Purpose Statement
Background: Ray Nickerson, David Perkins and Edward Smith
wrote in "The Teaching of Thinking" that thinking involves encoding
information about a situation, operating on the information in some way, and
deriving results in accordance with guiding goals (51). In response to the
question, what limits thinking, they pointed out that research shows that
limits could exist in any of the areas: operations, encoding, or goals. Within
the area of goals, some studies showed that understanding the problem or
grasping the goal clearly is the most crucial factor. Other studies showed that
understanding the relevant criteria is the most important determining factor of
effective performance. Thus, insufficient understanding of goals, difficulty
deriving results in accordance with guiding goals and relevant criteria, or
inadequate monitoring of goals may all contribute to limited thinking.
Purpose: The purpose of the Sun Diagram and Destination X Planning Sheet is to
provide a graphic organizer and a series of prompts which may guide students'
thinking in determining and reaching goals. The design integrates some of the
areas defined by research studies as being essential to effective thinking. The
time span ranges from immediate to long term, and requires short-term and
long-term planning. Envisioning, analyzing, translating general goals into
specific objectives, flexibly adapting the plan, and evaluating are activities
involved in the total process.
Description of
Activity
The Destination X Sun Diagram is to be used as a model to
encourage thinking about goals, from the abstract envisioning process, to the
task analysis stage of specific definition, to the formulation of a discipline
to ensure continuity toward attaining goals, and finally, to the completion
stage which requires retooling, evaluating according to criteria, and planning
for the future. The student uses the worksheet as a mode of generating,
organizing, translating, remembering and evaluating ideas and actions.
The Destination X Planning Sheet provides a step-by-step sequential model of
thinking through goals that parallels the diagrammatic model, with more space
for written expression.
Materials Needed
a. Destination X Sun Diagram: Please go to the weblink below
to view and print out the graphic organizer.
b. Destination X Planning Sheet (This also may be printed out from the weblink
listed below.)
Destination X
1. Visionary
"We must have a proper picture of what we want before we can have something
approaching it." M.K. Gandhi
Ideal: A conception of something in its perfection; a standard of perfection or
excellence.
Goal: Aim; end; the result or achievement towards which effort is directed.
One may envision an ideal from many aspects, for example, spiritual, moral,
mental, emotional, physical, or future career, family, financial status, living
environment, contribution to society, global welfare, etc. Choose the aspect
you wish to envision, reflect upon it, and record the kernels of your thought
below as a Long Range Goal. The time to actualize the goal could range from at
least one to twenty years or more. Can you see yourself in twenty years? Try to
produce specific images.
Long Range:
Now translate that long range into an intermediate goal, and then a short-range
goal. For example, if one chose to open one’s own business in graphic design as
a long term goal, completing a degree in Graphic Communications, Multimedia,
could be the intermediate goal, and completing GP 102: Comp Design Tech with an
A grade might be the short-term goal.
Intermediate:
Short-term:
2. Specify Objectives
Objective: Something toward which effort is directed; an aim, goal, or end of
action.
Now consider three important objectives you wish to accomplish in order to move
toward your goals. Objectives are more specific than goals, and are described
in terms of actions or behaviors to be undertaken.
1.
2.
3.
3. Discipline
Discipline: Self-chosen activity, exercises or regulated course or manner of
living that improves a skill; training.
Making a commitment to a plan of action and following through on self-chosen
rules and duties not only brings one's plans into being, but also produces
self-respect and continuity of consciousness. Define three plans of action that
would form a positive self-discipline on the path leading to your destination.
Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:
4. Completion
Metacognition involves monitoring your plan of action and making changes as
needed. List below how you might retool your discipline, if necessary, what
criteria you will use to evaluate your progress toward your goals, and take
time to note considerations, ideas, or plans relevant for future endeavors.
1. Retooling
2. Evaluation
3. Future
Application
The materials may be used as preparatory tools prior to
writing an essay on goals pertaining to a specific life dimension. While
students are most concerned about career goals, the tools may also be used in
areas such as financial, family, friends, physical, mental, moral, spiritual,
civic, or recreational.
I use these as tools for one option out of four on the second half of an essay
on "Learning", the first part being a required section on an
individual's learning profile, strengths, weaknesses, accommodations, and
compensatory strategies which is intended to promote self-knowledge and
self-advocacy. The goals option asks the students to visit the SBCC Career
Advancement Center to investigate careers, majors and schools with particular
programs. Students use the Destination X Sun Diagram to get started on ideas,
and then fill in more specific details following their visit to the Career
Center. In-class time would involve describing the assignment, and how to think
through the process and use the worksheets as planning tools. Discussion
options include (but are not limited to) the value of envisioning long-range
planning, the importance of understanding goals, and how to evaluate them
according to a set of self-chosen criteria or principles. Questions may be
posed for students to consider and answer, such as how will students
realistically remember to monitor their progress towards goals?
One option which would take more time in class is to introduce visualizing and
its role in creativity and self-conscious, deliberate living, as well as its
value in improving academic performance. The quote by Gandhi on the worksheet
is a beginning point for discussion on envisioning.
A program called "Visualizing and Verbalizing" by Nanci Bell teaches
students how to create visual images, including mental forms or models
representing concepts, and how to connect these with language expression; the
intended result is to improve reading comprehension. The fundamental aim is to
connect the right, visuo-spatial hemispheric processing with that of the left,
which is verbal-sequential in nature. The progression is from pictures, to
nouns, to sentences, paragraphs, pages, chapters, and includes critical reading
and thinking questions applicable to any subject area. This process could
easily be performed in classes that lend themselves to language development. It
also can be applied in classes wherein visuo-spatial thinking is important,
such as math. I have found that one improves in the areas that are weaker than
the rest; for example, while some people improve language expression and
reading comprehension, others improve visualizing, and still others improve
auditory memory.
Related Student
Services
a. SBCC Career Advancement Center is a must for students
interested in career goals and counseling.
b. Jerry Pike's Learning Support Services Tutorial 199 course instructs tutors
from any discipline how to teach using different learning styles, which helps
students gain an understanding of their learning profiles, which in turn,
supports them in making important decisions about goals.
c. Work internship programs provide experience in "the work force",
which in turn, guides important decisions about goals.
d. Joyce Macdonald, Essential Skills Instructor, is a trainer in the Visualizing
and Verbalizing method, and is an excellent resource for SBCC faculty.
e. Other Resources (Books):
Bell, Nanci. Visualizing and Verbalizing. Paso Robles: Academy of Reading
Publications, 1986.
Nickerson, Raymond s., David N. Perkins, and Edward E. Smith. The Teaching of
Thinking. Hillsdale: LEA, 1985.
Links/Handouts
this
web page was created on 5/3/99 at 9:34:57 PM
and modified on 10/16/99 at 9:49:51 PM