According to Norris (1985), "the explicit teaching of thinking skills can enhance the academic achievement of students" (p. 42). Paul (1990) asserts that a teacher's effective use of inquiry can cultivate and stimulate thinking processes in students.
Review the higher order thinking skills defined in A model of learning objectives, based on a taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives.
Also, review the video clips of group-learning below:
- Small Group Oral Language Sample for Early Childhood Education
- Technology in Early Childhood Family Education Classrooms
- Introduction to Large-Group Time
Identify three different levels of thinking that children demonstrate in each video. Based on your experience in early childhood education and based on your reading, describe how teachers can encourage higher order thinking skills in young children and the role of technology in this effort.
In your discussion post, address the following:
- Which higher order thinking skills are most important for teachers to encourage?
- What higher order thinking skills do you see in the videos?
- How can teachers make use of inquiry to facilitate the development of higher order thinking skills?
- Provide specific examples of questions that stimulate this kind of thinking and analysis.
- Describe how technology should be used in the early childhood classroom and how it relates to the development of higher order thinking skills.