Reflect on the journal "Using technology to teach thinking skills

Language learners would need to be given opportunities to engage in high-level thinking learning. Technology could be used to support thinking if teachers design classrooms in which learning activities are informed by an understanding of the cognitive processes involved in language learning and thing. Also, technology would need to be examined and selected in terms of how it supports a thinking-oriented environment, that is, a constructivist learning environment where students are allowed to construct meaning for themselves and learn more deeply.

Computer technology could provide tools and programs that scaffold thinking and support collaborative problem solving. Actually, I often use some computer tools like presentation programs, word processors, sound recording and editing tools etc. I think they help learners to remember, comprehend, apply, and reflect on information through writing, sketching, or recording with multiple modalities. Also, multimedia and hypermedia environments could be interactive and afford students control over visual images, animation, sound, and text.

Acoording to this journal, thinking skills have two parts, perceptual skills and conceptual skills. The initial stage of cognitive processing requires perception. Visual perception would be inportant not only in learning technology but also in learning content and language. Visually oriented programs could help students build a visual and intuitive understnading of objects in relationship to each other and a nonverbal way to think about any concept. Beyond perception is the development of conception, that is, the mental manipulation of ideas and concepts, or the ability to form or understand mental concepts. There are two types of knowledge used in language learning, declarative and procedural knowledge. Procedural knowledge could be supported by problem-based learning and inquiry. It could be acquired by students through struggling with puzzling problems and constructing satisfying solutions for themselves. Therefore web-based learning activities could be designed to gain procedural knowledge.

Constructivism refers to the theory of learning and knowledge construction in an environment where students are afforded opportunities to construct their own meaning through student-directed interaction with rich resources and problems. Various technologies including web or computer tools could help learners to construct knowledge and support thinking and problem solving.