[English] PoLT Component 4

[Mary Mason]

Hi - can I recommend a fantastic web site. Project Zero - Ron Ritchhart
- which I think Doug's workshop was based on - from what I hear - has
developed a range of thinking routines which teachers start to embed in
the classroom. Such questions as 'Why do you say that". Check out the
site: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/Research/VisThink.htm 

Cheers

Mary

>>> smith.david.m at edumail.vic.gov.au 1/06/2006 7:02 pm >>>
I went to an interesting workshop at the VATE conference abou thinking
dispositions run by Doug McCurry (related to Janet?).
One of the things he described was called a ProCon table. This is like
a list of arguments for and against a proposition, but requiring more
careful and open minded thinking.

It works as follows: a proposition is written at the top of the table.
Beneath this are two columns labelled Pro and Con. In the first row of
the pro column is listed a plausible argument supporting the
proposition. 
Next to it, in the Con column is listed a plausible rebuttal of the Pro
argument (this is not a new argument against the proposition, but a
direct rebuttal of the first argument).

The process is repeated, this time with an argument against the
proposition placed in the Con column and a rebuttal of it in the Pro
column. The process continues until all possible arguments Pro & Con
have been listed along with their rebuttals.

It strikes me that this process should aid thinking that is thorough
and analytical. I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know how it will play
out. The problem I can see is that it focuses only on one proposition
where a topic such as colonistaion and globalisation may be more complex
and interconnected - perhaps a series of propositions may be needed, but
this could get tedious.

regards
Dave


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