Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the usefulness of writing in promoting thinking in a first year undergraduate agriculture course at the University of the West Indies. In 2003/2004, 145 students were divided into groups and assigned a research paper. The students were invited to submit drafts for feedback and were given the scoring rubrics for assessment. They were required to submit a group score. The assessment criteria for the content were selection of relevant information, analysis, and synthesis of their own views. The students preferred topics that seemed to require mainly information collection. With a maximum score of 5, the lecturer's mean score for selection of information and for analysis was 3.30±0.98 and 2.65±0.98, respectively. Out of a maximum score of 4 for synthesis of a point of view, the lecturer's mean score was 1.68±0.12. The students' inadequate analytical skills limited their interpretation of the topics, identification and questioning of new concepts or issues, and use of information for synthesis. The group scores were significantly (P<0.001) higher than the lecturer's scores for all criteria and few groups sought feedback. Further interventions to improve the effectiveness of writing to promote higher order thinking skills are suggested.
Keywords:
using writing, first year agriculture course
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