PPT for session 4 of DTES2. With thanks to

2. Two kinds of thinking
0 analytical 0 generative
0 convergent 0 divergent
0 vertical 0 lateral
0 probability 0 possibility
0 judgement 0 suspended judgement
0 focused 0 diffuse
0 objective 0 subjective
0 left brain 0 right brain
0 verbal 0 visual
0 linear 0 associative

3. What are thinking skills?
0 collecting information
0 sorting information
0 analysing information
0 drawing conclusions from the information
0 „brainstorming‟ new ideas; creative thinking
0 problem solving
0 determining cause and effect
0 evaluating options; critical thinking
0 planning and setting goals
0 monitoring progress
0 decision making
0 reflecting on one‟s own progress

4. Why are thinking skills important?
0 The „banking theory‟ of knowledge based upon rote learning has
been discredited as it is recognised that individuals cannot „store‟
sufficient knowledge in their memories for future use.
0 Information is expanding at such a rate that individuals require
transferable skills to allow them to address different problems in
different contexts at different times throughout their lives.
0 The complexity of modern jobs requires staff who demonstrate
comprehension and judgement as participants in the generation of
new knowledge or processes.
0 Modern society assumes active citizenship which requires individuals
to assimilate information from multiple sources, determine its veracity
and make judgements.
(WILSON 2000)

5. Lateral Thinking
Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de
Bono. It first appeared in the title of his book The
Use of Lateral Thinking (1971). De Bono defines
lateral thinking as methods of thinking concerned
with changing concepts and perception. Lateral
thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately
obvious and about ideas that may not be
obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step
logic.

6. Lateral Thinking
“Lateral thinking is closely related to creativity. But whereas
creativity is too often only the description of a result, lateral
thinking is the description of a process. One can only admire a
result but one can learn to use a process…
Lateral thinking is concerned with the generation of new ideas.
There is a curious notion that new ideas have to do with
technical innovation. This is a very minor aspect of the matter.
New ideas are the stuff of change and progress in every field
from science to art, from politics to personal happiness.”
(De BONO 1971)

7. Lateral Thinking techniques
CAF (Consider All Factors)
PMI (Plus Minus Interesting)
C&S (Consequences and Sequel)
AGO (Aims Goals Objectives)
FIP (First Important Priorities)
APC (Alternatives Possibilities Choices)
OPV (Other Point of View)

8. How can thinking skills be taught?
0 Specifically designed programmes
(the skills method)
0 Embedded in the curriculum
(the infusion method)
0 By chance
(the traditional method)

9. The skills method
“Those who believe that it is possible to teach
the skills of thinking directly, by means of
activities and exercises designed to improve
thinking techniques or basic thinking ability
which are independent of the subject matter
that makes up the rest of the curriculum”
(MACLURE 1991)

10. Examples
0 Feuerstein‟s Instrumental Enrichment
0 Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT): de Bono
0 The Somerset Thinking Skills Course
0 Cognitive Acceleration through Science
Education (CASE)
0 Philosophy for Children (Lipman & Fisher)

11. The infusion method
“... seeks to make more effective thinking a
self-conscious aim within the existing
curriculum ... devising strategies which will
transform the teaching of ordinary school
disciplines in such a way as to focus on
thinking and strengthen students‟ powers of
thought.”
(MACLURE 1991)

12. The traditional method
“Those who are interested in the application
of cognitive knowledge to the teaching of
thinking but see thinking as a by product of
traditional disciplines and pedagogy, and who
remain agnostic about particular methods.”
(MACLURE 1991)

13. A possible framework
McGuinness (1999) proposes that a general framework for
teaching thinking should include:
0 making thinking skills explicit in the curriculum
0 adopting a coaching style to teach thinking
0 operating within a metacognitive perspective
0 developing collaborative learning in both face-to-face and
computer-mediated learning
0 encouraging good thinking habits or general dispositions
0 generalising the framework beyond a narrow focus on special
skills to encompass the whole curriculum and concepts of
„thinking classrooms‟ and „thinking schools‟.

14. Thinking skills in D & T
D&T

15. Thinking skills in the curriculum and the Design
and Technology teacher
1 Explore the opportunities that exist for secondary school pupils to
demonstrate and develop their creative and critical thinking skills
across the curriculum, referring to a range of subject areas*.
2 Examine the concepts of creative and critical thinking in relation to
Design and Technology in the secondary curriculum, drawing on your
own personal experience and relevant literature.
3 Explain how Design and Technology teachers can ensure that they
capitalise on the special contribution that their subject makes to the
development of creativity in the classroom, evaluating the
effectiveness of current practice and suggesting ways in which this
might be improved.
*excluding D&T

16. Six Thinking Hats
White Hat:
Focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see
what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try
to fill them or take account of them.
Red Hat:
Look at problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Try to think
how other people will react emotionally; understand the responses of
people who do not fully know your reasoning.
Black Hat:
Look at all the bad points of the decision. Look at it cautiously and
defensively. Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it
highlights the weak points in a plan. It allows you to eliminate them, alter
them, or prepare contingency plans to counter them.

17. Six Thinking Hats
Yellow Hat:
Think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the
benefits of the decision and the value in it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to
keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.
Green Hat:
The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative
solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there
is little criticism of ideas. A whole range of creativity tools can help you
here.
Blue Hat:
The Blue Hat stands for process control. Worn by people chairing meetings.
When running into difficulties they may direct activity into Green Hat
thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat
thinking, etc.

18. References
0 DE BONO, E., 1971. The use of lateral thinking.
Harmondsworth: Harmondsworth : Penguin.
0 MACLURE, S., and DAVIES, P., 1991. Learning to think:
thinking to learn: the proceedings of the 1989 OECD
conference organised by the Centre for Educational
Research and Innovation. Oxford: Pergamon.
0 MCGUINNESS, C., 1999. From thinking skills to thinking
classrooms.
0 WILSON, V. and SCOTTISH COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN
EDUCATION, EDINBURGH (UNITED KINGDOM), 2000. Can
thinking skills be taught? Methods, 39, 6.2.