1. What are they? Why do we use them? How do we use them?
Thinking Tools
What are they?
Why do we use them?
How do we use them?

2. Thinking is a skill which must be explicitly taught
Thinking is a skill which must be explicitly taught. Therefore … Thinking Tools provide strategies and processes to aid this development.

3. The right tools are necessary to complete a set problem or task.
If given the tools to do this, then the task becomes manageable.
“Offering an appropriate thinking strategy, tool or process will more likely produce better discussion and therefore achieve the intended outcome.”
Eric Frangenheim

4. Exponents of Thinking Tools influencing Bellevue School …
Eric Frangenheim
International Facilitator who works extensively in New Zealand.
Has worked with ICT PD Cluster (Rotorua), which was
attended by Bellevue School IT Lead Teachers
Michael Pohl
International Key Note speaker and workshop facilitator at the
Waimarino ICT PD Cluster Mini Conference

5. A model which is used to develop critical and creative thinking is … Bloom’s Taxonomy. … a model which provides a broad range of higher order thinking skills. … a tool used for planning and delivery of curriculum.

6. Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy T H I N K GE R O D F O U N D A T I T H I N K G T H I N K G
Eric Frangenheim

7. Critical Thinking cannot be developed by low order, yes / no or closed questions.
Analysis +
Evaluate =
“Critical Thinking”
Students taking responsibility for their own thinking.

8. Students are empowered when…
They understand the level of the question (Bloom - Evaluation)
They understand the expected outcome (behave like a Judge)
They know which appropriate thinking strategy/tool/process to employ
Eric Frangenheim

9. Many different Thinking Tools have been developed
Many different Thinking Tools have been developed. They are used within Bloom’s Taxonomy. They are used both within integrated learning units and as stand alone activities. They are suited to varied tasks and varied ages.
PMI TP
KWL
Round Robin
Silent Shuffle
Thinking Hats
Y Chart
Thinking Keys

10. 1. De Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats A visual tool … enabling students to identify what type of thinking they are using for any given tasks. Particularly effective with young students.

11. Black hat - What is wrong with this. Why will this not work
Black hat What is wrong with this? Why will this not work? Yellow hat - What is good about this? Why does this work? White hat - What are the facts? How do we find out? Red hat What do I feel about this? Green hat - What ideas do we have? How do I work this out? Blue hat What have we done? What do we do next?

12. Group or individual tasks
Wearing the White Hat. (What are the facts about this picture?)
Wearing the Yellow Hat. (What is good about this, what works well?)
Wearing the Black Hat. (What is bad about this, what does not work?)
Wearing the Red Hat. (How do you feel about this?)

13. Students can be given opportunities to self assess their understanding of the ‘Thinking Hats’ and when each should be used.

14. Students learn to identify
which coloured hat they need,
and this …
clarifies their thinking
creates a focus for their thinking

15. 2. Brainstorming Ideas are discussed. Ideas are analysed. Goldfish
Lots of ideas wanted
All responses recorded
Criticism not allowed
Thinking outside the square
Ideas are discussed.
Ideas are analysed.
Judgements are made.
Solutions found, decisions made.
Goldfish
tank
air
swim
beach
Look after
sea
sand
oxygen
hide
bubbles
plants
food
water
gills
fin
Wave their tails
Breath under water

16. Extended Brainstorming
Fluency flood of ideas
Flexibility different kinds of ideas
Originality unusual ideas
Elaboration expanded ideas
e.g.
Ways to catch a cheetah
Things that are cold
Uses for a metre of string
Things found underground

17. The Problem with Brainstorming
Only 1 student out of 30 = 3%
Not all are engaged
Too bright. Too confused
>15 seconds – energy nosedive
Good news – all strategies or thinking tools are better forms of Brainstorming – so therefore more student engagement
Eric Frangenheim

18. 3. PMI - Plus, minus, interesting De Bono (improving)
A simple and effective tool in which students can organise their ideas and clarify their thinking.
PMI helps students learn to:
see both sides of an argument
view things from a different point of view
think broadly about an issue
suspend judgement
make informed decisions
work as individuals, in pairs or as members of a group

19. Students are given a format on which to record their ideas.

20. PMI can be a fun format through which to encourage lateral thinking …
What if cats were all green?
What if dogs lived underground?
What if dinosaurs still lived?

21. 4. Thinker’s keys Tony Ryan
Strategies to encourage divergent thinking and discussion.
Question starters are presented to unlock thinking abilities of students.
The Reverse
The What if
The Disadvantages
The Combination
The BAR
The Alphabet
The Variations
The Picture
The Prediction
The Different Uses
The Ridiculous
The Commonality
The Question
The Brainstorming
The Inventions
The Brick Wall
The Construction
The Forced Relationships
The Alternative
The Interpretation

22. 5. Graphic organisers Recording Organising Focusing Comparing
Contrasting
Analysing
Judging
Recalling

23. KWI facts questions prior knowledge What I know What I want to know
Graphic organiser
KWI
What I know
What I want to know
What I have
learned
facts
questions
prior knowledge

24. Venn diagram …an analytical tool to depict shared characteristics
Graphic Organiser
Venn diagram …an analytical tool to depict shared characteristics

25. Graphic Organiser
Y Chart
Looks like …
Sounds like …
Feels like …

26. Tournament Prioritiser
Graphic Organiser
Tournament Prioritiser
Sorting priorities on a set topic …
Create a list
‘Seed’ the list
Discuss and feedback

27. Eric Frangenheim

28. If you were shipwrecked what would you take onto a deserted island?

29. (Noisy) Round Robin Have definite aim or purpose
Graphic Organiser
(Noisy) Round Robin
Have definite aim or purpose
Generate a large number of ideas quickly
Follow set rules
Have teams of 2-4
Have set topic
Have I scribe per team
Follow Brainstorm rules

30. Groups record their ideas on a topic
Papers rotate around the groups who add their own new ideas
Groups decide on their 2-4 top ideas
the most dangerous idea
the most creative idea … etc
Teacher records all chosen ideas
Discussion follows …
… Critical thinking!

31. Silent Card Shuffle Silent Card Classification (no talking)
Graphic Organiser
Silent Card Shuffle
Silent Card Classification (no talking)
Challenge, Justify, Improve
In groups, circle, observe, discuss
Return and Refine
Teacher Debrief
Eric Frangenheim

32. ly NOUNS VERBS ADVERBS ARTICLES PRONOUNS The Judge In a cup….
ADJECTIVES
VERBS
ADVERBS
ARTICLES
PREPOSITIONS
PRONOUNS
The Judge
In a cup….
Who says so?
Flagpole
Green
Sang
Quickly
the up
who
Businessman
Jovial
Climbed
Carefully a
for he
Umbrella
Tropical
Manoeuvred
Ridiculously an in it
Key
Big
Jumped
Often of
they ly
Eric Frangenheim

33. We aim to encourage students to
take some responsibility for their
own learning.
We aim to engage students
positively in decision making and
thinking critically and creatively.

34. We aim to develop in our students positive habits … Habits of Mind!
These are 16 habits developed by Art Costa.
Persistence Stop and think
Listening Working with others
Creating and innovating New ideas
Make it right That’s funny
Learning forever Questions
Being clever Thinking flexibly
5 Senses Thinking about thinking
Wow! Past knowledge

35. offers some award winning examples of not
Eric Frangenheim
offers some award winning examples of not
using critical and lateral thinking.

40. Thinking Tools. The development of
analytical, critical and creative thinking
in students,
can be positively enhanced
by the use of varied
Thinking Tools.
‘Thinking Tools’
Pam Seath