CHAPTER FIVEDesigns for Problem Solving

Teaching with Technology by Norton & Wiburg

Pages 107 – 118

Jessica Pettyjohn – EDTC 6341

INFORMATION-REARRANGING PROCESS

Deductive Reasoning:

All men are mortal.Socrates was a man.

Therefore...

TRY A FEW MORE…(JUST TO MAKE YOU SMILE!)

All teachers are educated.Dr. Butler is a teacher.

Therefore…

Dr. Butler loves cats.Bigs is a cat. Therefore…

DEDUCTIVE THINKING

Process of thought that leads from one set of principles to another based on principles of logic.

Allows thinkers to extract implications from what is already known

Information rearranging processThe process most dependent on

formal learning

INDUCTIVE REASONING VS. DEDUCTIVE REASONING

Inductive reasoning is often used more than deductive reasoning

Inductive thinking is information extending, practical reasoning, seeing what in practice can be accomplished

Deductive thinking is information rearranging, theoretical reasoning, seeing what in principal must be true

Ex: What We Need VS What We Want

VS

INFORMATION REARRANGING & DEDUCTIVE THINKING SKILLS

Skills for deductive reasoning: Evaluation Skills: Assessing

information, determining criteria, prioritizing, recognizing fallacies & verifying

Analyzing information skills/problem-solving strategies: recognizing, classifying, identifying assumptions, identifying main ideas, & finding sequences

Problem Solving: compare and contrast, principles of logic, inferential thinking, & identification of causal relationships

Quick Test...

SPREADSHEETS FOR FUN???

Well planned spreadsheet activities emphasize reasoning, problem solving, making connections, and communicating mathematical ideas (Holmes, 1997)

Todd Funkhouser, teacher of Algebra 1 Rearrange information The Fun Factor Discussion – real world

THINKING ABOUT THINKING: METACOGNITION

Metacognition is the awareness of our own thinking process

Awareness – activities that foster awareness? Metacognition is the monitoring and guiding

of one’s own thought processes; mind observing and correcting itself

Example: Mr. Foster & The Lemmings

LEARNING FROM LEMMINGS

Reflection on problems Describing solutions Scaffolding Teaching/helping peers Chance to create problems Challenges Deductive Reasoning Evaluations Cross Curricular Variety of Programs

REVIEW OF HEURISTICS General Problem Solving Strategies Problem solving process can be taught Metacognition can be taught Example: War of the Worlds Alien Project

PUTTING THE PROBLEM AT THE CENTER

Student learning views are shifting from transmitting skills and knowledge to helping develop confidence, skills, and knowledge necessary to solve problems and become independent learners and thinkers. (21st Century!)

Anchored Instruction – offers a framework for merging problem solving with content specific instruction

Creates environment of sustained exploration Help novices adopt skills of experts with tools

MICRO-CONTEXTS VS MACRO-CONTEXTS

Micro-contexts focus attention on smaller subsets of a larger problem If learning about the environment, focus on

pollution’s effects on one animal Macro-contexts allow exploration of a

problem space for extended periods of time and from many perspectives Spend a vast amount of time researching and

examining several animals Emphasis on the importance of creating an

anchor or point of focus enables students to identify and define problems, and their perception of the problem

MAJOR GOAL OF ANCHORED INSTRUCTION

Enable students to notice critical features of

problem situations and to experience the changes in their understanding of the

anchor as they view the situation from new points

of view.

GREATEST ADVANTAGES OF ANCHORED INSTRUCTION

Use of complex, realistic contexts to provide meaning and reasons for why information is useful

Grasp abstract ideas Allows teachers to direct the student’s

attention to general problem solving Authentic activity: Factual Level, Degree of

Reflection, For whom are the tasks authentic Focus on the relevant features of the problem

they are solving

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

Also known as Problem-Centered Learning Built around Real-World problem of interest Creates situation where students “do”

instead of mastery of facts Pick problems that are contemporary,

nontrivial, and real (not realistic) Examples?

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

Practice Life Skills: ability to make decisions raise awareness of complexity of

real world issuesacquiring body of knowledgedeveloping capacity for self-directed

learninggenerating the ability and desire to

think deeply and holistically

AUTHENTICITY!!The more authentic the problem –

the more closely the problem resembles life – the more learners

respond!

GREENBURG’S (1990)

GOOD PROBLEM SOLVING CHARACTERISTICS

1. Demands that students make a testable prediction

2. Makes use of relatively inexpensive equipment

3. Complex enough to elicit multiple problem-solving approaches from students

4. Benefits from group efforts5. Problem solvers must view

the problem as relevant (Added by Brooks & Brooks, 1999)

ILL-DEFINED PROBLEMS

Effective problems at the center of the curriculum are ill-defined

These problems are ones that need more knowledge than is initially available

Problems where there is no absolutely right way or fixed formula for conducting an investigation

New information = change of ill-defined problems

Element of risk Real as if in the adult world

TEACHERS AND PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

Still content experts but expertise is used to facilitate and guide

Craft problems Specify content Decide process goals Create criteria to

measure success Embed problem

situations at certain points

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IS BEST

Problem-based learning is best suited for group work

Gives students control over the process of learning new material and representing what they know

HOW TO CHOOSE PROBLEMS?

Inspiration Pieces Film News story Favorite story Personal Experience Current social events Challenges of various

occupations Student experience Example of Daily Warm Up

Question

Daily Warm Up Question:

RESOURCES

Pictures of Lemmings Game, Accessed June 27, 2010: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemmings_(video_game)

Clip Art from Microsoft Clip Art, Accessed June 27, 2010.

Alien Picture from Brandon Bowers, 2009 Norton, P. & Karin Wiburg. Teaching with

Technology. 2003. Picture of Dr. J. Butler, Accessed July 4, 2010:

http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/coe/Pages/JaniceButler.aspx

Picture of Bigs, Accessed July 4, 2010: http://butleratutb.pbworks.com/Hurricane-Alex