Approaches to Thinking Processes

Introduction | Table 1: Discrete thinking skills framework | Table 2: Generic thinking processes | Show All

Introduction

Thinking is the conscious act of constructing (creating) and deconstructing (critically analysing) a thought, object or representation. Table 1 outlines some key thinking skills and the processes that accompany them and Table 2 identifies some generic thinking processes and common questions students might ask when undertaking the process.

In the lower levels of schooling, students will most likely concentrate on discrete thinking skills as outlined in Table 1, especially emotional management, sequencing, identifying, comparing and classifying. As they develop, they will begin to link these groups in flexible and diverse ways that develop into increasingly complex ideas (concepts and metaphors). The greater the conceptual understanding of knowledge, skills and behaviours, the greater the capacity of students to analyse, generate, integrate and evaluate.

By the time students reach the higher levels of schooling, they approach tasks across the domains using generic thinking processes that are methodical and relevant as outlined in Table 2, although they will at times also use discrete thinking skills that are outlined in Table 1.

Teachers, through high quality strategic questioning, can help shape the quality of student’s responses. Effective questioning in the classroom will assist students in refocusing, clarifying, verifying, redirecting and refining the focus of their thinking.

Table 1: Discrete thinking skills framework

Skill	Description of thinking processes	Examples in teaching and learning	Possible Teacher Questions
Focusing: directing attention to an idea or data preparing to find out.	Developing curiosity.	In establishing students' prior knowledge before commencing a unit of work, teachers might pose questions asking what students know or understand about the topic/issue/problem.	What do you know? Why do you think ...? How could this happen? Tell me what you remember about ...?
	Defining idea/data – setting parameters and clarifying.
Collecting: Gathering information.	Observing – using all the senses to gather information.	In Science, students might be asked to use their senses to collect data on the properties of different objects.	What can you tell me about …? What do you notice about …? What do you smell?
	Questioning – forming relevant and insightful questions.
	Seeking – using relevant mediums to find information.	For a health-related topic students might be asked to collect advertisements from a variety of media on food for later comparisons.	What can you find out about ...?
	Exploring – using diverse strategies to identify a range of possibilities.
Organising: arranging information into a meaningful form.	Comparing – identifying similarities and differences.	In The Arts (Music), students might use a data chart to compare a range of music works.	What do you notice as being different? What similarities do you notice? In what ways are ... and … alike?
	Classifying – forming groups with common characteristics.
	Sequencing – creating logical order/progression.	In English, students might create a story map to show the events in a text in sequence.	What happened next? What happened prior to this event?
	Mapping – using two and three dimensional diagrams to order information.
Analysing: understanding information and ideas.	Identifying – determining key attributes or elements.	In Geography, students might use a Venn Diagram to compare human activity in three National Parks.	How are the human and natural environments inter-related? What are the common elements?
	Linking – making connections between information and ideas.
	Switching – interpreting information from a range of perspectives.	In History (Level 4), students might be asked to use evidence to support their interpretations of the Eureka stockade from the perspective of a miner and then from the perspective of a trooper.	What information do you have about ...? How did you find this information? How do you know ...? What might have happened if ...?
	Imagining – interpreting information through a range of possibilities, mediums or representations.
Generating: connecting prior knowledge with new knowledge	Inferring – using reason to add meaning beyond available information or ideas.	In Economics, students might discuss the likely impact of an interest rate change on consumer spending.	What is the relationship between … and …? What would happen if…? What are the reasons for…? What exceptions might there be to the general trend?
	Predicting – anticipating consequences and possibilities.	In Science, students might be conducting an investigation to find if light is needed for photosynthesis.	What do you think might happen? What do you think the causes of ... are? What would be the result if ...?
	Elaborating – using prior knowledge to add meaning to new information or ideas.
	Representing – adding meaning by changing the form of the data.
Integrating: connecting, combining and abstracting information.	Summarising – reducing information and ideas to core meaning.	In English, students might be asked to summarise a story using drawings.	What is the main idea of the text?
	Restructuring – changing knowledge structures to incorporate new information and ideas.
	Inducting – making conclusions from information and ideas.
	Deducting – developing rules, ideas or theories from information.
	Patterning – observing, creating, applying and/or evaluating rules, ideas, sequences, theories or forms.	In Mathematics, students might have been investigating number patterns such as Fibonacci, triangular and square.	What is the rule for the pattern? How can you test the rule? What will be the next few numbers in the pattern?
Evaluating: assessing the quality of the thinking.	Judging – setting standards for making an assessment.	Students might develop criteria for evaluating the content on a website.	How will you make a judgment?
	Verifying – confirming the accuracy of the information and the outcomes.
	Analysing errors – identifying flaws.
	Reflecting – identifying strengths and weakness for future application.	In Health and Physical Education, students might reflect on a game they devised using a Strengths, Weakness Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) tool.	How successful was ...? How can it be improved?
	Applying – determining how new knowledge might be practical.
	Transferring – determining alternatively useful applications for knowledge.

Table 2: Generic thinking processes

Formulating questions is a strategy that students can use to focus or direct their thinking to assist them to make sense of the world. Students could initiate questions to direct the focus of study or form the basis of an inquiry. The use of graphic organisers and thinking models such as critical thinking, philosophical inquiry will assist students in the thinking process. Table 2 consists of sample questions that students might ask themselves.

Thinking processes	Common questions	Examples
Making a choice or judgment	What do I believe? What do others believe? How do I/others think? What do I doubt? What are the benefits/problems? What is possible? What is likely/unlikely? How will I make a judgment? What criteria could assist me in making a judgment? What are the limits of my judgment?	Students might use Force Field Analysis to assist in making a judgment.
Solving a mystery/puzzle or overcoming an obstacle	What is the problem? What are the facts? How will I expand my thinking? What are the possibilities? What are the benefits/costs? What do I think is the solution? How practical is my idea?	Students might use a Think, Pair Share tool to explore ideas to identify and/or solve a problem.
Forming a hypothesis that may be tested	Why am I curious? Why am I puzzled? What do I believe? What do I doubt? How will I prove my belief? How will I organise my ideas? How will I make a judgment? How will I communicate my findings? How will I construct my hypothesis?	Students might use a Concept map to organise information prior to testing a hypothesis.
Creating an original idea, object or representation	What is the problem I am trying to solve? How will I expand my thinking? What is possible? What do other people think? What are the alternatives? What happens in other contexts? What if?	Students might use a Y chart to think outside the square whilst brainstorming an issue, idea, a topic or unit of work.
Investigating the past, present or future	Why am I curious? What are the facts? Why am I puzzled? What do I doubt? What is likely? What do other people think? How do I know if this is important? How will I organise/communicate my ideas? Who is my audience? What are they curious about?	Students might use a Fishbone diagram to explore: the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the modern world the effects of logging old growth forests
Investigating different possibilities	What is an appropriate metaphor? What if I reversed my assumptions? What are some playful questions? What if we switched contexts? What are the alternatives? What are the benefits/costs? How practical is my idea? How would it help us? What are my responses to opposing ideas?	Students might use a Lotus diagram to engage in creative thinking and critical analysis on the topic of: Sustainability - focusing on conserving water at their school Drugs in Sport Antarctica (What would happen if the krill disappeared?)
Exploring and describing a theory or concept	Why am I puzzled? What am I puzzled about? What are the facts? What are the possibilities? What do I believe? What do I doubt? What do other people think? How will I organise my ideas? How will I make a judgment? How will I communicate my ideas? What is the meaning of this concept? How can meaning be developed for my purpose? What is the context What assumptions am I making?	Students might use a Mind Map to explore the connections of a topic, an idea or issue such as: Ancient Egyptian beliefs Global Warming
Self regulated questioning and answering that explores their effectiveness in thinking out different tasks	What is important? What am I doing right/wrong? What critical information occurred during the development of my solution to the problem? How successful did I/others think I was? What strategies or tools could I use to improve the organisation of my information and product?	Students might use a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) or a PMI to reflect on their thinking