This critical thinking skill development framework addresses challenges associated with teaching and assessing critical thinking. It provides a definition of critical thinking and describes this construct as it applies in classroom-based learning. The framework synthesises and harmonises existing theory and research on critical thinking and outlines creative thinking processes along prescribed strands and aspects that are informed by evidence. The strands contained within the framework are 1. Constructing knowledge; 2. Evaluating ideas; and 3. Making decisions. The strands are further broken down into aspects to inform teaching and assessment.

Background: Computer‐based assessment allows for the monitoring of reader behaviour. The identification of patterns in this behaviour can provide insights that may be useful in informing educational interventions.Objectives: Our study aims to explore what different patterns of reading activity exist, and investigates their interpretation and consistency across different task sets (units), countries, and languages. Three patterns were expected: on‐task, exploring and disengaged.Methods: Using log data from the PISA 2012 digital reading assessment (9226 students from seven countries), we conducted hierarchical cluster analyses with typical process indicators of digital reading assessments. We identified different patterns and explored whether they remained consistent across different units. To validate the interpretation of the identified patterns, we examined their relationship to performance and student characteristics (gender, socio‐economic status, print reading skills).Results and Conclusions: The results indicate a small number of transnational clusters, with unit‐specific differences. Cluster interpretation is supported by associations with student characteristics—for example, students with low print reading skills were more likely to show a disengaged pattern than proficient readers. Exploring behaviour tended to be exhibited only once across the three units: It occurred in the first unit for proficient readers and in later units for less skilled readers.Major Takeaways: Behavioural patterns can be identified in digital reading tasks that may prove useful for educational monitoring and intervention. Although task situations are designed to evoke certain behaviours, the interpretation of observed behavioural patterns requires validation based on task requirements, assessment context and relationships to other available information.

This creative thinking skill development framework addresses challenges associated with teaching and assessing creative thinking. It provides a definition of creative thinking and describes this construct as it applies in classroom-based learning. The framework synthesises and harmonises existing theory and research on creative thinking and outlines creative thinking processes along prescribed strands and aspects that are informed by evidence. The strands contained within the framework are 1. Generating ideas; 2. Experimenting with ideas; and 3. Identifying the quality of ideas. The strands are further broken down into aspects to inform teaching and assessment.

This collaboration skill development framework addresses challenges associated with teaching and assessing collaboration. It provides a definition of collaboration and describes this construct as it applies in classroom-based learning. The framework synthesises and harmonises existing theory and research on collaboration and outlines creative thinking processes along prescribed strands and aspects that are informed by evidence. The strands contained within the framework are 1. Building shared understanding; 2. Collectively contributing; and 3. Regulating the group. The strands are further broken down into aspects to inform teaching and assessment.

The ability to read and understand text is fundamental to full participation in modern adult life (Olson, 1977; Elwert, 2001). It is essential to educational progress across domains, but increased literacy levels are also linked to positive outcomes in terms of employment and health. Given its critical role both in the facilitation of learning in all domains, and in many aspects of life beyond school, it is imperative that we give students the best possible chance to develop their reading skills. This paper uses early reading as a case study for examining how the identification and explication of essential skills and concepts might assist all students to make excellent progress.