scholarly journals Developing science students’ metacognitive problem solving skills online

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowan W. Hollingworth ◽  
Catherine McLoughlin
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
New England ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
First Year ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Structured Problems ◽  
Reflective Skills

<span>Technology is increasingly being harnessed to improve the quality of learning in science subjects at university level. This article sets out, by incorporating notions drawn from constructivist and adult learning theory, a foundation for the design of an online environment for the acquisition of metacognitive problem solving skills. The capacity to solve problems is one of the generic skills now being promoted at tertiary level, yet for many learners problem-solving remains a difficulty. In addition, there are few instances of instructional design guidelines for developing learning environments to support the metacognitive skills for effective problem solving. In order to foster the processes of metacognitive skills explicitly in first year science students, we investigated areas where cognitive support was needed. The aim was to strengthen the metacognitive and reflective skills of students to assist them in adopting strategies and reflective processes that enabled them to define, plan and self monitor their thinking during problem solving. In tertiary science, both well-structured and ill-structured problems are encountered by students, thus a repertoire of skills must be fostered. A model for supporting metacognitive skills for problem solving is presented in the context of an online environment being developed at the University of New England.</span>

scholarly journals IMPROVING PROBLEM SOLVING AND SOLUTION DESIGN SKILLS USING PROBLEM FLOW COACHES IN CAPSTONE PROJECTS

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Rousseau ◽  
Nikolai Khomenko
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Structured Problems ◽  
Solution Design ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Capstone Projects

Engineers are known for their ability to solve problems and design solutions to those problems. There is an increasing concern that engineering education is failing to prepare students to properly address complex, ill-structured problems in the context of multi-disciplinary teams in order to produce innovative solutions and designs. Instructional solutions such as coaching, active learning, helping students develop metacognitive skills, and the direct teaching of creative problem solving skills have been proposed and will be discussed. This paper introduces a concept of “problem flow coaches,” who work closely with the capstone project teams. The problem flow coach, with expertise in systematic inventive problem solving methodologies, specifically OTSM (Russian language acronym for General Theory of Powerful Thinking) that is inclusive widely used problem solving methodology TRIZ, assists students in developing the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed to define, analyse and solve complex problems and develop innovative design concepts.

Sex Differences in First-Year Algebra

1980 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 335-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane O. Swafford
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
First Year ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Algebra Students ◽  
Consumer Problem ◽  
Algebra Achievement ◽  
Computational Skill ◽  
Slight Advantage

The study investigated sex-related differences among first-year algebra students with respect to achievement, attitude, and consumer problem-solving skills. The subjects were 329 females and 294 males enrolled in first-year algebra courses in 17 schools across the country. In the fall, no sex-related differences were evident in arithmetic computational skill or attitude about the usefulness and enjoyment of mathematics. Males showed a slight advantage on consumer items. In the spring, no sex-related differences in algebra achievement were found; a decline in attitude was observed for both groups; and the differences on consumer exercises became more pronounced.

scholarly journals Online and other ICT-based Training Tools for Problem-solving Skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (06) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Athanasios Drigas ◽  
Maria Karyotaki
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Dynamic Learning ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Social Dynamic ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Real World Learning

Problem-solving requires creative skills, critical thinking as well the ability to implement ideas and theories in practical ways. Moreover, interactive and self-managed problem-solving experiences promote students’ motivation as expressed through the developmental progression of learners’ metacognitive skills, such as self-monitoring and self-reinforcement. Effective learning based on constructivist didactics, encompassing self-organized learning in combination with active and creative problem-solving in collaborative settings, advances students’ concomitant cognitive and meta-cognitive processes. Hence, students’ co-construction of knowledge embodied in social dynamic learning environments, such as school-based tasks leverage the semantic relationships rising from exercising, verifying and testing of knowledge through information sharing and discussion. Future studies should focus on designing interactive, adaptable, ill-defined, real-world learning environments to elicit students’ cognitive and meta-cognitive processes as a key factor for the effective training of problem-solving skills.

scholarly journals New Physics Curriculum

2016 ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Lynn Moran
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
New Physics ◽  
Undergraduate Teaching ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
The University ◽  
Physics Curriculum

Developing the critical thinking and problem-solving skills of students as rapidly as possible is a key requirement in improving learning outcomes at every stage of their degree. The Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool has entirely redeveloped years 1 and 2 of the undergraduate degree with a focus on students becoming independent learners as early as possible. The aims are to better integrate the undergraduate teaching provision and to complete the Institute of Physics core curriculum in years 1 and 2, in order to focus on research led teaching and independent projects in years 3 and 4. This new programme, entitled New Physics, starts in Welcome Week with the Undergraduate Physics Olympics and continues through the Year 1 Project (Mission to Mars) in the first week of semester one. The aim is to set the standard for collaborative achievement and introduce students to the way that physicists think. Innovative problem solving classes incorporating active learning such as peerassessment,group learning and exemplars designed to improve these skills andenhance the quality of learning among its first-year students have been introduced.

scholarly journals A Laboratory-Centered Approach to Introducing Engineering Students to Electric Circuit and Electric Systems Concepts

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyrus Shafai ◽  
Behzad Kordi
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Electric Circuit ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
First Year ◽  
Computer Engineering ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Electrical Systems ◽  
Different Types

The teaching of electric circuit analysis traditionally involves problem solving to ensure understanding of analysis theorems, complemented by laboratory experience. When taught to first year Engineering students, this approach lacks a motivational component and presents difficulties due to the weaker mathematics and problem solving skills of first year students. This paper presents a laboratory-centered approach to introduce engineering students to electric devices and systems. Using open-ended design projects, students explore and construct different types of electrical systems. Laboratories are selected so as to develop student intuition in electrical concepts, scientific fundamentals, provide a historical background, and demonstrate systems-level design issues. Over the past three years in our Department, using this approach, increased student motivation and engagement has been observed, supported by a significant increase in Electrical and Computer Engineering enrollment.

Using Writing Strategies in Math to Increase Metacognitive Skills for the Gifted Learner

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Knox
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Gifted Learners ◽  
Solution Strategies ◽  
Multiple Strategies ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
Metacognitive Ability

Metacognition is vital for a student’s academic success. Gifted learners are no exception. By enhancing metacognition, gifted learners can identify multiple strategies to use in a situation, evaluate those strategies, and determine the most effective given the scenario. Increased metacognitive ability can prove useful for gifted learners in the mathematics classroom by improving their problem-solving skills and conceptual understanding of mathematical content. Implemented effectively, writing is one way to increase a student’s metacognitive ability. Journal writing in the mathematics classroom can help students by clarifying their thought process while further developing content knowledge. Implementing writing can lead to increased understanding of the problem, identification of additional strategies that can be used to solve the problem, and reflective thinking during the problem-solving process. Reflective writing in mathematics can help students evaluate solution strategies and identify strengths and areas of improvement in their mathematical understanding.

Focus on the Structure of the Problem in Enrichment or Acceleration Programming for the Gifted and Talented

1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 139-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kirschenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Gifted And Talented ◽  
Gifted Education ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Large Impact ◽  
Enrichment Programs ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Problem Situations ◽  
School And Community ◽  
Structured Problems

The problem situations that students encounter in acceleration and enrichment programs for the gifted and talented have a potentially large impact on the development of their problem-solving ability. The acceleration approach as described by Stanley and Benbow (Benbow, 1979; Stanley, 1979) requires students to concentrate on learning the algorithms and strategies necessary for solving “well-structured” problems that are presented to them by an instructor. The enrichment approach of Renzulli and Reis (Renzulli, 1977; Renzulli and Reis, 1985) encourages students to discover problem situations in their school and community and maintains a much greater expectation that students will formulate projects based on “ill-structured” problems. It is concluded that students may practise and thereby learn mutually exclusive problem-solving skills and strategies through involvement in either acceleration or enrichment programs, so an integrated approach to gifted education is advocated on theoretical grounds.

scholarly journals Investigating Elementary Students’ Problem Solving and Teacher Scaffolding in Solving an Ill-Structured Problem

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 274
Author(s):  
Mi Kyung Cho ◽  
Min Kyeong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Elementary Students ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Problem Situation ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Elementary School Mathematics ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Structured Problems ◽  
Access Information ◽  
Study Participants

This study investigated the features of elementary students’ problem solving skills, when teachers provide scaffolding in the process of solving an ill-structured problem in an elementary school mathematics classroom in Seoul, South Korea. In this study, participants solved the ill-structured problem following the phases of Analyze, Browse, Create, Decision-making, and Evaluate. When problem solving was completed without the phase of the Evaluate, to provide metacognitive scaffolding helped to analyze the information of the problem in more depth by returning to identifying related information, which was the sub-phase of Analyze and Browse. When there were difficulties in deepening their understanding of the information from the problem situation, to provide strategic scaffolding helped to access information in an organized way and facilitated solving an ill-structured problem. Based on these results, this study draws implications about scaffolding that can help in the process of solving ill-structured problems, and ultimately suggests the direction to advance to improve problem solving ability in mathematics education.

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