Thinking Skills Curricula: Their Promise and Progress

Over the last several years, we have witnessed an explosion of interest in the teaching of thinking. What's behind this interest? Is it fluff or stuff? What content or processes should a thinking skills curriculum include? How should it be organized? What's the possibility of meaningful transfer and how can it be maximized? In what ways would such a curriculum differ in force or effect from thoughtful delivery of conventional school topics? In this article, I address each of these questions, ultimately concluding that the direct teaching of thinking offers an important complement to conventional school regimen for all students and an invaluable one for those with scholastic difficulties. The argument is based on cognitive theory and research and is developed through ana1ysis of the structure and effectiveness of a number of existing programs. Finally, our own program, Odyssey, is described in some detail.