KPD60304

Teaching Thinking Skills

Subtitle
 Course Learning Outcomes
1.To analyze students’ learning process, theories of multiple
intelligence, theories of constructivism and brain theory (C5).
2.To summarize contemporary research in the teaching of
thinking skills (C5)
3.To apply the skills of incorporating thinking skills in the content
of the subject (C5)
4.To synthesize alternative taxonomy, approaches, teaching
strategies and techniques and assessment of teaching thinking
skills (C5).
5.To assess the effectiveness of thinking skills in education in
Malaysia (C6).


Main content:
1) Types of Thinking
2) Barriers to Thinking
3) Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
 Thinking skills
 Researchers and educators have advocated many
conceptions in relation to thinking, critical thinking, creative
thinking, reasoning, problem solving and decision making.
 Thinking is complex and many faceted and, in spite of
considerable productive research, not very well understood.
 Thinking skills
 Thinking is generally assumed to be a cognitive process, a
mental act by which knowledge is acquired.
Let have a look at the components of cognition

COGNITION
1. Concept formation 2. Problem Solving
- groups - trial and error
- prototype
- streotype - algorithms
- heuristics
- insight
- mental models
 Thinking skills
 Thinking could also be defined as ‘ the mental manipulation
of sensory input to formulate thoughts, reason about or
judge’.
 Thinking is regarded as an active process involving a
number of denotable mental operations.
 Thinking is dynamic.
 Thinking is something we do.
 Thinking involves going beyond the information given.
 Taxonomy of Thinking Skills
THE BLOOMS TAXONOMY

Bloom’s taxonomy is a hierarchical model that classifies

educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and
specificity. Most learning processes end with gathering
information and remembering it. This system presupposes
the importance of Higher Order Thinking where children
are encouraged to analyze and actualize ideas.
Taxonomy of Thinking Skills
Types of Thinking
 20 Different Types of Thinking

1) Critical Thinking
2) Creative Thinking
3) Higher-order thinking
4) Lower-order thinking
5) Deductive thinking
6) Inductive thinking
7) Rational thinking
 20 Different Types of Thinking
8) Analogical thinking
9) Metaphor
10) Metacognition
11) Making Inference
12) Making Generalization
13) Making Conclusion
14) Judging Idea
15) Make Predictions
 20 Different Types of Thinking

16) Solving Problems

17) Analyzing
18) Propose Solutions
19) Comparing
20) Hypothesizing
 1) CRITICAL THINKING
Definition: Critical thinking is the process of actively and
skillfully conceptualizing, applying, synthesizing and
evaluating information.
These information maybe gathered from, or generated by
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or
communication with others.
 1) CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process – the
reasoning that went into the conclusion one arrived at the kinds of
factors considered in making a decision.
For eg;
When you are asked to study traffic congestion problem in the city
and is required to suggest ways to overcome the traffic congestion
problem, one has to ..
- analyze the problem (to better understand the problem) – involve
critical analysis process
- Then, find out the possible alternatives – involve analyzing each of
the alternatives in terms of the risks and benefits involved.
- Finally, one could make a decision as to which of the alternatives
could be employed to solve traffic congestion problem.
Barriers to Thinking
 Barriers to Thinking

What are the barriers to thinking??

It is possible for everyone to improve his/her thinking.
One has to acquire the skills necessary to continue learning
new skills.
However, there are barriers.
 Barriers to Thinking
The common barriers to thinking are:
1) Thinking that one own’s idea may not be good as ideas given
by others.
2) Thinking that to be able to give good ideas, one has to be
highly qualified, especially academically.
3) Worried that others will criticize one’s ideas and comments.
4) Lack of motivation
5) Lack of perseverance
6) Procrastination
7) Fear of failure
8) Dependent on others
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
 7 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
1) Cognitive Theory
2) Constructive Theory
3) Social Cognition
4) Standard IQ Theory
5) Multiple Intelligence Theory
6) Split-brain Theory
7) Successful Intelligence
8) Emotional Intelligence
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
1) Cognitive Theory
- By Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980)
- The developing child builds cognitive structures – mental maps, schemes or
networked concepts for understanding and responding to physical experiences
within his/her environment.
- The four stages are:
a) Sensorimotor stage
b) Preoperational stage
c) Concrete operations
d) Formal operations
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
2) Constructive Theory
- We construct our own understanding of the world we live in
by reflecting on our experiences.
- Each of us generates our own ‘rules’ and ‘mental models’,
which we use to make sense of our experiences.
- Therefore, learning is simply the process of adjusting our
mental models to accommodate new experiences.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
Several guiding principles of constructivism:
1. Learning is a search for meaning.
2. Meaning requires understanding wholes as well as parts.
And, parts must be understood in the context of wholes.
Therefore, the learning process focuses on primary concepts,
not isolated facts.
3. In order to teach well, we must understand the mental
models that students use to perceive the world and the
assumptions they make to support those models.
4. The purpose of learning is for an individual to construct
his/her own meaning, not just memorize the right answers.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
3) Social Cognition
- Culture is the prime determinant of individual development.
- Humans are the only species to have created culture.
- Every human child develops in the context of a culture.
- Therefore, a child’s learning development is affected in ways
large and small by the culture – including the culture of
family environment.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
4) Standard IQ Theory
The original intelligence tests were designed by Alfred Binet
to measure childrens’ likelihood of school success.
The IQ questions were designed not for function in the real
world but for the purpose of selecting the more successful
students.
Have a look at IQ scores and interpretation.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
5) Multiple Intelligences Theory
Gardner started in the 1980s with seven concepts of
intelligence, then introducing the eighth in the 1990s, and has
recently been toying with a ninth , existential intelligence.
1) Linguistic I. 2) Logical-mathematical I. 3) Musical I.
4) Spatial I. 5) Bodily-kinesthetic I.
6) Intrapersonal I. 7) Interpersonal I.
8) Naturalist I. 9) Existential I.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
Multiple Intelligences in Subjects
Language Science Art and Music
Linguistic Participate in debate Prepare a report on a Write notes for a
scientific experiment musical presentation
Musical Students picks words which Groups of students are Play a song with a simple
rhyme from the passage and requested to write a song lively beat several times
arrange them for the class
Spatial Use a graphic organizer, Explain to students that a Groups of students
students arrange all the food chain is the create class mascots.
points in a discussion in relationship between all
mind-map living and non-living
things
Interpersonal Students persuade their Get the students to A project which will give
peers to participate in the research about a common students an opportunity
school project device that is frequently to see the relationship of
used one colour to another
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
6) Split-brain Theory
In the 1960s, Roger Sparry discovered that the two halves of the
brain are associated with very different activities.
Look at the functions of the brain for left and right brain.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
7) Successful Intelligence
‘An integrated set of abilities needed to attain success in life,
however an individual defines it, within his/her sociocultural
context’.
People are successfully intelligent by virtue of recognizing their
strengths and making the most of them at the same time that they
recognize their weaknesses and find ways to correct for them.
Successfully intelligent people adapt to, shape and select
environments through a balance in their use of analytical, creative
and practical abilities.
 Theories related to the
Teaching of Thinking Skills
8) Emotional Intelligence
‘Being able to understand yourself and others, having empathy
for others, being able to lead or persuade others, knowing how to
motivate yourself and managing your own impulses’.
Emotional and social skills are important ways to be smart.
They are tools, the processes for being smart in this world.
Emotional intelligence has 5 characteristics: self-awareness,
mood-management, self-motivation, empathy and managing
relationships.
 ACTIVITY

Form a group of 4-5students and discuss about the

theory related to the teaching thinking skills in detail.
thank you..