Developing thinking can be defined as developing patterns of ideas that
help learners acquire deeper understanding and enable them to explore and
make sense of their world. It refers to processes of thinking that we have
defined as plan, develop and reflect. These processes enable learners to think
creatively and critically to plan their work, carry out tasks, analyse and evaluate
their findings, and to reflect on their learning, making links within and
outsidetheir formal learning environment. Although we are born with a
capability to think, there is ample evidence that we can learn to think more
effectively.
It could be said that, in the past, the process of learning has been taken for
granted and has at times seemed mysterious. As evidence from research
and practice has been increasingly aligned and interwoven, a number of
barriers have been overcome. The most notable have been in the fields of
developing thinking and assessment for learning. Both developing thinking
and assessment for learning rely on basic principles of pedagogy such as
questioning technique and articulating strategies.
Understanding Thinking Skills
The processes of developing thinking, namely plan, develop and reflect,
should not be seen as a set style of learning and teaching. Instead they
typify the processes that the learner will go through in order to progress
thinking and as such should be used flexibly. As suggested earlier for
reflection, each process does not have a specific place in a task or in a
lesson. If learners were to approach every task by starting to plan, then
develop and finally reflect, they would soon become demotivated and
learning would slow. Some tasks or lessons may follow a straightforward
cycle of plan, develop and reflect. However, most will require learners to
use the three processes interchangeably as they carry out a task. For
example, in order to plan it is always wise to reflect on past experiences
both within and outside school. It may be that a task or lesson requires
learners to hone their skills in one process, for example analysing their
findings (develop). In order to analyse, a range of thinking principles will
be used such as activating prior skills, knowledge and understanding;
thinking about cause and effect and making inferences; thinking logically
and seeking patterns; considering evidence, information and ideas; forming
opinions and making decisions; linking and lateral thinking. These principles
are from across the three processes involved in the spiral.
