Chapter 1
Students as Learners
Course: Principles Of Learning And Teaching 5622
Subject: Principles Of Learning And Teaching
Chapter: Instructional Process
1. The cognitive processes associated with learning
a. Critical thinking
- Students examine ideas, question assumptions, and weigh evidence to form conclusions
- Teachers design tasks requiring justification rather than simple recall
- Example: Students analyze media claims about nutrition, identify supporting evidence, and critique reliability
b. Creative thinking
- Students generate original ideas and solutions, explore alternatives, and think beyond routine approaches
- Teachers encourage brainstorming, open-ended tasks, and flexible problem-solving activities
- Example: Students design an invention that solves a real-world school problem, such as keeping playgrounds clean
c. Questioning
- Students and teachers pose questions to clarify ideas, deepen thinking, and promote inquiry
- Effective questioning shifts responsibility to students to explore concepts
- Example: Teacher uses prompts like “Why do you think this strategy worked?” or “What might happen if we changed this variable?”