Constructing Knowledge Through Higher-Level Thinking Processes

Tilston Chapter 5 by Angela Karow Jason McLead

Then
Formerly, education was modeled after factories. Small amount of facts Linear learning Structured for specific jobs

The Times They are a Changin

The world is changing exponentially! We cant continue to pour facts into our students head. If they want to know a fact, they simply Google it We live in an age of information that changes rapidly; if students are to be successful in life they must move beyond factual input and become higher level thinkers!

Higher Level Thinking Problem Solving Decision Making Experimental Inquiry Investigation

Blooms Taxonomy Revised (2001

Blooms 2001

Marzano and Kendalls Taxonomy (2006)

Common Core Standards (Math) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Link Reason abstractly and quantitatively. Link Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Link Model with mathematics. Link Use appropriate tools strategically. Attend to precision. Link Look for and make use of structure. Link Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. Link

Complexity vs. Difficulty

Complexity Refers to the process in which the brain deals with information. Difficulty Amount of effort expended within a level of complexity.

Factual knowledge is considered a low level skill because the student does not need to understand the information in order to prove they know it.

Classification
Understanding how to use attributes to place things into categories. Components of classifying:
Indicating categories and explaining relationships Defining characteristics of what is being classified Identifying subordinate categories of the item Identifying one or more categories

Examples for classroom application: Venn Diagrams

Questions to assist:
1. Into what groups could you organize these things? 2. What are the rules for membership in each group? 3. What are the defining characteristics of each group?

Induction
The ability to take what is known and predict what is not known. Example: What is the nth term in the following sequence? 3,6,9,12,15,...

Deduction
Reasoning from general to specific based on principals. Example (our old buddy Fibonacci): 1,2,3,5,8,... We know that the next number is 13 because the rule states that the two numbers prior to the new number add up to the new number. She's a witch!!

Inductive vs Deductive Reasoning

Deduction: The book is on the table. The table is on the floor. Therefore, the book is above the floor. Induction: It has rained everyday on September 28th in Columbus for the past several years. Therefore, it will rain today. Notice that the conclusion is reasonably sound, but not proven until after the fact.

Error Analysis
Having the ability to evaluate your own thinking to identify errors in the process. Look for where the error occurred and think about why it is an error. Example:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEAddition-Regrouping-Error-Analysis-CenterEnrichment-or-Assessment--609533

Constructing Support
The ability to find proof and support for facts or topics. Necessary for persuasive writing. Four Appeals 1. Through personality 2. Through accepted beliefs or traditions 3. Through language and gestures 4. Through evidence, elaboration and examples

Abstract Pattern Building

Being able to create or understand patterns. This is done by finding how one thing relates to another. Examples: Symmetry Number patterns (3,8,13,18) Fibonacci.again!

Analyzing Perspectives
The capability to view an event or information from the perspective of someone else. Questions to ask: Why may someone think that it is good/bad? What is the reasoning they used to think the way they do? How are some other ways to think?

Measuring Success
We need to look for indications that our students can and have the opportunities to engage in higher-level thinking. Examples: Lessons that ask students to give cause and effect. Reward and encourage critical-thinking, creative-thinking and problem-solving.

Conclusion
Critical-thinking, creative-thinking, and problem-solving need to be encouraged and rewarded Have higher expectations, do this by providing opportunities for all students to work at higher-levels
Daniel Pinks motivational video- http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=u6XAPnuFjJc

References
Teachers Pay Teachers (n.d.). FREE ADDITION REGROUPING ERROR ANALYSIS { CENTER, ENRICHMENT, OR ASSESSMENT } - TeachersPayTeachers.com. Retrieved September 2013, from http://www.teacherspayteachers. com/Product/FREE-Addition-Regrouping-Error-Analysis-Center-Enrichment-orAssessment--609533 Tileston, D. W. (2011). 10 best teaching practices: How brain research and learning styles define teaching competencies. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Sage.