Event Information

Jeni Cross and Hannah Love, Department of Sociology

Critics assert that institutions of higher education and academic departments are not adequately teaching students critical thinking, complex systems thinking (CST) and other skills needed to address the complex issues of the 21st Century. Within institutions of higher education, many fields have adopted capstone courses to serve as the pinnacle of student’s education and engage students in complex systems thinking, yet few studies have examined whether and how capstones are meeting the need for teaching critical thinking and complex systems thinking. The long-term impacts of these courses which should be the pinnacle of sociological learning remain unknown. This study compared the learning activities and outcomes of three capstone courses in sociology and their long-term impacts. This mixed-methods study included social network analysis, qualitative coding of student reflections, and an alumni survey to assess long-term learning impacts. We found that the three capstone courses were distinct in the course objectives, learning activities, and social interactions between students. The different course objectives and formats produced widely different social networks and learning outcomes, and long-term learning outcomes. We have proposed a framework for college courses that identifies the course activities which lead to the most substantial learning outcomes—reflection and metacognition, peer-to-peer learning, and project-based learning—to teach complex systems and critical thinking.

February 21 - February 21, 2018 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

TILT 104

Pamela Coke, 970-491-2645, Pamela.Coke@colostate.edu