Writing responses to images when developing higher-order thinking: A case study of EFL college students in Taiwan

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Hsiao-chien Lee
Author(s):  
Norhezan Che Teh ◽  
Nor Hashimah Isa ◽  
Ainon Omar

Advancement in the innovation world, robotics and artificial intelligence as well as heavily globally-connected world among others has led to the impetus of Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Hence, work opportunities that exist today might not be available in the future as there is a huge possibility that they might be taken over by machines. This could result in job scarcity. Therefore, the challenge now is to prepare our students with the necessary skills to stay relevant and needed in the job market of the future. The ability to think on the higher level is amplified with IR 4.0. So, it is only wise to teach, train and prepare the students with this skill now. This paper shares the findings of a larger study on how the Critical Thinking Module  (CTM) is able to assist higher order thinking (HOTs) among the students in Literature Classes. This research employs case study method and the subjects were selected using purposive sampling. The CTM focuses on the students’ ability to analyse, synthesise and evaluate. The activities included in CTM are everyday activities that will be able to be carried out in an hour and ten minutes period.  All of the activities are student-centered and highlight on the importance of group work whereby discussion, collaboration and cooperation are vital. Data were gathered through test scripts and class observation. The participants were 9 students from a cluster school in Ipoh. They were observed for 18 weeks and the result of the study revealed that the students were better at HOTs verbally compared to written. The case study suggests the CTM is capable of aiding the students to think on the higher level.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Nadia Rezig Betka

The presence of higher order thinking aspects in EFL learners’ productions constitutes one of the major achievements of the teaching process. It denotes learners’ ability to think, analyze and draw conclusions about the taught information. Different approaches were implemented to promote EFL learners’ critical thinking but they were limited into questioning strategies that raise speculation. The present paper is an investigation of the advantages of implementing technology devices to promote Algerian University EFL learners’ higher order thinking. Noticing that their written productions in literature carried almost no critical thinking aspects , this case study attempts to check the usability of E learning in developing EFL learners’ ability to think critically through a qualitative method of research. The study is based on data obtained from a questionnaire administered to second year students on their attitude towards replacing the traditional classroom by a technology classroom. An E-learning test was initiated through Emails to deliver and correct home works where analysis and speculation questions were designed. The results showed that 83% of the sample were in favour of change and admitted that they spend more than 2 hours a day using their digital devices for entertainment as well as for research. Learners’ answers to the test questions carried analysis, reliance on evidence and argumentation. E learning can motivate EFL learners to combine research with learning in foreign languages classrooms.


Author(s):  
Wan Mazwati Wan Yusoff ◽  
Shamilati Che Seman ◽  
Rahimah Embong

Abstract The aspiration of Malaysian education system as mentioned in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is to produce students who are highly critical and creative.  Since teaching for higher order thinking was made explicit since 1989, a systematic evaluation of the adequacy and pitfalls of teaching for thinking programs was not done extensively.  If examination result is the yard stick to measure the impact of teaching for thinking, then it can be concluded that 2016 UPSR result painted a dismal picture of failure in teaching for thinking.  Studies showed that there is a positive correlation between language teacher used to communicate in the classroom and the development of thinking dispositions among students.  Using the framework of language of thinking put forward by Costa and Marzano (2001), this study was conducted to explore language of thinking used by teachers during teaching and learning sessions in several primary school classrooms.  This preliminary study attempted to gain in-depth understanding of the phenomenon in the actual setting so that the insight can illustrate a wider picture of the issue.  This exploratory case study employed structured observations to collect data in the classroom of nine primary school teachers.  The data was analysed based on theoretical proposition by Costa and Marzano.  Findings revealed that teachers needed to improve their language of thinking.    Keywords: Thinking skills, language of thinking, teaching for thinking, higher order thinking.   Abstrak Aspirasi pendidikan Malaysia sebagaimana yang disebut dalam Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025 adalah untuk melahirkan pelajar yang berupaya berfikir secara kritis dan kreatif.  Semenjak kemahiran berfikir pada aras tinggi disebut secara eksplisit dalam kurikulum sekolah menengah dan rendah dari tahun 1989 lagi, satu penilaian yang sistematik terhadap kejayaan dan kelemahan pengajaran untuk kemahiran berfikir tidak dibuat secara meluas dan menyeluruh.  Jika keputusan peperiksaan dijadikan kayu ukur untuk mengukur keberkesanan pengajaran untuk berfikir, keputusan peperiksaan UPSR 2016 melukis gambaran kegagalan projek mengajar untuk kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi yang menyedihkan.  Kajian menunjukkan ada perkaitan positif antara Bahasa yang digunakan oleh guru ketika berkomunikasi dalam bilik darjah dengan perkembangan disposisi berfikir dikalangan pelajar.   Disposisi berfikir pula berkait langsung dengan tabiat berfikir dan kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi.  Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meneroka Bahasa berfikir yang digunakan oleh guru dalam proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran di sekolah rendah.  Bahasa berfikir yang diterangkan oleh Costa dan Marzano (2001) digunakan sebagai kerangka teori kajian ini.  Kajian ini cuba untuk meneroka amalan berbahasa guru untuk memahami fenomena ini dalam situasi sebenar supaya hasilnya dapat memberi gambaran luas terhadap isu ini.  Kajian kes eksplorasi ini menggunakan pemerhatian secara berstruktur untuk mengumpul data.  Sembilan orang guru sekolah rendah terlibat dalam kajian ini.  Data telah dianalisis menggunakan toeri Bahasa berfikir Costa dan Marzano.  Dapatan kajian ini menunjukkan guru perlu menambahbaik Bahasa berfikir yang mereka gunakan semasa berkomunikasi dalam bilik darjah supaya aspirasi melahirkan pelajar berkemahiran berfikir aras tinggi dapat dicapai.    Kata Kunci: Kemahiran berfikir, bahasa berfikir, mengajar untuk berfikir, berfikir aras tinggi.


Author(s):  
Serçin Karataş ◽  
Volkan Kukul ◽  
Seher Özcan

The purpose of this study is to reveal the opinions of pre-service teachers regarding the teaching of digital storytelling, which is one of the methods where students actively participate in the learning process, produce content, and learn while having fun, unlike the conventional methods. The research was undertaken as a case study. The study was carried out in Gazi University in the 2015-2016 academic year. The results of the research suggest that the pre-service teachers were mostly pleased with the digital storytelling task. Pre-service teachers who studied in groups were more satisfied and the pre-service teachers believed that digital storytelling positively affected many higher-order thinking skills, creativity in particular. Although higher-order thinking skills are not expected to improve with such short tasks, it can be suggested that the topic may have a positive effect.


2012 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
DorothyBelle Poli ◽  
Christopher Berenotto ◽  
Sara Blankenship ◽  
Bryan Piatkowski ◽  
Geoffrey A. Bader ◽  
...  

The video game SPORE was found to hold characteristics that stimulate higher-order thinking even though it rated poorly for accurate science. Interested in evaluating whether a scientifically inaccurate video game could be used effectively, we exposed students to SPORE during an evolution course. Students that played the game reported that they spent an average of 3 hours more a week with class material; these same students also scored about 5% higher on examinations and in the course. Methods to use SPORE to teach evolution are included; to create a teaching community that uses this game might make this edutainment product an even more effective tool.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Isam Mrah

<em>The ever-growing realm of education underlines the need for a reconsideration of learning materials. The present study aimed to investigate the extent to which EFL textbooks in Morocco help learners build skills in accordance with the twenty first century learning expectations.  It attempted to assess the effectiveness of Ticket to English textbook series in terms of how well they foster critical thinking and problem solving among learners. The study adopted content analysis as the primary research method for data analysis and interpretation. The analysis was undertaken to define the types and levels of questions addressed in reading comprehension tasks and to examine instances of higher order thinking skills. The case study evaluated the questions in the light of the Bloom's Revisited Taxonomy of learning objectives. Results from the content analysis of questions show that most of the questions targeted the three lower-level categories of the taxonomy. The results obtained testify that the examined textbooks do not effectively enable learners to be autonomous lifelong critical thinkers, hence the need for a reconsideration of EFL textbooks in Moroccan high schools. The paper eventually suggests some ways in which these skills could be promoted effectively in future textbooks with the aim of empowering students to thrive in an evolving world.</em>


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