Framing Questions for Creativity, and Thinking:

From Bloom to de Bono and Beyond?

Catherine Mar November 24 - 26, 2015

Have you ever wondered why you may not have seen a course in school called “Thinking 101”? “ Creativity 101” ?

Why or why not?.....Raphael did….

What if…

“The School of Athens” by Raphael Was Raphael ahead of his time, by bringing artists, scientists and philosophers together in one school of thought? Art and science balance one another.. Problem….separations…? This painting represents the great thinkers of Greece and the Renaissance. they were experts in one thing, asking questions

At Princeton, Einstein once asked a famous poet, “How does the idea of a poem come?” The poet spoke of the role played by intuition and imagination.

“It is the same for a man of science, “ Einstein responded with delight.” It is a sudden illumination, almost a rapture. Later, to be sure intelligence analyzes and experiments confirm or invalidate the intuition. But initially there is a great forward leap of the imagination.” (Isaacson 544)

Leonardo and Einstein?

Framing Questions…what is out there ?

What kind of questioning skills do you have in your teacher’s toolbox to invite and provoke not only critical thinking, but also creative thinking…(design thinking, systems thinking, …?) Is there More?

We will look at 4 models: Bloom, UBD, Six Thinking Hats, and Perceptual Attention Directing Tools

Then we will play with OCED’s The Nature of Learning

Our Invitation for your consideration today…

One of the most powerful predictors of student success, is the teacher…..…

If we accept this premise, and as we consider our role as educators, then what are the defining attributes of an effective teacher?

Paper, graffiti, 2 minutes

PROVOCATION ONE:

Sometimes Teaching is like this because….

We are able to merge a constructivist and behavioral approach to the teaching and learning process….in other words, weave content knowledge with instructional intelligence to create effective learning environments..pedagogy

We use the learning sciences to transform content knowledge into the art of teaching

What defines our role as educators? What makes us different from other professions? What do we have in our toolbox?

How can the learning sciences(?) inform the design of the 21st century learning

environments?

Fundamentals of Learning Seven Principles of Learning Key Shifts in the 21st century Building Blocks for Innovative Learning

Environments….questions

The Nature of LearningUsing Research to Inspire Practice

Let’s consider the humble question mark…

To Pose a question...Latin : Pausare..meaning to PAUSE

In effect, we are creating a space or a pause for thought

Humble and yet very powerful…

Framing Questions

Questioning involves: Safety that increases with Wait Time Levels of Thinking such as taxonomies of thinking (Bloom’s 7 levels) Framing Questions

◦ Providing social parameters of the question, such as Wait time? How students will be selected to respond, building accountability, who their partners are for TPS..

◦ Wording? Embedded biases? Clarity?◦ The requested action, response, and thinking is clear. Assessment?

Our Response to Process…..How we monitor and build understandings and trust. What are the implications?◦ No response, correct, incorrect◦ Paraphrase, build on the answer to promote further elaboration, “tell me

more”, work the ladder from cognition to metacognition/others?

Questioning is a component of Instructional Intelligence that involves 3 areas: Skills ,Tactics, and Strategies….

Asking the Right Questions Asking intriguing, open-ended questions is an

effective way to encourage students to think deeply and to provide them with a meaningful context for learning. We can help our students become more motivated and self-directed by asking the right questions. But what are the right questions?

From Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2001). Understanding by design. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Curriculum-Framing Questions

Essential Questions: Introduce big, enduring ideas that cross all subjects, providing a bridge between many

units. Have many answers typically not found in a book. They are often life’s big questions. Capture students’ attention and require higher-order thinking; they challenge students to

dissect their thinking, apply their values, and interpret their experiences.

Unit Questions: Are open-ended and invite exploration of ideas that are specific to a topic, subject, or

unit of study. Pose problems or serve as discussion starters that support the Essential Question.

Encourage exploration, provoke and sustain interest, and allow for unique responses and creative approaches, inviting students to interpret the facts themselves.

Content Questions: Typically have clear-cut or specific answers and are categorized as “closed” questions.  Align with content standards and learning objectives and support the Essential and Unit

Questions.   Test students’ ability to recall fact based information and address the 5W’s Require knowledge and comprehension skills to answer.

Using Curriculum-Framing Questions

New Studies in Declarative and Procedural Knowledge…..Cognitive Sciences and Psychology, and Robotics

Bloom’s Taxonomy..The way we construct knowledge

New version of Bloom’s Taxonomy, includes creativity …

What are attention directing devices and tools?

Design Thinking is how to marry Critical thinking with Creative thinking….

Is Creativity something that can be taught?

Bloom’s Taxonomy….

There are 3 basic types of information:

◦ What you know

◦ What you know you do not know

◦ What you do not know that you do not know.

According to Edward de Bono…

What do we understand about the process of acquiring knowledge and are there models out there that can help direct our attention to specific tasks when generating and creating information?

Edward de Bono…………

Lateral Thinking Tools – for deliberate Creativity

Six Hats-focuses group thinking, used in business meetings

DATT- Direct Attention Thinking Tools for perceptual thinking

Simplicity – used for simplifying operations

Six Value Medals- methods for carrying out value scans

Who is Edward de Bono and what are the Thinking tools that he proposes?

Six Hat Thinking

Bloom’s Taxonomy….

First Ideas Blue - what is the thinking task? White - what do we know about..?

Green – what ideas can we think of?Quick Assessment Yellow – what are the good points?

Blue - can we summarize the good points?Evaluation Yellow - what are the good points?

Black - what are the difficulties and dangers?Improvement Black - what are the weaknesses?

Green- how can we overcome them?Explanation White - what do we know about..?

Green - what are the possible explanations?Direct Action Red - what do we feel like doing?

Black - what are the difficulties and dangers?Emotions Red - how do we feel?

White - what do we know about the situation?Green - What are the alternatives?Blue - What is the conclusion?

Six Thinking Hat Sequences

Caution White - what do we know about?Black - what are the dangers?

Design Blue - what is the design task?Green - what are the possibilities?Red - how do we feel about each design?

Possibilities Green - what are the possibilities? Blue - can we summarize the possibilities?

Usable Alternatives Green - what are the possibilities? Yellow – why will they work ?Black - what are the weak points?

Choice Yellow - what are the positive/good points?Black - what are the difficulties and dangers?Red - now, how do we feel about…?

or you could use the Attention Directing Perceptual Tools……..

More possible sequences…

These may be used as is, or transformed into your own teaching language ….instructions, discussions, assessment, framing questions..? Blend with other tactics, and strategies…? Your Choice!

Edward de Bono’s Attention Directing Perceptual Tools

Consequences and SequelsLook ahead to see the consequences of an action, plan, decision, or rule. Time scales?

Plus, Minus, InterestingEnsure that all sides of a matter have been considered before a decision or commitment is made. The result is a quick assessment scan.

Recognize, Analyze, DivideBreak a larger concept into smaller, more manageable parts. Deconstruction..

Consider All FactorsExplore all factors related to an action, decision, plan, judgment, or conclusion. 6H?

Aims, Goals, ObjectivesFocus directly and deliberately on the intentions behind actions.

Alternatives, Possibilities, ChoicesDeliberately try to find other ways; create new alternatives and choices. What if?

Other People’s ViewsPut yourself in others’ shoes. Perspectives?

Key Values InvolvedEnsure that your thinking serves your values. (may segue with OPV)

First Important PrioritiesSelect the most important ideas, factors, objectives, consequences..prioritize

Design/Decision, Outcome, Channels, ActionDirect attention to the outcome of the thinking and action that follows.

How Many…?

How can the learning sciences(?) inform the design of the 21st century learning

environments?

Fundamentals of Learning Seven Principles of Learning Key Shifts in the 21st century Building Blocks for Innovative Learning Environments

The Nature of LearningUsing Research to Inspire Practice

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

Aristotle

“Ago, ergo erigo”…I act, therefore I construct Edward de Bono

Logos, Pathos, and Ethos…