Higher Order Thinking Through Technology

One of the primary goals of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is to take what is known and make something more out of it. In short, taking the information we possess and using it to create or build something new and/or arrange that information in an innovative, more meaningful or creative way.

The practice of stimulating thought processes that reach beyond basic recall skills is thought to develop higher order thinking skills. The degree to which these processes are challenged will cause students to continually think at higher cognitive levels. The distinct thinking skills that Bloom's Taxonomy has identified fall into six primary categories:

Knowledge - What you know?
Comprehension - What do you understand about what you know?
Application - How do you use what you know?
Analysis - What similarities, trends, or problems can you identify in what you know?
Synthesis - Can you combine what you know to develop a new idea?
Evaluate - How can you evaluate what you know to develop a new idea?

The integration of technology in education supports the development of HOTS by providing a vast array of innovative tools which allow students to acquire and manipulate knowledge. Many new online tools that I had never heard of were introduced in the techtorial on the Education-World website.

I think if educator's are willing to learn how to use some of the tools that were noted, technology can be an effective means to fostering HOTS. The first and most obvious tool is using the internet to gather information. Within that are even guidelines to make sure students access relevant and appropriate grade level information. I think it's important to aware of this because if the information is too complex or not relevant children will lose interest and potentially miss their learning opportunity. A negative result of this would be that technology is experienced as too difficult or cumbersome and not effective.

I think one of the more exciting categories that technology can address is the application of information. No longer is learning a passive experience for children when they can actively interact with programs that test their knowledge and skills and measure their progress. In addition, there are so many creative sites which allow kids the opportunity to build up virtual worlds which become progressively complex as their experience and knowledge increases.

Another way to foster HOTS is through sites with activities that challenge students to go beyond the web and interact with students from other schools. For example, participating in debates regarding controversial science topics. These types of activities allow children to utilize their knowledge base and construct new pieces of knowledge based upon the varied interactions they experience.

I was surprised at the number of technology tools that can address each of the thinking skills noted in Bloom's list. The challenge for educators will be to learn which tools are effective and how to use them in the classroom. They can be used very effectively to develop HOTS, augment lessons and enrich the experiences of students. I am sure this will come through the process of trial and error as we are also still learning and making our way through technology's vast web of resources.