‘Thinking & Learning Toolbox’ Rationale

1. ‘Thinking & Learning Toolbox’Rationale Matt Buxton Djanogly City Academy Nottingham Image: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/23/blue_brain_5.jpg

2. Thoughts are... • Private • Invisible • Abstract Image: http://www.camargue-nature.co.uk/Images/Bch_Bduc_solitude.jpg Ref: Caviglioli, O., Harris, I. & Tindall, B; Thinking Skills & Eye-Q; Stafford:NEP; (2002), p.9

3. Ref: Caviglioli, O., Harris, I. & Tindall, B; Thinking Skills & Eye-Q; Stafford:NEP; (2002), p.9. “Thinking can be transformed from being a private, abstract and invisible act, to one that is public, concrete and visible.”

4. Rationale • Thinking is hard because it’s invisible, private and abstract • Therefore, we need to make it visible, public and concrete • Visual Thinking Templates help to do this by: • Facilitating Thinking by enabling students to produce structured graphic organisers which can be seen, edited, commented upon. • Stimulating Thinking by ‘leading’ them through particular ‘thought-processes’. Ref: Thinking Skills & Eye-Q; Caviglioli, O., Harris, I. & Tindall, B; Stafford:NEP; (2002)

5. Two distinct areas of Thinking: Image: http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee277/jefferyhodges/The_Thinker_close.jpg

6. The Three-Stage Learning Model

7. 3-Stage Learning Model - Rationale • Break down learning process. • Focus on Conceptual Thinking. • Facilitate & Stimulate cognitive processing. • Focus assessment opportunities at Thinking Stage, as opposed to solely Output Stage. • Provide Visual link between Thinking and Output, particularly literacy i.e. Visual essay planning.

8. How to use the ‘Toolbox’ • The student ‘Toolbox’ has one slide for each Thinking Tool; a blank template for them to complete – either on PowerPoint or a paper-based version printed by the teacher. • The teacher ‘Toolbox’ has one blank template & one completed example to show the students. • Copy-&-Paste required templates onto new PowerPoint for student ‘workbook’; provides lesson sequence. • Ideally, the Tools should be introduced with a ‘practice’ first that is not related to the lesson content; then used with the lesson content. • The Tools should be used by students numerous times throughout the year; it is important that opportunities are built-into your teaching and planning for them to do so.

9. Objective • The over-arching objective is for us to arrive at a situation where students will independently use appropriate Tools within Tasks. • To achieve this, we must: • Ensure students know about the Toolbox • Ensure they know how to use a range of Tools • Design & Plan lessons and tasks which require the use of the tools • Ensure the students use the Tools regularly • Assess the students ‘Thinking’ by giving comments and feedback on their use of the Tools.

10. Learning/Thinking Tool:Target Chart

11. Web 2.0 functionality & collaboration • Microsoft Learning Gateway running over either SharePoint 2003 or 2007 can enable users to collaborate on documents online. • Students can therefore work collaboratively from remote locations. • This fundamentally extends Learning Opportunities and enhances Student Design of their learning.

12. Web 2.0 functionality & collaboration • Upload PowerPoint ‘Toolbox Workbook’ to a Sharepoint 2003/2007 site. • Remote users then access document online. • When the document opens, the learner selects ‘Edit Presentation’ - • The learners then work on the document, saving regularly by clicking Save icon – • Each learner must Refresh the document regularly to see their peers amendments -