Thinking Skills

Thinking does not occur spontaneously but must be evoked by problems and questions or by some perplexity; confusion or doubt … John Dewey

Projects used as vehicles for learning:

Feed the World
Heal the World
Clean the World
Power the World
Respect the World
Connect the World

from WPI/Nobelskills

Class Description

Time/class:
2 hours with a mid-break

Flip learning process

Read material
Assessment in class
Discuss

On-Line

In-Classroom

All class material posted on-line prior to class

Lesson plan outline

Concept:

The Thinking skills program is a comprehensive behavior change approach that concentrates on the development of the skills needed for life such as communication, decision–making, thinking, managing emotions, assertiveness, self–esteem building, resisting peer pressure, and relationship skills using Thinking skills as the foundation.

Approach:

The approach is completely interactive, using role plays, games, puzzles, group discussions, and a variety of other innovative teaching techniques to keep the participant wholly involved in the sessions.

Class learning will center around proposing a solution to one of the "World Issues".

The students will work as a team.

Students will focus on one of the world projects and develop a plan to solve the problem. It will contain the following sections:

What learning strategy did we use to solve the problem?
What obstacle's were faced in developing the solution?
What "Life Skills" did I need?
What is the problem we are solving?
What were my references?
If people on the team completed the "business class", Add a business plan
If people on the team completed the "design class", Add a design plan

Learning outcomes:

You can use Bloom's taxonomy to identify verbs to describe student learning.

Knowledge/Remembering: define, list, recognize

Comprehension/Understanding: characterize, describe, explain, identify, locate, recognize, sort

Application/Applying: choose, demonstrate, implement, perform

Analysis/Analyzing: analyze, categorize, compare, differentiate

Evaluation/Evaluating: assess, critique, evaluate, rank, rate

Synthesis/Creating: construct, design, formulate, organize, synthesize

Student assessment:

Each student will receive a personalized assessment of their skills and traits and discuss what they want to achieve. A "Success Plan" will be created to measure and provide feedback to the student as they engage in their course of study.

Class	Description	Activities
1 in-class	Introduction; In-class meeting Overview of project mapping Overview of problem solving Overview of thinking skills	Basic House-Keeping Assessment Strategy Brain Plasticity What is thinking?
2 in-class	Teams and "World Project" Using questions to set-up the project discovery.	Review of project deliverables Time management Collaboration and 6 Hats Drive out barriers
3	Systems approach and Deliverables	Mapping Skills and drawing Feedback and Assessment Organization strategy Bloom Taxonomy
4 in-class	Measurement Strategy and feedback	Questioning strategy Use measurements for improving
5	Creative and critical thinking	Respectful dealing with others Looking for value Decision making
6 in-class	Project review and Change leadership	Team reflection Presentation Turn creative work into process work
7	Managing emotions	Resisting peer pressure Handling criticism Collaboration
8	Quality Process, goal setting, planning and monitoring	Planning Monitoring Reflection ... self-monitoring 6 Sigma Lean Organization
9 in-class	Change Leadership	Building self-confidence Getting good advice Making connections Adopt new approaches
10 in-class	Celebration, Presentation	Present Solution to "World Project" Feedback Follow-up plan
Follow-up plan
Review success plan and create a yearly plan for additional courses or enhancements to existing classes. Create a study-buddy to work together with monthly meetings.

it is the policy of Project Academy not to discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, color, homelessness, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its education programs, services, activities, or employment practices.

Prepared in part by Bill Wolfson,	Copyright ©2014-2016	Last updated 09/04/2016
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