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Evaluating critical thinking pedagogy to support primary school project work using an action research approach
Author
Lee, Vivien Looi Chng
Supervisor
Coombs, Steven John
Abstract
The rapid advancement of telecommunications technology has resulted in the easy availability of a massive amount of information that is ever increasing. The implication for schools tasked with ensuring the continued quality of teaching and learning is that they need educators to acquire new teaching methods and approaches to provide students with learning experiences relevant to the information age. Students will need to think critically and creatively to discern the information available to them. This is a life skill crucial for survival in learning organizations.
This dissertation describes the findings of an action research project conducted at a local primary school which looked into how it could overcome students' "cur and paste" mentality when using information sourced from the World Wide Web for writing project reports. the need to help students overcome their cognitive deficiencies was recognized, and the theoretical basis of Self-organized learning (S-O-L) developed by Thomas and Harri-Augstein (1985) was applied to consider how students could be taught to manage information. S-O-L is defined by Harri-Augstein and Thomas (1991) as the "conversational construction, reconstruction and exchange of personally significant , relevant and viable meanings with awareness and controlled purposiveness" (p.xxiv).
Based on the dual notions of social constructivism and reflective conversational learning, it is a model which offers a range of conversational tools for project management. For the teacher engaged in action research, the project reports on conversational tools such as the Personal Contact and the Purpose-Strategy-Outcome-Review grid for the management of data and findings.
More importantly, this project goes on to specifically explore the use of one such conversational tool for students , in the form of Learning Plans (LPs). LPs are conversational tools that allow for the skills for critical thinking to be modeled, resulting in S-O-L on the part for the learners. As a Knowledge Elicitation System (KES), it is a student -centred and systematic model of learning based on social contructivism (Coombs, 1995). LPs offer a flexible, content-free technology allowing students to scaffold their own learning and to manage the information that they encounter. This is possible as it builds upon learning events that are designed as small tasks and activities related to real life contexts, which simulate the application of concepts and principles.
This research suggest that the use S-O-L results in students' increased interested in learning as it offers flexibility through independent learning within collaborative groups. More importantly, results also provide evidence of increased students' critical thinking dispositions, such as a willingness to self -correct and persist. In a wide scheme of things, the use of LPs will impart to students the essential life skill of information management for lifelong learning. Sound integration of LPs, however, require teachers to play their roles as facilitators of critical thinking more competently. This study suggests that a competent teacher-facilitator should be an expert in subject matter, student management, classroom management and pedagogy. It calls for a review of current professional development practices by specific highlighting the value of action research for developing schools as learning organizations.
This dissertation describes the findings of an action research project conducted at a local primary school which looked into how it could overcome students' "cur and paste" mentality when using information sourced from the World Wide Web for writing project reports. the need to help students overcome their cognitive deficiencies was recognized, and the theoretical basis of Self-organized learning (S-O-L) developed by Thomas and Harri-Augstein (1985) was applied to consider how students could be taught to manage information. S-O-L is defined by Harri-Augstein and Thomas (1991) as the "conversational construction, reconstruction and exchange of personally significant , relevant and viable meanings with awareness and controlled purposiveness" (p.xxiv).
Based on the dual notions of social constructivism and reflective conversational learning, it is a model which offers a range of conversational tools for project management. For the teacher engaged in action research, the project reports on conversational tools such as the Personal Contact and the Purpose-Strategy-Outcome-Review grid for the management of data and findings.
More importantly, this project goes on to specifically explore the use of one such conversational tool for students , in the form of Learning Plans (LPs). LPs are conversational tools that allow for the skills for critical thinking to be modeled, resulting in S-O-L on the part for the learners. As a Knowledge Elicitation System (KES), it is a student -centred and systematic model of learning based on social contructivism (Coombs, 1995). LPs offer a flexible, content-free technology allowing students to scaffold their own learning and to manage the information that they encounter. This is possible as it builds upon learning events that are designed as small tasks and activities related to real life contexts, which simulate the application of concepts and principles.
This research suggest that the use S-O-L results in students' increased interested in learning as it offers flexibility through independent learning within collaborative groups. More importantly, results also provide evidence of increased students' critical thinking dispositions, such as a willingness to self -correct and persist. In a wide scheme of things, the use of LPs will impart to students the essential life skill of information management for lifelong learning. Sound integration of LPs, however, require teachers to play their roles as facilitators of critical thinking more competently. This study suggests that a competent teacher-facilitator should be an expert in subject matter, student management, classroom management and pedagogy. It calls for a review of current professional development practices by specific highlighting the value of action research for developing schools as learning organizations.
Date Issued
2001
Call Number
LB1590.3 Lee
Date Submitted
2001