V: ENABLING THINKING                                                                                 PACES

TEACHING AND LEARNING COMPONENT

V.A Higher Order Cognition
Higher order cognitive skills include the development and use of associations and concepts varying from concrete to abstract, and principles, rules, and generalizations. Higher order thinking is enabled when learners are encouraged to generate and think about examples from their own experiences and to use metacognition and mental imagery as well. Learning and linking new associations and concepts help to structure knowledge in new ways, and facilitate the development of learners’ abilities to think.

Sample Professional Growth Activity 1

Comprehension

  1. Review Component V.A. of the PACES Teaching and Learning Professional Growth Manual and this Teacher Guide to PACES.

  2. Conduct an Internet search using "Bloom’s Taxonomy" as key words/query.

  3. Identify skills associated with the three higher levels of Bloom’s (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) and meet with Professional Growth Team for examples of effective teaching strategies encouraging higher order cognitive engagement of learners in the content being taught.

Practical Application

  1. Develop a one-week lesson plan incorporating teaching methods and learning tasks that demonstrate the use of strategies identified during the meeting with the Professional Growth Team.
Assessment
  1. Throughout the week of implementation, engage in self-assessment/reflection and complete a log of experience to include successful and unsuccessful strategies.
  2. Share experience log with Professional Growth Team for feedback.

Sample Professional Growth Activity 2

Comprehension

  1. Meet with the PACES Professional Growth Team to review Component V.A. of the PACES Teaching and Learning Professional Growth Manual and this Teacher Guide to PACES.

  2. In conference with the PACES Professional Growth Team, identify skills that would meet the indicators for this Teaching and Learning Component and role play with an experienced colleague. Use feedback for further development.

Practical Application

  1. After feedback, transfer the role-playing scenario to a series of lessons in the classroom.

Assessment

  1. Throughout the implementation, engage in self-assessment/reflection and complete a log of experience to include successful and unsuccessful strategies.

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