Thinking and the NZC

Thinking
Critical and creative thinking are essential in technology education, as is the development of a high level of awareness of the nature of thinking underpinning any decisions. Being able to step back from a situation and answer questions such as ‘what is happening?’, ‘why is it happening?’, ‘should it be happening?’ and ‘how could it be done differently?’ rely on sophisticated thinking skills.

These thinking skills are required across all three strands of technology education. Such thinking is essential for making informed decisions that are based on ethical, as well as functional grounds, allowing for an understanding of fitness for purpose, as well as explorations of the fitness of any stated purpose.
For example, opportunities for the enhancement of such thinking are clearly identifiable when:

• undertaking technological practice within innovative problem solving situations 
• understanding the nature of technology through exploring examples of existing technological outcomes or developments, debating contentious issues, or projecting into alternative scenarios 
• developing key technological knowledge that is then used to evaluate within technological modelling, or to explain how and why products and/or systems work

NZC

Creative thinking is critical for problem solving and our imperative is to foster creative thinking, collaboration and the development of digital skills. Today, it’s not about what you know, but what you make – it’s all about the ideas.

With the wide array of tools available today, creativity is now going digital. A transformative change is needed to integrate creativity in education – for us to educate our future generations and prepare them for the road that lies ahead.

Creativity is no longer an elective, it is our future.

http://blogs.adobe.com/education/2014/04/09/adobe-education-leadership-forum-2014/