Implementing a Small-Team Rubric-Based Model for Reliable Assessment of Critical Thinking and Integrative Learning

Authors

Karen L. Perell-Gerson, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Thomas Lilly, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Sherly Abraham, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Holly Clark, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Jamie Caudill, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Jillian Collier, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Jason Delaney, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Semire Dikli, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
David Dorrell, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Eric Gresch, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
John Marinan, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Patrice Morris, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Benjamin O'Dell, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Qing Shao, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Jennell Talley, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow
Kinga Varga-Dobai, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30047Follow

Abstract

Critical thinking is a cornerstone of scientific inquiry and professional practice, enabling students to analyze evidence, synthesize information, and apply knowledge to complex problems. In science curricula, fostering these skills is essential for preparing graduates to navigate interdisciplinary challenges and make informed decisions in real-world contexts. However, assessing critical thinking and integrative learning remains a persistent challenge due to the complexity and subjectivity of these constructs. Best-practice models for assessing critical thinking skillset reflections recommend using a team of faculty assessors who are independent of the course faculty. This approach ensures unbiased evaluation of student artifacts to determine proficiency in four critical thinking skill areas and assess cognitive integration across diverse experiential learning opportunities. The assessment model employed a small team of two trained faculty members using two rubrics: one for critical thinking skills and another for integrative learning. In the initial implementation, seven raters evaluated 22 artifacts from 1000-level courses during a session that included large- and small-group training and practice with the rubrics. Standard deviations of 0.75 or smaller indicated strong consistency and precision. A second session expanded the model to 13 raters reviewing over 300 artifacts from 1000-level courses across two days, achieving standard deviations of 0.80 or smaller. A third session, also with 14 raters, assessed more than 400 artifacts from 1000- and 2000-level courses over two days, with standard deviations of 0.71 or smaller. These results demonstrate that a small-team, rubric-based assessment model can deliver reliable and precise evaluations across multiple sessions and course levels, supporting its effectiveness as a scalable best practice for measuring critical thinking and integrative learning.

Acknowledgements

GGC QEP Funds

Recommended Citation

Perell-Gerson, Karen L.; Lilly, Thomas; Abraham, Sherly; Clark, Holly; Caudill, Jamie; Collier, Jillian; Delaney, Jason; Dikli, Semire; Dorrell, David; Gresch, Eric; Marinan, John; Morris, Patrice; O'Dell, Benjamin; Shao, Qing; Talley, Jennell; and Varga-Dobai, Kinga (2026) "Implementing a Small-Team Rubric-Based Model for Reliable Assessment of Critical Thinking and Integrative Learning," Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 84, No. 1, Article 137.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol84/iss1/137