Portfolio 5 (higher Order Thinking)

INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO 5

Name: Ronny Anak Tanjong

Lecture 3: Higher Order Thinking

Matrix ID: 19752

In this lecture, we learn about Higher Order Thinking for Cognition and Learning. Higher-order thinking is the thinking that takes place in the higher-levels of the hierarchy of cognitive processing. Example of higher mental processes include: comprehension, intelligence and decision making. We face a lot of different kinds of problem in our daily life. Different problems may have different efforts from us. However, thinking about the problem is an important starting point to solve the problem. According to Newel and Simon (1972), a person is confronted with a problem when he wants something and does not know immediately what series of actions he can perform to get it. Then, we move to another process, which is problem solving. Problem solving involved an initiate state, goal state and a path for reaching the goal. There are two types of problems, which is well-defined problems and ill-defined problems. Welldefined problems have a clear initial state, operators (set of moves or actions) and a goal state. The solution is only one correct and a guaranteed method for finding it. Ill-defined problems on the other hand have less-structured. It has difficulty constructing appropriate mental representations for modelling these problems and their solution. The problem-solving processes are consist of 5 processes, which are identifying the problem, representing the problem, selecting an appropriate strategy, implementing the strategy and evaluating solutions. To identify the problem, we must in the habit of actively searching for problems, have relevant background knowledge and take time to reflect carefully on either the nature of a problem or its solution. Representing the problem can be done in two ways: internal representation and external representation. Then, we need to select an appropriate strategy. Two strategies very useful in problem solving are algorithms and heuristics. Algorithm is a step-by-step method for achieving the goal. On the other hand, heuristics consist of two types, which are trial-and-error and means-end analysis. The strategy then is implemented. Successful implementation is depends on how one identifies and represents the problem and type of strategy one adopts. Finally, the solutions are evaluated. A person who devoting a large amount of time to learning about a field and practising the application of that learning, have become acknowledged as being extremely knowledgeable or skilled in the particular field is called expert. According to Ceci and Liker (1986, 1988), expert are not simply smarter than other people. Expert excel only primarily in

INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO 5 Lecture 3: Higher Order Thinking

Name: Ronny Anak Tanjong Matrix ID: 19752

their own domains of expertise. To be an expert, we must have wealth of declarative knowledge, wealth of procedural knowledge, faster than novices, process information in larger units, hold more memory in short-term memory and long-term memory, excel in our own domain, spend more time analyzing a problem, represent information at a deeper level and monitor their performance better.