Thinking4Learning

Thinking as part of learning
Thinking Skills have been part of the 'solutions for school improvement' for the past decade. Are we seeing another fad, like the constructivist agenda for computer in schools that dominated the 90s, or are we being further weighed down by simplistic solutions supported by political machinations to complex questions. This page reflects on 'Thinking Skills' in an effort to clarify what could be sustainable and of value.

Issues to do with 'thinking' development in school include:
 * an over-abundance of 'tools', each with its own supporters advocating it as a solution to a vague problem

Need to:
 * simplify the process of thinking development
 * identify realistic and objective, doable, sustainable approach to thinking development in school

A start could be to clarify where thinking development needs to be focused through the learning process: At all stages effective learning needs to include skills in meta-cognitive reflection, problem-solving, logical reasoning, communicating [visual, oral, documenting], collaborating [inc listening] and......
 * 1) Analysis
 * 2) Planning
 * 3) Application [strategies, approaches]
 * 4) Implementation [testing]
 * 5) Evaluating