ThinkingKey Competency

Different Styles of ThinkingMetacognition

Analytical ThinkingLogical

Creativity

Metacognition“Thinking about thinking”

MetacognitionConsists of 3 Elements

1. Developing a plan of action 2. Maintaining/monitoring the plan 3. Evaluating the plan

Metacognition1. When you are developing the

plan of action, ask yourself:

•What in my prior knowledge will help me with this particular task? •In what direction do I want my thinking to take me? •What should I do first? •Why am I reading this selection? •How much time do I have to complete the task?

Metacognition2. When you are

maintaining/monitoring the plan of action, ask yourself:

•How am I doing? •Am I on the right track? •How should I proceed? •What information is important to remember? •Should I move in a different direction? •Should I adjust the pace depending on the difficulty? •What do I need to do if I do not understand?

Metacognition3. When you are evaluating the

plan of action ask yourself:

•How well did I do? •Did my particular course of thinking produce more or less than I had expected? •What could I have done differently? •How might I apply this line of thinking to other problems? •Do I need to go back through the task to fill in any "blanks" in my understanding?

Key words : kinesthetic, emotional, spiritual, sensory, feeling. Preferred activities : listening to and expressing ideas, looking for personal meaning, sensory input, and group interaction.

Metacognition

Things that can help with metacognition...

Video Games

Learning an instrument.

Reading a book

Writing a diary

Analytical Thinkingis separating and distinguishing elements of an idea or problem in order to understand its nature and relationships.

Student becomes their own teacher.Uses guesses and evidence to find answers.

Analytical Thinking follows the scientific approach to problem solving

An Example

(3+5)2-6*8 = 8

Observation

(3+5)2-6*8 = 8

Ask a question

How do I get the answer (8) using the symbols.

(3+5)7-6*8 = 8

Hypothesis

I will just answer each bit in order.

(3+5)7-6*8 = 8

8*1*8 = 64

Experiment

(3+5)7-6*8 = 8

Hypothesis

I will do the brackets first then multiplication.

(3+5)7-6*8 = 8

8*7-48 =

56-48 = 8

Experiment

Correct!

When working out a problem like this, it is important to do the brackets first, then multiplication, then subtraction.

Rule

Now try it again on a new problem to see if it works.

The student should be allowed to make mistakes. Analytical Thinking & Problem solving is a skill that takes time.

Key words : logical, factual, critical, technical and quantitative. Preferred activities : collecting data, analysis, understanding how things work, judging ideas based on facts, criteria and logical reasoning.

Analytical Thinking

Things that can help with analytical thinking...

Card GamesEspecially ‘Bridge’

Playing Sport

Logical Thinking

Logical Thinking is thinking in terms of causes and consequences. It is sequential thinking.

Predicting the future: If this happens, then what will happen next.

It’s about seeing patterns and making guesses.

Examples4, 8, 16, 32, 64, _______

1, 3, 6, 10, 15, _______

200, 196, 180, 116, _______

8, 27, 64, _______, 216, 343

2, 6, 14, _______, 62, 126

Examples4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128

1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21

200, 196, 180, 116, -140

8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343

2, 6, 14, 30, 62, 126

Key words : structured, organized, complexity or detailed, planned. Preferred activities : following directions, detail oriented work, step-by-step problem solving, organization and implementation.

Logical Thinking

Things that can help with logical thinking...

Sudoku

Chess

CreativityCreativity is a mental and social process involving the discovery of new ideas or concepts, or new associations between existing ideas or concepts.

Mind Mapping

ProvocationWe begin by making deliberately stupid statements, in which something we take for granted about the situation is not true. Statements need to be outrageous to shock our minds out of existing ways of thinking.

ProvocationIf bikes did have square wheels, what would be some consequences and what would you have to do to solve those issues.

Select a random noun from either a dictionary or a pre-prepared word list. Use this noun as the starting point for brainstorming your problem.

Random Input

If you choose a good word, you will add a range of new ideas and concepts to your brainstorming. While some will be useless. If you persist, then at least one of these is likely to be a startling creative leap.

ExampleSchool wants to attract new students.Random Input: Picture

ExampleSchool wants to attract new students.Random Input: Picture

•Have posters around the outside of the school.•Have a friendly website and promote people to go and see it.•Have pictures of current students in the newspaper talking about the school.•Send out brochures to schools to attract students.•Have a Youtube channel and have students talk about the school.•Get current students who know year 8s and text them pictures of the school and text about the school.

For more ideas on creative thinking, please go to Techniques for Creative Thinking

CreativityKey words : holistic, intuitive, innovative, and conceptual. Preferred activities : Looking at the big picture, taking initiative, challenging assumptions, visuals, metaphoric thinking, creative problem solving, long term thinking.

Things that can help with creativity...

Create Art

Write a story

Humour

It’s time to use our whole brain.