The Zion-Benton Ethics Project and It's Attempt to Modify Critical Thinking in the Science Classroom

Abstract

The Zion-Benton Science Ethics Project was designed to help students learn individual and group decision making based on critical evaluation of facts. It uses IMPACT critical thinking training to change teacher behaviors and develop critical thinking skills in college-bound science students in grades nine and ten. In addition, students were required to research and respond to a scientific ethical issue. A control group <N=27) and an experimental group (N=125) were given the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (Level X) in a pretest, posttest format to evaluate changes in thinking during the project. The test results show a significant increase in test scores of the experimental group (+5.21 points) which is significant at the 0.01 level. The control group did not show a significant change in test scores (+0.11 points) over the same period. This method can be replicated or modified for use with other students in any field of science at any skill level.