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DOCUMENT RESUMEED 321 077AUTHORTITLEINSTITUTIONSPONS AGENCYPUB DATEGRANTNOTEAVAILABLE FROMPUB TYPEEDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORSIDENTIFIERSCE 055 192Lee, 7oward D.Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies Workshop(Menomonie, Wisconsin, January 18-20, 1989). FinalReport.Wisconsin Univ. - Stout, Menomonie. Center forVocational, Technical and Adult Education.Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical, andAdult Education, Madison.Jun 8930-109-150-239180p.; For related documents, see CE 055 193-194 andCE 055 196-199.Center for Vocational, Technical and Adult Education,218 Applied Arts Bldg., University ofWisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI 54751.Reports - Research/Technical (143)MF01/PC08 Plus Postage.Cooperative Programs; *Critical Thinking; DiscoveryProcesses; *Divergent Thinking; *Inservice TeacherEducation; Logical Thinking; *Metacognition;Postsecondary Education; Problem Solving; ProductiveThinking; Secondary Education; *Thinking Skills;Vocational Education*WisconsinABSTRACTThis document reports on two 3-day workshops designedto train three vocational education instructors or curriculumdevelopers from every Wisconsin school district in specific criticalthinking skills strategies that they could implement in theirdistricts. The document includes a three-page narrative descriptionof the workshops that includes their objectives, number ofparticipants, agenda, and summary of evaluation results. Theobjectives of the first workshop were to form a critical thinkingskills advisory committee, identify specific critical thinkingstrategies, and '-each those skills. The second workshop aimed toidentify content and format concerns with the advisory committee;identify more skills; determine what strategies were tried inschools, their degree of success, and what technical assistance isneeded; and share successful strategies with other participants. Therest of the volume consists of supporting documents, includinglett,irs announcing the workshop; a certificate of workshopcompletion; participant lists; handout materials; forms for feedbackfrom participants; evaluation rating scales; and participantcomments. (CML)Reproductions supplied by EDR3 are the best that can be madefrom the original ********************************
Final ReportWorkshop ConductedforWisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical andAdult EducationCenter for Vocational, Technicaland Adult EducationUniversity of Wisconsin-StoutMenomonie, WI 54751SLIbmitted by Howard D. Lie"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BYU.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research anu Imbovsmenr,/4EOU ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER fER'Cl)hiS docriment has Peer reprodvced asecerved fromre perScP or organizationIOriginating itMir changes h3vt beer '. made to improvereproduction qualifyTO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."Paints of View or opinions 'ated in thiS doer'went do not necessarily represent officialOERI position or policyTHINKING SKILLS ANDCOACHING STRATEGIES WORKSHOPJune 1989BEST COPY AVAILABLE2
Project #30-109-150-239The material herein was developed pursuant to Grant Number 30-109-150-239 with the StateBoard of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, partially reimbursed from allocation ofFederal funds from the Department of Fducation. Contractors undertaking such projects undergovernment sponsorship are encourged to express freely their professional judgment in theconduct of the project. Points of view or opinions stated do not, therefore, represent officialDepartmnet of Education position or policy. UW-Stout does not discriminate on the basis ofrace, sex, age, religion, handicap or national origin.i3
THINKING SKILLS AND COACHING STRATEGIES WORKSHOPFinal ReportThe Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies Workshop was conductedJanuary 18-20, 1989 at the University of Wisconsin-Stout MemorialStudent Center. This workshop was based on the needs identified bythe first thinking skills workshop conducted June 6-8, 1988. Thepurpose of the first workshop was to train a team of instructors/curriculum developers from each VTAE district on specific criticalthinking skills strategies. The need for this first workshop was basedon the present literature, and the statewide needs assessment re,,ultsof instructional staff throughout the VTAE system. For the firstworkshop, each VTAE district was asked to send a team of threefaculty members; two general education teachers or a generaleducation and occupation education teacher and the district curriculumdeveloper.These teachers were expected to take the informationlearned back to their districts and try them out in their classrooms.The curriculum developer was to provide the teachers technicalassistance and begin the process of integrating critical thinking skillsIlto the curriculum. The objectives of the first workshop were to:1. Formulate a critical thinking skills advisory committee.2. Identify specific critical thinking skills strategies based on aliterature review and contact with experts in the field.3. Conduct a three day workshop to teach specific critical thinkingskills to VTAE district teams.Thirty-seven participants from Wisconsin VTAE Districts, a CESADistrict, DPI and the State Board of VTAE participated in the firstworkshop. Evaluations from the workshop were very positive both interms of content and management of .ie conference.At the time the thinking skills workshop was approved a secondfollow-up workshop was discussed. The intent of this follow-up orThinking Skills and Coaching Strategies Workshop was to follow-up andsupport the original team sent by the VTAE districts in theirimplementation of the thinking skills strategies. The purpose was4
twofold;share experiences and successes and provide coachinginstruction and practice for team members. All original team memberswere expected to participate in this follow-up workshop and bring oneadditional vocational staff member. Upon completion of this workshop,participant teams were expected to share critical thinking strategieswith district staff members as determined by each district.The strategy used to integrate critical thinking in the VTAE classroomis to teach the skills directly to teachers who will then try them out intheir classroom. The curriculum developer provides the leadership andorganizational support to the teachers. By following up theparticipants with this second workshop, they were able to share theirsuccess and thereby reinforce the thinking skills which they learned.In addition, participants were given coaching strategies so they canteach these strategies to instructors in their own district.The objectives of the Critical Thinkir,g Coaching Workshop were:1. Meet with the critical thinking skill's advisory committee toidentify content and format concerns.2. Build on skills identified in Workshop I, by Identifying specificthinking skills sharing and coaching strategies based on aliterature review and contact with experts in the field.3. Determine what previous participants tried, how successful theywere, and what further assistance is needed.4. Conduct a two and one half day workshop to share successfulimplementation strategies and to learn coaching strategiescritical to VTAE district teams.A general notice including the agenda of the workshop was sent to theState Board of VTAE and to all Instructional Services Administratorson December 12, 1988 (see Attachment A). Each district was asked toform or send the original team and send their names to CVTAE.The workshop was conducted January 18-20, 1989 at the University ofWisconsin-Stout Memorial Student Center. Participants were providedwith lunch each day with member districts covering the other expenses.One graduate credit was given to participants if they wanted it.University policy requires that participant; however, pay the graduatesegregated fee of 9.64. Most participants selected this option.
Participants were also mailed Certificate of Completion (seeAttachment B for sample).Twenty-six participants from 11 Vocational Technical Collegesparticipated in the workshop. Two additional participants from CESA10 also attended. Most of the instructors who attended were from thegeneral education area with three from the technical occupationalareas. Two were supervisors and two were curriculum specialists (seeAttachment C for participant list).The agenda consisted of a review of the crlical and creative thinkingstrategies and which strategies work by Ann Mielke, General Educationtrtstructor at Moraine Park Technical College. Kathy Kelly, StaffDevelopment Specie liSt, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, reviewed theTactics for Thinking Model, introduced new strategies, discussedimplementation of presentations and coaching skills, curriculum,implementation strategies and provided opportunity for team planning.The complete three day agenda is attached (see Attachment D).Participants were also provided with many handouts which were addedto the original materials (See Attachment E).Participants were provided with a review from the June 1988workshop, some new information on thinking skills, but also someimplementation strategies for developing a program in their ownsetting. A feedback sheet (Attachment F) permitted the presenter's tomodify their presentation to meet the needs of the participants. Timewas provided to permit districts who sent teams to plan a possibleprogram and consider factors of implementation such a program intotheir school. They were asked to report to the workshop participantsand were provided feedback on their plan. Both speakers provided adetailed handout of concepts relating to teaching , inking or factors onimplementation.Evaluation results shows that the workshop was very well received.The tabulated average rating for the 17 evaluation questions was 4.1out of a possible 5 (see Attachment G). Participant comments are alsoattached (see Attachment H) and indicate excellent results.6
ATTACHMENT ALetters of Notice7
-y,'UNIVERSITYII T A rCU"L.,".'O-F- WISCONSINCENTER FOR VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION715-232-1382MENOMONI E.;1':W I 5 C .0 N I N;1'I3t:t'fill:1'i!.-i'#tiI.iMEMO.iiDATE: December 12, 1988TO: All ParticipantsThinking Skills WorkshopJune, 1988UW-StoutFROM: Howard Lee & Sue FoxwellRE: THINKING SKILLS AND COACHING WORKSHOPJanuary 18-20, 1989The follow-up workshop to the June Thinking Skills Workshopis being planned for January 18-20, 1989, at the UW-StoutStudent Center. As participants in workshop I, we wantedyou to know that the attached letter went to InstructionalServices Directors requesting registration information be sentto us by December 30, 1988. An agenda will then be sent toparticipants.We look forward to a great workshop.Hope to see you there.jrrUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSINSTOUT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UNIVERSITY.854751
CVTAECENTER FOR VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATIONDATA Nonattencirlgi-VsR*1 382December 7,1988«line 1*«line 2*«line 3*«line 4*«line 5*Dear «name*:PLEASE RESPOND BY DECEMBER 30, 1988We have just received word that the State Road of Vocational,Technical and Adult Education has awarded the Center forVocational, Technical and Adult Edimation extramuralto conduct a Thinking Skills and Coaching StrategiesWorkshop. This workshop will be held, January 18-20, support1989, at the UW-Stout Student Center.An announcement toDistrict Directors from Dr. Sorensen will be forthcoming.The purpose of this workshop is to:1. Build on critical thinking skillsidentified in Workshop I.2. Introduce new thinking skills.3. Determine which strategiesparticipants tried, how successfulneeded.4. Develop coaching skills to permit participants toschool.they were and what further assistance issnare thinking skills suntegies with others in their ownAccording to our records, your district did not participate in theworkshop held June 8-10, 1988, at UW-Stout. Wewould encourage you to send a team which includes a curriculumfirstdeveloper, a general education instructor, andinstructorto this Thinking Skills and Coaching i?trategiesa vocationalWorkshop.Credit fradOne credit (either graduate or undergraduate) will be offered withtuition waived. A small UW-Systeminstitutional fee (graduate 9.82, undergraduate 12.54) will be theonly charge. Registration for credit willoccur at the workshop.The workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday,;may 18, 1989, and conclude at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, January 20,1989. A detailed agenda will be sent to registered participantsprior to the workshop.The workshop grant will cover Wednesday r.lid Thursday lunchand breaks and the morning break on Friday. Other meal,travel and lodging expeases are the responsibility of eachVTAE district. There will be no general registration charge for thisworkshop.Please complete the enclosed registration form and return it inthe envelope provided by December 30, 1988. We tookforward to your involvement in this staff developmentactivity.If you have questions, please contact Sue Foxwell(715) 232-1885.atSincerely,Howard Lee, Co-DirectorCenter for Vocational, Technicaland Adult EducationUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout218 Applied Arts BuildingMenomonie, WI 54751Sue Foxwell, Workshop CoordinatoruTUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSINSTOUT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UNIVERSITY.9
Instructional ServicesRecevied 1988 nonparticipating district letterdated 12/7/88:Thomas ManeyDean of InstructionNicolet Technical CollegeP.O. Box 518Rhinelander, WI 54501Allen Ellingson, Assistant DirectorEducational ServicesNortheast Technical College2740 West Mason Street, P.O. Box 19042Green Bay, WI 54307-9042James Olds, AdministratorDean of Instructional ServicesSouthwest Technical CollegeRoute 1, Box 500Fennimcre, WI 53809Kenneth Mills, Assistant DirectorEducational ServicesNorth Central Technical College1000 Campus DriveWausau, WI 54401Brian OehlerAssistant District DirectorMid-State Technical College500 - 32nd Street NorthWisconsin Rapids, WI 54494Recevied 1988 participating district letterdated 1211/88:William Ihlenfeldt, Assistant DirectorInstructional ServicesChippewa Valley Technical College620 West Clairemont AvenueEau Claire, WI 54701Laurence SchoenbergerAssistant District DirectorWaukesha County Area Technical College800 Main StreetPewaukee, WI 53072Philip Thaldorf, AdministratorInstructional ServicesWestern Wisconsin Technical College304 North Sixth Street, P.O. Box 908LaCrosse, WI 54602-0908Fred Baue, Assistant DirectorInstructional ServicesWisconsin Indianhead Technical CollegeHCR 69, P.O. Box 10BShell Lake, WI 54871Frederick Mitchell, Assistant DirectorInstructional ServicesArea Technical College District No. 43550 Anderson StreetMadison, WI 53704Karen Knox, Assistant District DirectorInstructional ServicesBlackhawk Technical College6004 Prairie Road, P.O. Box 5009Janesville, WI 53547Merlin Gentz, AdministratorInstructional ServicesFox Valley Technical College1825 North Bluemound Road, P.O. Pox 2277Appleton, WI 54913-2277Ralph TroellerEducational Services DirectorGateway Technical College3520 - 30th Avenue, P.O. Box 1486Racine, WI 53403Edward Falck, AdministratorEducational ServicesLakeshore Technic& College1290 North AvenueCleveland, WI -.',J015Phil LangermanExecutive DeanMilwaukee Area Technical College700 West State StreetMilwaukee, WI 53233Betty BrunelleAssistant Director - InstructionMoraine Park Technical College235 Ncrth National AvenueFond du Lac, WI 54935
UNIVERSITYOFWISCONSINCVTAECENTER FOR VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION715-232-1382December 12, 1988Lou Chinnaswamy, ConsultantWI Board of VTAE310 Price PlaceP.O. Box 7874Madison, WI 53707MENOMONIE!::,WISCONSINi,'1RE: Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies WorshopJanuary 18-20, 1939Dear Lou:Attached is a suggested letter describing the workshop to be sent out under Dr. Sorensen'ssignature. Please note that because of ;he timeline, we have sent workshop information andregistration material to previous participants and instructional services directors, noting that thisletter from Dr. Sorensen would be forthcoming. A copy of that corresponsdence is enclosed foryour information.We look forward to working with you on this important professional development initiative.Please feel free to contact either myself, (715) 232-2343, or Sue Foxwell, Workshop ProgramCoordinator, (715) 232-1885, if you have any questions.Sincerely,oward Lee, Co-DirectorCenter for Vocational, Technicaland Adult EducationjrrEnclosurepc: Jim UnlessSue Foxwell4UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSINSTOUT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UI4IVEI.SITY.54751
Date:December 12, 1988Subject:Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies WorkshopJanuary 18-20, 1988, University of Wisconsin-Stout, MenomonieContact:Lou Chinnaswamy, ConsultantDistribution: District DirectorsAssistant Directors of Instructional ServicesMeeting Distribution ListThe Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education (WBVTAE) is sponsoring aProfessional Development Workshop for instructors according to the following design:Subject: Thinking Skills and Coaching StrategiesDate:January 18-20, 1989Site:University of Wisconsin-StoutStudent CenterMenomonie, WisconsinBackground: The WBVTAE encourages the development of initiatives and educationalopportunities for professional advancement of educators of the VTAE system through the RFPprocess. The professional development committee with the assistance of UW-Stout has designedthis fellow -up thinking skills and coaching strategies workshop for a selected team of educatorsfrom each VTAE district.Qbjectives of the Workshop: This three-day workshop on Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategiesis a follow up of a workshop conducted on the UW-Stout campus in June, 1988. The participantswill be guided to build on skills identified in Workshop I by identifying how specific thinkingskills and coaching strategies were tried, how successful they were and what further assistance isneeded in implementation. The workshop structure will assist the participants in continuing toconstruct learning activities and implementation strategies that promote higher order thinking skills.Participants: Each district is requested to select a team of four educators of which one is analternate member. The same team members which attended Workshop I should attend this followup workshop, if possible. If this is not possible, please appoint an alternate. The recommendedcomposition of the team is:a curriculum specialist,an instructor from vocational program or discipline area, andone instructor from general education.The alternate may be from any one of the disciplines or general education.10
Registration and credits: Decisions pertaining o the cost of travel and lodging are to be wide bythe participants and the parent district. Lune.s and breaks will be covered by the p.- ,.it.:t.Housing is available at local area motels. Orm graduate or undergraduate credit will be available forworkshop participants with tuition waived. Qedit enrollees are responsible for paying a CMSystem institutional fee of 9.82 (graduate) and 12.54 (undergraduate).Inquiries: Any inquiries should be directed to:Sue Foxwell, Conference Program CoordinatorCenter for Vocational, Technical and Adult EducationUW-S tout218 Applied Arts BuildingMenomonie, WI 54751(715) 232-1885.Back-up on information request will be provided by Orville Nelson, (715) 232-1362, HowardLee, (715) 232-2343, or Lou Chinnaswamy, (608) 266-2222.Under c:parate cover, letters have been sent to previous participants and instructional servicesdirectors which include workshop and registration information. Districts have been requested tosubmit registrations by December 30, 1988, so final workshop preparations can be made.Your cooperation for this important professional development initiativn is eantestly requested.Robert P. Sorensen, Ph.D.State DirectorjrrEnclosure13
ATTACHMENT BCertificate of Completion14
Thinking and Coaching StrategiesCertificate of CompletionThis is to certify thatParticipated in 18 hours of Instruction January 18-20, 1989, at UW-StoutHoward Lee, Project CoordinatorSue Foxwell, Workshop CoordinatorA project sponsored by the Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education and theUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout, Center for Vocational, Technical and Adult Educationi1516
ATTACHMENT CParticipant ListIT
VTAE Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies WorkshopParticipant ListJanuary 18-20, 1989DistricparticipantChippewa Valley Technical College620 West Clairemont AvenueEau Claire, WI 54701-1098(715) 833.6200Charles Cooley, Science-MathFlorence Erickson, Nursing SupervisorSonja Rathbun, NursingJill Tallman, NursingGateway Technical CollegeRacine Campus1001 South Main StreetDavid Hasenbach, General EducationRacine, WI 53403-1582(414) 631-7304Elkhorn Campus400 South Highway HElkhorn, WI 53121-2020(414) 723-5390George Jacobson, General EducationLakeshore Technical College1290 North AvenueCleveland, WI 53015(414) 458-4183Marvin Schrader, Curriculum and Research SpecialistFay Shemchak, ReadingMid-State Technical College500 - 32nd Street NorthWisconsin Rapids, WI 54494(715) 423-5650Marge Colby, GOALGale Jackson, GOALNancy Knapp, GOALMoraine Park Technical College235 North National Avenue, P.O. Box 1940Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1940(414) 922-8611Judy Nell, Curriculum and Instructional ManagerNorth Central Technical College1000 Campus DriveWausau, WI 54401(715) 675-3331Rita Baltus, Speech - PsychologySouthwest WI Technical CollegeBronson BoulevardFennimore, WI 53809-9989(608) 822-3262Cecil Allen, Machine ToolRonald Coppernoll, CounselorJohn Gander, Dean of Industrial OccupationsWaukesha County Technical College800 Main StreetPewaukee, WI 53072(414) 691-5566Ingrid Huebner, Placement SpecialistJan Lathrop, Instructional Development SpecialistEldor Teske, Auto Body Repair InstructorMike Wittig, Program ManagerWestern WI Technical College304 North Sixth Street, P.O. Box 908Kenneth Balls, General Education ChairpersonEugene Erickson, Sheet Metal and Metal FabricatorsMarcia Meshbesher, Technical NursingLa Crosse, WI 54602-0903( "38) 785-9200WI Indianhead Technical CollegeHCR 69, Box 10BGeorge Pratt, General Education/Special NeedsShell Lake, WI 54871(715) 468-2815CESA 10725 West Park AvenueChippewa Falls, WI 54729John Cavanaugh, Instructional Services DirectorGerald Munyon, LVEC(715) 723-034118
VTAE Thinking Skills and Coaching Strategies WorkshopParticipant List (continued)DistrictParlidpallLUW-StoutCenter for Vocational, Technicaland Adult Education218 Applied Arts Building(715) 232-1885Lolly Baldus, Assistant ResearcherSue Foxwell, Workshop CoordinatorHoward Lee, Co-DirectorInstitute of Professional RenewalWhite Bear Lake Area School District 6242399 Cedar AvenueWhite Bear Lake, MN 55110(612) 429-5391Kathy Kelly, PresenterMoraine Park Technical College235 North National Avenue, P.O. Box 1940Fond du Lac, WI 549361940(414) 922-8611Ann Mielke, Presenter
ATTACHMENT DAgenda20
(Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education and the Center forVocational, Technical and Adult Education, University of Wisconsin-StoutTHINKING SKILLS WORKSHOPJune 8, 9, 10, 1988THINKING SKILLS AND COACHING STRATEGIESWORKSHOPJanuary 18, 19, 20, 1989Memorial Student CenterUniversity of Wisconsin-StoutThis Workshop is sponsored through a grant from the Wisconsin State Board ofVocational, Technical and Adult Education.UW-Stout does not discriminate on the basis of racy, sex, age, religion, handicap ornational origin.21
AGENDAThinking Skills and Coaching Strategies WorkshopJanuary 18-20, 1989UW-Stout Memorial Student CenterWednesday, Januar Xi 1.1952 - Maplewood/Oakwood Rooms8:00 - 8:30 Registration8:30 - 9:00 Administrative Actions9:00 - 10:30Review of Critical and Creative Thinking StrategiesAnn Mielke10:30 - 10:4510:45 - 12:4512:45 - 1:301:30 - 2:152:15 - 2:302:30 - 3:303:30BreakReview of Critical and Creative Thinking Strategies(continued)Lunch with discussion - Heritage RoomWhich Strategies WorkBreakWhich Strategies Work(continued)AdjournThursday. January 19. 1989 - Great Hall: North and West Rooms8:30 - 10:30Review Tactics for Thinking ModelNew StrategiesLessons10:30 -10:4510:45 - 12:45Kathy KellyBreakReview Tactics for Thinking ModelNew StrategiesLessons(continued)12:45 - 1:101:30 - 2:15Lunch with discussion - Heritage RoomImplementationPresentation skillsCoaching skillsCurriculum2:15 - 2:302:30 - 3:30BreakImplementationPresentation skillsCoaching skillsCurriculum(continued)3:30AdjournFriday. .Tanuary 20. 1989 - Great Hall: North and West Rooms8:30 -10:3010:30 -10:4510:45 -12:00Implementation strategiesTeam planningPlanBreakTurn in individual district implementation planEvaluationr.)")A. 4,
ATTACHMENT ENotebook Materials23
Reflections n MeaslaringThinking, While Listening toMozart's Jupiter SymphonyAS SNOW IS inevitably fol-lowed by small boys withsleds, so has the currentpreoccupation with higherorder thinking skills (HOTS)been followed by the :est makers in earnest pursuit of better methods for assess-ing those skills.1 It seems reasonablethat, having accepted responsibility forimproving pupils' thinking, we concernourselves with finding ways of determining to what extent we have been successful. Teach-test-reteach is the backbone ofmuch educational practice. And what weteach and how we assess that teachinghave implications not only for our basicunderstanding of student progress andteacher effectiveness, but also, on a highSELMA WASSERMANN is a professor inthe Faculty of Education at Simon FraserUniversity. Burnaby, B.C.Will we ever accept the notion that some importanthuman activities are so complex that we must livewith their ambiguities? If we don't, Ms. Wassermannwarns, well be forced to face the music.BY SELMA WASSERMANNer plane, for the larger picture of whatwe want students to become.Educators have made a deep commitment to the role of measurement in edu-might reasonably assume, therefore, thateducators by and large agree on the waysto evaluate student learning and on whichtests are good.cation, in dollars spent (millions and mil-However, that is far from the case.lions); time given over to taking testsThere is probably no other educationalpractice that is so beset by argument,(thousands and thousands of hours); energy expended (unquantifiable, but excessive); and value placed on results (for stu-heated polemics, and conflicting views asevaluation, with each side able to pointdent placement, for scholarships, for to its own body of "scientific" researchhonors, for student self-worth). One to support its own claims? One wouldJANUARY 1989Mustrutoon kt Tern Sorel'24365
Ifa caged chimpuses a stick as atool to pull in abunch of bananasfrom outsidehis cage, isthat thinking?one thing is clear, it is that even amongexperts the definitions of what we callthinking vary greatly, from the "phantom cunning and resourcefulness of themind," suggesting mysteries and secretsyet to be uncovered, to the computer-like"information processing. "" Different con-ceptions of thinking have given rise tosuch terms as laterai thinking, rightbrain thinking, left-brain thinking, linearthinking, metaphoric thinking, criticalthinking, cognitive processing, creativethinking, and many others, each representing its own view of the ways in whichthe human mind functions. Does the mindperform all these mental functions? Orhave we yet to determine which of theexperts is correct in his or her conceptualization? Having studied thinking fornearly 30 years, I have come to believethat, like mental health or parenting,think that evaluation practices might,even in a small way, reflect some of thisuncertainty -- that we might be more circumspect in our use of classroom evaluation. It is one of the larger ironies that,while the debate rages and while the final verdict is far from decided, measurement practices nevertheless continue in,as Phil Esterhaus would say, "the extre-qe(about which there remains much to learn.TERE IS MUCH about thinking that baffles me. For exam-ple, my friend and colleagueSylvia hliton-Warner used todescribe her writing process thus: "I feelThe concern for teaching students tothink has given rise to a concern for thetesting of thinking. This new movement,cheekily dubbed HOTS by the acronymmakers, seeks an unambiguous picture ofwhat students actually do in the act calledthinking and wishes to find a standardizedway of determining whether that thinking is "good." Such examinations are ex-pected to enable us to determine withconsiderable authority whether studentsare moving from LOTS (lower-orderthinking skills) to HOTS. We would alsobe able to translate student performanceinto a numerical score, allowing us to fixthe extent to which students are progressing on the LOTS-to-HOTS scale. If thetests of thinking follow normal schoolbased patterns, a teacher should quitesoon be able to say about a student, "Sheis thinking up to grade level," just as thatsame teacher now says, "She is readingup to grade level." Or perhaps, "He is notthinking up to his potential." Or even,"Her thinking skills are measured at 4.1on the Fonebone Scale of HOTS."the mental capability' thatThinkingwe perceive to be an inherently humanharacteristic is such an intriguing sub,.vt. We have been preoccupied with thishuman capability for centuries. Yet, if366thinking is probably one of those metaconcepts that is still being explored andit surfacing. I try to hold it back, but ithas a mind of its own. Finally, I am unable to contain it, so I must give in. I sitat my table, put my fingers on the typewriter keys, look up, and just write whatI see." Can this be called thinking?Eudora Welty described her own writ-side his cage, is he engaged in problemsolving? Is that thinking? In the famous"bees experiment" conducted at Princeton University, in what appeared to bea case of the bees outguessing the investigators, were the bees thinkin
Adult Education, Madison. PUB DATE. Jun 89 GRANT 30-109-150-239 NOTE 180p.; For related documents, see CE 055 193-194 and. CE 055 196-199. AVAILABLE FROM Center for Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, 218 Applied Arts Bldg., University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI 54751. PUB TYPE. Reports - Research/Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01 .
