Publisher's Synopsis
The desire to enhance the thinking skills of learners has become a worldwide phenomenon. Programmes developed specifically for the enhancement of thinking have further reinforced this desire. Developers of these thinking skills programmes have made various claims about the effectiveness of their programmes in teaching learners general skills of thinking that can be applied to any field of study. Four highly prominent thinking skills programmes are presented and critically examined. At the core of the assumptions underpinning these programmes is the idea that thinking can be taught and learned free from any context. The idea raises important conceptual and practical issues that demand attention if improvements in the enhancement of thinking through formal education are to be made. "Thinking & Education" offers a clear and forceful argument that thinking is a complex phenomenon that can occur either as a mental or physical act, and in most cases involves dispositions such as courage. The arguments throughout the book endeavour to highlight two important factors: firstly, that thinking cannot be simply taught and learned by an assumed set of rules that can be applied to any situation; and secondly, that effective thinking requires appropriate knowledge, skills, and above all, the courage and hope to persevere in the face of difficulties.
