A University of North Georgia (UNG) professor was awarded $202,524 as part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to develop critical thinking skills in high school students.

Dr. Donna Governor, assistant professor in teacher education, received the award through a larger, $2.3 million Temple University grant for a project titled "Engaging Students in the Scientific Practices: Evaluation in Secondary Earth and Space Science.".

The project aims to provide high school earth and environmental science teachers with strategies to develop critical thinking skills by creating Model Evidence Link (MEL) diagrams. The idea is to encourage high school students to better understand how scientists support scientific claims based on evidence, as well as the world around them.

Governor will work with the Forsyth County School District on a four-year program, to be launched next summer, on developing course modules with high school science teachers in creating, implementing and evaluating the project. The teachers will evaluate how the courses are performing among the students and report the results on a regular basis.

"I'm excited to be a part of this project as it will help students become critical thinkers and will help teachers get their students to think more independently," Governor said.

Governor’s background includes 32 years teaching all grades, K-12, with three years teaching high school earth and environmental Science.