Ruth G. Thomas
Department chair
Professor
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Family, youth, and community
145D Peik Hall
159 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-4772
Fax: 612-624-8277
E-mail: thoma006@umn.edu
Office hours: by appointment.
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
