BIG LITTLE DEVELOPMENTS

The development of Big Little Thinking (BLT) is characterised by the development of ways of knowing or ‘epistemological developments’ that represent increasingly integrated and differentiated ways of understanding causality and relationality. Identifying and understanding this development has important implications for teaching and learning about BLT.

As a developmental framework, BLT shares much in common with established frameworks in epistemological development. However, it focuses on dyadic relationships as the primary structure of development. These relationships can be expressed as epistemic developments from 0, 1, 2, 3 to infinity.

Big Little Thinking: Layers of Mind

1. (0) Niladic: Thinking that is more absent or negating.
2. (1) Monadic: Thinking that is more singular or holistic.
3. (2) Dyadic: Thinking that is more binary oppositional or dualising.
4. (3) Triadic: Thinking that is more middling or synthesising.
5. (   ) Polyadic: Thinking that is more multiplying or simplex
6. Enigmatic: Thinking that is more incomprehensible or metaphysical

Reich’s Theory of Relational and Contextual Reasoning

K. Helmut Reich’s Theory of Relational and Contextual Reasoning (RCR), explores key areas of human conflict such as the ideological conflict between nations, the conflict in close relationships and the conflict between science and religion. The theory provides a way of thinking that encourages people to adopt an inclusive rather than an oppositional approach to conflict and problem-solving. Reich describes RCR as:

a specific thought form which implies that two or more heterogeneous descriptions, explanations, models, theories or interpretations of the very same entity, phenomenon, or functionally coherent whole are both “logically” possible and acceptable together under certain conditions, and can be coordinated accordingly (Reich, 2002, pp 12-13).

The levels of RCR are: 

1. Intra
2. Inter
3. Trans-intra
4. Trans-inter
5. Trans-trans

Perry's Theory of Epistemological Development

Perry’s theory traces the development of intellectual and ethical thinking over time and in context. Perry’s levels represent ways of knowing in relation to the framing and coordination of different perspectives or truth claims. It deals with the structure of these claims rather the substance of specific claims.

• Dualism (Positions 1 & 2)
• Multiplicity (Positions 3 & 4)
• Contextual Relativism (Positions 5 & 6)
• Commitment within Relativism (Positions 7-9)

Brainard's Theory of the Fugue

Brainard's concept of the fugue reconciles seemingly discordant perspectives in science, religion, and philosophy - categories of thought that frame the quest for meaning. 

Fowler's Theory of Faith Development

Fowler's Stages of Faith offers a developmental approach to human faith or ultimate concern. Fowler proposes six archetypal stages that describe sequential and incremental orientations to the ways we perceive the world, including authority, morality, social identity, worldview, and symbolic function:

•  Undifferentiated Faith 
•  Intuitive-Projective Faith 
•  Mythic-Literal Faith 
•  Synthetic-Conventional Faith  
•  Individuative-Reflective Faith 
•  Conjunctive Faith 
•  Universalizing Faith 

Adam' s Theory of Bi-Relational  Development (BirD)

Adam’s theory of bi-relational development (BirD) proposes that the recognition and reconciliation of 'opposites' lies at the heart of our most personal and global problems and is arguably one of the most neglected developmental tasks of Western education. The theory suggests that these problems are 'wicked' in the sense that they involve real-life decisions that have to be made in rapidly changing contexts involving irreducible tensions and paradoxes. Adam proposes that our everyday ways of knowing and being can be powerfully located and understood in terms of developments in the way we recognise and relate the constituents of dyads (i.e. pairs) through levels of:

1. Creation: potential for perception of A and B. 
2. Pre-dyadic emergence: perception of A or B before relationship. 
3. Pro-dyadic opposition: perception of A and B in opposing relationship. 
4. Post-dyadic convergence: perception of A and B in dependent relationship in context. 
5. Collapse: equation and negation of A and B across contexts. 
6. Transpositions: all possible relations of A and B in and across contexts.