IT for Higher Thinking Skills and Creativity

Involving learners in viable IT-based projects

Learners Before…

• Receive• Recall• Recite

HOWEVER. . .Today, they should be…

• Flexible• Analytical• Creative

Computer Thinking SkillsFOCUSINGDefining the problem, goal/objective setting, brainstorming

RememberingAssociating, relating new idea with the old

AnalyzingIdentifying idea constructs, patterns

Information Gathering

Selection, recording of data or information

GeneratingDeducing, inducting, elaborating

ImaginingVisualizing, predicting

DesigningPlanning, formulating

OrganizingClassifying, relating

IntegratingSummarizing, abstracting

EvaluatingSetting criteria, testing idea, verifying outcomes, revising

The Upgraded Project Method

students work on projects with depth, complexity, duration, and relevance to the real world.

PROJECTS

Higher level

thinking skills

LINK

Constructivist Paradigm

• decides what to put in the project

• how to organize the information

• package the outcomes for presentation

The PROCESS…Refers to the thinking/affective/psycho-motor process that occurs on the part of the learner. This comprises the journey that actualizes learning.

“THE PROCESS IS MORE

IMPORTANT THAN

THE PRODUCT”

The PRODUCT…

The result of the all-important process consisting in possibly a summary, a poster, an essay, a term paper, a dramatic presentation (in the traditional project methods) and or an IT-based product.

• Resource-based projects• Simple creations• Guided Hypermedia

projects• Web-based projects

Key Elements of Constructivist Approach

• The teacher creates the learning environment

• The teacher gives the students the tools and facilities

• The teacher facilitates the learning-process

I. Resource-Based Projects

The teacher lets the students find their own facts and information

• The teacher determines the topic for the examination of the class (e.g. the definition of “man”)

• The teacher presents the problem to the class

• The students find information on the problem/question

• Students organize their information in response to the problem/issue

What is a Webquest?

This is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners are drawn from the web

A Real WebQuest....

• is wrapped around a doable and interesting task

• requires higher level thinking, not simply summarizing.

• makes good use of the web. • isn't a research report or a step-by-step

science or math procedure. • isn't just a series of web-based experiences.

II. Simple Creations

Students are assigned to create software materials that will supplement the need for relevant and effective materials

• Creative Writer on writing (by Microsoft)• KidWork on painting and drawing (by Davidson)• Mediaweave on multimedia (by Humanities

software)

Creativity Abilities

• Analyzing – distinguishing similarities and differences

• Synthesizing – making spontaneous connections among ideas

• Promoting – selling of new ideas

Steps in Developing Creativity

• Define task• Brainstorm• Judge the

ideas• Act• Adopt flexibility

III. Guided Hypermedia Projects

Production of self-made multimedia projects• As an instructive tool (e.g. ppt

presentation on a selected topic)• As a communication tool (e.g. a

multimedia presentation simulating a television news)

HyperStudio (by Roger Wagner Productions)-This is an example of a multimedia software.

IV. Web-based Projects

A project method where the students are tasked to create and post web pages regarding a certain topic