The Impact of Critical Thinking Strategies on Curriculum and Instruction for USAF Operations Intelligence
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| Title: | The Impact of Critical Thinking Strategies on Curriculum and Instruction for USAF Operations Intelligence |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Baker, Jason R. |
| Source: | ProQuest LLC. 2017Ed.D. Dissertation, University of South Carolina. |
| Availability: | ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 145 |
| Publication Date: | 2017 |
| Document Type: | Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations |
| Descriptors: | Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills, Skill Development, Military Personnel, Armed Forces, Action Research, Formative Evaluation, Seminars, Metacognition, Student Attitudes, Qualitative Research, Surveys, Semi Structured Interviews, Pretests Posttests, Taxonomy, Standards, Summative Evaluation, Weapons, Visual Perception, Recognition (Psychology), Student Motivation, Alternative Assessment, Curriculum Development, Artificial Intelligence, National Security, Operations Research |
| Abstract: | The goals of the present action research study were to understand intelligence analysts' perceptions of weapon systems visual recognition ("vis-recce") training and to determine the impact of a Critical Thinking Training (CTT) Seminar and Formative Assessments on unit-level intelligence analysts' "vis-recce" performance at a mid-western United States Air Force (USAF) base where the participant-researcher is the USAF unit's senior intelligence officer which is congruent with action research methods. The identified problem of practice is based on the fact that after decades of viewing "vis-recce" training as a rote requirement and watching intelligence analysts struggle on the summative assessment, the USAF had no plans to refocus its curriculum and pedagogy until the present study where a CTT Seminar was developed from critical educational theories of metacognition, learner motivation, differentiated learning, and alternative assessment strategies. The student-participants' attitudes toward this new approach is the focus of the present study which was guided by the research question: "What are USAF intelligence analysts' perceptions of the efficacy of weapon systems 'vis-recce' training in the operations intelligence profession?" The qualitative data collected during the first of two action research cycles consisted of a survey of 15 intelligence analysts, and the second cycle included semi-structured interviews, field notes, observations, informal conversations, a participant-researcher-developed "vis-recce" pretest, and "vis-recce" posttest from three of the 15 student-participants (i.e., "Sally," "Joe," and "Bill") who were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews and subsequent participation in a CTT Seminar with Formative Assessments that were aligned to Anderson's et al. (2001) Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and measured by intellectual standards at all cognitive dimensions. Data analysis revealed that after participating in the CTT Seminar that was guided by Formative Assessments (rather than a single summative assessment at the end of the typical lesson), intelligence analysts' "vis-recce" performance increased, they were motivated by the approach, and they ultimately demonstrated metacognition in a content area that was formally aligned by USAF behaviorist curriculum developers to the basic knowledge level of an antiquated Bloom's Taxonomy (1956). Two major themes were discovered during the present study: 1. "Attitudes of Intelligence Analysts Towards 'Vis-recce'"; and 2. "Attitudes of Intelligence Analysts Towards CTT and Formative Assessments." A two phase Action Plan is recommended to further address the stated problem of practice. After the participant-researcher conducts professional development with the unit's intelligence instructors on the CTT Seminar, Formative Assessments, and action research methods, the instructors will, themselves, conduct several cycles of research over 12 months to capture and analyze data from mission qualified intelligence analysts. A quantitative second phase of research may then be conducted to measure the intelligence analysts' achievement on the USAF-required summative assessment after participating in a CTT Seminar with Formative Assessments that are aligned with the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson et al., 2001) and guided by intellectual standards. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2017 |
| Access URL: | https://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:10269540 |
| Accession Number: | ED577411 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED577411 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Dissertation/ Thesis PubTypeId: dissertation PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Impact of Critical Thinking Strategies on Curriculum and Instruction for USAF Operations Intelligence – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Baker%2C+Jason+R%2E%22">Baker, Jason R.</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22ProQuest+LLC%22"><i>ProQuest LLC</i></searchLink>. 2017Ed.D. Dissertation, University of South Carolina. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: N – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 145 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2017 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Thinking%22">Critical Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thinking+Skills%22">Thinking Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Military+Personnel%22">Military Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Armed+Forces%22">Armed Forces</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Action+Research%22">Action Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Formative+Evaluation%22">Formative Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Seminars%22">Seminars</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Metacognition%22">Metacognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+Research%22">Qualitative Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surveys%22">Surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Semi+Structured+Interviews%22">Semi Structured Interviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pretests+Posttests%22">Pretests Posttests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taxonomy%22">Taxonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Standards%22">Standards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Summative+Evaluation%22">Summative Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Weapons%22">Weapons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Perception%22">Visual Perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Recognition+%28Psychology%29%22">Recognition (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Motivation%22">Student Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alternative+Assessment%22">Alternative Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Development%22">Curriculum Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+Intelligence%22">Artificial Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Security%22">National Security</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Operations+Research%22">Operations Research</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The goals of the present action research study were to understand intelligence analysts' perceptions of weapon systems visual recognition ("vis-recce") training and to determine the impact of a Critical Thinking Training (CTT) Seminar and Formative Assessments on unit-level intelligence analysts' "vis-recce" performance at a mid-western United States Air Force (USAF) base where the participant-researcher is the USAF unit's senior intelligence officer which is congruent with action research methods. The identified problem of practice is based on the fact that after decades of viewing "vis-recce" training as a rote requirement and watching intelligence analysts struggle on the summative assessment, the USAF had no plans to refocus its curriculum and pedagogy until the present study where a CTT Seminar was developed from critical educational theories of metacognition, learner motivation, differentiated learning, and alternative assessment strategies. The student-participants' attitudes toward this new approach is the focus of the present study which was guided by the research question: "What are USAF intelligence analysts' perceptions of the efficacy of weapon systems 'vis-recce' training in the operations intelligence profession?" The qualitative data collected during the first of two action research cycles consisted of a survey of 15 intelligence analysts, and the second cycle included semi-structured interviews, field notes, observations, informal conversations, a participant-researcher-developed "vis-recce" pretest, and "vis-recce" posttest from three of the 15 student-participants (i.e., "Sally," "Joe," and "Bill") who were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews and subsequent participation in a CTT Seminar with Formative Assessments that were aligned to Anderson's et al. (2001) Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and measured by intellectual standards at all cognitive dimensions. Data analysis revealed that after participating in the CTT Seminar that was guided by Formative Assessments (rather than a single summative assessment at the end of the typical lesson), intelligence analysts' "vis-recce" performance increased, they were motivated by the approach, and they ultimately demonstrated metacognition in a content area that was formally aligned by USAF behaviorist curriculum developers to the basic knowledge level of an antiquated Bloom's Taxonomy (1956). Two major themes were discovered during the present study: 1. "Attitudes of Intelligence Analysts Towards 'Vis-recce'"; and 2. "Attitudes of Intelligence Analysts Towards CTT and Formative Assessments." A two phase Action Plan is recommended to further address the stated problem of practice. After the participant-researcher conducts professional development with the unit's intelligence instructors on the CTT Seminar, Formative Assessments, and action research methods, the instructors will, themselves, conduct several cycles of research over 12 months to capture and analyze data from mission qualified intelligence analysts. A quantitative second phase of research may then be conducted to measure the intelligence analysts' achievement on the USAF-required summative assessment after participating in a CTT Seminar with Formative Assessments that are aligned with the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson et al., 2001) and guided by intellectual standards. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2017 – Name: URL Label: Access URL Group: URL Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:10269540" linkWindow="_blank">http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:10269540</link> – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED577411 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 145 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Critical Thinking Type: general – SubjectFull: Thinking Skills Type: general – SubjectFull: Skill Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Military Personnel Type: general – SubjectFull: Armed Forces Type: general – SubjectFull: Action Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Formative Evaluation Type: general – SubjectFull: Seminars Type: general – SubjectFull: Metacognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Qualitative Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Surveys Type: general – SubjectFull: Semi Structured Interviews Type: general – SubjectFull: Pretests Posttests Type: general – SubjectFull: Taxonomy Type: general – SubjectFull: Standards Type: general – SubjectFull: Summative Evaluation Type: general – SubjectFull: Weapons Type: general – SubjectFull: Visual Perception Type: general – SubjectFull: Recognition (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Alternative Assessment Type: general – SubjectFull: Curriculum Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence Type: general – SubjectFull: National Security Type: general – SubjectFull: Operations Research Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Impact of Critical Thinking Strategies on Curriculum and Instruction for USAF Operations Intelligence Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Baker, Jason R. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2017 Titles: – TitleFull: ProQuest LLC Type: main |
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