Higher Order Thinking Skills

Communities Resolving Our Problems: the basic idea
[SUP: Sharing Problems]	[THINK: Guidance]	[LEAP: Solving Problems]

Applying Higher Order (Bloom's Taxonomy) Thinking Skills

The concept of higher order thinking skills became a major educational agenda item with the publication of Bloom et al's taxonomy of educational objectives. Others have sought to improve on the application of this frame of reference, e.g., the NorthWest, Marzano and Anderson/Krathwohl models below.

Ideas for explaining levels of thinking to a wide range of learners

List of web sites for higher order thinking skills

A model for integrating problem solving curriculums and limitations of technology;

Different models for higher order questioning and reasoning are explored:

Bloom's model, six categories of thinking skills, the original work from 1956.
NorthWest Regional Labs model, a simpler or more condensed synthesis of Bloom et al's work with five categories of thinking skills, adapted by North Carolina in 1989; also provides definitions and sample trigger question formats.
Marzano's model an expansion of Bloom's work with eight categories of thinking skills, adapted by North Carolina in 1994; plus, definitions and sample student writing, with ratings by state scorers.
Anderson/Krathwohl model (2000). Anderson was a former student of Bloom and Krathwohl one of Bloom's original partner's and co-author of the seminal work on cognitive skills. See also Kurwongbah State's work.

HOTS: Higher Order Thinking Skills Program HOTS was developed in the 1980's by Dr. Stanley Pogrow, an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Arizona, and one of the leading national experts on school reform, to reverse the slide that Title I and LD students experience in grades 4-8. If the first link is down, try one of these: Federal Dept. of Education Report; web references to HOTS AND "Higher Order Thinking Skills"
Using Technology to Enhance Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Commercial software, Internet sites, graphic organizers, books

Critical Reflections

The educational policies of Back to Basics and the ABC's do not have to be in conflict with higher order thinking. One cannot think without facts. But the reverse does not hold true. Putting the accent on facts and recall does not in turn spontaneously generate higher order thought. "The most important single message of modern research is that it is false to think that there is a sequence from lower level activities that do not require much independent thinking or judgment to higher level ones that do" (L. Resnick quoted by Kohn, 1998). The most important single message emerging from the information age and the economy of its Web is that higher order thought is not just central to its future, but is its present and your future.

The CROP site models many methods for keeping higher order thought central to its use. Once your thinking has targeted problems of interest to yourself and to others, use the SUP: Sharing Problems link at the top of this page to put your question topic in play. Send email to others of your question's location in the SUP database and invite their participation in making contributions.

A critique of education's effort to raise our standards for thinking activity in our classrooms;
A theoretical basis for interactive thinking and education.

Bibliography

Anderson, L. W. and David R. Krathwohl, D. R., et al (2000) A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Allyn & Bacon.

[ Pub: updated July 14, 2008| page author Houghton