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for thinking about how policies, programs,
and organizations may have intended and
unintended consequences for family well-
being (Bogenschneider et al., 2012). By By using the family impact lens,
using the family impact lens, students were students were able to examine how
able to examine how a rule, legislation,
law, program, agency, or organization a rule, legislation, law, program,
might affect families. Doing so played a
critical role in helping students examine a agency, or organization might affect
family policy or legislation by analyzing families.
(a) what the consequences were of a
policy or legislation (e.g., prison policy,
family and medical leave reform) on
family well-being; (b) how families were
used as a means to accomplish other policy ends (e.g., workplace policies that
promote employee productivity by providing child care for sick children); or (c)
when families acted as administrators of other benefits (e.g., eligibility for student
financial aid; Bogenschneider et al., 2012). The family impact lens showed students
that, as families and societies change, this lens is needed to capture those changes
and to help families adapt so they can protect their members from harm when new
policies and/or pieces of legislation are implemented. This lens also could further
enhance the persuasiveness of the students’ policy briefs, completion of which was
the central assignment in advocating why their family issues were important to
address and take action on in today’s society.

Practical Reasoning Framework Think Sheet
For the third critical science-focused instructional strategy, students utilized
the Practical Reasoning Framework Think Sheet (Figure) adapted by Fox (1997),
Laster (2008), and Montgomery (1999, 2008) to begin developing a rough draft of
their family policy brief. The practical reasoning framework was used to enhance
students’ research and critical literacy skills in learning how to advocate effectively
on behalf of families. Additionally, it had the potential to help students do a better
job of evaluating the context of the family problem so they could become more
critically conscious of the internal and external factors to make necessary changes,
utilize their strengths, and work to become empowered (Duncan, 2018; Rehm,
2021). Students began asking critical science questions such as:
• “Where are we in terms of reaching the valued end(s) to this family problem?”
• “What does the valued-end(s) mean for us?”
• “What are the assumptions we are taking for granted?”
• “What are we doing that is getting in the way of reaching the valued end(s)
on this family problem?” (Rehm, 2021)
Furthermore, the practical reasoning framework helped students analyze
alternative ways to achieve the valued ends and the possible consequences of each
alternative (Duncan, 2018; Rehm, 2021). Thereby, students asked an additional
critical science question, such as “What is one or more solution to change this
problem within families, with what means, and with what consequences?” (Rehm,
2021).
Finally, this framework assisted students in developing a plan of action based
on clear evidence as justification for the plan. Implementing this practical reasoning

Educators’ Choice 41