Unpacking Thinking

"How can classrooms become places of intellectual stimulation where learning is viewed not in test scores but in the development of individuals who can think, plan, create, question and engage independently as learners?"

This is the question posed by the authors of Making Thinking Visible. Recently I was given the task of reviewing the first chapter of this book as part of our BPBC (Best Practices Book Club). This chapter titled Unpacking Thinking explores the essential ideas that underpin practice which leads to deep understanding.

There is much in this chapter to challenge conventional thinking about what constitutes 'good practice'. I have pulled out a few points that educators should consider when shaping learning experiences.

1. Thinking isn't sequential. Bloom's Taxonomy has been held up for decades as a bastion of educational theory. However, the central notion that underpins this is that higher order thinking (analyzing, evaluating and creating) is proceeded by the development of knowledge and understanding. This is challenged by Ritchart et al. The authors argue that as students analyze and create understanding is developed.

2. You can't talk about thinking separate from context and purpose. Context and purpose is what drives us to think more deeply. Therefore, authentic purpose must be present to ensure that any meaningful thinking is happening.

3. Understanding is not a precursor to application, analysis and evaluation. All these things can happen without much or any understanding on a subject. Actually, without these so called higher order thinking skills understanding is rarely galvanized in the learner.

4. Understanding is a goal of thinking rather than a type of thinking.

5. Thinking isn't something that occurs in a sequential manner. Evaluation often happens before some knowledge on a subject can become clear. Likewise, it is only through through having to create that some understanding can occur.