Beyond the thinking used in MasterChef Australia: How can I

Christine
Wintle
1
Beyond
the
thinking
used
in
MasterChef
Australia:
How
can
I
promote
creative
solutions
in
response
to
design
problems?
Christine
Wintle
Introduction
Like
my
students
in
Home
Economics,
I
was
captivated
by
the
television
phenomenon
that
is
MasterChef
Australia.
Millions
of
viewers
watched
amateur
cooks
demonstrate
their
culinary
skills
when
competing
for
the
title
of
Australia’s
first
MasterChef.
This
pervaded
the
classroom
and
provided
a
platform
for
discussion
with
students
about
how
to
create
the
perfect
macaroon
biscuit,
how
to
identify
the
ingredients
in
an
unfamiliar
pasta
sauce,
and
where
to
find
equipment
to
create
your
own
croquembouche.
In
the
staff
room
over
coffee,
last
night’s
episode
of
MasterChef
would
dominate
the
conversation.
The
television
series
has
been
instrumental
in
getting
more
people
interested
in
cooking,
evidenced
by
increased
enrolments
in
cooking
classes
both
within
my
school
and
society,
and
the
frequent
use
of
ingredients
and
equipment
by
home
cooks
that
were
used
by
the
chefs
and
contestants
on
the
show.
My
colleagues
and
I
used
the
concept
of
MasterChef
to
design
a
new
subject
for
our
Year
9
curriculum
called
[Insert
Figure
1:
Masterchef
title
with
Learner
plate
exactly
here],
for
those
young
cooking
enthusiasts
wanting
to
learn
how
to
be
a
MasterChef.
The
draft
proposal
outlined
a
curriculum
that
transferred
the
structure
from
the
series
to
a
secondary
school
setting.
Key
concepts
include
sensory
assessment,
master
classes,
guest
chefs
to
demonstrate
specialised
skills,
mystery
boxes
and
invention
tests.
The
proposal
was
endorsed
by
the
Director
of
Curriculum
and
the
Head
of
Middle
School
and
now
affords
us
twelve
months
to
write
the
course
material.
I
feel
fortunate
to
be
given
the
opportunity
to
participate
in
the
Stories
of
Learning
Project
because
it
will
allow
me
to
trial
strategies
and
reflect
on
my
practice
when
transforming
the
ideas
used
in
MasterChef
to
an
educational
setting
in
preparation
for
the
implementation
of
our
new
program
in
2012.
The
area
that
I
am
most
interested
in
exploring
is
Christine
Wintle
2
the
use
of
mystery
boxes
and
invention
tests
to
develop
the
creative
solutions
of
students
during
food
production.
Through
this
research,
I
hope
to
unravel
the
question
‐
“How
can
I
use
a
thinking
routine
to
encourage
creative
solutions
to
a
design
problem?”
The
integrated
use
of
technology
is
in
the
tool
kit
of
many
teachers
who
teach
practical
subjects:
photography,
textiles,
art,
ceramics,
metalwork,
woodwork
to
name
a
few.
For
me,
the
technology
process
is
used
extensively
in
my
teaching
to
senior
students
in
VCE
Food
and
Technology
(VCAA,
2010)
and
will
use
the
design
stage
of
the
process
to
focus
my
writing
for
this
article.
The
technology
process
is
also
embedded
in
the
Victorian
Essential
Learning
Standards
(VCAA,
2009)
and
I
use
it
as
part
of
teaching
of
Home
Economics
in
Years
8‐10.
I
believe
in
all
my
students
and
what
they
can
achieve.
Through
my
passion
for
food,
I
hope
to
engage
them
in
learning
so
that
they
gain
new
experiences
and
appreciate
food
as
both
a
form
of
artistic
expression
and
a
science.
The
shift
in
my
values
has
resulted
in
teaching
for
understanding
and
developing
lifelong
learners
who
are
the
‘masters’
of
their
own
learning
‐
not
just
masters
in
my
classroom.
I
feel
privileged
to
have
been
employed
in
two
schools
that
promote
thinking
and
learning.
Tintern
Schools
gave
me
the
opportunity
to
work
with
an
educational
consultant,
Colleen
Abbott,
to
help
redesign
our
curriculum
and
make
thinking
skills
more
explicit.
The
learning
culture
at
Methodist
Ladies’
College
further
enriches
my
journey
as
a
teacher
and
learner
through
exposure
to
ITHAKA
conferences,
the
College
project
of
Sharing
Classrooms,
biannual
meetings
with
individual
teaching
staff
to
set
their
own
professional
learning
plans
and
the
Understanding
by
Design
framework
to
develop
courses
and
write
meaningful
curriculum.
In
teaching
for
the
present
and
the
future,
I
am
mindful
of
the
challenges.
Students
seek
immediate
gratification
from
their
learning,
and
it
takes
considerable
thought
and
expertise
to
hook
and
engage
them
when
beginning
a
unit
of
work.
Higher
order
thinking
skills
are
becoming
less
developed,
particularly
in
critical
analysis
that
is
needed
when
reflecting
on
the
technology
process.
I
see
it
as
my
role
to
demonstrate
how
to
analyse
information
through
the
Christine
Wintle
3
exploration
of
ideas
and
the
structure
of
writing.
Anecdotally,
it
seems
that
students
are
less
prepared
to
explore
creative
ideas
because
of
the
immediate
gratification
that
they
seek
and
their
fear
of
failure
in
exploring
the
unknown.
Therefore,
I
need
to
consider
how
I
can
develop
their
creativity
skills.
How
can
I
encourage
students
to
take
calculated
risks?
How
is
success
measured
on
MasterChef
Australia?
Before
I
begin
to
further
explore
the
notion
of
creativity,
I
thought
it
might
be
worthwhile
to
look
at
the
attributes
of
the
first
two
winners
of
MasterChef
Australia
that
contributed
to
their
success.
I
thought
it
might
be
possible
to
foster
some
of
these
qualities
in
my
students
so
that
the
outcomes
from
the
show
are
replicated
in
the
classroom.
Julie
Goodwin
was
Australia’s
first
MasterChef
and
her
book,
Our
Family
Table,
has
become
one
of
the
biggest
sellers
in
Australia.
As
noted
by
Margaret
Fulton
in
the
Foreword
‘Julie
was
happiest
when
cooking
for
family
and
friends
but
was
keen
to
try
new
skills’
(Goodwin,
J.,
2010,
Foreword).
I
vividly
recall
having
a
conversation
with
one
of
my
students
about
Julie
Goodwin
having
all
the
qualities
of
a
good
learner
–
she
is
enthusiastic,
works
hard
at
making
her
dishes
taste
good,
has
a
flair
for
plating
and
presenting
food
in
a
professional
way
‐
but
most
of
all
she
learns
from
her
successes
and
failures.
Julie
was
taught
the
basics
of
cooking
as
a
child
by
her
mother
and
after
leaving
the
family
home,
experimented
with
food
by
trying
to
recreate
what
she
had
tasted
and
enjoyed
elsewhere.
She
observed
the
kinship
that
occurred
naturally
over
a
shared
meal,
stating
‘that
if
you
make
nice
food
for
people,
they
love
you’.
(Goodwin,
J.,
2010,
Introduction)
Julie
was
certainly
prepared
to
take
risks
as
a
learner
and
used
her
experiences
to
produce
food
of
increasing
quality.
Towards
the
end
of
the
program,
she
took
pleasure
in
preparing
food
for
the
judges.
Adam
Liaw
left
the
legal
profession
to
participate
in
Series
2,
where
he
became
Australia’s
second
MasterChef.
He
is
now
working
on
opening
his
own
restaurant
in
Surrey
Hills
between
television
appearances,
and
has
just
released
a
new
book
entitled
Two
Asian
Kitchens.
The
Christine
Wintle
4
purpose
of
his
book
is
to
understand
old
and
new
ways
of
Asian
cooking,
to
explore
how
culture
and
identity
meet
on
a
plate.
He
recites
a
Confucian
proverb
that
translates
to
“consider
old
things
to
understand
new
things.
It’s
the
tension
between
understanding
tradition
and
why
things
come
to
be
and
making
that
your
own.”
He
advises
that
“you
shouldn’t
try
to
make
food
you
don’t
have
a
connection
with”
and
indeed
this
could
be
interesting
advice
to
pass
onto
my
students.
The
competition
gave
him
the
opportunity
to
learn
what
food
he
did
well
and
why
he
did
it
well
through
constantly
having
his
food
critiqued
on
an
objective
basis
(Liaw,
A.,
2011).
Masterchef
clarified
his
thinking
about
how
he
approaches
food,
and
I
hope
to
do
this
with
my
students.
How
is
creativity
embedded
in
thinking?
Hugh
Mackay
is
a
social
researcher
and
ethicist,
and
in
his
book
“What
Makes
Us
Tick?
The
Ten
Desires
That
Drive
Us”
he
writes
about
how
being
creative
makes
for
a
better
life.
According
to
Mackay
(Mackay,
H.,
2010,
p11),
when
we’re
creative:
•
•
•
•
We
narrow
our
focus
and
distractions
are
shut
out.
We
are
able
to
represent
our
thoughts
(inner
self)
Sometimes
we
don’t
know
where
the
idea
comes
from,
it
just
emerges
Ritual
and
setting
up
structures
that
get
you
to
commit
are
important.
If,
according
to
Mackay,
being
creative
is
one
of
the
desires
that
drive
us
then
how
do
we
define
it
and
what
are
the
factors
that
promote
its
development?
In
its
simplest
form,
being
creative
is
the
application
of
what
students
know
to
an
unfamiliar
situation.
So
a
vegemite
pizza
might
be
considered
creative
for
one
of
my
international
students,
who
would
have
little
knowledge
about
Australian
cuisine.
Ron
Ritchhart
cites
many
instances
of
students
who
are
creative
in
their
everyday
lives:
‘wherever
it
is
important
to
think
of
new
ways
of
doing
things,
to
look
at
things
through
new
eyes,
to
go
beyond
conventional
ways
of
thinking,
to
stretch
beyond
the
obvious’.
(www.pz.harvard.edu,
accessed
14.5.2011)
For
me,
it
is
the
student
who
is
able
to
go
beyond
conventional
ways
of
thinking
that
stands
her
apart
from
the
rest
of
the
class.
To
paraphrase
Ritchhart,
you
can
view
creativity
as
the
big
C
and
the
little
c.
For
the
international
Christine
Wintle
5
student
who
is
impressed
by
her
effort
to
create
a
vegemite
pizza,
the
creativity
is
relative
to
her
experiences
(little
c).
If
we
shift
the
creation
of
the
vegemite
pizza
to
the
larger
community
(the
big
C),
then
it
may
not
be
viewed
as
creative.
Everyone
has
their
own
food
experiences
and
has
an
opinion
about
the
way
food
tastes
and
how
it
is
presented.
It
therefore
becomes
a
challenge
for
students
to
work
with
an
ingredient
they
may
not
be
familiar
with,
to
try
an
unusual
preparation
or
cooking
technique
or
change
the
form
in
which
food
is
traditionally
presented.
Creativity
is
embedded
in
thinking
and
it
is
impossible
for
the
learner
to
‘know
everything.’
The
development
of
inspirational
ideas
requires
time
to
research
and
experiment
with
new
thoughts
to
bring
them
to
fruition.
Furthermore,
it
is
the
application
of
creative
solutions
in
recipes
that
is
recognised
in
the
wider
community
to
judge
the
world’s
greatest
chefs.
Ferran
Adria
is
arguably
the
world’s
greatest
chef
and
has
combined
creativity
and
food
in
relation
to
his
new
‘restaurant’
venture.
Having
reached
the
top
and
stayed
there
for
so
long,
Adria
is
closing
his
renowned
elBulli
restaurant
and
is
turning
it
into
a
research
foundation
that
will
reach
out
to
the
masses
by
publishing
menus
daily
on
the
internet.
He
is
planning
on
spending
hours
in
his
workshop,
developing
ideas
for
the
menu
and
one
of
the
members
of
his
new
team,
a
journalist,
will
serve
daily
revelations
from
his
experimental
kitchen.
Although
he
has
represented
Spain
at
art
shows,
Adria
rejects
the
idea
of
cuisine
as
art
“The
umbrella
is
not
art
but
creativity”
he
says
(Tremlett,
G.,
2011,
p15).
He
will
bring
other
creators
into
the
foundation’s
kitchen.
“They
will
be
able
to
see
how
we
create
and
we
can
study
how
they
do
it.”
Adria
will
teach
creativity
at
Harvard
University
for
two
weeks
a
year.
His
systematic
approach
to
invention
will
include
“teaching
how
to
become
an
efficient
creator”.
I
admire
the
fact
that
Adria
is
consistent
in
his
approach
to
creativity
and
that
it
is
the
notion
of
being
creative
with
food
that
has
led
to
much
of
his
success.
Without
enrolling
them
in
Adria’s
course,
how
can
I
encourage
my
students
to
be
self‐aware
and
to
make
more
conscious
creative
choices?
I
believe
that
part
of
the
answer
lies
in
students
Christine
Wintle
6
having
a
state
of
‘mindfulness’.
I
became
more
aware
about
the
notion
of
mindfulness
after
reading
Lesley
Ryder’s
paper
for
the
Stories
of
Learning
Project
on
‘Wondering
about
Thinking
and
Seeing:
Moving
Beyond
Meta‐Cognition’
(http://storiesoflearning.com/Secondary_Stories/Entries/2010/10/10_Wondering_about_Think
ing_%26_Seeing__Moving_Beyond_Metacognition.html).
Ryder
explored
the
question
What
is
Mindfulness?
and
suggests
that
mindfulness
is
a
facilitative
state
that
promotes
creativity
and
the
use
of
information,
as
well
as
memory
and
retention.
Stressed
and
anxious
students
cannot
make
use
of
their
abilities,
cannot
think
clearly
and
effectively.
(Ryder,
L.,
2011,
p33).
A
mindful
meditation
teacher,
Janet
Ethy‐Leal,
spoke
about
mindfulness
recently.
She
stated
that
“mindfulness
is
not
just
the
activity
of
the
brain;
you
don’t
just
find
the
mind
in
the
brain.
The
brain
is
an
activity
of
the
nervous
system.
A
student’s
attention
can
focus
on
the
past
(memory),
the
present
or
future.
The
key
is
to
get
students
to
manage
their
attention
to
focus
on
the
present.
If
thinking
is
distorted
by
memory
or
students
have
fears
about
the
future,
then
this
can
hinder
their
creativity.
Students
can
create
their
own
minds,
moment
by
moment
if
they
remain
calm
and
have
clear
thought
patterns.”
(Ethy‐Leal,
J.,
2011)
The
timing
of
a
mystery
box
to
foster
creativity
In
achieving
a
state
of
mindfulness
in
order
to
create
optimal
conditions
for
creativity
to
flourish,
the
timing
of
a
mystery
box
will
be
crucial
to
experiencing
success
when
deriving
creative
solutions.
How
will
students
feel
if
I
surprise
them
with
a
mystery
box
task
where
they
need
to
develop
their
own
dish
using
a
limited
number
of
ingredients
that
are
presented
to
them?
In
a
mixed
ability
classroom,
will
all
students
feel
comfortable
if
they
are
put
on
the
spot
and
have
to
instantly
generate
their
ideas?
Research
from
Ryder
suggests
that
some
students
will
become
anxious
and
will
not
be
able
to
develop
their
thinking.
On
the
Masterchef
program,
we
did
not
see
uncomfortable
pauses
where
contestants
were
stumbling
for
ideas
because
it
would
not
make
for
light
entertainment,
and
one
has
to
wonder
how
much
time
they
were
given
to
plan
their
recipes
in
advance.
Christine
Wintle
7
I
decided
to
test
this
idea
with
my
Year
9
Home
Economics
students
in
preparation
for
their
living
away
from
home
experience
at
our
remote
site,
Marshmead.
I
told
the
students
that
they
would
have
a
mystery
box
of
ingredients
for
one
of
their
practical
classes,
but
that
if
they
wanted
to
know
the
ingredients
then
they
could
email
me
in
advance
so
that
they
could
plan
their
dish.
Approximately
one
third
of
the
class
sought
out
the
ingredients,
whilst
the
others
were
happy
to
take
risks
and
design
their
product
without
very
much
planning.
It
is
noteworthy
that
the
outcome
was
not
assessed,
and
this
took
away
the
pressure
of
having
work
graded.
The
experience,
however,
will
assist
them
in
helping
to
use
up
‘left
over’
ingredients
in
their
fridge
and
pantry
whilst
at
Marshmead
and
it
allowed
me
to
collect
valuable
evidence
about
the
proportion
of
the
class
who
needed
time
to
think
about
the
task.
I
have
one
other
reservation
about
the
concept
of
a
mystery
box
task.
Creativity
is
relative
to
the
experiences
of
the
student.
Do
students
have
the
food
knowledge
and
the
skills
to
carry
out
ideas
that
they
might
have
or
that
I
am
expecting?
What
happens
when
this
is
mismatched?
Part
of
my
role
is
to
minimise
failure
and
to
guide
students
in
their
thinking,
but
how
much
direction
do
I
give
so
that
they
do
not
lose
ownership
of
their
ideas?
Ultimately,
I
want
my
students
to
experience
success,
develop
confidence
in
their
abilities,
command
the
content
and
apply
skills
to
unfamiliar
situations
whilst
enjoying
what
they
are
doing
and
improving
their
self‐
esteem.
The
role
of
a
facilitator
has
never
been
more
important
than
in
the
implementation
of
a
design
exercise
that
promotes
creativity.
Task
one
–
to
design
a
breakfast
food
for
the
front
cover
of
Donna
Hay
magazine
I
decided
to
work
with
my
Year
11
VCE
Food
and
Technology
students
to
promote
creative
solutions
as
the
focus
of
my
reflective
practice.
In
2011,
there
is
a
new
study
design
in
Victoria
which
involves
using
the
design
process
in
practical
outcomes.
I
compiled
two
design
tasks
in
Term
1.
The
first
did
not
have
a
thinking
routine
embedded
in
it
but
instead
would
allow
me
to
ascertain
how
students
go
about
solving
design
briefs
and
what
they
are
thinking
when
trying
Christine
Wintle
8
to
derive
suitable
creative,
options.
In
the
second
task,
I
will
spend
some
time
on
a
‘thinking
routine’
after
the
requirements
of
the
task
are
disseminated
to
develop
their
thinking
in
an
attempt
to
foster
creative
solutions.
Both
tasks
involve
the
concept
of
a
mystery
box
in
alignment
with
what
I
am
trying
to
achieve
in
developing
a
new
curriculum.
The
design
brief
for
task
one
was
given
to
the
students
in
the
following
format:
Figure
2:
design
brief
on
breakfast
food
for
the
front
cover
of
a
food
magazine
In
addition
to
the
brief,
they
were
given
a
mystery
box
and
a
large
range
of
pantry
and
fridge
ingredients.
Mystery
Box
–
eggs,
Roma
tomatoes,
cream
cheese,
short
crust
pastry,
oranges,
chocolate
(eggs
must
be
included,
along
with
two
other
ingredients)
Pantry
items
‐
packet
of
plain
flour,
packet
of
SR
flour,
packet
of
A1
white
sugar,
packet
of
caster
sugar,
oats,
salt,
pepper,
baking
powder
bicarbonate
of
soda,
vegetable
oil,
olive
oil,
sliced
white
bread,
shelled
almonds,
box
of
dried
yeast,
box
of
cornflour,
container
of
arrowroot,
bottle
of
balsamic
vinegar,
squeeze
bottle
of
honey,
squeeze
bottle
of
golden
syrup,
jar
of
coffee
granules,
Christine
Wintle
9
Fridge
‐
block
of
butter,
block
of
unsalted
butter,
eggs,
cream,
milk,
block
tasty
cheese,
bacon,
coliban
potatoes,
brown
onions,
lemons,
fresh
parsley,
fresh
chives,
bottle
of
lime
juice,
bottle
of
lemon
juice,
jar
of
chilli
paste
(sambal
oelek),
tub
of
natural
yoghurt
The
class
was
given
the
task
at
the
beginning
of
the
week,
and
the
practical
lesson
was
at
the
end
of
the
week.
This
allowed
students
time
to
think,
construct
a
food
order
to
have
the
correct
resources
and
to
trial
the
dish
at
home
if
they
wanted.
I
directed
students
to
where
they
might
look
for
ideas
to
find
out
about
the
functional
properties
of
eggs
and
the
cooking
techniques
that
can
be
used.
The
emphasis
was
on
presentation
and
the
students
knew
I
was
going
to
photograph
the
dish
and
comment
on
the
different
elements.
A
selection
of
student
work
can
be
seen
below:
Insert
Figures
3
–
7:
food
images
on
breakfast
Christine
Wintle
10
Overall,
students
had
given
thought
to
how
to
make
their
breakfast
food
look
attractive
and
suitable
for
Donna
Hay
magazine
with
simple
and
clean
presentation
techniques.
However,
the
most
valuable
part
of
the
process
transpired
in
the
following
lesson
where
these
images
were
put
on
a
data
projector
and
I
highlighted
the
strengths
of
each
dish
and
suggested
possible
recommendations
for
improvement.
Each
student
provided
insight
about
where
they
got
their
ideas
from
for
their
dish.
Overwhelmingly,
students
produced
what
they
knew
and
had
experienced
before.
Having
students
design
a
breakfast
food
was
a
safe
option
because
they
all
have
experiences
about
eating
breakfast.
However,
I
was
surprised
that
even
with
the
diversity
of
different
cultures
within
the
classroom
the
dishes
were
all
traditionally
English
in
origin
and
were
lacking
in
innovation.
This
was
a
valuable
learning
experience
to
focus
on
presentation
and
not
over‐plate,
but
importantly
it
gave
me
the
knowledge
that
they
weren’t
thinking
very
deeply
about
what
to
produce.
The
students
had
a
lot
of
fun
with
the
design
task
but
felt
quite
restricted
by
the
ingredients
in
the
brief.
Each
student
wrote
a
reflective
piece
on
how
their
dish
satisfied
the
requirements
of
the
task
so
that
they
were
able
to
internalise
the
thinking
that
had
taken
place,
or
lack
of
it.
Task
two
–
to
design
a
lunch
item
for
a
resort
in
Koh
Samui
(Thailand)
With
repeated
exposure
to
a
mystery
box
and
familiarity
with
the
structure
of
the
task,
I
expected
that
my
Year
11
students
would
perform
at
a
higher
level
the
second
time.
I
attempted
to
replicate
the
timing
in
which
the
design
brief
was
given
and
the
lapse
between
this
and
the
production
lesson.
However,
there
was
deliberate
intervention
in
order
to
apply
a
thinking
routine
at
the
design
stage.
The
emphasis
of
the
problem
was
on
the
flavour
of
the
dish,
rather
than
the
appearance.
The
following
design
brief
was
given
to
the
students:
Christine
Wintle
11
Figure
8:
design
brief
on
lunch
in
a
resort
in
Thailand
The
mystery
box
ingredients
were
also
specified,
but
I
decided
to
eliminate
pantry
and
fridge
food
items
to
select
from
with
the
intention
of
giving
them
more
scope.
Mystery
Box
–
prawns,
white
fish
fillets,
chicken
thigh
fillets,
duck
breasts,
white
long
grain
rice,
soy
sauce,
carrots,
lemon
grass,
bok
choy
(four
of
the
mystery
box
ingredients
should
be
used)
The
evaluation
criteria
were
given
at
the
outset.
The
purpose
of
the
criteria
was
for
students
to
design
their
option
with
the
specifications
in
mind,
knowing
that
they
are
required
to
write
responses
to
each
question
at
the
conclusion
of
the
task
in
the
form
of
reflective
writing.
The
criteria
are
listed
here:
1. What
are
the
characteristics
of
the
dish
that
make
it
suitable
to
serve
as
a
light,
healthy
lunch
item
at
a
resort
in
Thailand?
2. Which
aspects
of
the
dish
make
it
appealing
(flavour,
texture,
aroma,
appearance)?
3. How
did
I
make
use
of
the
fish/seafood,
poultry
and
fresh
vegetables
at
my
disposal?
4. Was
the
time
allocation
of
40
minutes
used
efficiently?
5. How
were
the
Thai
flavours
of
sweet,
sour,
spicy
and
salty
achieved
in
the
dish?
6. How
were
four
of
the
mystery
box
ingredients
prepared
so
that
they
were
key
components?
Christine
Wintle
12
A
thinking
routine
was
then
introduced
and
was
the
key
difference
between
the
two
tasks.
Connect‐Extend‐Challenge
is
a
routine
for
connecting
new
ideas
to
prior
knowledge.
It
also
encourages
students
to
take
stock
of
ongoing
questions,
puzzles
and
difficulties
as
they
reflect
on
what
they
are
learning.
(http://pzweb.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03b_Introduction.html,
accessed
14.5.2011)The
‘prior
knowledge’
that
I
was
aiming
to
tap
into
was
the
notion
that
Thai
dishes
typically
have
the
four
flavours
of
salty,
sweet,
spicy
and
sour.
If
students
understand
this
concept
and
how
Thai
recipes
are
constructed,
then
theoretically
they
should
be
able
to
modify
existing
recipes
or
design
a
recipe
of
their
own.
To
keep
students’
thinking
visible,
the
routine
was
completed
with
the
entire
class
and
their
thoughts
were
recorded.
A
transcript
can
be
found
below:
Christine
Wintle
13
Christine
Wintle
14
Figure
9:
connect‐extend‐challenge
At
the
conclusion
of
this
lesson,
I
talked
to
each
student
about
what
they
were
thinking
in
relation
to
their
design.
The
majority
had
a
preference
for
a
generic
dish.
It
was
pleasing
to
note
that
they
did
not
have
definite
ideas
for
a
solution
because
they
wanted
to
experiment
with
different
designs
or
at
the
very
least,
analyse
existing
recipes
to
see
if
they
contained
a
balance
of
the
four
flavour
elements.
In
the
previous
section
How
is
Creativity
Embedded
in
Thinking?,
I
argued
that
it
is
the
student
who
goes
beyond
conventional
ways
of
thinking
that
sets
her
apart
from
the
rest.
I
have
one
such
student
and
when
I
questioned
her,
she
would
not
commit
to
a
definite
idea
because
she
felt
that
she
needed
to
further
investigate
her
options
because
‘she
wanted
to
do
something
that
was
different
to
the
others’.
After
having
time
to
complete
their
research,
I
wanted
students
to
consolidate
their
understanding,
and
they
were
then
required
to
provide
a
visual
image
of
their
dish
with
brief
annotations
to
reflect
the
specifications
that
were
given
to
them
at
the
beginning.
The
work
below
is
an
example
of
a
student’s
thinking
about
her
dish,
remembering
that
the
emphasis
is
on
flavour,
and
not
presentation.
Christine
Wintle
15
Christine
Wintle
16
Figure
10:
annotated
design
option
Were
students
able
to
transfer
their
knowledge
to
this
unfamiliar
situation
in
a
production
lesson?
The
thinking
routine
allowed
them
to
see
how
to
think
creatively
about
how
ingredients
can
be
put
together
differently
by
focussing
on
the
key
concept
of
flavour.
I
observed
some
students
as
creative
agents,
attempting
to
think
outside
the
box,
stretching
beyond
the
obvious
to
look
at
situations
in
new
ways.
(www.pz.harvard.edu,
accessed
14.5.2011)
A
selection
of
student
work
can
be
seen
below,
along
with
a
reflection
on
the
process.
Figure
11:
written
responses
to
criteria
5
Christine
Wintle
17
Images
12‐16:
food
images
As
can
be
seen
above,
a
range
of
recipes
was
designed:
soups,
curries,
salads
and
noodles
dishes.
Every
student
had
her
dish
photographed
and
tasted
during
the
production
lesson.
When
discussing
the
flavour
of
the
product
as
part
of
their
assessment,
each
student
explained
how
that
flavour
was
achieved
through
the
use
of
the
key
ingredients.
All
students
had
considered
the
four
taste
components,
although
it
was
surprising
that
some
of
them
did
not
taste
a
sample
of
their
product
before
coming
out
the
front
to
be
assessed.
This
is
an
area
for
future
improvement
because
the
flavour
could
have
been
modified
and
improved;
some
dishes
were
too
spicy
(although
subjective),
too
sour
or
lacking
salt
and
intensity
of
flavour.
The
student
who
made
the
greatest
improvement
struggled
to
understand
the
considerations
and
structure
of
the
first
task.
Compounding
the
situation
was
the
fact
that
she
has
Asperger’s
Syndrome
and
it
became
difficult
to
shift
her
thinking
once
the
problem
had
been
given;
she
Christine
Wintle
18
made
a
breakfast
muffin
that
did
not
utilise
all
of
the
mystery
box
ingredients
or
use
eggs
in
an
integral
way.
In
the
second
task,
however,
she
was
able
to
make
a
beautifully
tasting
prawn
curry
that
had
all
of
the
required
flavour
elements.
It
was
clear
that
she
was
able
to
transfer
her
ideas
to
what
she
knew
about
Thai
food
after
completing
the
thinking
routine
with
the
rest
of
the
class.
The
highest
achieving
student
(who
was
referred
to
earlier
in
this
section
as
wanting
more
time
for
her
planning)
was
able
to
put
together
her
own
recipe
for
a
Sweet
and
Sour
soup
that
reflected
the
four
flavour
components.
It
was
creative
because
it
went
beyond
the
obvious,
connected
to
past
experience
and
extended
her
thinking
to
an
unfamiliar
situation.
Recommendations
for
new
curriculum
design
and
implementation
In
light
of
the
results,
conclusions
can
be
drawn
about
creativity
and
its
usefulness
in
helping
students
derive
solutions
to
mystery
boxes
and
invention
tests.
About
creativity
•
•
•
•
Experimenting
with
food
in
an
attempt
to
recreate
individual
experiences
is
key
to
being
able
to
transfer
knowledge
and
key
skills.
The
more
opportunities
that
we
give
to
students
to
‘experiment
with
food’
to
create
their
own
products,
the
more
familiar
they
become
with
this
pattern
of
thinking.
To
learn
new
things,
we
need
to
be
able
to
understand
old
things.
It
is
difficult
to
design
new
food
ideas
if
the
preparer
does
not
have
a
connection
with
the
food.
I
believe
that
it
is
the
role
of
the
teacher
to
help
students
to
see
that
connection.
Creativity
is
embedded
in
thinking
and
can
be
viewed
as
the
application
of
knowledge
and
skills
to
a
new
situation,
but
it
is
the
ability
to
go
beyond
conventional
ways
of
thinking
that
produces
high
quality
outcomes.
Mindfulness
is
a
facilitative
state
that
promotes
creative
thought
and
the
use
of
information,
as
well
as
memory
and
retention.
Stressed
and
anxious
students
cannot
make
use
of
their
abilities,
cannot
think
clearly
and
effectively.
It
is
important
to
focus
a
student’s
attention
on
the
present,
without
being
too
distracted
by
past
memories
in
relation
to
the
task
or
fears
about
the
future.
The
design
of
the
task
•
The
timing
of
a
mystery
box
task
is
crucial
in
allowing
students
to
achieve
a
state
of
mindfulness.
One
week
appeared
to
be
sufficient
time
for
students
to
generate
ideas,
plan
how
they
might
achieve
the
outcome,
prepare
the
food
and
evaluate
the
process.
Christine
Wintle
•
•
•
•
•
19
Creativity
output
is
relative
to
a
student’s
own
personal
experiences,
but
the
teacher
can
widen
the
experience
by
introducing
him/her
to
different
ingredients,
techniques,
equipment
or
types
of
cuisine.
There
is
an
opportunity
to
model
creative
ideas
and
explore
options
that
are
viewed
by
the
majority
as
innovative.
The
design
brief
should
have
a
degree
of
familiarity
for
all.
Four
mystery
box
ingredients
for
inclusion
in
the
dish
appeared
to
be
achievable
for
most,
but
too
many
pantry/fridge
ingredients
overcomplicates
the
design
and
places
too
many
restrictions.
A
recommendation
for
consideration
is
to
not
assess
the
final
outcome
for
some
mystery
box
tasks,
but
to
assess
the
thinking
behind
the
design
options
in
the
form
of
student
reflection.
This
might
allow
students
to
take
greater
risks
in
their
designing.
However,
one
could
equally
argue
that
design
ideas
need
to
be
realistic
and
have
appealing
sensory
properties.
Assessment
rubrics
could
be
developed
to
assess
the
creativity
element.
There
is
value
in
peer
assessment
at
the
completion
of
making
the
product.
This
feedback
could
then
be
used
in
the
student’s
reflective
writing
about
their
product
and
the
processes
or
thinking
employed
to
make
it.
Practical
suggestions
during
implementation
•
•
•
The
teacher
might
consider
the
students
giving
the
instructor
a
mystery
box
to
observe
the
teacher
demonstrating
the
qualities
that
she
is
expecting
from
her
students.
If
time
was
restricting
the
implementation
of
this
activity,
the
teacher
might
work
parallel
to
the
students
in
the
classroom
during
the
completion
of
a
practical
task
to
reflect
on
another
outcome
or
solution.
The
use
of
digital
photography
provides
evidence
for
students
about
their
achievements
and
provides
an
opportunity
to
discuss
their
thinking.
Repeated
exposure
to
mystery
box
tasks
and
thinking
routines
allows
students
to
have
a
familiar
structure
within
which
to
develop
their
creative
ideas.
Opportunities
for
deeper
thinking
•
•
•
Connect‐Extend‐Challenge
is
a
routine
that
allows
students
to
connect
new
ideas
with
prior
knowledge.
This
can
be
done
collectively
as
a
class
to
develop
students’
thinking,
in
small
groups
or
individually.
In
this
instance,
the
routine
provided
connection
and
transference
of
student
knowledge
about
flavours
typically
used
in
Thai
food.
Students
should
be
encouraged
to
critically
analyse
their
work
at
all
stages
of
the
design
process.
This
allows
for
repeated
learning
opportunities
and
encourages
students
to
justify
and
modify
their
ideas
in
alignment
with
the
evaluation
criteria.
In
practical
classes
with
a
food
focus,
this
includes
adjusting
their
plated
dish
prior
to
assessment.
Student
self‐evaluations
about
their
learning
allow
them
to
comment
on
their
success
and
reflect
on
areas
for
improvement.
This
is
an
opportunity
to
document
their
thinking
and
provides
an
insight
to
the
teacher
about
the
class
and
how
to
move
forward
with
future
ideas
for
teaching
and
learning.
Christine
Wintle
20
Conclusion
I
can
clearly
state
that
the
thinking
routine
Connect‐Extend‐Challenge
did
encourage
creativity
when
developing
a
solution
to
a
design
problem
that
revolved
around
taste.
Students
were
able
to
transfer
knowledge
to
an
unfamiliar
situation
about
Thai
cuisine
after
we
had
discussed
what
they
knew
about
flavour
components
and
how
recipes
could
be
developed
and/or
modified.
A
key
factor
in
facilitating
creative
solutions
is
the
timing
of
the
design
task
so
that
a
state
of
mindfulness
is
achieved.
This
narrows
the
focus
of
students
and
reduces
levels
of
anxiety
so
that
they
can
achieve
to
their
potential.
Design
based
tasks
are
open
ended
and
therefore
cater
for
a
mixed
ability
classroom,
achieving
the
optimum
outcome
–
deeper
thinking,
varying
degrees
of
success
and
increased
self‐esteem
for
my
students.
The
teacher
has
a
key
role
in
facilitating
creative
ideas
through
the
design
of
the
task,
modelling
creative
solutions
and
providing
students
with
the
opportunities
to
verbalise
and
extend
their
thinking.
Bibliography
Ethy‐Leal,
Janet
Mindful
Meditation
Teacher
28
April,
2011,
Lecture
at
Methodist
Ladies’
College
to
Year
10
students,
Melbourne
Goodwin,
Julie,
2010,
Our
Family
Table,
Foreword
by
Margaret
Fulton,
Introduction,
Australia,
Random
House
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Ltd
Liaw,
Adam
2011,
Two
Asian
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Mackay,
Hugh
2010
as
seen
in
The
Age
Sunday
Life
p11
What
Makes
Us
Tick?:
The
Ten
Desires
That
Drive
Us,
Christine
Wintle
21
Australia,
Hatchette
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Visible
Thinking
Website
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/04_ThinkingIdeals/04f_CreativityIde
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http://pzweb.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03d_Understand
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Website
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4.5.2011
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Lesley
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