Abstract

We tested an explanation foranapparent anomaly in the research literature onsmallrural schools: While those schools offerfewer courses and less comprehensive programs in science and mathematics thando large urban institutions,student achievement in theformer is equal to that in thelatter. Wehypothesized that themoreextensive curricula oflarge schools promote a particular kind of academic achievement: the development of higher-order thinking skills in science and mathematics. These skillshavebeen unexamined in preinous studiesof the effects ofschool size on student achievement. NationLllly representative data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth were used to test this conjecture. The hypothesis was notsupported: Smalland rural highschools are apparently theequals oflarger andmore urban institutions in impartinghigher-order thinkingskills to students. .

How to Cite:

Haller, E. J., Monk, D. H. & Tien, L. T., (1993) “Small Schools and Higher-Order Thinking Skills”, Journal of Research in Rural Education 9(2), 66–73.

Rights: Copyright