Aida Banyuls

Learning and Development (November 2015)

Reading 4: Cognitive Development (Murphy, Bianchi, McCullagh, Kerr).

-Thinking Skills and Creativity-

This article has been easy to read but not as the last one because of the content. Even so,
since the beginning has been so interesting taking into account that we, as future teachers,
need to research for different ways of teaching which include more the student as the
main actor of the learning process.
The first paragraphs have been dense so it made it difficult to still read but then when the
authors deepened in the difference between skill and capability and their
characteristics; it seemed more interesting and helped me to go ahead the article because
it was something I didnt know how to distinguish. Also, has been interesting to realise the
varied acronyms (i.e. ACTS, TSPC, NSTA, CPD) because of their impact in the learning and
teaching process. For example, within the TSPC, one of the things surprised me have been
the integration of types of thinking skills and learning dispositions with collaborative
learning (working with others) and independent learning (self-management). It surprised
me because sometimes we think that learning as individual and learning within a group of
students are two different aspects that also work in different ways but, as the TSPCs
frameworks shows, they both can work together and the result can be a success for the
active learning, to develop deeper understanding and to create a positive habit for
learning.
Furthermore, skipping to the fourth point, another topic that actually seemed so
interesting has been the coteaching. Perhaps I listened it before but I never internalized
the concept as after read the experiences with the different executed projects. This section
has been an useful way to understand how it works after see its characteristics. The
structure that coteaching provides is wide and the results are impressive. For instance,
since the practice of this model of teaching, we have a tool to be aware of the quality of
teacher pedagogical knowledge and content but also, the model provides a structure that
supported beginning teachers transitions between their studies and their practicum
(which is our near future). For sure, having an expert of your profession working taking
into account your ideas, points of view and behavior has to be essential to be a teacher (in
this case), because you are having a model to follow in your first steps and it must be a

Aida Banyuls

Learning and Development (November 2015)

guarantee of peaces and security. Finally, referring to coteaching, is important to know

that when teachers plan collaboratively and coteach those lessons, they have more
opportunities to respond to the learning needs of diverse students because they can
observe more their students and change ways of doing the class regarding that are two
persons and it gives more diversity of ideas.

Furthermore, I also found interesting the three projects that the article talks about, above
all the NASTA, but I will comment them briefly.
To start with NASTA, I really like the fact of teaching Science through the ZPD which
motivates the students and enables them to develop higher order thinking skills. The most
interesting thing is the Vygostky influence reflected in the fact that the students have to
explain to the others their own discoveries and develop their thinking skills having the
opportunity to express their ideas of how things might work.
Regarding the BASICS I liked how the simultaneous use of puppets, stories and books
improved the quality of the scientific experience since them created a greater access for
teachers to pupils thinking by providing discussions and collaborative learning (in group)
but also their decision-making, motivation, observation and communication (individual
skills). And I found so interesting the way in which they referred to the concepts of heat,
insulation and changes of state through the example of the snowman which is more close
to the children in for sure, it helps to assimilate how nature works.
From the DREAMS project I just will take the idea of the development of creativity
achieved from the use of video makers and technologies. So, as the text says, children were
able to learn the seed germination because of the time-lapse images that produced the
capture of their imagination and the students were impacted.
After reading this article I feel that I amplified my knowledge about the different resources
I can use in my future classroom and how my students can be the most participative part
of the lesson but also how my practices can be easier with the help of coteaching and how
can I influence in a class.