User:JULIANORWOOD/sandbox

Learning to think has been described within different disciplines in terms of cognition, meaning, mental models, comprehension, intelligence, insight, research, reason or argument. For understanding to occur in a field of study, the perspectives and processes of the domain must be learned. Intellectual development requires linking domain knowledge and processes of inquiry. Learning to think: disciplinary perspectives (Donald, 2002) is based on 25 years of research into the viewpoints of scholars in seven disciplines or disciplinary groups, beginning with physics as the paradigmatic or prototypical discipline. In physics, orderly thinking, consisting of the ability to judge the strength and consistency of logical structures, to abstract, and to think in terms of visual images, is paramount. Thinking like an engineer means acquiring both problem solving and design skills, breaking down complex problems, working with unknowns, and putting things back together again. Knowledge intensive disciplines such as chemistry and the life sciences require an integration of concepts and inductive thinking, in which particular instances are organized to infer a general law. In psychology, a broad field ranging from abstract theory to practical application, multifaceted thinking is essential. In contrast, thinking like a lawyer requires knowing case law and how the reasonable person would act in a given circumstance. In education, as communicators of understanding, instructors need to understand how knowledge is organized, how instructional methods facilitate active learning, and how to develop supportive attitudes. Models of thinking in the humanities focus on imagination, and in English literature, aesthetics, significance and meaning exposed in critical analysis are crucial to the learning process. Major themes arising from the research include the importance of identifying the context, learning to change perspective, recognizing contradictory but valid principles, and the emancipatory effect of learning. The disciplines tell us that although there are commonalities in the way we think, the philosophies under which disciplines operate are distinct and require different navigational patterns. Donald, J. G. (2002). Learning to think: disciplinary perspectives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.