1 GREEN HAT RED HAT YELLOW HAT BLUE HAT WHITE HAT BLACK HAT

2 What is Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats? Has anyone told you to “put your thinking hat (cap) on”? Well, if they have they may be referring to Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats strategy. The six thinking hats all vary in color and meaning, these colors help “visualize separate modes of thinking” (4) and helps us to understand and explore the meaning of a problem or topic. It is a concrete “framework that is so effective in making people think” (2) simplistically.

3 Who is Edward De Bono? Dr. Edward De Bono is a renowned internationally for “the direct teaching of thinking as a skill”. He also developed the concept of ‘lateral’ and ‘conceptual’ thinking, which is recognized by many people from around the world. Lateral thinking is the search “for different approaches and different ways of looking at things” (1) and looks at differentviews. The Six Hats is a lateral tool. Dr. De Bono “has written 62 books with translation into 37 languages and has been invited to lectures in 54 countries” (5). He “is one of the very few people in history who can be said to have had a major impact on the way we think” (6) (6)

4 What is the purpose of the Six Thinking Hats? Allows us to think creatively The hats help “persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative” (8) It gives us the opportunity to “look at the problem from different angles” (9). Hence, the thinking hats force us to move outside our “habitual thinking style, and helps us to get a more rounded view of a situation” (8) By using the hats “thinking becomes more focused, more constructive and more productive ” It helps us “unscramble thinking so that a thinker is able to use one thinking mode at a time” (3) “Improves our performance in reading, writing, speaking and listening in all academic areas” (7) It also “improve communication, thinking, decision making, and teamwork” (7) It provides different view points

5 How do we use the Six Thinking Hats? “Each hat is a different colour and represents a different mode of thinking” (7) Only one hat can be worn a time; each hat allows us to change our way of thinking Basically the method is designed to switch thinking away from the normal, original style to a map making style“ (3) It can be used to understand and interpret various tasks It “uses strategies to assist or facilitate discussion” (4)

6 Green (Creativity and new ideas) This hat requires one to use their imagination, “it is a freewheeling way of thinking” (8) Possibilities and hypothesis are put forward Finding explanations

7 Blue (control and organization of thinking) Used when contingency plans are needed ( other possibilities) It is known as “process control” (2) because it organizes an controls the thinking process until it becomes productive Helps us to summaries and conclude our views It helps us to also reflect our ideas and think about thinking (known as metacognition)

8 White (objective, facts and figures) Allows us to identify the facts about a particular subject Looks at the data and the information that is gathered Extrapolate

9 Red (emotions and feelings) We explore our personal feelings and emotions in regards to a subject we also clarify our reactions and perception about a topic

10 Black (negative and logical) This hat is a negative hat and looks at the bad points of view (cautiously and defensively) We look at things that might not work Understand weaknesses within the topic We use judgments which later prevents us from mistakes

11 Yellow (positive) Helps us to think positively Helps us to explore optimistic view points- the values and benefits of a topic Looks for feasibilities and achievements

12 For example: White Hat: state the facts ICT in schools are more and more common, over 90% of schools in Australia have computer labs. Red Hat: state the emotions I believe it is important to have ICT in schools because it allows the student to access a whole spectrum of knowledge and information from around the world Black Hat: negative aspects I like the idea of students having individual laptops at school, but in our society mostly private school students have the advantages of having their own laptops. Hence, there is an unfair disadvantage for most public school students. Yellow Hat: positives of the situation In the future, there may be a chance for all students, from not only private but public schools in having their own laptop, mainly because technology is growing vastly around the world. Therefore laptops may become a popular demand for schools, they may also be cheaper may even be put into the schools ‘book/ technology’ list. Continued…..

13 Green Hat: creative ideas seen in the problem Laptops should be a part of the booklist requirement Support from he government- benefit for families to get to get laptops for their children Having computers exposed not only the older children in the society but also for the younger children. E.g. Kindergarten: computer gym Internet access for every family with a land line Blue Hat: sum of what is learnt In conclusion, students who have access to computers and the internet have an unfair advantage then those who are unable to access computers. Computers are an important part of our lifestyle; for education, for general information and for our individual learning. Therefore, government support should be needed for those can not access the internet or a computer. Furthermore, public school students should also be given the opportunity to have their own laptops.

14 Where are the Six Thinking Hats used? Edward De Bono’s teachings have been sought by many business companies (including; IBM, Shell, Eriksson, Ford) and schools worldwide. Used by “six-year-olds up to senior executives in some of the world’s largest corporations” (7). Primary schools to Secondary schools to University (teachers us the hats as a teaching method for their students)

15 Bibliography 1.De Bono, Edward 1991, Serious Creativity: Using the power of lateral thinking to create new ideas, Harper Collins Publishers, London 2.De Bono, Edward 1991, Six Action Shoes, Harper Collins Publishers, London 3.De Bono, Edward 1985, Six Thinking Hats, Viking, Great Britain 4. viewed 6 th of May 2005www.education.tas,gov.au/english/sixhats.htm 5. viewed 6 th of May 2005www.edwarddebono.com 6. viewed 6 th of May 2005www.edwdebono.com 7. viewed 7 th of May 2005www.learnerslink.com/SixThinkingHats.htm 8. viewed 7 th of May 2005www.mindtools.com/pages/articles/newTED_07.htm 9. viewed 6 th of May 2005www.teachnet.com/how-to/manage/sixhats html

16 Planning my Inquiry My knowledge about the Edward De Bono Six thinking Hats: This tool is used in schools and in large businesses It is used to understand a topic or problem Challenges our problem solving skills Enhances our lateral, parallel and conceptual thinking Researching and Analyzing I researched the internet for information i used books as a reference I personally used the six thinking hats for a subject~ and learnt how it is used Technology I used for the Inquiry I used the computer: internet- to search and browse Questions connected to language, Technology and Education How can the six thinking hats enhance/ develop the use of language? In what ways does this method refer to technology? How do the six thinking hats enhance the way we think?