Performance of the cognitive holding power questionnaire in schools

The Cognitive Holding Power Questionnaire measures the press for higher and lower order thinking in classroom environments. This paper reports the performance of the instrument in school settings and teachersʹ roles in pressing students into different kinds of thinking. The reliability of the instrument compared favourably with its use elsewhere; and it discriminated between teachers within schools, year levels and subject areas. The results also indicate that it is the teacher, rather than the school, the year level or even the subject area, who is central in creating the press for different kinds of thinking in school classroom settings.