The center circle represents the content or subject within which the problem is being solved. The selection of relevant content is important; first because skillful thinking cannot be performed in a vacuum-- there must be something to think about; and secondly, the nature of the discipline imposes certain constraints on the procedures of problem solving. The content informs the selection and application of thinking skills just as their selection and application shape the insights and knowledge derived from the subject matter being investigated. Scientific problems, in which the control of experimental variables is paramount, differs from social and aesthetic problems in which ethics and artistic judgment play a significant role. Secondly student motivation to learn a new or complex cognitive skill is sharply enhanced when instruction in how to do it is provided at a point where students perceive a need to use the skill to understand the content. Learning how to employ the skill required to learn the subject matter thus takes on special significance.
Content, therefore, should be selected judiciously for its generative contribution to employing and practicing the thinking skills and strategies. Content is not an end but rather a vehicle which activates and engages the inquiring mind.
Thinking Skills: