ICL Supported Thinking Routines

In Making Thinking Visible, Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morisson help readers understand the power of thinking routines to guide them to develop cultures of thinking. They define cultures of thinking as “places where a group’s collective as well as individual thinking is valued, visible and actively promoted as part of the regular, day-to-day experience of all group members.” (Kindle version 4357-65) The authors go on to explain that they use the word “places” to note that cultures of learning take place in boardrooms, meeting rooms and not just the classroom.

To support the thinking routines, a Thinking Routines section was created for our Web Resources for Learning Web site to share how technology can be used in the classroom to support and at times enhance the use of the thinking routines as you use them to reach the learning goals of your lessons. An important purpose of the routines section is to connect to the authors’ point that cultures of learning also can take place outside of the classroom. In this case the "place" is a virtual learning space where students and teachers interact. Thus, you will find tools and practices here that support blended learning which helps build cultures of learning by using online tools where students can work individually and in groups outside of the classroom.

Why iPads? Creativity

Think of the iPad as a tool for students to record, edit and synthesize media to then communicate their understanding. Students can record sounds, video, and still images using the Camera, GarageBand and iMovie applications. Each gives our students the power to edit a mixture of images, video and voice recordings to make their thinking visible.

A second way to create videos is through screencasting apps like Educreations and Explain Everything. There are so many ways in which screencasts can be used in our classrooms with students creating videos of number talks, how to's, reflections, thinking routines, etc. Here are several screencasts that a First Grade teacher had her students create. Screencasting is a wonderful technique that easily differentiates instruction by helping students communicate their understanding in an unrestricted environment. Watch Kindergarten student Marco's Spanish screencast on water by selecting the link below the image.  

Marco's screencast on water.

Talk about making thinking visible!

Below is a video podcast using Google Hangouts that shares classroom experiences where iPads were used to facilitate creativity and expression. It includes many lessons learned about how technology empowers students to apply their various literacies as they create and communicate their learning. Note that you need to get past the first few minutes of the video before the participants get down to business. :) The examples are from older students but there are many possibilities for "junior versions" with primary school students.