1. Critical and creative thinking
What does it look like in the new Australian Curriculum and how is it different from what we are already doing?
Leonie
mcilvenny
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts
WASSEA Conference
Perth
21 May 2012

2. Program
How critical and creative thinking looks in the new Australian Curriculum
What we have done in the past?
Models of practice
Planning for implementation
Resources

3. Critical and creative thinking
In the Australian curriculum
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts

12. Critical and creative thinking
What have we done in the past?
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts

13. Look at different frameworks here Bloom’s Taxonomy habits of mind Cort thinking Inquiry learning Information literacy Questioning multiple intelligences graphic organisers have a picture of each
Suggest that these are he frameworks that have been used in the past and most will b familiar with a number of them. They may or may not have been used in their schools.

14. Becoming an audience for your own performance
Metacognition
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts
Becoming an audience for your own performance

15. Visible versus invisible
The ability to view our own performance is particularly useful when we learn physical skills. However cognitive work is often invisible and cannot be directly observed. How do we help students become thoughtful about their own performance as they are learning to reason about maths and history?

16. What is metacognition?
Metacognition consists of two basic processes occurring simultaneously which are monitoring your progress as you learn, and making changes and adapting your strategies if you perceive you are not doing so well.”
(Winn, W. & Snyder, D., 1998)

17. Metacognition refers to our ability to understand and manipulate our own cognitive processes. It involves thinking about our thinking and purposely making changes in how we think.”
(Tan, 2003)

18. Two aspects of metacognition
Reflection- thinking about what we know
Self –regulation – managing how we go about learning.
Research has shown that one of the key traits good problem-solvers possess is highly developed metacognitive skills. They know how to recognize flaws or gaps in their own thinking, articulate their thought processes, and revise their efforts (Brown, Bransford, Ferrara, & Campione, 1983).

19. Many students fail to think about their thinking
Many students fail to think about their thinking. They do not think about how they think, which means they cannot control their information processing. They fail to engage in the “self- planning, self-monitoring, self- regulating, self-questioning, self-reflecting, self- reviewing” that is necessary to critical thinking and learning (Hyde and Bizar, 1989).

20. Novice and expert learners
Knowing how to learn and knowing which strategies work best are the valuable skills that differentiate between expert learners and novice learners.
Novice Learners
• They always stop to evaluate their comprehension of the material.
• They generally don’t examine the quality of their work or stop to make revisions as they go along.
• They are satisfied with just scratching the surface and don’t attempt to examine a problem in depth.
• They don’t make connections or see the relevance of the material in their lives.

21. Expert learners Expert learners are more aware than novices learner
Expert learners Expert learners are more aware than novices learner. • They try to check for errors, why they fail to comprehend, and how they need to redirect their efforts. • A novice learner would go on to the next page, thinking that merely reading the words on a page is enough. An expert learner would re-read the page until the main concept is understood, or flag a difficult passage to ask for clarification from an instructor or peers later.

22. How can we take students from being novice learners to expert learners
How can we take students from being novice learners to expert learners? It is obvious that expert learners benefit more than novice learners in the classroom. As teachers, we cannot sit back and watch. We have to use thinking techniques such as self-regulated learning to guide our instructional choices.

23. Research suggests that metacognitive abilities develop over time and depend upon a knowledge base, (Brown & DeLoache 1978) Before they learn metacognitive strategies, children do not use tactics like planning their work or monitoring their own problem solving

24. Critical and creative thinking
Models of practice
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts

25. Ways of implementing critical and creative thinking in the school
Specifically articulated in the Australian Curriculum
Ad Hoc – depends on the ability and interest of individual teachers
Specific program that focuses on specific skills of critical and creative thinking (Learning to Learn, TAGS, PEAC / SEAC)
Strategically embedded into the curriculum and mapped across all year levels and a range of subjects.
Ways of implementing critical and creative thinking in the school

26. Process skills in each learning area
The Curriculum
21st century skills
General capabilities
Self-reflection
Process skills in each learning area

27. Student Metacognition Curriculum- Explicit and implied
Classroom Environment
Teaching / learning program
What the teacher says and does

28. Modeling metacognitive practices
The Teacher
Ensuring opportunities to practice metacognitive skills are embedded in each lesson
Modeling metacognitive practices
Encouraging collaborative discussions, peer and self assessment
Asking questions constantly throughout the lesson

29. Awareness of learning styles Self regulation
The student
Awareness of learning styles
Self regulation
Ability to use a range of metacognitive tools
Reflection

31. What makes good thinking lessons is providing opportunities for learners to talk about their thinking, to jointly construct meaning, to evaluate their thinking and to make connections to contexts both within and outside the curriculum. McGuiness pg 9

32. purposeful
thoughtful
controlled
reflective
questioning
intentional
mindful
strategic

33. The challenge is helping students learn how to “go meta’ in regards to thought processes that are not directly visible in order to improve their cognitive performance. Teachers must create the classroom equivalent of the mirror in the dance studio wall of the video tape of the golf swing.

34. Metacognitive Knowledge – awareness of one’s thinking – reflecting on what we know.
Awareness of knowledge- understanding what one knows, what one does not know, and what one wants to know.
Awareness of thinking – understanding cognitive tasks and the nature of what is required to complete them .
Awareness of thinking strategies – understanding approaches to directing learning summarising, notemaking)

35. Metacognitive Knowledge
What is your preferred way of learning?
Which Habits of Mind are your strongest habits?
What strategies can you use to help you improve your memory?
What is the best way to learn this information?

36. Strategies to help
Ask students to think about the way they learn best. Students must learn to become aware of their capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. How do I study best? What kinds of tools help me learn?

37. Metacognitive regulation – the ability to manage one’s own thinking processes.
When a student has information about her thinking (metacognitive knowledge) she is able to use this information to direct or regulate her learning. (Executive control)
Involves the ability to think strategically and to problem-solve, plan, set goals, organise ideas and evaluate what is known and not known.
It also involves the ability to teach others and to make the thinking process visible.

38. Metacognitive regulation
What is the best source of information for this task. What will you need to do to achieve the required outcomes? How are you going to demonstrate your understanding of the content for this topic? What did you do well and what do you need to improve next time?

39. Introduction
Introduce learning intentions Type of thinking Linking to prior experiences
Barometer Compass Menu Make thinking processes explicit Model thinking processes Linking backwards Scaffolding visually
Lesson Body
Completing challenging tasks
Pair or group work
Several iterations of group work
Mostly pupil talk
Engaging with the thinking process
Modeling the language
Asking and responding to questions about thinking and learning while on-task
Jointly constructing meaning
Planning and monitoring progress
Explaining and justifying thinking
Review
Reviewing and making connections across contexts
Reviewing the process of thinking
Reviewing the quality of the collaboration and quality of talk
Evaluating what has ben learned
Making connections at the level of process to other contexts within and outside the curriculum

40. Three ways to direct our learning
Planning approaches to tasks
Monitoring activities during learning
Checking outcomes
Three ways to direct our learning

41. Teachers can help students become better at selecting strategies.
They can help students ask and answer questions such as “ How can I keep track of what I know”. How do I decide what path to go down?
How long should I try this approach?
When should I switch to another strategy?
What should I try next?

42. Developing a culture of metacognition in the classroom
Learning environments that are knowledge- centred and learner-centred, and that take into account the role of assessment in learning, lay the foundation for a reflective classroom (Bransford et al 2000)
Metacognitive activities that ask students to reflect o what they know, care about, and are able to do not only helps learners develop an awareness of themselves, but also give learner- centred teachers valuable information for their instruction.

43. Students need opportunities to reflect on their learning because it is often difficult for them to realise what they are doing when they succeed and when they fail. The purpose of learning activities and assessment tasks needs to be made clear to to students.

44. Strategies for learning
Teachers who are developing metacognitive skills in the classroom help students incorporate active reflection in their learning. They model and scaffold the processes of reflection, questioning, evaluating, and other thinking strategies that may not come naturally. ( Linda Darling Hammond)

45. Predicting outcomes
Most often seen in mathematics or science classes, predicting helps students understand what kinds of information they might need to successfully solve a problem. Prediction also helps students compare their initial thoughts and the final outcomes of a problem or experiment.

46. Evaluating work
Students review their work and determine where the strengths and weaknesses are in their work and thinking.

47. Questioning by the teacher
The teacher asks students as they work..
What are you doing now?
Why are you doing it?
How does it help you?

48. Self –assessing
Students reflect on their learning and determine how well they have learned something or how their skill shave developed.

49. Self-questioning
Students use questions to check their own knowledge as they are learning

50. Selecting strategies
Students decide what strategies are useful for a given task. Strategy selection may depend on understanding their own learning styles and strengths as well as understanding the features of the problem.

51. Using directed or selective thinking
Students choose consciously to follow a specific line of thinking or structured approach in order to find an answer.

52. Using discourse
Students discuss ideas with each other and their teacher. This process makes thinking more concrete and helps students learn to ask questions, identify gaps in their knowledge, and learn from other’s thoughts and ideas.

53. Critiquing
Students provide feedback to other students about their work in a constructive way. This process allows students giving feedback to practice verbalizing their own thinking and students receiving feedback to improve their own thinking process and performance.

54. revising
Students return to their work after receiving feedback. This opportunity allows students to update their thinking and check their use of learning strategies.

55. Metacognition in the classroom
Classroom activities that call on these metacognitive strategies take many forms and vary depending on the topic.
Journalling
Process reflection
Self-assessment
Reciprocal teaching

56. What can teachers do?
Teachers can model thinking strategies by reflecting on their own processes as learners.
Teachers need to reflect on their own teaching with their students
Should we move on to the next topic?
Have I explained that clearly enough for everyone?
How could I have represented this information in a different way?

57. Complex learning situations Working in groups – sharing ideas and strategies Consciously using prior learning / knowledge to solve a new problem

58. How is this achIeved in a school?
Explicit Program (Learning to Learn) Whole schools program where the skills are strategically embedded into the curriculum and written into programs Teachers Professional development Curriculum writing

61. http://www. edpsycinteractive. org/topics/cognition/metacogn

70. Critical and creative thinking
Planning for implementation
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts

71. Critical and creative thinking
Resources to support you implementation of critical and creative thinking in your curriculum
Introduction. Explain that because the topic is so large and ther are so many aspects to explore that although we wil only be looking at a small part of the topic that they wlll have access to a range of resources through the website for 2 weeks after the conference.
Areas on the website include:
Links to other websites
Videos of significant people talking about metacognition
Worksheets, templates, handouts

72. Screen capture and link to making metacognition mainstream

73. Link to studyvibe