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Structured and challenging
thinking gives meaning to activities such as searching for information
on the Web. In education, synthesis is seen as "higher order"
thinking.
If you do not know what synthesis is, read What
is Synthesis?
Several years ago, Benjamin Bloom developed a
"taxonomy" of learning outcomes. He described different
types of learning outcome, classified these types, and put them
into levels. For example, finding information and understanding
it were considered less demanding than using knowledge to deal with
problems, which requires ‘higher order thinking’.
Of course, we need to have knowledge and understanding
about a particular issue before we can apply that knowledge to a
problem. However, this does not mean that ‘applying knowledge’ is
always more difficult than ‘finding out and understanding’. For
example, a small child can apply knowledge about blocks and colours
to plan and build an elaborate construction. However, the same child
would not be able to ‘find out and understand’ knowledge about Einstein’s
theory of relativity.
We also need to remember that the thinking process
does not pass through different levels in a set sequence. For example,
when we try to solve a problem, we use the knowledge we have, we
analyse the problem, we try to synthesise knowledge to form a new
solution, we find out new knowledge, or read more to deepen our
understanding, we evaluate the results of what we have done, and
adjust our thinking accordingly. Read thinking is a complex combination
of the different ‘thinking skills’ than people have identified and
classified.
Optional reading
Read about synthesis as it appears in Bloom's
taxonomy
As you can see, Bloom's taxonomy is a simplification
of complex theories about learning and thinking. Over time, other
educators and learning theorists have revised this classification.
The most important change has been to focus more and more on the
kinds of things we do with each type of thinking. With synthesis,
the following words are often used to describe what we do.
| Word
|
Explanation
|
Create
|
generating new ways of creating
products, ideas, or ways of doing things. (In fact, one change
to Bloom’s classification is to use the word "create"
instead of the word "synthesis". |
| Design
|
design a programme...; design
a system...; design a device...; design a school....etc.
|
| Compose
|
compose a set of recommendations...;
compose a strategy...; compose a survey...; |
| Formulate
|
formulate a solution...; formulate
a strategy...; formulate a decision...; |
| Produce
|
produce a play...; produce a
set of ...; produce a proposal...; |
| Construct
|
construct a model...; construct
an argument in support of...; |
| Plan |
plan an activity...; plan a
route...; |
| Predict
|
predict what will happen if...;
predict the path of a weather system...; predict the outcome
(result)...; |
When we want our learners to synthesize information,
we should design activities that include these active words of synthesis.
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