Maggie,
Students need help with this area. By giving them steps and a checklist you are helping them to see the sequence and order of how to work through to solutions. Good training for them to have.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think when a problem is given a checklist will assist the students to better solution in the problem solving. (Making should things are written down and data broken out for easier understanding.
Wendy,
I like and use this approach because knowing they can fail and learn from it really helps students to grow in their critical thinking abilities. We use zip lock bags of Legos to do brainstorming and problem solving development. You are right about the laughs part because the students come up with some real interesting objects and applications with their Lego projects.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Christine,
What are some ways you help your students to learn through discovery and skill refinement?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am in complete agreement with Martin (response below) when he states that he gives them permission to fail. In addition, I often encourage them to come up with solutions that seem "impossible". Even if some of the results are "impossible" in reality, I find that this approach helps them get beyond paradigm paralysis and even makes them laugh!
Discovering the way the student learns and honing in on that more.
BRUCE,
You have a good model that you are following. The results will be some very good experiences for your students to go through as well as the knowledge they will gain on how to be problem solvers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rose,
These are fun activities to participate in because of what you mentioned in relation to the different perspectives and experiences students bring to these types of exercises. There seems to be a surprise every time I complete one.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Focus on asking open-ended questions that require a detailed response, forming small groups to solve complex tasks based on everyone's opinions, etc.
I would like to support the problem solving skills of my students through a variety of means. First, I would let them know about the value of problem solving, and to understand that they need to use strategies,such as logic, reasoning and other information (such as past similiar situations, and less emotional attachment) to find the answers they are seeking. Finally I would encourage them to evaluate what decisions they have made and determine whether the outcome was accurate or if it needed better understanding and more work.
When I create critical thinking exercises, such as a risk assessment for a city concerned about terrorism, students have a chance to bring all their knowledge to bear on what is at risk (lives, institutions, infrastructure) and what mechanisms can be devised to protect. Each class brings a different perspective, and some core creative thought occurs.
Richard,
This is one of the reasons like to use groups when we do problem solving. The students learn how to work with others while experiencing the problem solving process from a number of different perspectives.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Working on a particular problem in groups allows students to test a variety of ideas leading to a clearer definition of the problem. The instructor can then lead the students with questions to probe their definition, usually resulting in a reworking of the problem into a more digestible and sharply focused definition with possible research strategies.
It's important to have students involved in the developing of quiz materials and worksheets so they can use that as an extra means of studying.
Robert,
This is a great way to get students started in the development of their problem solving skills. Knowing their types will help them locate resources in those areas and combine them with what is known to reach solutions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
One way to support development is to have them identify what type of problem solver they are. The class can be given a set of problems, and then have them explain how they came to a solution. If the answers were scientific, supported by accepted common procedures, or formula driven, then they are systematic. Answers that were determined inherently or "on a hunch" are intuitive.
Martin,
This is such a good point. We cannot accept the answer "I can't solve this" because if we do we have given the student a future out when other problems are presented. They need to try and you are right they can fail but in failing they will have learned something and before long they will be solving problems they thought they couldn't solve and their confidence is going to soar!
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Luz,
You make a good point about the need for well developed case studies. Just throwing together some information or situation without thinking about integrating problem solving challenges short changes the students in the area of problem solving skill development. We need to use case studies that uses all the elements of problem solving if they are to be of value to students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Some common responses from my students are " I can't solve this" "I can't do this" "I don't know how to do this". I find that they are either too lazy to attempt this or too afraid to try. My response to them is to try and possibly fail, yes, I give them permission to fail. I teach them that we learn best from mistakes and school is the best place to make those mistakes. When they do attempt whatever it is they are trying to solve, most of the time they succeed.
By asking questions about the problem itself and entering into a discussion by which they are given a concrete understanding of the problem.Without a solid understanding of the problem the solution becomes cumbersome.
