Glossary of Terms - This is a document where we are trying to clarify the terms that may cause difficulties. Most of them come either from the Thinking Approach (TA) or the General Theory of Powerful Thinking (OTSM) based on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). Please note that this document is work in progress, so some definitions may only be partial.

ALGORITHM

- the 'How To' part / or decision making flow chart / or list of questions which the students produce (whether it is completed or not) to be able to cope with a challenging task

BANK OF TOOLS

- a collection of learners' ideas on how challenging tasks offered to them should be approached

COMPETENCE

- a student's skills, knowledge and disposition combined

DISPOSITIONS

- ongoing tendencies that guide one's behaviour; here: a thinking disposition is a tendency that guides  intellectual behaviour: a desire to explore, to inquire, to seek clarity, to take intellectual risks, to think critically and imaginatively

ENV

- a TRIZ model/tool E = Element    N = Name (parameter or variable)    V = Value

FRAMEWORK

- the Thinking Task Framework (parts 1, (teacher increases room for learning) 2 (students build Algorithms for coping with challenging task, often through being introduced to/reminded of model/tools) and 3 (students reflect on building of algorithm and test it)

MODEL

a tool used to build an algorithm (e.g. ENV, function, polyscreen, resources, contradiction)

- OTSM-TRIZ models which enable students to find underlying patterns and create Algorithm for coping with challenging tasks

PARAMETERS/NAMES OF FEATURES/VARIABLES

- the name of the characteristic which is changing e.g. length of a shadow (students would normally need to look for (or measure and record) all possible values)

PROBLEM

- a challenging task that requires special tools to cope with; an obstacle on the way to achieving a goal

STEPS

- the steps we move through in our tasks and systems of tasks

- the steps the students move through in their algorithms, this may be in the form of questions the students ask themselves in order to decide what to do next (e.g. which form of the past tense to use in a given situation)

SYSTEM OF TASKS

- a set of tasks selected and arranged with a specific function, e.g. developing a model/some models of thinking within a specific subject

TASK(S)

- the activity the students will work with. The task should involve a conflict at some point where the students can't continue without referring to learning to use a thinking tool e.g. ENV

TECHNOLOGY

- A module which makes up a part of the TA-based course: Creative Grammar Technology, Text/Film Technology, Self-Study Technology, Research Technology, Yes/No Technology

THINKING

- a skill that can/should be developed through solving problems applying specific models and tools

TOOL

- a device (a model or other (e.g. concept question)) for building an algorithm to cope with a challenging task

- OTSM-TRIZ tools which enable students to find underlying patterns in a problem e.g. ENV

TRIZ

- Theory of Inventive Problem Solving - an applied theory developed by Genrich Altshuller, the underlying basis for teaching thinking in the context of this project

VALUES

- the features possible for any given parameter or variable: e.g. colour (a parameter) - red, green etc. are values