Bring “Visible Thinking” to Evolution Education
academic freedom, analysis, butcher paper, Center for Science & Culture, chalk talk, Discovery Institute, Education, elementary school, evaluation, Evolution, evolution education, Harvard University, Jay Labov, Jo Boaler, Karin Brodie, Karin Morrison, Making Thinking Visible, Mark Church, Project Zero, public schools, Ron Ritchart, scientific inquiry, students, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, visible thinking
Lately, I’ve been reading the book Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and Independence for All Learners, by Ron Ritchart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. It’s a tour de force, a practical handbook for fostering critical thinking in the classroom. This work reminds me strongly of the Center for Science & Culture’s emphasis on analysis, evaluation, and examining the evidence in public school evolution education. Project Zero Making Thinking Visible is connected to Project Zero, a research center in Harvard’s School of Education. The phrase “visible thinking” refers to helping students to see and understand their own thinking processes as they explore subjects. The authors identify several kinds of thinking (pp. 11, 13, 14): Observing closely and describing what’s there Building explanations and interpretations Reasoning with evidence Making…