Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is an evidence-based teaching method that uses prompts and provocations to develop students' analytical and critical thinking skills.
Collaboration is an important aspect of VTS (HITS 5). As artists and audiences of art, we build explanations from our inferences and the multiple interpretations of others.
The following strategy may be implemented with the teacher leading the class, or in small groups of students after teacher modelling. The strategy aims to foster student confidence in discussing and asking questions about artworks, present different views, and opinions, and create foundations for extended responses.
- The teacher poses a question such as 'What's happening here?' in relation to a displayed artwork.
- The teacher asks students to respond with a partner initially.
- After a few minutes, two pairs of students join and share their responses to build an explanation.
- After students have shared their responses, the teacher uses further prompts to deepen students' thinking. These prompts may include:
- 'What do you think?'
- 'How can you be sure?'
- 'Do you agree with that idea?'
- Responses are recorded using a concept map or other graphic organiser o note connections between ideas and dissenting views.
- Time is given for students to develop their own questions which they pose to one another to generate and discuss different ideas and opinions.
- Teacher and students synthesise ideas, as a whole class or in small groups.
- Students are asked to reflect on the strategy in relation to:
- their learning and broadening of their ideas
- the process of collaboration.
Curriculum links for the above example: VCAVAR038, VCAVAR045.