Ruth Thomas
Professor
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
family, youth and community
Curriculum and Instruction
Room 145 PeikH
159 Pillsbury Dr S E
Tel: 612/624-4772
thoma006@umn.edu
Office hours:
On sabbatical for the 2012 academic year
Areas of Interest
Cognitive theory-based instructional design, curriculum and program development, family and parent education
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 Publications
Thomas, R., & Lien, L. (2009). Family education perspectives: Implications for family educators’ professional practice and research. Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 38,(1), 36–55.
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, 189-200.
Revised April 2011
