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This evidence-based practice paper describes development of a hands-on activity that was integrated within existing curriculum for first-year engineering students in an Introduction to Engineering course. Critical thinking instruction is a key component of this course and is demonstrated to students through instruction and application of the Paul-Elder (PE) critical thinking framework. In past years, students applied the framework primarily through a series of written assignments. This year, the instructors aimed to enhance students’ understanding of the PE framework and development of critical thinking skills through a collaborative team project investigating vectors. Students mapped out paths on campus using a tape measure and compass, then described their paths using vectors. They were asked to reflect critically on the results, considering sources of error in their measurements, and write a team report explicitly addressing elements from the PE framework. Student surveys conducted at the end of the semester suggested a better student impression of critical thinking development as a result of the added vector assignment compared to previous years with only written assignments. A review of student reports revealed that, while the majority of students were adequate at applying at least some of the key critical thinking elements specific to this assignment, only a small percentage of them appeared to successfully conduct a thorough application of the PE framework. As a result of this work, several improvements to the course and assignment have been identified and will be implemented in future iterations of the curriculum.

Enhancing Critical Thinking in a First-Year Engineering Course using a Hands-On Study of Vectors