Teaching and research interests
My research interests concern cognitive theory-based
instructional design, curriculum and program development, and
family and parent education.
I directed a higher order thinking research program for
several years. This research program investigated the thinking
capacities that people use to meet the challenges of everyday
life.
Two basic questions guided this research program: What is the
nature and depth of the knowledge that people bring to problems
and actions? and What kind of impact can instruction have in
facilitating higher-order thinking and on the knowledge
structures that support such thinking?
This research program involved nine different research
projects and six researchers, produced eight monographs, four
doctoral dissertations, several journal articles and book
chapters, and two books. Some of these efforts have involved
collaboration with other University units and other
universities. Two graduate courses and an assessment procedure
used in the Medical School have also been developed as an
outgrowth of this work. In addition, ways to use technology in
cognitive theory-based instructional design to bring about and
assess complex learning have been developed.
A recently federally-sponsored study of Internet use in high
schools emerged from this area of interest and also incorporated
work on educational reform. My scholarly work has also focused
on curriculum and program development, an area in which I have
also done national and international consulting.
Finally, I am interested in family education history and
philosophy, an area in which I have developed and taught courses
and published.
Selected works
Thomas, R. & Lien, L. (2005). Alternative curriculum perspectives: Implications for teachers’ curriculum development in Taiwan.
Journal of Educational Research & Development, I(2), 177-203.
Thomas, R., Cooke, B., & Scott, M. (2005). Strengthening parent-child relationships: The reflective dialogue parent education design.
Zero to Three, 20(1), 27-34. (Invited)
Thomas, R. (2003). Engaging learners in thinking. In V.M. Chamberlain, & M.N. Cummings (Eds.),
Creative instructional methods (pp. 215-230). Peoria, IL: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Thomas, R. & Englund, M. (2001). Supporting
children's social development. CD-ROM courseware. St. Paul:
University of Minnesota.
Thomas, R. (2000). Parenting. In A. Vail, W.
Fox, & P. Wild (Eds.). Family and consumer sciences teacher education:
Yearbook 20: Leadership for change: Standards for family and consumer
sciences education, 174-186. Peoria, IL: American Association
of Family and Consumer Sciences and Glencoe/McGraw- Hill.
Thomas, R., & Laster, J. (Eds.). (1998) Inquiry
into thinking: Family and consumer sciences teacher education Yearbook
18. Peoria, IL: American Association of Family and Consumer
Sciences and Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Thomas, R. (1998). The tailored response test.
In R. Thomas & J. Laster (Eds.), Inquiry into thinking:
Family and consumer sciences teacher education Yearbook 18,
223-250. Peoria, IL: American Association of Family and Consumer
Sciences and Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Thomas, R. (1998) Family and consumer sciences
process-oriented curriculum: An essay. In Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development (Eds.), Curriculum Handbook,
21-35. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Laster, J., & Thomas, R. (Eds.) (1997).
Thinking for ethical action in families and communities: Family
and consumer sciences teacher education: Yearbook 17. Peoria,
IL: American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Thomas, R. G. (1996). Reflective dialogue parent
education design: Focus on parent development. Family Relations,
45(2), 1-12.
Thomas, R. (1996). Thinking in 'relation': A
family and consumer sciences perspective on higher order thinking.
In S. Redick (Ed.), Review and synthesis of family and consumer
sciences education research 1985-1995 : Family and consumer sciences
teacher education Yearbook 16, 233-240. Peoria, IL: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Thomas, R. G. (1996). Reflective dialogue parent
education design: Focus on parent development. Family Relations,
45, 189-200.
Updated September 2006
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