Differences between Active and Inactive Quality Circles in Attendance and Performance

1993 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Li-Ping Tang ◽  
Peggy Smith Tollison ◽  
Harold D. Whiteside
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Quality Circle ◽  
Quality Circles ◽  
Attendance Rate ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Based on the archival data of a quality circle (QC) program in a three-year period, the differences between active QCs (n = 32) and inactive QCs (n = 12) on QC members' participation and QCs' performance were examined using a discriminant analysis. The results showed that active QCs had lower rate of problem-solving failure, higher attendance rate at QC meetings, and higher net savings of QC projects than inactive QCs. The results were discussed in terms of the problem-solving process of small groups.

Quality Circle Productivity as Related to Upper-Management Attendance, Circle Initiation, and Collar Color

1989 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Li-Ping Tang ◽  
Peggy Smith Tollison ◽  
Harold D. Whiteside
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Quality Circle ◽  
Quality Circles ◽  
Upper Management ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
White Collar Workers ◽  
High Level

The productivity of 47 quality circles (QCs) over a 3-year period was examined using the archival data of a QC program. The dependent variables were the quantity of QC presentations and the speed of problem solving. These two dependent variables were examined as related to upper-management attendance (high vs. low), QC initiation (management-initiated vs. self-initiated), and collar color (white vs. blue) in a 2 x 2 x 2 MANOVA. The results showed that QCs with a high level of upper-management attendance solved their problems significantly faster than did those QCs with a low level of attendance. Management-initiated QCs solved their problems significantly faster and solved more problems than did self-initiated QCs. Self-initiated QCs with a low level of upper-management attendance had a slower speed ofproblem solving. Further, self-initiated QCs with white-collar workers also had a slower speed of problem solving.

A New Approach for Assessing Learners in an Online Problem Based Learning Environment

2020 ◽  
pp. 307-324
Author(s):  
Houda Tadjer ◽  
Yacine Lafifi ◽  
Hassina Seridi-Bouchelaghem
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
New Method ◽  
Science Department ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an approach that improves students' skills in problem solving. The application of PBL as an approach of teaching in a class requires students' presence; such constraint cannot be fulfilled by all students. Therefore, it is important to avoid this problem by implementing an online PBL environment where students are grouped remotely and work together to solve a problem proposed by the teacher. This will guide the learning process of the learners and can evaluate their solution. In reality, we can find members who do not really contribute to solve a problem. From this point of view, the teacher's evaluation will not be adequate to estimate the contribution of the learner in the solution of a given problem. Therefore, it is important to think of another way for assessing learners' solution. So, the challenge is to implement an online PBL environment and to propose a new method for assessing students. In this paper, the authors present their system called Problearn. The developed system allows students to solve problems remotely in small groups. Furthermore, the system evaluates each student based on his behavioral profiles during the problem-solving process. To do so, the system must keep track of different actions carried out by the students. This system has been tested by students of a computer science department where they achieved very good results.

A New Approach for Assessing Learners in an Online Problem Based Learning Environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 18-33
Author(s):  
Houda Tadjer ◽  
Yacine Lafifi ◽  
Hassina Seridi-Bouchelaghem
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Science Department ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
Do So

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an approach that improves students' skills in problem solving. The application of PBL as an approach of teaching in a class requires students' presence; such constraint cannot be fulfilled by all students. Therefore, it is important to avoid this problem by implementing an online PBL environment where students are grouped remotely and work together to solve a problem proposed by the teacher. This will guide the learning process of the learners and can evaluate their solution. In reality, we can find members who do not really contribute to solve a problem. From this point of view, the teacher's evaluation will not be adequate to estimate the contribution of the learner in the solution of a given problem. Therefore, it is important to think of another way for assessing learners' solution. So, the challenge is to implement an online PBL environment and to propose a new method for assessing students. In this paper, the authors present their system called Problearn. The developed system allows students to solve problems remotely in small groups. Furthermore, the system evaluates each student based on his behavioral profiles during the problem-solving process. To do so, the system must keep track of different actions carried out by the students. This system has been tested by students of a computer science department where they achieved very good results.

Attributions of Quality Circles' Problem-Solving Failure: Differences among Management, Supporting Staff, and Quality Circle Members

1997 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Li-Ping Tang ◽  
Edie Aguilar Butler
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Top Management ◽  
Quality Circle ◽  
Quality Circles ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Top Management Support ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Management Personnel ◽  
Item Questionnaire

Employees with experiences in a quality circle (QC) program were asked to answer a questionnaire that measured the attributions of quality circles' (QCs) problem-solving failure. Seven clearly interpretable factors were identified: Lack of top-management support, lack of QC members' commitment, lack of problem-solving skills, QC members' turnover, the nature of the task, lack of support from staff members, and lack of data and time. The nomological network of the 24-item questionnaire is also examined. Further, management personnel made significantly lower attributional ratings concerning lack of top-management support than supporting staff and QC members.

The Influence of Personality Composition in Applied Piano Groups

1977 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Suchor
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Verbal Activity ◽  
Group Type ◽  
Teacher Flexibility ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Problem Solving Process

A one-session study of six four-student groups investigated problem-solving and performance in piano as influenced by a judging-perceiving personality preference of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Three group types were formed from the freshman music majors of nonkeyboard concentration: predominately judging, predominately perceiving, and equally mixed. The task involved both the harmonization and performance of the melody. Groups were scored on two factors of performance: aesthetic-expressive and accurate. Group process was evaluated by dividing the sessions into time segments and encoding verbal activity into six problem-solving behaviors. As a measure of student perception, each student completed a questionnaire. No difference was found in performance results; however, each group type developed its own problem-solving process. Significant differences were found in the amount of total verbal activity, specific verbal behavior, and student perception of group process. Data suggest the importance of teacher flexibility in developing an optimal problem-solving process.

Moving to Solution

2013 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 403-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Werner ◽  
M. Raab
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Embodied Cognition ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Problem Space ◽  
Arm Swing ◽  
String Problem ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
Problem Solving Task ◽  
Bodily Movements

Embodied cognition theories suggest a link between bodily movements and cognitive functions. Given such a link, it is assumed that movement influences the two main stages of problem solving: creating a problem space and creating solutions. This study explores how specific the link between bodily movements and the problem-solving process is. Seventy-two participants were tested with variations of the two-string problem (Experiment 1) and the water-jar problem (Experiment 2), allowing for two possible solutions. In Experiment 1 participants were primed with arm-swing movements (swing group) and step movements on a chair (step group). In Experiment 2 participants sat in front of three jars with glass marbles and had to sort these marbles from the outer jars to the middle one (plus group) or vice versa (minus group). Results showed more swing-like solutions in the swing group and more step-like solutions in the step group, and more addition solutions in the plus group and more subtraction solutions in the minus group. This specificity of the connection between movement and problem-solving task will allow further experiments to investigate how bodily movements influence the stages of problem solving.

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