In looking to the literature, a study of the higher-order skills of
argumentation provides an example that garners some initial
support for the importance of the careful combination of these
practices. Zohar and Nemet (2002) found that instructional
strategies such as tying specific content to higher-order skills,
requiring students to use metacognitive skills, and posing
problems that bear relevance and importance outside the
classroom all contributed to higher-quality instruction and
increases in student argumentation skills. The instructional
strategies outlined in the Zohar and Nemet (2002) study map
onto the STEM Common Measurement System’s instructional
practices construct specifically linking to three of the practice
outlined above (IP#2, 4a2, and 5). Given that argumentation skills require students to apply conceptual knowledge, used higherorder
cognitive skills, and engage and persist in the rigorous
activity of constructing arguments, this example is particularly
supportive of the importance of the careful combination of
instructional practices to create learning environments with high
intellectual rigor such as those that are required for college and
career readiness.