Thinkability

Episode 3: Enticing Intuition
Intuitions are  an integral part of thinking.  They help us make quick sense of the world, and we rely on them every day to solve problems, make decisions, navigate social situations, and more. The power of intuition is enticing, but sometimes intuitions can be misleading, causing us to miss important dimensions of a problem or situation. In this episode, Shari and Dave ask:  What isintuition?  Where can we see it in action? How can we get our intuitions to ‘speak’ to us, and when should we be wary about trusting them?

Episode 4: Thinking Dispositions Needed Now
Thinking dispositions are tendencies in our thinking behavior. The term often refers to tendencies like reasonableness, open-mindedness, curiosity, and other characteristics that push our thinking in positive directions. Like other aspects of character, thinking dispositions can grow and change over time, and they are susceptible to influence through context, culture, and education. Shari and Dave have been studying thinking dispositions for many years (ok, decades).  In this episode they ask: What are thinking dispositions? Which thinking dispositions seem especially important these days? What are some promising ways to foster positive thinking dispositions —in ourselves, and in others around us?

Episode 5: Slow Looking
Slow looking means taking the time to look beyond a first glance.  It is a simple move that can open the door to surprisingly powerful learning experiences.  The topic is close to Shari’s heart, and in this episode, Dave mainly interviews Shari. He invites her to define slow looking, give examples of it in action, and explain how slow looking relates to thinking and learning. He also asks her about the basics of cultivating slow looking–in ourselves, and others. Along the way, Dave shares some of his own thoughts about the topic, which is close to his heart, too.

Episode 6: Understanding in Action
What does it mean to understand something?  This seemingly straightforward question is at the heart of an inquiry that has been of interest to Dave for several years. In this episode, drawing on a long history of Project Zero work and following the format of the previous Thinkability episode, Shari interviews Dave. She explores his thoughts about three big questions: What is understanding? How do we know when we understand something? How can we foster the development of understanding–in ourselves and in those we teach?  Along the way, Shari shares some of her own thoughts as well.