Most countries are concerned with raising educational standards throughout compulsory schooling although it is abundantly clear that the mastery of the ‘basics’ are insufficient to meet the demands of the labour market and an active, fulfilled life. It is now recognised that a broader range of competencies, redefined as ‘higher order’ thinking skills, is required because:
- The ‘banking theory’ of knowledge based upon rote learning has been discredited as it is recognised that individuals cannot ‘store’ sufficient knowledge in their memories for future use.
- Information is expanding at such a rate that individuals require transferable skills to allow them to address different problems in different contexts at different times throughout their lives.
- The complexity of modern jobs requires staff who demonstrate comprehension and judgement as participants in the generation of new knowledge or processes.
- Modern society assumes active citizenship which requires individuals to assimilate information from multiple sources, determine its veracity and make judgements.
Collectively, these present a new challenge to develop educational programmes that assume that all individuals, not just an elite, can become competent thinkers’ The cognitive approach suggests that learners must develop an awareness of themselves as thinkers and learners and practise the approaches and strategies for effective thinking.