Higher Order Thinking Skills in The Classroom (H.O.T. Skills) Bloom’s Taxonomy Begona Farwell, Susan Grandle, Susan Kreger and Eva Navarro

What is higher order thinking? Higher order thinking essentially means thinking that takes place in the higher-levels of the hierarchy of cognitive processing.

The Griney Grollers Thinking Skills Test grandled in the granchy gak. 1. What kind of grollers were they?

The griney grollers grangled in the granchy gak. What kind of grollers were they? What did the grollers do? Where did they do it? In what kind of gak did they grangle?

The griney grollers grangled in the granchy gak The griney grollers grangled in the granchy gak. The griney grollers grangled in the granchy gak. 5) Place one line under the subject and two lines under the verb. In one sentence, explain why the grollers were grangling in the granchy gak. Be prepared to justify your answer with facts. If you had to grangle in a granchy gak, what one item would you choose to have with you and why?

Why Higher Level Thinking is Important In addition to content (the what of student’s learning and achievement) we also need to be concerned with student’s thinking skills or mental processes( the how in learning). Thinking provides the software for the mind. Higher level thinking allows student’s memory to be used effectively. Planning for Productive Thinking and Learning by Treffinger and Feldhusen, 1998,p.24

Need for Problem Solving Ability Because the pace of societal change shows no signs of slackening, citizens of the 21st century must become adept problem solvers, able to wrestle with ill-defined problems and win. Problem-solving ability is the cognitive passport of the future (Martinez, 1998). The Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills

Need for Problem Solving Ability Thinking analytically is a skill like carpentry or driving a car. It can be taught, it can be learned, and it can improve with practice. But like many other skills, such as riding a bike, it is not learned by sitting in a classroom and being told how to do it. http://www.cia.gov/csi/books/19104/art4.html When did you last experience the following?

Theory Critical thinking theory finds its roots primarily in the works of Benjamin Bloom as he classified learning behaviors in the cognitive domain.   Bloom (1956) developed a taxonomy of learning objectives for teachers which he clarified and expounded upon over the course of approximately two decades.  His ideas continue to be widely accepted and taught in teacher education programs throughout the United States. Queilmalz divides thinking into five categories a: recall, analysis, comparison, inference, and evaluation. The categories of analysis, comparison, inference and evaluation are collectively called “higher order thinking skills” (HOTS) or critical thinking skills. Each category is described in the table below. The table also contains sample “trigger words” that are associated with each category and some sample questions. The trigger words can be used as clues to help you figure out what skill a question is intended to measure.

Six Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation

Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom classifies learning behaviors according to six levels ranging from Knowledge, which focuses upon recitation of facts, to Evaluation, which requires complex valuing and weighing of information.  Each level relates to a higher level of cognitive ability. This taxonomy is useful in designing questions, lessons, tasks for students. Bloom found that 95% of test questions focused on the lowest level…the recall of information.

Question Levels Critical thinking may be thought of in terms of convergent and divergent questioning (Guilford 1956, Gallegher and Aschner 1963, and Wilen 1985).   Convergent questions seek to ascertain basic knowledge and understanding.   Divergent questions require students to process information creatively.   Convergent questions tend to align with the first three levels of Blooms Taxonomy of Learning Objectives while divergent questions relate to the latter three levels. 

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Knowledge Materials/Situations: Events, people, newspapers, magazine articles, definitions, videos, dramas, textbooks, films, television programs, recordings, media presentations Measurable Behaviors: Define, describe memorize, label, recognize, name, draw, state, identify, select, write, locate, recite Wiederhold, C. (1997). The Q-Matrix/Cooperative Learning & Higher Level Thinking. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Cooperative Learning.) Example: “Say the pledge.”

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Comprehension Materials/Situations: Speech, story, drama, cartoon, diagram, graph, summary, outline, analogy, poster, bulletin board Measurable Behaviors: Summarize, restate, paraphrase, illustrate, match, explain, defend, relate, infer, compare, contrast, generalize Example: “Explain what indivisible , liberty, and justice mean.”

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Application Materials/Situations: Diagram, sculpture, illustration, dramatization, forecast, problem, puzzle, organizations, classifications, rules, systems, routines Measurable Behaviors: Apply, change, put together, construct, discover, produce, make, report, sketch, solve, show, collect, prepare Example: “Create your own pledge to something you believe in.”

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Analysis Materials/Situations: Survey, questionnaire, an argument, a model, displays, demonstrations, diagrams, systems, conclusions, report, graphed information Measurable Behaviors: Examine, classify, categorize, research, contrast, compare, disassemble, differentiate, separate, investigate, subdivide Example: “Discuss the meaning of “and to the Republic for which it stands’ in terms of its importance to the pledge.”

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Synthesis Materials/Situations: Experiment, game, song, report, poem, prose, speculation, creation, art, invention, drama, rules Measurable Behaviors: Combine, hypothesize, construct, originate, create, design, formulate, role-play, develop Example: “Write a contract between yourself and a friend that includes an allegiance to a symbol that stands for something you both believe in.”

Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Evaluation Materials/Situations: Recommendations, self-evaluations, group discussions, debate, court trial, standards, editorials, values Measurable Behaviors: Compare, recommend, assess, value, apprise, solve,criticize, weigh, consider, debate Example: “Describe the purpose of the pledge and assess how well it achievesthat purpose. Suggest improvements.”

Steps to Constructing a Mini-Center/Activity Using The Engine-Uity Process Select a topic Brainstorm 6 concepts related to the topic Using a grid select a verb from Bloom’s Taxonomy for each level, one of the concepts, and a product for each task Translate grid into complete sentences.

Example of Grid- Comprehension Level Concept: Verb: Product: Range and population of the mountain lion Identify map

Example Mini-Center /Activity Comprehension Level Task Draw a map with a legend identifying the current range and population of the mountain lion.

What is Critical Thinking? This involves using your own knowledge or point of view to decide if something is right or wrong about someone else’s ideas. http://www.cdl.org/resources/reading_room/print/hot_and_successful.html

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Inductive thinking Deductive thinking Determining reality and fantasy Determining benefits and drawbacks

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Identifying value statements Identifying points of view Determining bias Identifying fact and opinion

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Determining the accuracy of presented information Judging essential and incidental evidence Determining relevance

Looking For Evidence Of Critical Thinking You may be a critical thinking teacher if... Learners are active and in a continuous dialogue with teacher Learning is constructing, not feeding Truth is discovered, not delivered Teacher "leads from behind" Teacher functions as a facilitator/mentor instead of lecturer Questions are answered with explanations or questions, not simply "yes" or "no"

Looking for Evidence of Critical Thinking Pertinent discussions on related issues often break out Debate is common Peers exchange ideas Learner and teacher satisfaction increases "Rabbit chasing" becomes an art - explore related issues, yet remain on task Teachers often face questions for which they have no answers Social interaction and acceptance in the class is generally high

Personal Check-up Answer the following questions: Are your  teaching objectives, activities, and assessments are tied to higher level behavioral verbs? Do all learners have the opportunity to interact with you and others? Do you allow time in your course for debating? Do your learners have to use inductive and deductive strategies? Do you find yourself using "shock" statements and questions to get learners' minds running?

Personal Check-up If you could say "yes" to most of these questions, critical thinking is probably happening in your classroom.

Bibliography http://www.lgc.peachnet.edu/academic/educatn/Blooms/critical_thinking.htm http://www.bena.com/ewinters/Bloom.html Planning for Productive Thinking and Learning by Treffinger and Feldhusen, 1998, p.24 Sandra Kaplan, National/State Leadership Training Institute Engine-Uity, Ltd.,P.O. Box 9610, Phoenix, Az 85068 Martinez, M. E. (April, 1998) What is Problem Solving? Phi Delta Kappan. 605-609.