Thinking Maps - History of Thinking Maps

History of Thinking Maps

In 1970, Innovative Sciences, Inc. (ISI) was founded by Charles Adams in order to “improve the thinking and problem-solving abilities of the work force” (Thinking Maps, Inc., 2011). Over the next eighteen years, ISI created a variety of developmentally appropriate materials, or “content-based thinking skills,” for schools based on research from student reading performance and different educational teaching models (Thinking Maps, Inc., 2011). In 1988, David Hyerle wrote Expand Your Thinking, which was the first resource where his Thinking Maps were published, and at that point, he began training educators to use his Thinking Maps (Thinking Maps, Inc., 2011). In 1994, test results indicated that “Thinking Maps significantly affect standardized and qualitative measures of student performance” (Thinking Maps Inc., 2011). After more success and schools nation-wide piloting Thinking Maps, ISI changed its name to Thinking Maps, Inc. in 2004 to “better promote its mission” (Thinking Maps, Inc., 2011). Today, thousands of teachers across America have been trained in using and implementing Thinking Maps in their classrooms. Thinking Maps are also being promoted in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia (Thinking Maps, Inc., 2011).