Communication, defined as students explaining, describing, and presenting ideas, significantly contributes to higher-level thinking, specifically Application and potentially Analysis levels of thinking, in the classroom.

Application Thinking

• Demonstrating Use of Knowledge: Application thinking involves using learned material in new and concrete situations or employing concepts in unrehearsed environments. When students are tasked with explaining, describing, or presenting ideas, they are actively engaging in the "use" or "demonstration" of their knowledge, which are key action verbs associated with the Application level.

• Solving Problems and Relating to Experience: Application means applying an abstract idea to solve a problem or relate it to prior experience. To explain a solution to a new problem, describe how a concept works in a different context, or present a plan based on learned procedures, students must apply their understanding. For example, a question for applying could be: "From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about…?" The act of creating and communicating these instructions requires application.

• Active Engagement with Material: Communication tasks at the application level require students to actively manipulate and convey information, rather than just recall it. This ensures they are not merely memorizing but are truly understanding how to apply what they have learned.

Moving toward Analysis Thinking

• Breaking Down and Showing Relationships: Analysis thinking involves breaking down a concept or idea into its constituent parts and showing the relationships among those parts. When students explain their reasoning, describe different components, or present an analysis, they are forced to articulate these breakdowns and relationships clearly.

• Articulating Inferences and Evidence: Communication compels students to identify the underlying theme, determine viewpoints, distinguish facts from opinions, and validate ideas. For instance, questions like "What explanation do you have for…?" or "How would you explain…?" directly ask for communication to demonstrate analysis. Students must explain why changes occurred or distinguish between elements, which requires analytical thought.

• Organizing and Differentiating: To clearly present the findings of an analysis, students must organize disparate information, differentiate between relevant and irrelevant details, and attribute connections. This organizational process, inherent in clear communication, is itself a core aspect of analysis. For example, to explain why a particular problem-solving technique was chosen and why its solution worked, a student must engage in analytical thinking and then communicate that process.

In essence, while the act of explaining, describing, and presenting may stem from fundamental understanding and direct application, it serves as the crucial output mechanism for demonstrating and solidifying higher-order Application and Analysis skills. By requiring students to communicate their thoughts clearly, educators can assess whether learners have truly engaged in complex cognitive processes, moving beyond simple recall to meaningfully use and dissect information. This aligns with our broader educational goal of developing critical thinking.

• Create and communicate instructions to accomplish a specific task.

• Use knowledge to solve a problem in a new context.

• Employ new material in unrehearsed environments.

• Explain how a process works or relate the process to prior knowledge or a previous concept.

• Break down an idea or concept into its parts and show the relationship between those parts (analysis)

• Students explain their reasoning and defend their thoughts on a particular idea

• Make inferences and communicate evidence of their thinking to identify the theme and their viewpoints

• Students present findings and differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information, making connections along the way