Learning Agility-3: Developing Higher Order Thinking

Recap

Thank you for reading my earlier two articles on Learning Agility. This is the third article in the series. In the first article, we learnt why learning agility is important and what we need to do to develop learning agility. We discovered the mindset and skillset we need to develop to drive learning agility. In the second article, we talked about mindset. We discussed two types of mindset- Growth mindset and Fixed mindset. We learnt that Growth Mindset is indispensable for imbibing learning agility. We also learnt how we can shift our fixed mindset towards growth mindset through self-awareness, action with commitment, feedback and reflection.

High Order Thinking

Learning agility is as much about skillset as it is about mindset. Among the various skills that we need to acquire to develop learning agility, Higher Order Thinking tops the chart. Higher Order Thinking is about taking thinking to a level which is higher than just thinking to memorize and recall. Thinking that is required to memorize, reproduce, perform routine transactional tasks is lower order thinking. Thinking that is required to solve problems, design solutions, achieve outcomes or create possibilities, opportunities etc. is Higher order Thinking.

Relevance of Higher Order Thinking

You are aware that learning agility is required to succeed in an ever changing complex world. In this context, Higher Order Thinking Skills are extremely important. Higher Order Thinking gives us the ability to navigate through a complex world, solve personal and business problems in an efficient and comprehensive manner. To succeed in today's world, we must learn how to think and think how to learn.

More about Thinking

Before we discuss how to develop Higher Order Thinking skills, let's spend time knowing more about Thinking itself. There are two types of Thinking, viz, System-1 Thinking (also known as fast thinking) and System-2 Thinking (also known as slow Thinking). If you are asked 3x3 is how much, you can instantly answer the question as 9. This is an example of System-1 Thinking or Fast Thinking. In this case, you are using some mental models in your brain to think and respond instantly. If you are asked 57x93 is how much, you won't be able to answer the question instantly. You need time to think and answer the question. This is an example of System-2 Thinking or Slow Thinking. To comprehend problems and think of solutions quickly, we often rely on our mental models.

Mental models: The Thinking Toolset

Mental Models are our internal representation of our external reality based on past experiences, learning and intuition. According to Peter Senge, "Mental Models are deeply held internal images of how the external world works." One can never keep all of the details of the world in one's brain. So human beings use mental models to simplify the complex into understandable and organizable chunks.

Mental Models are thinking tools that we use to understand life, make decisions, and solve problems. Not only do they shape what we think, they also shape the connections and opportunities we see. They guide our decisions and behaviours.

While mental models guide our decisions and behaviours, they are not necessarily always correct. George Box says, "All models are wrong, some are useful ?? ."

Key to Great Thinking and Problem Solving

Key to great thinking (Higher order thinking) lies in our ability to expand our set of mental models. When a certain worldview dominates our thinking, we shall try to explain every problem we face through that worldview. That can be dangerous. There is a famous saying, "Only carrying a hammer will leave you seeing all problems as nails." Similarly, if we have only one worldview or mental model, we shall try to look at every problem we face through that world view. Therefore, we need an array of tools in our toolkit. The problems we face in today's complex world often cannot be solved through one field of expertise. We need to expand our ability to think and solve problems by expanding our set of mental models. Learning a new mental model means seeing the world in a fresh new way.

(I am currently pursuing an Online course on Learning Agility (https://www.learn2learnonline.com/) designed by noted L&D practitioner, Arun Pradhan. I have decided to capture my learnings in a series of articles. This is the first article in the series.)