Higher Order Thinking

From LoTi's H.E.A.T. Framework

One way to Turn Up the H.E.A.T. in the classroom is to push student thinking into the higher levels. The H.E.A.T. scale for Higher Order Thinking mirrors Bloom's Taxonomy with Understanding and Creation/Innovation at the top of the scale.

Explore the one or two of the resources below to review Bloom's Taxonomy.

A quick Google search will bring up a multitude of images like the two below with apps, Web2.0 tools, and programs categorized in the different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

A quick comparison of the different charts will show that there is really no formula as to how they are put together. How can Glogster be at the Creating level on one chart and the Applying level on another?

The answer is simple. It is not the tool that determines the level on Bloom's but the way that the tool is used.

Just like a pencil can be used at the various levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, so can tech tools.

One way to turn up the H.E.A.T. in the area of High Order Thinking is to have students create Nonlinguistic Representations.

How Visuals Help Us Learn

Visual Note Taking

Examples of visual Representation products

5 Smart Ways to Use Digital Images in the Classroom

Screencasts

Infographics

Sketchnotes

Collages

Dr. Charles Wood of the University of Tulsa helps his students begin to think like innovators by using these 10 Hands-on Tools to Boost Student Creativity.

Many teachers are encouraging innovation through the Maker Movement and Genius Hour.''

27 Ways to Inspire Innovation

How to Turn Your Classroom Into an Idea Factory

30 Ways to Promote Creativity in the Classroom

A third way to raise the H.E.A.T. in the area of Higher Order Thinking is to change the level of questions that are asked in your classroom. The goal is not just for the teacher to ask higher level questions, but for the students to develop their own high-level questions.

Writing Higher Order Questions

An Anchor Chart for Questioning

Thick and Thin Questions

Blooms Keywords and Question Stems

Keywords

Look at the Keywords in the graphics below. Which of these do you most often use in your assignments? Raise the H.E.A.T. by incorporating a higher level of Keywords in your assignments.

Question Stems

Question Stems are question starters. Look through the Question Stems at each of the levels. Which most closely resemble the questions you ask your students? Turn up the H.E.A.T. in your classroom by asking questions from the Question Stems at a higher level.