21ĀM NŪṞṞĀṆṬUK KALVIYIL CINTAṈAIT TŪṆṬAL KAṞPITTAL MUṞAI [THE INQUIRY METHOD IN 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION]

The Inquiry Method in 21st century Education is a fun teaching method where students can express themselves freely. Characteristics of this method are submitting problems, allowing all students to comment, and then evaluating the answer. This learning approach, which is diagnostic through questions. Hence the attitude of students engaging in learning on their own. In this way students are able to focus fully on the curriculum as they act with a research mindset. The thinking process involves step-by-step problem finding, observing and describing problems, preparing questions, analyzing the answers to the questions, sharing the solution, and compiling. The Inquiry Method in teaching is students centred which stimulates thinking and research attitudes, fosters creativity and lead to sustainable learning.

Problem Finding, Divergent Thinking, and Evaluative Thinking Among Gifted and Nongifted Students

Investigations of differences between gifted and nongifted students have examined cognitive abilities, including intelligence quotient (IQ) differences, higher order thinking skills, and divergent thinking (DT). However, little is known about differences in problem finding (PF). Moreover, previous works on gifted students have never explored associations between PF and evaluative thinking (ET). Both PF and ET play a role in the creative process. The present study tested relationships between PF, DT, and ET and examined differences between gifted ( N = 175) and nongifted students ( N = 188). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences between gifted and nongifted students’ PF, DT, and ET, with effect sizes (η2) ranging from 0.048 to 0.192. Gender differences were also analyzed; gifted girls scored significantly higher than gifted boys in PF fluency and originality, DT originality, and in ET in PF. Originality scores in DT and PF significantly predicted the accuracy of students’ ET ( R2 = 34%–42%). Finally, canonical correlation analyses showed moderate-to-strong correlations between DT, PF, and ET scores. Limitations of this study are discussed.

Enhanced Open-Mindedness and Problem Finding Among Gifted Female Students Involved in Future Robotics Design

This article investigated the impact of a robotic-based enrichment program on problem finding (PF) and active-openminded thinking skills (AOT) in 60 gifted female students (8th and 9th graders) from the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomly selected from several cohorts of gifted students who participated in an enrichment summer program. The enrichment program lasted for 4 weeks. The study instruments included the Problem Generation (PG) test and the Active-Openminded Thinking (AOT) scale, which were administered to the participants at the beginning of the program and at the end of the program. The change in the measured program outcomes after attending the robotics intervention program was assessed by a regression model, where post-test scores were regressed on pre-test scores. The results revealed differences for the three subscales of AOT: Belief Identification (BI) Flexible Thinking (FT), and Dogmatic Thinking (DT) as well as the total score of the AOT in favour of post-test condition. Moreover, the results indicated that 9th graders benefited more from the enrichment program than 8th graders did. As for PF, fluency scores showed no significant differences between pre-test and post-test, while originality scores were significantly higher for the post-test scores when compared to the pre-test scores.

Enhanced Open-Mindedness and Problem Finding Among Gifted Female Students Involved in Future Robotics Design

This article investigated the impact of a robotic-based enrichment program on problem finding (PF) and active-openminded thinking skills (AOT) in 60 gifted female students (8th and 9th graders) from the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomly selected from several cohorts of gifted students who participated in an enrichment summer program. The enrichment program lasted for 4 weeks. The study instruments included the Problem Generation (PG) test and the Active-Openminded Thinking (AOT) scale, which were administered to the participants at the beginning of the program and at the end of the program. The change in the measured program outcomes after attending the robotics intervention program was assessed by a regression model, where post-test scores were regressed on pre-test scores. The results revealed differences for the three subscales of AOT: Belief Identification (BI) Flexible Thinking (FT), and Dogmatic Thinking (DT) as well as the total score of the AOT in favour of post-test condition. Moreover, the results indicated that 9th graders benefited more from the enrichment program than 8th graders did. As for PF, fluency scores showed no significant differences between pre-test and post-test, while originality scores were significantly higher for the post-test scores when compared to the pre-test scores.

Which Divergent Thinking Index Is More Associated With Problem Finding Ability? The Role of Flexibility and Task Nature

Problem finding (PF) and divergent thinking (DT) are considered to be indicators of creative potential. Previous studies, with different goals, suggest a positive correlation between PF and DT. However, none of these works have explicitly examined which index of DT is more associated with PF. The current investigation examined the association between PF and three main indexes of DT: fluency, flexibility, and originality. It also tested whether such a relation differs based on task nature (verbal vs. figural). The sample consisted of 90 sixth graders who completed three tests: (a) a verbal DT test, (b) a figural DT test, and (c) a PF test. Correlational analysis showed that flexibility was highly correlated with PF in the verbal DT test, whereas originality was significantly correlated with PF in the figural test. Results of the path analysis confirmed the results from correlational analyses and showed that verbal flexibility strongly predicted PF fluency, flexibility, and originality more than any other variable. Likelihood ratio test showed that using 1 or 3% cutoff for scoring originality did not significantly altered the results in both figural and verbal DT (vs. PF), while the likelihood ratio test showed significant differences between the figural and verbal DT. Finally, predictor variables in the verbal DT accounted for 40–58% of the variance in PF skills, whereas predictor variables in the figural DT accounted for 28–37% of the variance in PF skills. As suggested by experts in the field of PF, the role of flexibility in PF is a fertile area to be considered in future studies.

The Case of the Hungry Hippos: Supporting Students’ Development of Problem-Finding Strategies

While problem identification is a key stage in creative problem solving, many gifted students may rush to begin developing solutions before they have spent sufficient time accurately identifying the underlying problem or opportunity. As a result, they may develop irrelevant or hackneyed solutions. Despite the importance of problem finding, teachers may struggle to provide opportunities for students to practice authentic problem finding for a variety of reasons, including ambiguity surrounding the problem-finding process and concerns regarding external expectations emphasizing standardized assessment performance. Thus, the purpose of this article is to address these concerns by (a) operationalizing the process of problem finding and (b) delineating an instructional design method to support teachers as they construct problem-finding opportunities for students. Our research team identified four primary cognitive strategies involved in problem finding, including: Resource Management, Elaboration, Analysis, and Manipulation, which we integrate into the “Facilitating Problem-Finding Model” to provide clarity for the problem identification process. Then, we illustrate how teachers may use these specific strategic approaches to create targeted learning objectives. These objectives serve to anchor assessments and classroom experiences, providing students with important opportunities to develop problem-finding skills.