Tools and Strategies

Welcome. This page contains information, instructions and downloads for tools and strategies and models of learning.

 

 A B C D E F
G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T
U V W X Y Z

 

A Action Plan  
  Affinity Diagram   A question is posed and team members write individual ideas on post-its. These ideas are then sorted & categorised.
  Alphabet Key Using the alphabetical format clarifies students’ thinking. It is a sorting process which is made easier by considering one aspect at a time.
  Appointment Clock A tool to group strudents into partners.
     
B Bar Key A practical step-by-step strategy for developing innovative and highly unusual products. This type of strategy is often used in today’s high tech product development laboratories to create new products for the market.
  Bloom's Taxonomy  Bloom's Taxonomy defines six different levels of thinking. The levels build in increasing order of difficulty from basic, rote memorization to higher (more difficult and sophisticated) levels of critical thinking skills.
  Bone Diagram A Bone Diagram allows us to reflect on our current situation as well as plan or visualise a future or desired situation.
  Brainstorm Brainstorming is the free, uninhabited generation of ideas, usually in a group setting.
  Bubble / Double Bubble

Double Bubbles, like Venn diagrams, illustrate the relationships between two or more groups of objects that share something in common. 

     
C Capacity Matrix

  A charting device used to break down an aim or result into major capacities, minor capacities and learning levels.

  Cluster diagram A type of non-linear graphic organiser that can help to systematize the generation of ideas based upon a central topic.
  Combination Key A process that asks you to list the attributes of 2 dissimilar objects (one within your area of study, one outside), then combine the attributes into a single object. Many important inventions, such as the disposable razor (the concept of loading bullets into a rifle, combined with a normal razor) and the first printing press (the wine press and the coin punch) were created in this way.
  Compare and Contrast Grid A process to use when comparing and contrasting objects with a variety of criteria.
  Consensogram Consensogram is a tool used to identify a knowledge level or opinion that a student has on a topic
  Correlation Chart  
   
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F Fishbone The Fishbone Diagram or the Ishikawa Diagram, also known as the Cause-and-Effect Diagram, is a tool used for identifying and presenting the possible causes of a particular problem in visual format. 
  Fish Philosophy

The Fish Philosophy is a set of simple, interconnected principles that everyone can tailor to their own life and work – old wisdom for a new day. When you choose to incorporate these principles – Play, Be There, Choose Your Attitude and Make Someone’s Day – you’ll see a positive change in the relationships you create at work and at home. The underlying view of the Fish Philosophy is that meaningful learning occurs, when the learner is directly linked to and involved with, the content being presented.
  Five Whys

The Five Whys is a powerful tool to promote deep thinking through questioning. It is an easy tool to use and requires little resourcing.

 
  Flow Chart  
  Force Field Analysis  
     
G Gantt Chart  
  Global Cafe

This strategy allows provides opportunities fro students/participants to capture and share their understandings and experiences about a given topic.

It also allows students to piggyback ideas, thoughts and experiences.
     
H Habits of Mind  
  Hot Potato This strategy involves the use of a ‘round robin’ format in developing and sharing information within a group.
  Hot Seat  
  Human Graph

This strategy is allows the facilitator/teacher to quickly gain an overview of the current level of knowledge of individuals and the group.  It also allows individuals to think about and evaluate their level of knowledge.  It can also be used to show learning growth when used throughout the learning process.
     
I If .. Then  
  Impact Grid  
  Interpretation Key Another innovative thinking exercise. Develops the ability to consider a wide range of consequences. Describe an unusual situation and then think of some different explanations for the existence of that situation.
  Invention Key Kids (and grownups too) love to invent things if given the opportunity. Tragically, the opportunities in today’s society seem to be growing fewer and fewer. This process encourage students to develop inventions which are constructed in an unusual manner.
     
J Jigsaw The Jigsaw strategy encourages the development of specific skills within individual team members. It is a cooperative strategies for promoting responsibility within each of the students in the team.
  Judge and Jury  
     
K KWL  
     
L Lotus Diagram The Lotus Diagram is an analytical, organisational tool for breaking broad topics into a number of components, which may be prioritised for implementation.
     
M Mind Map  
  Model mapping

Ian Harris’s Model Maps are based on the fact that we think in a holographic way. Model Maps organise thinking through using visual, auditory and kinesthetic senses. While education is often structured around a liner system, Model Maps allow individual learners to translate information, whether spoken or written, into their own holographic maps of understanding.
  Multiple Intelligences  
  Multi-Voting This is a strategy is a collaborative process to select the most important items.This strategy is used when there is a variety of issues and opinions  and group consensus is required.
N NGT (Nominal Group Technique) This is a strategy is a collaborative process to make decisions on important  issues.  It puts team members on an equal footing.
     
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P Pairing A cooperative learning strategy where students interact with a partner to complete their work requirements.
  Parking Lot A reflective tool to share ideas and pose questions.
  PCQ   Pros, Cons & Questions

 

 PERT  
  Placemat Consensus A cooperative learning tool to promote group discussion.
  Plus / Delta A Plus/Delta is a simple inclusive strategy enabling everyone to consider the pluses - what went well, and the deltas -what you would like to see changed. The Plus Delta is a great feedback tool.
  PMI (Plus Minus Interesting)  
  POPE  
  Print Walk  
  P3T  
     
Q Question Matrix  
     
R Radar Chart  
  Right Angled Thinking

This strategy is a structured thinking process which scaffolds thinking in a linear structured manner as well as making connections to associated ideas and creative thoughts.

This strategy also provides students with a whole brained approach to note taking and gathering and organizing information
  Reverse Key Students are too often required to regurgitate endless lists of facts. Moving in the opposite direction still requires a sound knowledge base, but it forces students to think.
  Review Review Review This strategy provides student with an opportunity to review their learning through a VAK cooperative learning process.
     
S See Saw  
     
  Six Thinking Hats  
  Stay and Stray An interactive process which can be used to build knowledge or summarise learning through sharing
  SWOT This is an evaluative tool, similar to a P.M.I., that explores in detail the pros and cons of an issue, the related causes and possibilities.
    SCAMPER The SCAMPER technique uses a set of directed questions which you answer about your probortunity in order to come up with new ideas. The stimulus comes from forcing yourself to answer questions which you would not normally pose. The questions direct you to thinking about a probortunity in ways which typically come up with new ideas.
T Telephone In ‘Telephone’, students are required to transmit information to other team members to ensure their team’s success.
  Thinkers Keys Different teaching strategies developed by Tony Ryan, that encourage and demonstrate innovatove and creative thinking
  Think Pair Share

This strategy is a structured process to share information efficiently.  It can be used as a reflective tool at any stage throughout the learning process.  The process can lead to other learning situations that builds on background knowledge and understanding.
     
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V Venn Diagram A Venn Diagram is made up of two or more overlapping circles.  Venn Diagrams are an excellent tool to visually compare and contrast similarities and differences.
     
W Walk and Talk This strategy is a cooperative learning process to share learning.
  What If... key Great for introducing an area of study, and for tapping into the students’ knowledge base. It also generates loads of innovative ideas.
You can ask virtually any What If question. They can be either serious or frivolous.
  WIFLE

(What I Feel Like Expressing)

 WIFLE is a process that allows the student to express their thoughts, ideas, opinions, concerns, feelings etc about their learning or learning situation.
  WOEDIL

(What On Earth Did I Learn)

 WOEDIL is a reflective process that allows the student to verbalise what they have learnt. 
  Wordles and Phrasles  
     
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Y Y chart Y-Chart is a graphic organiser which helps organize what someone knows about a topic by writing and/or drawing what the topic looks like, feels like, and sounds like.
     
Z Zoolies  

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