Country: Singapore
Title: The CORT (Cognitive Research Trust) thinking
programme.
Project Leader(s): Jaisankar Upadhiah (Mrs).
Institution: CORT Thinking Programme, Humanities and
Aesthetics Branch, Curriculum Planning Division,
Ministry of Education.
Address: Kay Siang Road.
Town/City: Singapore.
Zip/Postcode: 1024.
Country: Singapore.
Telephone: 4739111. - Facsimile: 4756128.
Abstract: The CORT Thinking Programme, designed by Edward
de Bono, is a series of lessons intended for the
direct teaching of thinking as a skill. The
programme comprises 60 lessons divided into 6
sections. Only 2 sections, Breadth and
Creativity, were selected for implementation in
the schools which are in the programme. In
Breadth, pupils are taught to use various tools
which help them to generate ideas, reflect on
their perceptions, prioritize their thoughts and
see issues from other people's point of view. In
so doing, skills in the perceptual area of
thinking are developed so that pupils can see
more broadly and clearly and can react more
appropriately in a given situation.
Creativity is not only concerned with generating
new ideas but with escaping from old ones.
Pupils are taught the processes involved in
creativity and how to escape from attitudes which
inhibit these processes. One of the main
features of Creativity is that it is highly
generative. The aim of the CORT Thinking
Programme is not merely to help pupils acquire
thinking techniques but to enable them to apply
their thinking skills to new situations and to
real-life problems. To promote the retention and
transfer of the CORT thinking tools, sample
lesson plans, assignments and projects on various
subjects have been developed. These are aimed at
helping teachers to use CORT tools in their
subject teaching. Teachers make use of these
materials after the basic thinking tools have
been taught.
Objectives: 1) To encourage pupils to be more reflective and
rational in problem-solving or decision-making
situations. 2) To help pupils to generate
new ideas and to break away from old habits of
thinking in order to be more creative.
Methodology: Pupils are given a very brief introduction of the
tool. They are then expected to use the tool
repeatedly in the different practice items
flashed by the teacher on transparencies. Most
of the time pupils discuss in groups. A
"secretary" jots down ideas. There is tight time
control and pupils move from one practice item to
another at a very brisk pace. Feedback from the
group discussion is obtained from every group in
the class. Pupils are urged to listen very
carefully and reminded not to repeat ideas that
have been mentioned. The CORT Unit in the
Ministry is manned by three CORT officers who
train teachers, monitor the programme and develop
lesson plans and other resource materials.
Results to Date: A paper and pencil test administered to a sample
of pupils showed that pupils in the experimental
schools had made significant mean gains,
suggesting that the CORT lessons had improved
pupils' ability to think more broadly.
Feedback from teachers through questionnaire
returns and informal discussions have indicated
that pupils found the lessons stimulating. They
also indicated that pupils showed a positive
change in thinking habits, general behaviour and
social relations. Although the evaluation
results are generally positive, they are not
conclusive. The findings seemed to indicate that
the secondary schools have benefitted more from
the programme. As from 1990 the programme will
be made available only to those secondary schools
which request for it.
Commencement Date: 1987.
Descriptors: Cognitive processes; Problem solving; Decision
making
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