Making Thinking Visible in Education

Main Themes:

• The need for measurable learning outcomes: Educational objectives must be specific and observable to be effectively taught and assessed.
• Translating thinking into action: Cognitive processes like "critical thinking" must be broken down into concrete skills and demonstrated through observable actions or outputs.
• The power of Bloom's Taxonomy: Utilizing Bloom's Taxonomy verbs helps define measurable learning outcomes and encourages students to reflect on their learning process more deeply.
• Moving beyond "I don't understand": Empowering students to articulate their learning challenges using specific language can lead to more effective learning and teaching.

Most Important Ideas and Facts:

Problem: Vague phrases like "demonstrate the ability to think critically" or "students will think critically" are not measurable and therefore difficult to assess.

Solution:

1. Define the thinking process: Break down complex cognitive skills (like critical thinking) into specific components (e.g., analyzing arguments, evaluating evidence).
2. Use observable verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy: Choose action verbs that align with the desired thinking skills (e.g., analyze, evaluate, create).
3. Design assessments that showcase thinking: Create assignments that require students to demonstrate their thinking through observable outputs (e.g., essays, presentations, debates).

Quote: "Instead of vague outcomes like 'students will think critically,' use precise, measurable objectives tied to specific skills and outputs. This ensures that critical thinking can be effectively taught, assessed, and demonstrated in educational practice."

Problem: The common student phrase "I don't understand" is ambiguous and hinders effective communication between teachers and students.

Solution: Encourage students to use Bloom's Taxonomy verbs to articulate their learning challenges:

• Instead of "I don't understand," students can say: "I can't see a link between these two examples." (Analysis)
• Instead of "I don't understand," students can say: "I don't know how I could apply this in practice." (Application)
• Instead of "I don't understand," students can say: "What should I do better next time?" (Evaluation)

Benefits of using Bloom's Taxonomy language:

• For students: Promotes self-reflection and metacognition.
• Helps pinpoint specific areas of confusion.
• Encourages active engagement in the learning process.
• For teachers: Provides clearer insight into student understanding.
• Allows for targeted instruction and support.
• Facilitates more productive teacher-student dialogue.

Overall Takeaway: By intentionally incorporating Bloom's Taxonomy into learning objectives and classroom communication, educators can foster a more measurable, reflective, and effective learning environment for both themselves and their students.