6+Hats+and+QuESTioning+Rubric

Six Thinking Hats and QuESTioning Rubric. A question has been posed about how these two tools link and the following response explains the linkages. The QuESTioning rubric needs to be understood as a rubric of questioning skills that enable us to be effective as questioners.



The thinking hats represent six thinking strategies. Edward de Bono’s thinking hats were developed to illustrate the various methods of thinking utilised when problem solving. Each of the hats represent a method or aspect of thinking.



Each of the thinking hats (thinking strategies) can logically be utilised at every effective stage of the QuESTioning rubric (stages 3 to 7) because the hats focus on and generate different types of questions. This means that we are able to use questioning skills targeted by each of the green stages of the QuESTioning rubric to ask questions for each of the thinking hats (thinking strategies). Given the situation of a literacy workshop that needs to be planned and organised, which teachers are expected to attend, we can see how it is possible to ask questions at every stage of the QuESTioning rubric for every thinking hat.

Facts, Figures, Information Such as: = Is this reading course worth going to? (Stage 3) =
 * Questions that could be defined as white hat –

What is the reading course going to focus on and do I really need to attend? (Stage 7)
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Such as: Can I go to the reading course next week? (Stage 3) What do you feel about having to go to the reading course on Friday (Stage 4) How do you really feel about me attending this reading workshop? (Stage 5) What do I feel about the literacy course on May 20th? (Stage 6) How do you feel about being forced to go to the reading course on Friday and why do you feel that way? (Stage 7) ||   ||
 * Questions that could be defined as red hat – Emotions

Such as: Is there a problem with you missing out on the reading course next week? (Stage 3) What is your issue with having to go to the reading course on Friday (Stage 4) What are the issues we have to consider in organising this reading workshop? (Stage 5) What is the main problem we have to mitigate against in setting up the literacy course on May 20th? (Stage 6) What are the three main issues we have to sort to get this literacy workshop occurring and what options do we have? (Stage 7) ||   ||
 * Questions that could be defined as black hat – Negatives

Such as: Are there any advantages in having you attend the reading course next week? (Stage 3) What are you going to gain from attending the reading course on Friday (Stage 4) What are the positives we will gain from organising this reading workshop? (Stage 5) What are the benefits we will acquire from running the literacy course in Auckland rather than Wellington? (Stage 6) What are the we have to sort to get this literacy workshop occurring and what options do we have? (Stage 7) || ||
 * Questions that could be defined as yellow hat – Positives

Such as: Is there going to be any follow up to the reading course next week? (Stage 3) What solution could you suggest to the venue problem for the reading course for next week? (Stage 4) How do we go about advertising the reading course with our limited budget? (Stage 5) What engaging activities can we design to reinforce the aspects of eye movement during the literacy course? (Stage 6) What is your best solution to the venue issue for the reading workshop and why do you value that course of action? (Stage 7) || ||
 * Questions could be defined as green hat – Creative (Synthesis)

Such as: Do you think that this is really the first thing we should be thinking about as we plan this reading course? (Stage 3) How can we be sure we have considered all the venue issues for the reading course for next week? (Stage 4) What do you see as being the central issues we need to sort at this stage of organising the reading course? (Stage 5) What specific strategies do we need to ensure are covered in the literacy course to ensure that participants feel it has been practical and meets their needs. (Stage 6) What are our venue options for the reading workshop and what criteria will we use to make a decision? (Stage 7) || ||
 * Questions could be defined as blue hat – Process Control (Metacognition)

Both of these are powerful tools that address different aspects of questioning and thinking. They can be used in isolation from each other or in a partnership.