DTES2 discussion about the place of thinking skills, critical thinking and creative thinking in D&T

2. Types of thinking
0 List as many different types of thinking you can think of
in 2 minutes based on your reading for this session

3. Two kinds of thinking
0 analytical
0 convergent
0 vertical
0 probability
0 judgement
0 focused
0 objective
0 left brain
0 verbal
0 Linear
0 critical
0 generative
0 divergent
0 lateral
0 possibility
0 suspended judgement
0 diffuse
0 subjective
0 right brain
0 visual
0 Associative
0 creative

4. 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

5. Why are thinking skills important?
‘Should be an invitation to generalise, to
extrapolate, to make a tentative leap, even to build
a tentative theory. The leap from mere learning to
using what one has learned in thinking is an
essential step in the use of the mind. Indeed,
plausible guessing, the use of the heuristic hunch,
the best employment of necessarily insufficient
evidence; these are the activities in which the child
needs practice and guidance. They are among the
great antidotes to passivity’
(Bruner 1996, p. 126 in McGregor, 2007, p.12)

6. 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.

7. 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)

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)
Examples from your reading?

9. The skills method
“…the ways in which cognitive and social
skills that pupils use, often unconsciously, in
the process of learning, are deliberately
emphasized. These programmes aim, in
different ways to, make more explicit the
thinking processes and skills needed for
learning.”
(McGregor 2007, p.100)

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

11. The infusion method
“Swartz et al. (1998: 528) describe how
`infusion' is the approach that teachers use
when blending explicit instruction about
thinking skills and processes with content
instruction. It involves pedagogic approaches
that enhance students' thinking and
comprehension of the subject matter.”
(McGregor 2007, p.125)

12. 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’.

13. Creativity and intelligence
‘Creativity is also not confined to special activities such as,
painting a picture, composing a poem, choreographing a
dance or sculpting a figure. These activities require
diligence and persistence as well as creativity. Scientists,
technologists, business people, educators, in fact anyone
can be creative in the things that they do. The innovation
of new techniques, new products, new selling strategies,
new approaches to preparing for examinations are all ways
these people can be creative.’
McGregor 2007, p.170

14. Critical and creative thinking
‘By its very nature, critical thinking is
concerned with critiquing something
already in existence and creativity is
concerned with generating something
new, not previously available to
critique.’
(McGregor 2007, p.172)

15. Creativity and problem solving
‘In problem solving situations learners may
seesaw between critical and creative
thinking, going back and forth in the
generation of ideas, critical reflection of
suggestions and subsequent refinement,
modification or regeneration of further
innovations until a suitable solution is
reached.’
(McGregor 2007, p.173)

16. Defining thinking critically
‘Thinking critically is the mental act of
reviewing, evaluating or appraising
something (including a picture, play,
information, evidence, or opinion) in an
attempt to make judgements, inferences or
meaning about that something in a rational,
reasoned way.’
(McGregor 2007, p.209)

17. Critical and creative thinking
‘Skilful critical thinking may also require
skills that could ‘Unwieldy
be deemed more creative
and may be referred to as critico-creative
thinking, for expression’
example, generating criteria by
which to judge something or refining,
modifying or improving an idea.’
Fisher 2011, p.14)
(McGregor 2007, p.209)

18. References
0 DE BONO, E., 1971. The use of lateral thinking.
Harmondsworth: Harmondsworth : Penguin.
0MCGUINNESS, C., 1999. From thinking skills to thinking
classrooms.
0 McGregor, Debra. 2007., Developing Thinking;
Developing Learning. [online]. Open University Press.
Available from:<http://www.myilibrary.com?ID=112953>
6 October 2013