STIRring Up Learning: Scientific Thinking & Integrative Reasoning through Case Studies AACU Senior Fellow Emeritus Prof of Environmental & Occupational Health, The George Washington University Professor and Chair of Biology, High Point University Founding Dean and Prof of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, The George Washington Univ AAC&U Centennial Annual Meeting: Washington, DC January 23, 2015 Katherine Hunting Angela Bauer Richard Riegelman and the AAC&U STIRS Scholars
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STIRring Up Learning: Scientific Thinking & Integrative Reasoning through Case Studies
AACU Senior FellowEmeritus Prof of Environmental & Occupational
Health, The George Washington University
Professor and Chair of Biology, High Point University
Founding Dean and Prof of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, The George Washington Univ
AAC&U Centennial Annual Meeting: Washington, DC January 23, 2015
Katherine Hunting
Angela Bauer
Richard Riegelman
and the AAC&U STIRS Scholars
AAC&U’s STIRS ScholarsJustin Armstrong, Lecturer in Writing Program and Anthropology, Wellesley CollegeAngela Bauer, Professor and Chair of Biology, High Point UniversityLynn Burley, Associate Professor of Linguistics, Department of Writing, University of Central ArkansasLoren B. Byrne, Associate Professor of Biology & Environmental Studies; Coordinator, Sustainability Studies Program, Roger Williams UniversityTami S Carmichael, Director and Associate Professor, Humanities and Integrated Studies, University of North DakotaJill Manske, Professor of Biology, University of Saint ThomasSal Meyers, Professor of Psychology, Simpson CollegeKaren Singer-Freeman, Associate Professor of Psychology, Purchase College/SUNYVandana Singh, Associate Professor of Physics, Framingham State UniversityJennifer Stanford, Assistant Professor of Biology, Drexel UniversityKatie B. Wilson, Instructor, Social Sciences, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College/CUNYAdele J. Wolfson, Professor and Chair of Chemistry, Wellesley CollegeRyan Zerr, Professor and Associate Chair of Mathematics, University of North Dakota
Scientific Thinking and Integrative Reasoning Skills (STIRS) Framework
• The goal of AAC&U’s STIRS Framework is to inform a national conversation and provide coherence to the development of curricular models and assessment strategies that integrate evidence-based thinking across general education and into the major.
• The first set of these resources are the STIRS case studies, developed by the STIRS Scholars.
For additional details, and STIRS Framework document, see: www.aacu.org/stirs
• Catalyze innovations that advance cross-disciplinary inquiry, research, and learning—using digital tools and hands-on approaches—across the liberal arts and sciences.
To advance cross-disciplinary inquiry, research, and learning . . . . four Essential Learning Outcomes
• Knowledge of Human Culture and the Physical and Natural World
• Intellectual and Practical Skills• Personal and Social
Responsibility• Integrative and Applied
Learning
o Inquiry & Analysiso Critical & Creative Thinkingo Written & Oral
Communicationo Quantitative Literacyo Information Literacyo Teamwork & Problem
Solving
Intellectual and Practical Skills . . .
Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging
problems, projects, and standards for performance
Case Studies Advance the Following STIRS Competencies
To become engaged and productive citizens prepared toaddress the critical challenges of the 21st century, collegegraduates in all fields of study should be able to:• Apply study design and statistical reasoning principles, or
other relevant frameworks, to obtain and evaluate evidence.
• Discuss how evidence can be used to advance knowledge and/or to inform subsequent research.
• Apply an evidence-based problem solving approach which moves from problem identification, to identification of causal factors, to evidence-based recommendations for solutions, to evaluation of outcomes.
STIRS Competencies (continued)
• Apply an evidence-based decision making approach, identifying elements which frame and drive decision making for problems in the sciences, social sciences, and/or humanities.
• Analyze the operation of complex systems using evidence and systems thinking.
• Analyze ethics issues which are inherent in research and use of evidence.
Case-Based Learning and Liberal Education
• Case-based learning is a well-established approach for enhancing students’ ability to think critically.
• Well-developed cases invite students to utilize evidence-based reasoning, applying scientific, quantitative, logical, and ethical frameworks to evaluate information and issues.
• By giving students the opportunity to grapple with complex, relevant, multi-dimensional problems, case-based learning is tailor-made for accomplishing the objectives of liberal education.
Goals of STIRS Case Studies
All STIRS case studies will:
• Engage learners in examining complex, multi-dimensional problems relevant to a wide variety of general education courses.
• Apply study design and statistical reasoning principles, or other relevant frameworks, to the evaluation of evidence.
• Ask learners to communicate effectively about issues raised by the case.
Case Ideas?• What are some topical ideas that are ripe for
evidence-based learning?• How could these topics be framed in a multi-
dimensional context:– that would interest students across disciplines and
could be used in a classroom besides your own?– that would give students practice with evidence-
based reasoning and the application of study design and statistical reasoning principles?
– that would pose some questions without “right” answers?
