The teacher encourages the students to share what they have found, to identify the source of the opinions, and to critically evaluate them. They can search the website for particular names they have been discussing, and can view videos, which bring political figures to life. The teacher asks the students to create group websites representing their understanding and opinions on the crisis. The scope of the curriculum at Packer addresses both lower and higher order thinking skills. As students advance through the grades, the academic program increasingly emphasizes development of higher order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Students can apply computers to the challenges posed by more complex and ambiguous problems.
Computers can automate time-consuming tasks that students have already mastered, enabling students to focus on the acquisition and application of higher order skills. By judiciously using computers to help sort and sift information, students can focus on evaluation, and upon representation and understanding of concepts and ideas. Students use a computer-aided design program to test theories and constructs before building the final prototype. Auxiliary skills, which facilitate learning, are also stressed at Packer. Note-taking, research, presentation, and organization are all skills which can be applied in the print and digital realms.