A Conceptual Framework of Higher-order Thinking

doi:10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2022.11.005

Abstract

Abstract:

Higher-order thinking is a key competence for individuals to adapt to external environments and cope with future challenges. The theory of constructivism argues that people do not passively receive information from the environment, but actively construct knowledge to update their mental models. In authentic learning contexts, higher-order thinking manifests as the ability to identify the connection between prior knowledge and external information, transfer background knowledge to a new situation, and solve complex problems that do not have definite answers. Higher-order thinking is not a single thought process, but a complex cognitive process in which multiple mental operations coordinately work together. The conceptual framework of higher-order thinking incorporates the analysis of problem situations, the identification and formation of the relationship between old and new knowledge, the synthesis of information from different dimensions, the creation of new knowledge, and the monitoring, management and adjustment of the thinking process. The conceptual framework explains how the five cognitive components influence each other and synergistically regulate the process of cognitive development. The framework provides a new theoretical perspective for interpreting higher-order thinking, and lays a theoretical foundation for in-depth research on the developmental mechanism of higher-order thinking.

Key words: higher-order thinking, constructivism, analyze, identify connections, synthesize, create, metacognition

Shufeng Ma, Xiangdong Yang. A Conceptual Framework of Higher-order Thinking[J]. Journal of East China Normal University(Educational Sciences), 2022, 40(11): 58-68.

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