The Big 6

The Big6 is a process model to organise thinking and problem solving it is the "Most widely known and used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world (Eisenberg, 2001)". The following link to "The Big6" website shows the model and more information on this framework http://www.big6.com/2001/11/19/a-big6%E2%84%A2-skills-overview/.

Plus
It looks at most of the important aspects of the task (no mapping to curriculum), defines the problem, helps teachers to identify sources of information to find solutions, plans the use and extract of information from the sources to be able to combine information from different sources and finally plans the review or evaluation of the outcome.

Minus
No mapping to the curriculum or content. Care needs to be taken that tasks selected are focused on the needs of the subject.

Interesting

It follows how we automatically undertake problem solving but hones the process, making people focus on the steps to ensure that they are all done properly so you do not have to keep going back because you have not identified the problem or sources correctly.

Personal reflection

If I was to use this Framework I would add another step at the start identifying the curriculum needs, not just the "information problem". I feel that it would be a good problem solving strategy to teach students and also show how you are personally using it in class so they can see that teachers modeling Habits of Mind and the need to use structured problem solving strategies.

Eisenberg, M. (2001). Big6 Skills Overview. Retrieved 13 November, 2010, from http://www.big6.com/2001/11/19/a-big6%E2%84%A2-skills-overview/