Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Higher-order thinking, known as higher order thinking skills (HOTS), is a concept of education reform based on learning taxonomies (such as Bloom's Taxonomy). The idea is that some types of learning require more cognitive processing than others, but also have more generalized benefits. In Bloom's taxonomy, for example, skills involving analysis, evaluation and synthesis (creation of new knowledge) are thought to be of a higher order, requiring different learning and teaching methods than the learning of facts and concepts. Higher order thinking involves the learning of complex judgmental skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Higher order thinking is more difficult to learn or teach but also …show more content…
Altogether, the dimensions of content and context, lower order thinking, and dispositions and abilities help to develop the schemata, connections, and scaffolding for the connecting networks and operations. When students link prior learning to new contexts, tap into their own schemata, and have the proper scaffolding for new information, they move toward higher order thinking. Students “broaden their knowledge of the world by building relationships among different concepts” (Crowl et al., 1997, p. 148), and when combined, these relationships form rules that are the major prerequisites for higher order rule using and problem solving (Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, …show more content…
They “often intrinsically possess a simple structure,” such as underlining main ideas, outlining, and paraphrasing (Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, 1988, p. 70). Other examples include the use of mnemonic devices, imagery, analogies, or metaphors to simplify recall of information. Dispositions and abilities play key parts of the thinking process. Marzano (1993) describes one set of dispositions as “habits of mind.” These include seeking accuracy and clarity, being open-minded, restraining impulsiveness, and taking a position or direction, as well as
In this time, most teachers’ brains have been numbed from all of the talk about the thinking process and abstract thinking skills (Ravitch). Students need a lot of knowledge to be able to think critically as they are expected to (Ravitch). We stand on the shoulders of those before us, we did not restart as each generation comes up in the world as we wish it would (Ravitch). What we need to be learning is how to use our brain’s capacity to make generalizations so we can see past our own experiences
The goals and operational values of the cross-curricular approach are to help the student develop self-regulating (learning-how-to-learn and metacognition) and lifelong learning skills as well as effective democratic citizenship skills (Alahiotis & Stavlioti, 2006; Stavlioti, p. 61; Koustourakis, 2007 p.133; Vars, 2007, p.7). In order to cope with the modern realities, there is a need to move from the traditional organization of curriculum into discrete subjects/discipline areas offering fragmented knowledge, to a more linked and unified approach to knowledge in a holistic way (Alahiotis & Stavlioti, 2006; Marshall, 2005, p. 229). Conferring with psychology, the child should be treated as a whole entity so this should be reflected in the way children learn (stavlioti, p. 54; Stavlioti megalo, p. 4). Studies have shown that links between the different disciplines and connections with real-life situations enhance brain synapses, so in this way learning is promoted through multiple stimuli that these connections send to neurons (stavlioti megalo, p. 5-6). “According to Piaget (1963), learning occurs when new information is attached to prior knowledge and placed in existing conceptual compartments or schemata” (as cited in Marshall, 2005, p. 229).
'Making cognitive connections, within subjects and between subjects...' ( Piaget 1977, Cockburn and Haylock 2008,Rose 2009) is an aspect of cross-curricular learning. Generally speaking, cross-curricular learning is when skills, knowledge and attitudes of a number of disciplines which are applied to a single experience, problem, question, theme or idea. In simple terms, it's also known as a thematic approach. From this point, I'd be exploring the reasons why a thematic approach should be adopted in the classroom and this approach could deliver the four core subjects in the National Curriculum in Key Stage 1. On top of that I'd be exploring the issues raised of adopting a cross-curricular approach and the implications of using a theme-based unit of integrating various subjects within a theme.
What critical thinking skills are needed for the leader committed to social justice to effectively communicate at all levels of practice?
Each person has their own type of learning style. A learning style is a method in which each of us utilizes to better understand material. A preferred learning style is a style in which the person can learn best, reflecting their strengths and weaknesses of the individual. In order to understand material we take it all in with our senses, through sight, sound, touch, smell or taste. Multiple Intelligence theory maintains that there are at least seven learning styles (“intelligences”): interpersonal, intra-personal, body/kinesthetic, visual/spatial, mathematical/logical, verbal/linguistic and musical/rhythmic (Lazear, D.1991). For the purposes of this paper I will simplify the seven categories into three main categories in which people best learn information: auditory, visual and tactile/kinesthetic. Most people possess the ability to use all three learning styles but learn best using one specific learning style.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive psychology (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers
An important theory of cognitive development was proposed by psychologist Jean Paiget. His theory states that through four stages of cognitive development, children can actively construct their understanding of the world. Organization and Adaptation are two processes of cognitive construction in the world. To understand the world, one must organize their own experience. For example, most people detach significant ideas from less significant ideas. Letting an individual to connect one idea to another, allowing them to arrange their reviews and life events. People often adapt thinking to incorporate new ideas because extra information expanding their understandi...
Sternberg, Robert J. & Janet E. Davidson, eds. 1995. The Nature of Insight. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
There are two types of long-term memory: implicit, or nondeclarative, and explicit, or declarative. Implicit memory is the knowledge one creates by experiences and includes priming and procedural memory, such as riding a bike (Feist & Rosenberg, 2012). Allen, David & Lewis (1999) define it as a kind of “habit memory.” Feist & Rosenberg (2012) describe it as one knows how to do something well, but when ask how one does it, they cannot explain clearly. The other form of long-term memory is explicit memory. This is the kind of memory in which one makes a conscious effort to bring up a piece of information (Feist & Rosenberg, 2012). Declarative memory is further divided in two types; there is semantic memory and episodic memory (Feist & Rosenberg, 2012). Semantic memory recalls facts and things one learns in school; episodic memory recalls one’s experiences and past situations (Feist & Rosenberg,
Keil, F. C. and Wilson, R. A. (1999) The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences. Cambridge, Massachusetts & London, England: The MIT Press
The 'Standard'. Cognition (8th ed.). Geneseo, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Qinglin, Z., Jiang, Q., & Guikang, C. (2004).
This theory is concerned with how individuals learn large amounts of meaningful material from verbal/textual presentations in a school setting in contrast to theories developed in the context of laboratory experiments. According to Ausubel, learning is based upon the kinds of super ordinate, representational, and combinatorial processes that occur during the reception of information. He also explains that new learning or acquisition of knowledge is related to relevant ideas in the existing cognitive structure. Cognitive structures represent the residue of all learning experiences; forgetting occurs because certain details get integrated and lose their individual identity.
Jerome S. B. , Goodnow J. J. and Austin G.A. (1967) Overview ( p.231-247):In A study of thinking . John Wiley and Sons Ltd, USA
Critical thinking a strong and powerful way to use the brain, it is used by millions everyday some without knowledge that they are even using it. Critical thinking according to Diane Halpern as " The use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome...thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome." Halpern (1996).
Balota, D. A. and Marsh, E.J. Cognitive psychology. Key Readings. (2004) Hove: East Sussex: Psychology Press.