This element involves students developing inquiry skills.
Students pose questions and identify and clarify information and ideas, and then organise and process information. They use questioning to investigate and analyse ideas and issues, make sense of and assess information and ideas, and collect, compare and evaluate information from a range of sources. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- pose questions
- identify and clarify information and ideas
- organise and process information.
Level 1
Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:
Pose questions
pose factual and exploratory questions based on personal interests and experiences
Identify and clarify information and ideas
identify and describe familiar information and ideas during a discussion or investigation
Organise and process information
gather similar information or depictions from given sources
Level 2
Typically by the end of Year 2, students:
Pose questions
pose questions to identify and clarify issues, and compare information in their world
Identify and clarify information and ideas
identify and explore information and ideas from source materials
Organise and process information
organise information based on similar or relevant ideas from several sources
Level 3
Typically by the end of Year 4, students:
Pose questions
pose questions to expand their knowledge about the world
Identify and clarify information and ideas
identify main ideas and select and clarify information from a range of sources
Organise and process information
collect, compare and categorise facts and opinions found in a widening range of sources
This element involves students creating ideas and actions, and considering and expanding on known actions and ideas.
Students imagine possibilities and connect ideas through considering alternatives, seeking solutions and putting ideas into action. They explore situations and generate alternatives to guide actions and experiment with and assess options and actions when seeking solutions. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- imagine possibilities and connect ideas
- consider alternatives
- seek solutions and put ideas into action.
Level 1
Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:
Imagine possibilities and connect ideas
Consider alternatives
suggest alternative and creative ways to approach a given situation or task
Seek solutions and put ideas into action
predict what might happen in a given situation and when putting ideas into action
Level 2
Typically by the end of Year 2, students:
Imagine possibilities and connect ideas
build on what they know to create ideas and possibilities in ways that are new to them
Consider alternatives
identify and compare creative ideas to think broadly about a given situation or problem
Seek solutions and put ideas into action
investigate options and predict possible outcomes when putting ideas into action
Level 3
Typically by the end of Year 4, students:
Imagine possibilities and connect ideas
expand on known ideas to create new and imaginative combinations
Consider alternatives
explore situations using creative thinking strategies to propose a range of alternatives
Seek solutions and put ideas into action
experiment with a range of options when seeking solutions and putting ideas into action
This element involves students reflecting on, adjusting and explaining their thinking and identifying the thinking behind choices, strategies and actions taken.
Students think about thinking (metacognition), reflect on actions and processes, and transfer knowledge into new contexts to create alternatives or open up possibilities. They apply knowledge gained in one context to clarify another. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- think about thinking (metacognition)
- reflect on processes
- transfer knowledge into new contexts.
Level 1
Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:
Think about thinking (metacognition)
describe what they are thinking and give reasons why
Reflect on processes
identify the main elements of the steps in a thinking process
Transfer knowledge into new contexts
connect information from one setting to another
Level 2
Typically by the end of Year 2, students:
Think about thinking (metacognition)
describe the thinking strategies used in given situations and tasks
Reflect on processes
outline the details and sequence in a whole task and separate it into workable parts
Transfer knowledge into new contexts
use information from a previous experience to inform a new idea
Level 3
Typically by the end of Year 4, students:
Think about thinking (metacognition)
reflect on, explain and check the processes used to come to conclusions
Reflect on processes
identify pertinent information in an investigation and separate into smaller parts or ideas
Transfer knowledge into new contexts
transfer and apply information in one setting to enrich another
This element involves students analysing, synthesising and evaluating the reasoning and procedures used to find solutions, evaluate and justify results or inform courses of action.
Students identify, consider and assess the logic and reasoning behind choices. They differentiate components of decisions made and actions taken and assess ideas, methods and outcomes against criteria. In developing and acting with critical and creative thinking, students:
- apply logic and reasoning
- draw conclusions and design a course of action
- evaluate procedures and outcomes.
Level 1
Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:
Apply logic and reasoning
identify the thinking used to solve problems in given situations
Draw conclusions and design a course of action
share their thinking about possible courses of action
Evaluate procedures and outcomes
check whether they are satisfied with the outcome of tasks or actions
Level 2
Typically by the end of Year 2, students:
Apply logic and reasoning
identify reasoning used in choices or actions in specific situations
Draw conclusions and design a course of action
identify alternative courses of action or possible conclusions when presented with new information
Evaluate procedures and outcomes
evaluate whether they have accomplished what they set out to achieve
Level 3
Typically by the end of Year 4, students:
Apply logic and reasoning
identify and apply appropriate reasoning and thinking strategies for particular outcomes
Draw conclusions and design a course of action
draw on prior knowledge and use evidence when choosing a course of action or drawing a conclusion
Evaluate procedures and outcomes
explain and justify ideas and outcomes