Creating Artifacts of Learning: How Digital Tools Can Amplify Thinking Routines

Purpose & objective

More than ever before, our students need to be able to be critical thinkers. Schools are now longer just teaching content, but need to give our students the skills to analyze, synthesize and curate information. One high-impact way to empower our students to do this is by using Project Zero's thinking routines. Understanding that all learning is a function of thinking, these routines help all of our students to make their thinking visible using a series of routines and scaffolds. Both educators and students need to first learn how to use these tools and see how technology can amplify their use.

After attending the session, participants will:
- Learn about and identify the impact of Project Zero’s thinking routines.
- Discover when and how using technology tools can amplify the use of these routines.
- Practice using thinking routines from a student point of view

I will be sharing how Padlet, Jamboard, Slides, and Pear Deck can be used in conjunction with these thinking routines.

This work is supported by Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Project. Their work has developed numerous research projects at Project Zero including work on visible thinking. Since engaging with this research, I have been amplifying thinking routines using technology tools for students and adult learners for the past three years as an elementary school technology coach and speaker based on my weekly technology class experiences and coteaching experience.

Outline

1. Introduction and What are Thinking Routines? (10 min)
2. Exploring the Thinking Routines Toolbox using Padlet (10 min)
3. Reflection on Thinking Routines: Connect, Extend, Challenge using Padlet (5 min)
4. Using Padlet with Thinking Routines (5 min)
5. Using Pear Deck with Thinking Routines (5 min)
6. Using Flipgrid Deck with Thinking Routines (5 min)
7. Using Google Tools (Slides and Jamboard) with Thinking Routines (5 min)
8. Reflection- Take Note using Jamboard ( 5 min)
9. Conclusion and Call to Action ( 5 min)

Interactions will be a combination of using Padlet, Turn and Talks and Jamboard.

Supporting research

The research that supports this work comes from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Project. Their work has developed numerous research projects at Project Zero including work on visible thinking. I learned about this work while attending the Washington International School's Summer Institute for Teachers during two concurrent summers and taking a Harvard School of Education graduate course. Since engaging with this research, I have been amplifying thinking routines using technology tools for students and adult learners for the past three years as an elementary school technology coach and speaker based on my weekly technology class experiences and coteaching experiences.