Thinking Processes - Concepts and Skills Charts
Introduction | Reasoning, processing and inquiry | Creativity | Reflection, evaluation and metacognition | Downloads | Show all
Introduction
The Thinking Processes standards focus on a number of concepts and skills. The charts for each dimension identify the concepts and skills and the expectations of students at each level.
Key concepts and skills identified for each dimension are:
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Reasoning, processing and inquiry
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Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
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As students progress from Levels 1 to 6 the concepts and skills become more complex. Higher order thinking skills are developed through:
- a learning environment culture which values and promotes thinking
- teachers modelling skilful and effective thinking and making their own thinking processes explicit as part of their everyday practice
- providing stimulating and challenging learning opportunities.
In some cases, elements of the standards have been used verbatim in the charts; in other cases the standards include elaborations.
Reasoning, processing and inquiry chart
This chart identifies and, in some cases, elaborates the key concepts and skills in the standards.
This symbol in the Concepts and skills charts links to a graphic organiser example that can be used in teaching and learning activities to support student learning of the particular concept or skill.
This symbol in the Concepts and skills charts links to a teaching and learning activity that illustrates how the particular concept or skill might be explicitly taught.
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Key concepts and skills |
Levels 1 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
Level 5 |
Level 6 |
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Questioning/ |
Standards do not apply at Levels 1 and 2. The Level 1 and Level 2 learning focus statements suggest appropriate learning experiences from which teachers can plan relevant teaching and learning activities that support students to develop the concepts and skills. |
Use their own or teacher or peer questions when seeking information.
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Develop their own questions, as a guide, for investigation. |
Use a range of question types, including more complex questions, when undertaking investigations. |
Generate questions which allow exploration of issues from multiple perspectives. |
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Use a range of discipline-based methodologies (strategies, skills, techniques, procedures relevant to a discipline) when undertaking investigations. |
Employ appropriate methodologies for creating and verifying knowledge in different disciplines. |
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Managing information
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Collect information from a range of sources - including observations and findings from their own investigations. |
Collect relevant information from a range of sources, both primary and secondary, to begin investigations. Distinguish between fact and opinion. |
Locate and select relevant information from varied sources including quantitative and qualitative. |
Discriminate in the way they use a variety of sources. | |
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Question the validity of sources when appropriate. |
Make judgments about the worth of information. |
Identify and synthesise relevant information and consider its validity. | |||
| Apply thinking strategies and tools, which might be suggested by teachers, to organise information and concepts in a variety of contexts, such as understanding of events, texts and issues. | Use the information they collect to develop concepts, by applying thinking strategies and tools. |
Select relevant information and use appropriate thinking/reasoning strategies and tools when analysing evidence. |
Process and synthesise complex information using appropriate thinking strategies and tools. | ||
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Problem solving
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Use thinking strategies to organise their approach to problem solving activities. |
Use information they collect to solve problems. |
Complete activities focusing on problem solving which involve an increasing number of variables and solutions. | Complete activities focusing on problem solving which involve a wide range and complexity of variables and solutions. | |
| Decision making
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Provide reasons for reaching their conclusions. |
Use information they collect to inform decision making. Develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence. |
Complete activities focusing on decision making which involve an increasing number of variables and solutions. Consider their own and others' points of view when evaluating evidence. |
Complete activities focusing on decision making which involve a wide range and complexity of variables and solutions. Make decisions informed by:
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Creativity chart
This chart identifies and, in some cases, elaborates the key concepts and skills in the standards.
This symbol in the Concepts and skills charts links to a graphic organiser example that can be used in teaching and learning activities to support student learning of the particular concept or skill.
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Key concepts and skills |
Levels 1 and 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
Level 5 |
Level 6 |
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Generating ideas
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Standards do not apply at Levels 1 and 2. The Level 1 and Level 2 learning focus statements suggest appropriate learning experiences from which teachers can plan relevant teaching and learning activities that support students to develop the concepts and skills.
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Apply creative (speculative) ideas in practical ways. |
Use creative (speculative) thinking strategies in a range of contexts. |
Apply creativity in engaging with, and exploring, ideas in a range of contexts. |
Experiment with innovative possibilities within the parameters of a task. |
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Generating solutions
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Use open-ended questioning and integrate available information to explore ideas, experimenting with a range of creative solutions. |
Generate imaginative solutions when solving problems by working with both concrete and abstract idea, (their own and those of others). |
Generate multiple options, problem definitions and solutions. | Take calculated risks when defining tasks and generating solutions to increasingly complex tasks. | |
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Testing and exploring ideas
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Test the possibilities of ideas they generate. | Test the possibilities of concrete and abstract ideas (or processes) generated by themselves and others including the unfamiliar. | Demonstrate creativity in the ways they engage with and explore ideas. | Apply selectively a range of creative thinking strategies to broaden their knowledge and engage with contentious, ambiguous, novel and complex ideas. |
Reflection, evaluation and metacognition chart
This chart identifies and, in some cases, elaborates the key concepts and skills incorporated in the standards.
This symbol in the Concepts and skills charts links to a graphic organiser example that can be used in teaching and learning activities to support student learning of the particular concept or skill.
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Key concepts and skills |
Levels 1 and 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
Level 5 |
Level 6 |
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Using the language of thinking
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Standards do not apply at Levels 1 and 2. The Level 1 and Level 2 learning focus statements suggest appropriate learning experiences from which teachers can plan relevant teaching and learning activities that support students to develop the concepts and skills. |
Use appropriate language to explain their thinking. |
Articulate their thinking processes, by using appropriate language. |
Use specific language to describe their thinking. |
Use specific terms to discuss their thinking. |
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Evaluating effectiveness
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Identify strategies to organise their ideas. Identify and provide reasons for their point of view. |
Use a broad range of thinking processes and tools and reflect and evaluate their effectiveness. |
Explain the purpose of a range of thinking tools and use them in appropriate contexts. Modify and evaluate their thinking strategies. |
Explain the different methodologies used by different disciplines to create and verify knowledge. Select and use thinking processes and tools appropriate to particular tasks and evaluate effectiveness for particular tasks. |
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Examining change
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Justify changes in their thinking. | Document changes in their ideas and beliefs over time, demonstrating understanding. | Describe and explain changes that may occur in their ideas and beliefs over time. Use specific language to reflect on the thinking processes used during their investigations. |
Explain conscious changes that may occur in their own and others’ thinking when reviewing information and refining ideas and beliefs. Analyse alternative perspectives and perceptions. |
