[Singapore: 25 January, 2011] As one of the largest, most rigorous and comprehensive studies on the teaching of analytical thinking skills ever conducted globally, independent academic consultant Dr. Riccardo Pelizzo studied the effects of LogicMills’ proprietary Analytical Thinking Skills™ (ATS®) on 1,093 local primary school students, as well as 980 secondary school students.
To provide a clearer picture of the effects of ATS® in schools, participating schools in the study varied from neighbourhood to elite schools in Singapore. This diversity, combined with the large number of participants, helped to ensure that the results obtained for the purpose of the study are a realistic representation of the general Singapore student population.
“This study was a project conducted using a grant from the Ministry of Education Innovation Fund. Based on our research, which is one of the largest ever undertaken globally, we found that students who completed the LogicMills’ ATS® training showed a 44.7% improvement in Math, a 46.6% improvement in English, and a 23.29% improvement in Science compared to students that did not receive the same training”, said Dr. Riccardo Pelizzo.
Students with ATS® training display significant improvement in preliminary exams prior to PSLE
A total of 1,093 students from Anglo-Chinese Primary School (ACPS), the Anglo-Chinese Junior School (ACJS), GongShang Primary School, and Gan Eng Seng Primary School participated in the ATS® study. For the purpose of the study, full student cohorts were exposed to ATS® training at ACPS and GongShang primary school. Students at Gan Eng Seng primary school were split into two groups, with one group receiving half of the ATS® training, and the other half trained in full. Students at ACJS did not receive any ATS® training, and was established as a control for comparison.
In the common preliminary exam set and administered by the primary schools immediately prior to the Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE), students with ATS® training at ACPS and GongShang primary school outperformed their peers at ACJS by as much as 30.17% in Mathematics, 23.9% in Science and 24.51% in English. Students at Gan Eng Seng primary school—who received only half the ATS® training—showed improvements as well, albeit less dramatic compared to the students who received the full 30-week training programme.
The study also shows that primary school students who take the ATS® course stand to improve by an average of 31 points on the PSLE above what they would have scored without ATS®. This translates into a 16.8% increase in scores over the expected average score for a PSLE test-taker, and translates into a pace of more than one PSLE point gained per hour of ATS instruction.
Secondary school students see improvement across all subjects with ATS® training
A total of 980 secondary school students from Xinmin Secondary school, Saint Hilda’s School and Temasek Secondary School participated in the ATS® study. Of these, 668 were from the Express stream, while 198 were from the Normal Academic stream, and 114 from the Normal Technical stream.
While ATS® training is effective across all academic streams, the study showed that it is most effective for academically weaker students. When a comparison was done across the streams, lower ability students displayed up to as much as 29.1% improvement in their results with ATS® training.
The secondary school study also found that students with ATS® training benefitted most in Geography and History, followed by Mathematics, Literature, English and Science. Based on common test results selected by schools, ATS® helped students in their thinking, analysis and interpretation skills instead of straight recall of what they have learnt.
The growing recognition of philosophical thinking in all levels of schooling The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) convened educators from Asia, Pacific and Australasia, and during the meeting they “agreed to support the introduction of philosophical thinking--especially analytical and critical thinking—into all levels of schooling, in ways appropriate to the context of each country’s culture and capabilities” (UNESCO, 2009a; UNESCO, 2009b). This was published by the highly respected academic journal, “Educational Philosophy and Theory”, by Stephan Millett and Alan Tapper of the Centre for applied Ethnics and Philosophy, Curtin University. In the same journal, LogicMills was highlighted as an innovative program that has been successfully adapted to the cultural context of Singapore, an acknowledgement of the effectiveness of the Analytical Thinking Skills™ programme.
Analytical Thinking Skills® (ATS®) – A Summary
LogicMills’ ATS® training helps students build up the foundation of analytical thinking skills, and gain sufficient practice in utilizing these skills in the broad variety of situations, both in and out of school. Developed by Dr. Nowacki, the founder of LogicMills School of Thinking, the skills imparted include memory techniques, logic, reasoning and argumentation, communication and expression, strategy and analysis.
LogicMills’ ATS® training employs a five-step methodology called HAVIT®, which consists of the following:
- Honing language skills
- Acts of mind
- Varying between concrete and abstract
- Inferences
- Thinking independently
Using the HAVIT® method, LogicMills’ ATS® training consistently proven to improve reasoning ability, analysis and the quality of decision making.
With numerous training programmes catering to different age groups and requirements, LogicMills® ATS® programmes have been taught in numerous Singapore schools, and organizations such as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), as well as the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star). Numerous other local and foreign private companies have also benefitted from customized ATS® training in effective communication and problem-solving skills.
About Dr. Riccardo Pelizzo, Independent Academic Consultant
Dr. Riccardo Pelizzo received his Ph.D. and M.A. (Political Science) from Johns Hopkins University. As the author of numerous publications, as well as a member of one of the most influential political families in Italy, Dr. Riccardo has been included in “Who’s Who in America”, “Who’s Who in the World”, and “Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders”, among others.
An award-winning academic the world over, Dr Riccardo is currently a research fellow at the Centre for Governance and Public Policy, Griffith University. Dr. Riccardo’s illustrious career includes lecturing at the Singapore Management University’s School of Economics and Social Sciences, Johns Hopkins University (Department of Political Science), as well as a consultant with the World Bank Institute.
About Dr. Mark Nowacki, Founder of LogicMills School of Thinking
With a Ph.D. (Philosophy) from Catholic University of America and a B.A. (Philosophy) from University of Pennsylvania, Dr Nowacki is currently part of the faculty at various universities and has taught analytical thinking skills to innumerable students. He has provided MOE- and civil service college-sponsored training to various organizations.
A philosopher by training, Dr. Nowacki found that starting a regular curriculum of critical reading, understanding, and reasoning early in a child’s life helps in unlocking the child’s mental toolbox. “I’ve had potential employers tell me that straight A’s are not enough, they want employees who can think. Being able to think analytically, being able to readily apply concepts to different situations is a crucial life skill. Analytical thinking is a skill that can be taught and can be learnt.”
About LogicMills
LogicMills® is a MOE (Ministry of Education, Singapore) registered school which teaches Analytical Thinking Skills™ to everyone from ages 4 to 80. Founded by Professor Mark Nowacki, LogicMills® employs the HAVIT® method to improve reasoning ability, analysis and the quality of decision making. Recognized as South East Asia’s only Analytical Training Skills™ school, LogicMills® collaborates with education institutes of all levels, as well as both local and foreign multinational companies, to customise workshops and programs that significantly improve academic performance, effective communication and problem-solving skills.