Economics

247 Sirrine

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 29634

864-656-6401