Communicating, thinking, and tools: Exploring two of the key competencies

Abstract

Of all the key competencies, thinking and using language, symbols, and texts are the most closely connected to the learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). In this paper we explore these competencies from different perspectives, with a focus on three of the learning areas: Mathematics and Statistics, Science, and Technology. We explore the competency of thinking within the context of disciplinary knowledge, and discuss using language, symbols, and texts from a "cultural tools" perspective. We end by bringing these two competencies together as we attempt to address issues relating to what counts as knowledge and knowing in these disciplines.

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Citation
McChesney, J., & Cowie, B. (2008). Communicating, thinking, and tools: Exploring two of the key competencies. Curriculum Matters, 4, 102–112. https://doi.org/10.18296/cm.0099
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