The course aims to prepare teachers for the challenges of developing thinking dispositions in students and developing classes into thinking communities. It builds an understanding of creative and critical thinking processes in highly creative and intellectually gifted learners. It promotes pedagogy that is informed by whole brain research and functioning. Other than examining the 4Ps in creativity—the person, process, product and press, it will discuss the intricacies of the creative-problem solving process and what constitutes a creative product. The development of higher-order analytical thinking, logical thinking, perception, imagination and discovery will be included in discussions. Research on the effectiveness of the use of different models of instruction that promote critical and creative thinking is explored for possible applications.

• The role of thinking and its influence on the intellectual and creative output of the high ability learner


• Conceptions of creativity and how it is studied


• Links between creativity, cognition & personality: Dispositions, potential vs performance and measuring creative output


• General and domain specific creativity and its role in the arts and science classroom


• The Social facilitation and Environmental influences on Creativity: Parental and societal attitudes and its relevance to promoting thinking in the Singapore context


• The role of the teacher and educational programme in fostering creativity; Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of creativity and research about different approaches to develop creativity


• Theories of Critical Thinking: Looking at Paul, Ennis and Ennis’ models of critical thinking


• Critical Thinking and Learning: Understanding the links between skills and dispositions; Research about the role of training and transfer of critical thinking.


• Critical Thinking – How disciplinary knowledge; logic and metacognition are associated with the development of critical thinking.


• Online Quiz Followed by Online consultation with students regarding instructional proposals for individual assignments


• Instructional Models & Approaches: The Direct, Infusion and Integrated Model Approaches and results from empirical studies of the effectiveness of these approaches to date


• Curriculum & assessment: Developing curriculum documents to provide a seamless infusion of critical and creative thinking skills within and across subjects


• Creative Problem Solving in the curriculum: The CPS model & strategies – Considering current programmes where CPS applications are used: Project Work, Future Problem Solving, Destination Future

• appreciating current educational research trends in DI


• designing quality lessons using assessment data and instructional strategies, based on guiding principles of DI, for optimal student learning experiences


• gathering data on pre-instructional conceptions/ perspectives of the subject, such as through harnessing technologies, to plan for optimal student learning experiences


• evaluating the planning and enactment of DI in classroom or school contexts