When you think of someone who is “creative”, who comes to mind?

When you think of someone who is a “problem solver or critical thinker”, who comes to mind?

Part one Why do we have to teach this stuff? What makes problem solve/think critically/be creative so

difficult? How do you cultivate these skills?

Part two What does teaching critical thinking look like? Tools,

Strategies How do teachers teach problem solving skills? Tools,

Strategies

Part three How do you know if you have students have problem solving

skills, creativity and critical thinking skills? Assessment.

Part One

Industrial Age and the Information Age

Multiplication tables and mass media

Global citizenshipAchievement

As early as 1916, Dewey pointed out that, all which the school can and need do for pupils,

so far as their minds are concerned…..

is to develop their ability to think

~ (Dewey, 1916 as cited in Fisher,2003)

Schools will nurture skills of creative problem-solving in the face of novel situations, and students will learn to exercise courage in making decisions and assuming responsibility for them.

Students will learn to process and manipulate information. They will be trained to think critically and to reflect on what they have learned, as well as to transfer and apply knowledge from one discipline to another and to daily Life. ~ Nagendralingan Ratnavadivel(Malaysian Educational Research Association)

“What students should know and be able to do to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly digital

world ...”

ISTE: NETS-S: www.iste.org/nets

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

• Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.

• Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

• Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

• Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/21409

MisperceptionsSelf perception “I am not creative/smart” Definition of creativity/problem solving

is obscureBackground knowledge

PovertyCultural barriersValue of education

Cultivation is weak – lots of tools, but seems difficult to use…

It’s HARD! - not a click away!

Just go towww.criticalthinking.comand click on “answers”!

Practice, practice, practicepreparation

SafetyRespectful, community, clear

expectations/guidelines, Open mindedIt takes SHIFT

Its like my diet!

QuestioningStructuring the classroomResponding to studentsModeling behaviors

To challenge students’ intellect. To help students collect and recollect

information, process that information into meaningful relationships, and apply those relationships in different/novel situations.

Can focus students on their own emotions, motivations, and metacognitive processes

Invitational/Plural “What characteristics do you have in common with the

main character?” “What hunches do you have to explain the solution?”

Engage specific cognitive operations at various levels of complexity Completing, identifying, listing, reciting, naming, selecting Three story Intellect Model

Address external or internal content that is relevant to the learner External = found around the learner….playground,

classroom, home Internal = in the learners mind…emotion…metacognition

Questions and questioningHow do you know that it is true..?What is the main assumption..?What is the evidence in support of that…?How credible is the source…?Are there other possible explanations….Are there similarities and differences

between X and Y…?

Verification questionsClosed questionsRhetorical questions with the answer included

Defensive questionsAgreement questions

Gathering/recalling Count, define, identify, select…

Making sense of dataCompare/contrast, distinguish, sequence, infer,

synthesize

Applying/evaluatingPredict, judge, evaluate,

hypothesize, if/then

The Three Story Intellect

There are one-story intellects, two-

story intellects and three-story

intellects with skylights.

All fact collectors, who have no aim

beyond their facts are one-story men.

Two-story men compare, reason,

generalize, using the labors of the fact

collectors as well as their own.

Three story men idealize, imagine,

predict……their best illumination

comes from above, through the

skylight.

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

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Skinny vs. FatSimple yes/no vs. elaborate responseYou can “fatten up” skinny - “explain” or

“defend”High Consensus vs. Low Consensus

High = most would agree; low no right or wrong

Review vs. TrueRegurgitate learned info vs. open investigation

(we may not know the perfect answer) bound by personal experiences

QuestioningStructuring the classroom

Responding to studentsModeling behaviors

Remember…you create the cultureArranging for small group and large-group interactions

Manage the resources of time, energy, space and materials to facilitate thinking

Legitimizing thinking as a valid goal for students

QuestioningStructuring the classroomResponding to studentsModeling behaviors

Silence

Providing Data

Accepting without Judgment

Clarifying

Empathizing

Practice what you preachListeningProblem solvingBehavior/ReactionsValue differencesEnthusiasm for thinking

We need to move towards a

knowledge generating society. The ability to

think critically & creatively and to

reason logically

constitute the template for building a society that will be able to not just adopt or adapt borrowed knowledge but that which will be able to

create & market its own knowledge. (Ratnavadivel, 2001)

Part two

Students don’t come by this naturallyIt is a SKILL that can be developedThey need to be taught explicitlyThere are loads of tools that help them

learn how to develop these skillsStart with lower level skills (Bloom’s)and scaffold upClassifying is a good start pointWork up to Evaluation and Analysis

Preview thinking skillExplain and model skill stepsEnable student review of stepsHave students use skillReflect and shareConclude lesson

PreviewRehearse ExecutePonder

CT’ers look at self honestly/aware of prejudices

CT’ers know their attitudes/values influence CT’ers are fair/respectfulCT’ers are willing to change thinkingCT’ers are not easily manipulatedCT’ers are question askersCT’ers are independent thinkersCT’ers look for connections CT’ers based decisions on evidence

1. Provide a thoughtful classroom environment

2. Make the invisible – visible 3. Scaffold and cue (use tools)4. Provide continuing direct

instruction5. Integrate thinking instruction

with content …move it around

Questioning/Discussion ToolsThink – Pair – Share BookmarksThinktrix/Questivities ™Problem Solving WheelGraphic OrganizersThinking Maps ™/Mind maps

Others????

Very effective toolIdeas are respected but must be supported

http://truthmapping.com/about.php

Students don’t come by this naturallySKILLS can be developedFocus on one thinking skill at a timeThey need to be taught explicitlyThere are loads of tools that help them learn how to develop these skillsStart lower level (Bloom’s) & scaffold up

Part three

Sample oneSample two

Process and product assessmentFormative feedback Paradigm shift or augmentation in the way most assessment occurs inside and outside the classroom.

Drill and PracticeRehearsalAuthentic Performance

Encore teachers get this!Skills assessed individually =

“Champions of Trivial Pursuit” Skills assessed in conjunction =

knowledge basedFoundational knowledge is

necessaryCircus/Government

TriangulationChecklistRubricsPortfoliosPerformances