A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Audience Approved by PEP for Chapter I students in grades 4-6 in both reading and math. This project has also been used successfully with Chapter I students in grade 7, learning disabled in grades 4-6, and gifted in grades K-2.

Description The CHAPTER I H.O.T.S.: Higher Order Thinking Skills Project (H.O.T.S.) replaces traditional drill and practice activities and content instruction in compensatory programs with thinking activities designed to generate the gains in basic skills expected from Chapter I programs. Students' thinking abilities and social confidence are improved in the process. The goal is to provide students with conceptual skills to learn the more sophisticated content of the upper elementary grade levels the first time it is taught in the classroom.

The program is conducted in a lab, equipped with Apple computers (Apple IIe, Apple IIgs, or Macintosh LC), with a detailed curriculum and a teacher trained in Socratic dialogue techniques. Computers are used to enhance motivation and improve students' ability to self-monitor their own comprehension. A detailed curriculum provides dialogues to improve the key thinking skills of metacognition, inference from context, decontextualization, and information synthesis. Students' increased abilities to articulate ideas and engage in sophisticated conversations enhance their language use and ability to learn content, with gains in both reading and math.

The program operates as a pull-out. Students are in the program for 35 minutes a day, four days a week, for two years. In the first part of the period, the teacher engages students in sophisticated conversations. Students are then given a challenge to solve using the computer. They later discuss their findings, approaches, and results. Teacher judgment determines the pace through the curriculum. Success is demonstrated by products generated by each student, how they articulate their findings, and the results they record.

H.O.T.S. directly addresses Goal 3 (Student Achievement and Citizenship. Activities in H.O.T.S. are specifically designed to increase cognitive development in ways that will transfer to gains in basic skill achievement, thus meeting the following Goal 3 objectives: (1) academic performance of elementary and secondary students will increase significantly and (2) students [will] demonstrate the ability to reason, solve problems, apply knowledge, and write and communicate effectively.

Evidence of Effectiveness As a result of participation in the program, Chapter 1 students in grades 4-6 improved their performance in reading and math to a greater extent than national averages and control groups, while also improving thinking ability as measured by the ROSS and "Inference from Context" measures. Improved self-concept and improved participation in content learning in the classroom were also evident. Studies were conducted in 11 schools encompassing a wide range of ethnic characteristics.

Requirements The program requires a computer lab, using Apple IIe, IIgs, or Macintosh LC computers, and an experienced teacher who is trained in Socratic coaching techniques. A week-long workshop is provided to train teachers in these techniques.

Costs Training, two year curricula, and support are a total of $1,600 for the first teacher trained at a school site. Each additional teacher trained for that school is $850. Support includes program research, telephone support, newsletters, and curriculum updates.

Services Awareness materials are available at no cost. Project staff is available to attend out-of-state awareness meetings and for training and technical assistance (costs to be negotiated).

Contact

Christi Estrada or Dr. Stanley Pogrow, University of Arizona, College of Education, Tucson, AZ 85721. (602) 621-1305, FAX (602) 621-9373.

Developmental Funding: U.S. Department of Education and Ford Foundation.
PEP No. 88-12 (7/13/88)

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