The Underpinnings of the Harvard Project Zero Visible Thinking
Visible Thinking Routines
Visible thinking routines support inclusivity as it engages many students, drawing students into group discussions who usually participate infrequently
Aligns strongly with the ‘Learner Centred Ideology’ (Schiro, 2013)
Through the implementation of Visible Thinking approach, educators scaffold complex cognition and provoke dialogic thinking (Vygotsky, 1978)
Allows children to promote their development as self-directed learners and promotes learning for understanding
Encourages students to express their ideas and understandings rather than memorise facts
Limitations of the Visible Thinking approach
- Educators may inflict implicit bias upon students
- Rich classroom discourse can often lead to the ‘evaporation’ of children’s ideas if they are not immediately documented (Richhart et al., 2011)
- Research has shown that many educators struggle to gain connection between their learning experiences, meaning, their lessons become isolated, lose meaning and are not revisited (Richhart et al., 2011).
