Development Of Problem-solving Skills Research Articles

Using online decision trees to support students' self-efficacy in the laboratory.

Failed experiments are a common occurrence in research, yet many undergraduate science laboratories rely on established protocols to ensure students are able to obtain results. While it is logistically challenging to facilitate students' conducting their own experiments in the laboratory, allowing students to "fail" in a safe environment could help with the development of problem-solving skills. To allow students a safe place to fail and encourage them to think through a laboratory protocol, online decision trees were created to lead students through protocols and give them timely feedback. The online decision trees present students with a scenario, then students execute a protocol by selecting options that will lead them down different paths and result in various realistic results from their experiments. They receive feedback and instructional tutorials throughout the simulation that are dependent on their choices. The significance of this new resource for student learning is that it allows students to practice their problem-solving skills and gain theoretical knowledge about the purpose of various experimental steps. The purpose of this research study was to evaluate whether online decision trees affected students' self-efficacy, metacognition, and motivation for completing a wet laboratory. A mixed-methods approach was used; three surveys were administered throughout the academic term. For survey 1, students completed the decision tree and survey before the wet laboratory. For survey 2, students completed the survey before the wet laboratory but completed the decision tree after the wet laboratory. Students' reported self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation were increased with the administration of the online decision trees before the wet laboratory, but their extrinsic motivation and metacognitive scores were unchanged. For survey 3, students provided written feedback about the impact of the online decision trees, and their responses highlighted the importance of the visual components of the approach.

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

Improving Students’ Problem-Solving Skills with Smart Personal Assistants

Tomorrow’s organizations need employees who are able to deal with rapid changes and solve non-routine problems. Gaining problem-solving skills is considered the number-one skill for future employees to succeed professionally. Predominant learning theories agree that the most effective way to gain these skills is for everyone to receive individual support by their own private tutor. For educational institutions such as high schools and universities, this is often not possible due to financial and organizational restrictions. A new emerging class of information technology – specifically Smart Personal Assistants (e.g., Google’s Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa) – has the potential to address this problem by interacting with students in a manner comparable to human tutors because of its high degree of adaptability, interactivity and accessibility. Even though there exists a growing body of research about the design and use of Smart Personal Assistants for learning, empirical evidence of their ability to help students improve their problem-solving skills is still scarce. Grounded on technology-mediated learning theory, this study uses a mixed-method approach consisting of two field quasi-experiments and one post-experiment focus group discussion at a business high school and a vocational business school with a total of 90 students to measure the effect of using Smart Personal Assistants on acquiring problem-solving skills. The empirical results show that students in the experiment classes acquired significantly more problem-solving skills than those in the control group mainly explained by changes in their learning process. The findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of using new emerging Smart Personal Assistants on general skill development, and specifically on problem-solving skill development. Moreover, our work can guide educational institutions and educators in designing and implementing Smart Personal Assistants in their own learning environments.

Measuring quality as students problem solving skill development in mathematics: The case of grades 9 and 10 students in Addis Kidame Secondary School, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Quality in education is an amorphous term where no two people can exactly communicate. However, there is a growing trend that quality should be viewed in terms of learning improvement. Thus, this study intends to examine the status of students’ problem solving skill in mathematics. Particularly, this study aims at measuring grades 9 and 10 students’ problem solving skill improvement in mathematics. This study also compared male and female students’ problem solving skill in mathematics. A total of 284 students (142 female and 142 male) were selected using stratified random sampling technique from grades 9 and 10 students. Fifteen problem solving skill test items with five levels of difficulty were constructed based on the conceptual framework, which was suggested by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of Saint Louis University and Mara University of Technology. The results of the analysis unraveled that grades 9 and 10 students have low level of problem solving skill in mathematics. As the difficulty level of items increases, there appeared to be significant difference on students’ problem solving skill in favor of male students. Based on the results, the researchers noted that problem solving skill is the result of the combination of a multitude of human skills. It is also manifested in several ways, such as, thinking, reasoning, doing things, etc. Thus, to measure the problem solving skill of people, a combination of tests that address several components of problem solving should be used. Moreover, the problem solving skill development requires models that could possibly help the students to emulate the skill. To this end, teachers should develop their problem solving skill and thereby become good models for their respective students.

Problem Solving Skills based on IDEAL Model in Implementing Undergraduate Final Year Project

Problem solving skills is the formal framework for undergraduate program in science and technical knowledge. This work aims to define the problem skills of the final year project (FYP) students. Most educators believe that problem solving is among the most important and practical kinds of learning and thought. One of the approach of problem solving skills introduced by Brandsford in IDEAL Model. This model consists five stages of problem solving; identify problem as opportunities, define the problems, develop and understanding goals, explore possible strategies, anticipate potential effects before apply and look back and learn. This research objectives are to develop research instrument based on IDEAL Model and identifying problem solving skills among students in conducting FYP. There are 324 students involved in this research from eight faculties in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. The findings indicate that the reliability of the research instrument is sufficient to use and that the mean of identifying problem as opportunities in the IDEAL model showed higher score than other approaches. To sum up, problem-solving receives considerable attention in the undergraduate and helps students to improve their academic and problem-solving skills. Research on the development of problem-solving skills by students, the transfer of problem-solving skills to new contexts, and the effectiveness of particular pedagogical approaches to problem[1]solving teaching has provided a basis for academically accomplishments by students.

Designingand Validating Tool for AssessingClinical Instructors' performance at Technical Institutes of Nursing

background: The clinical instructors are an essential link between the academic program and clinical practice. By promoting critical thinking, assisting in the development of problem-solving skills, fostering independence, enhancing competency and confidence, and helping students to improve their clinical skills, and performance.This study aims to: design and validate tool to assess clinical instructors' performance at technical institutes of nursing.Design: Methodological design was utilized. Settings:This study was conducted at faculties of nursing at: port said university, Alexandra university, Ain shams university, Cairo university. Subject:Experts group from nursing faculty members. Tools:The data was collected using: an experts' opinion sheet.Results: Findings of this study revealed that from 65 items and 21 sub-items: 47 items and 13 sub-items had high values of content validity ratio; those items are valid and remained in the tool. Also, Those items had excellent reliability coefficient (r = 0.968), and Cronbach's alpha for this tool indicated excellent internal consistency. Conclusion: This article concluded that the proposed assessment tool had an appropriate level of validity and reliability.Recommendations: Based on the findings of this study, recommended that: Managers of the Technical Institutes of Nursing should use the proposed assessment tool to evaluate clinical instructors' performance to incorporate unused behaviors into their practice.

Evaluating self-efficacy and personality differences of nursing students in clinical simulation

Background: This present research was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a clinical simulation where senior nursing students cared for a standardized patient with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The goal of the simulation was to teach the nursing students how to work with children with autism. In addition, the study aimed to determine if individual differences in personality affect students’ abilities to complete the simulation and how a student’s personality may affect their perceptions of the simulation. Projected outcomes included learning the use of appropriate communication strategies, improved assessment skills, prioritization of care, development of problem-solving skills, and decision-making abilities when dealing with children with ASD.Methods: Simulations are verified as effective training mechanisms to increase students’ self-efficacy in multiple nursing settings. Therefore, seventy-five senior baccalaureate nursing students completed the standardized patient simulation for care of an individual with ASD. The effect on the students’ self-efficacy was measured using the Occupational and Academic Self-Efficacy for Nursing Measure, the IPEP-NEO short form, and an ASD simulation study questionnaire.Results and conclusions: Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between personality measures and experience with ASD. The higher the openness and extraversion scores the more likely respondents were to disclose positive benefits in relation to expectations, communication strategies, teamwork, and reflection.

Problem-seeking in teacher education: Empowering students to grapple with the complexities of the profession

Preparing teachers for the realities of the profession is an ongoing concern for teacher education providers. In a climate where the future of teaching is largely unknown and the issues to be faced by teachers throughout their career largely imagined, the ability to identify and solve problems becomes increasingly important. This paper documents an evaluation of a pilot approach to preparing pre-service teachers for the realities of their profession. This approach, which centred on students utilising mobile technologies to problem-seek, was evaluated in terms of students’ perceived preparedness for the profession and their development of problem-solving skills and strategies. Results suggest that participating and engaging in the project may have in part contributed to reducing students’ anxiety around solving real-world problems, and improved their familiarity and preparedness for going into classroom settings.

Case Analysis of Music Therapy Courses in Music Productions with Project Based Learning (PBL)

The purpose of this study is to analyze the cases of music therapy application with K University Music Production, a four-year College in Korea, based on Project Based Learning (PBL). To this end, 26 students were asked pre-post questionnaires, team presentations and evaluation of mock session, in-depth interview and evaluation by professors for 16 weeks in class, and the results were examined and analyzed in depth.
 A total of three projects were implemented in this class, and each course consisted of four stages: problem presentation (introduction), planning and exploration (basic cooperative learning), problem resolution (advanced collaborative learning), presentation and evaluation, and designed to enable student-centered self-directed learning to proceed. In addition, for all activities carried out in the process of overall project performance, the process-centered evaluation of the professor evaluation, peer evaluation and self-evaluation was conducted. As a result, learners were able to develop problem solving skills in the process of organizing and collaborating on learning content, and in the activity process of the music therapy session team, favorable result was found for the realization of the field-centered practical ability of music production.

KEMAMPUAN GURU DALAM MERENCANAKAN PEMBELAJARAN HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS (HOTS) DI SEKOLAH DASAR

The ability to plan learning is a pedagogical ability that teachers must have. Learning Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) should have been implemented by teachers in the RPP in order to support learnig activities that emphasize the development of critical thinking, creative and problem solving skills. This study aims to describe the ability of teachers in planning HOTS learning in the form of developing critical and creative thinking skills in solving problems in Sridadi 55/1 Primary School. This resarch was carried out at Sridadi 55/1 Public Elementary School, Muara Bulian District, Batanghari Regency, Jambi in even semester of the 2019/2020 school year. Data collection was obtained from RPP observations and supported by interviews with related parties to meet the data requirements regarding HOTS learning planning and documentation. Data analysis in this study used triangulation. The research method used is qualitative research with type of phenomenology that aimed to describe the phenomena experienced by the research subject in detail and in depth. The observations result showed that the Learning Implementation Plan (RPP) prepared by the teacher met the lerning planning indicators based on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). The result of the interview also strengthened the findings of the observation.Based on in-depth interviews conducted showed that the teacher had compiled the lesson plan and met the criteria of the HOTS-based lesson plan. The results showed that the class IIIA and VA teachers at Sridadi 55/1 Elementary School had designed a HOTS-based lesson plan with a fairly good category.

Student and Faculty Satisfaction with Their Dental Curriculum in a Dental College in Saudi Arabia.

The existing dental curriculum is taught at the College of Dentistry since 2002. The aim of this research is to explore the satisfaction levels of faculty members and students with that curriculum. This information will justify a curriculum reformation plan that addresses the aspirations of both faculty members and students. In this cross-sectional study, a two-section survey was prepared. Section 1 investigated the level of satisfaction with the curriculum, and Section 2 sought reasons why participants were satisfied with the curriculum. The questionnaire was electronically mailed to faculty members, interns, and senior students. Data were analyzed to identify patterns and points of disagreement expressed by faculty and students. The overall response rate was 68.7%. The mean standard deviation (SD) score in the study sample from all respondents was 5.0 (+3.0). Faculty significantly registered higher satisfaction than students (mean (SD) = 5.9 (+2.9) and 4.1 (+2.8), P = 0.002). Results of multivariate analysis showed that faculty members were more satisfied with the curriculum than students because they thought the curriculum prepared competent graduates (regression coefficient = 1.76 and 0.69). Teaching staff and students' satisfaction levels with the curriculum were significantly associated with their perception that the curriculum produces competent graduates. Areas with low students' satisfaction levels were related to promotion of engagement with others and development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These areas should be the focus of future curriculum reformation to prepare competitive graduates with competences aligned with the recommendations of the Saudi Arabia Qualification Framework and of the international benchmarks.

Instructional Hematology for Pre‐Health Undergraduates

At Michigan State University (MSU), the physiology department’s lab course for pre‐health professionals places an emphasis on laboratory exercises relevant to healthcare and the development of data analysis, professional development, and problem solving skills. As such, the goal of the hematology laboratory experience is to help students understand the ripple effect of hematology and how it can be extended to other fields of medicine. This is done by exposing students to the collection of blood samples and related laboratory tests that can be a typical part of a health screening or onsite wellness visit. Even for those students who do not become hematologists, it is important to maintain current knowledge of the best practices regarding the treatment and testing required for the best patient service and understand how various blood disorders affect certain populations.We promote hematology learning through five blood testing stations in addition to microscope analysis. The five blood tests performed are hematocrit, blood typing, total lipid panel, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (PT‐INR), and hemoglobin. Students will perform each of these blood tests with their own samples and are guided to the interpretation of each measurement with provided clinical standards. We also include the microscopic analysis of five live patient samples of blood with conditions including, sickle cell anemia, eosinophilia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and lymphoma. In analyzing each of these tests, students are tasked with relating their own data to overall health and clinical relevance. The learning objectives associated with these tests include the demonstration of safe handling of blood using Universal Precautions, among the ability to describe and recognize typical and pathologic values found in common blood tests. They are also required to explore the supporting physiology, such as the phases of hemostasis and consequences of incompatible blood transfusions. Students are able to practice their professional skills by teaching each other how to perform these tests after they have watched and performed their own, modeling the “see one, do one, teach one” pedagogy often found in clinical settings. Additionally, with the results and permission of our students, we are able to gather baseline blood data for this healthy age group and seek to compile and share these values as a composite look at typical data for this specific group.

Reimagining STEM Education to Help Underrepresented Students Thrive in the Classroom

This presentation will highlight a novel, interdisciplinary course for students interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in STEM. Science, Math, and Research Training (SMART) is a year‐long course that provides first‐year students with a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, calculus, and computer science. These disciplines are integrated in a manner that allows students to develop problem solving skills and to appreciate the value of collaboration and communication across multiple STEM disciplines. SMART is a thematic course that focuses on important and timely issues such as antibiotic resistance and infectious disease. In order to provide this type of interdisciplinary training for students, the topics covered during the course of each semester must be limited. This presentation will discuss the means by which the content that is covered in a traditional introductory science course has been stripped down and limited to the most important, foundational concepts. The purpose of this redesign was to provide students with foundational knowledge of science, but also focus on the development of critical thinking and scientific writing skills. The removal of traditional content also allows the instructors to focus on metacognition to allow students to assess their own learning needs. Our goal is for our students to feel empowered to take charge of their own learning and to determine, early on in their scientific career, the strategies that work best for their learning. Furthermore, this course redesign allows for instructors to implement high impact classroom practices as well as inclusive pedagogy techniques that guarantee the success of all students, regardless of their background and preparation in high school. SMART is geared primarily to first generation college students, student from underrepresented backgrounds, and students with a low socioeconomic status. Helping these students develop a sense of belonging and self‐efficacy in STEM is a primary goal of this program.

In-service Zimbabwean teachers’ views on the utility value of diagrams in the teaching and learning of geometry

Geometry is an essential component of mathematics which promotes the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Geometry shapes are an integral part of our lives. This study focused on the teachers’ practices, specifically on how teachers ought to be equipped with a good understanding on the effectiveness of the use of use of diagrams in geometry teaching and learning. A mixed method approach comprising of questionnaires and interviews was used in this study. Ninety-one teachers participated in this study. The research findings were categorized using the four themes of utility, positive attitudes, negative attitudes, and teachers’ use of diagrams in geometry class. The study showed that diagrams are effective in the teaching and learning of geometry concepts. It is recommended that teachers could do well if they make use of technology in designing diagrams to be used in the teaching and learning of geometry.

Actual Use of Multiple Health Monitors Among Older Adults With Diabetes: Pilot Study.

BackgroundPrevious studies have reported older adults’ perceptions of using health monitors; however, no studies have examined the actual use of multiple health monitors for lifestyle changes over time among older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study was to examine the actual use of multiple health monitors for lifestyle changes over 3 months among older adults with T2D. The secondary aim was to explore changes in caloric intake and physical activity (PA) over 3 months.MethodsThis was a single-group study lasting 3 months. The study sample included participants who were aged ≥65 years with a diagnosis of T2D. Participants were recruited through fliers posted at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Participants attended five 60-min, biweekly group sessions, which focused on self-monitoring, goal setting, self-regulation to achieve healthy eating and PA habits, and the development of problem-solving skills. Participants were provided with the Lose It! app to record daily food intake and devices such as a Fitbit Alta for monitoring PA, a Bluetooth-enabled blood glucose meter, and a Bluetooth-enabled digital scale. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.ResultsOf the enrolled participants (N=9), the sample was white (8/9, 89%) and female (4/9, 44%), with a mean age of 76.4 years (SD 6.0; range 69-89 years), 15.7 years (SD 2.0) of education, 33.3 kg/m2 (SD 3.1) BMI, and 7.4% (SD 0.8) hemoglobin A1c. Over the 84 days of self-monitoring, the mean percentage of days using the Lose It!, Fitbit Alta, blood glucose meter, and scale were 82.7 (SD 17.6), 85.2 (SD 19.7), 65.3 (SD 30.1), and 53.0 (SD 34.5), respectively. From baseline to completion of the study, the mean daily calorie intake was 1459 (SD 661) at week 1, 1245 (SD 554) at week 11, and 1333 (SD 546) at week 12, whereas the mean daily step counts were 5618 (SD 3654) at week 1, 5792 (SD 3814) at week 11, and 4552 (SD 3616) at week 12. The mean percentage of weight loss from baseline was 4.92% (SD 0.25). The dose of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin was reduced in 55.6% (5/9) of the participants.ConclusionsThe results from the pilot study are encouraging and suggest the need for a larger study to confirm the outcomes. In addition, a study design that includes a control group with educational sessions but without the integration of technology would offer additional insight to understand the value of mobile health in behavior changes and the health outcomes observed during this pilot study.

Understanding the effectiveness of the PBL method in different regional contexts: the case of Colombia

ABSTRACT This study compared the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning method (PBL) with the conventional teaching method in developing cross-curricular skills and improving academic performance among 1064 undergraduate students at the north coast of Colombia. A t–student test, Welch test, and the Tau Kendall correlation coefficient were used to analyse the PBL and non-PBL groups in 40 Economic Integration courses in three years. A pre-test, post-test, and achievement of academic objectives questionnaire was applied, as well as a verification test of previous knowledge and a focus group at the end of the courses. It was observed that the PBL method is superior in the development of problem-solving and teamwork skills only of five observed. The application of the PBL method was associated with the fulfilment of two of the five academic objectives analysed, which is confirmed by the feedback from the focus groups. This research contributes to the analysis of the usefulness of teaching methods in different geographical contexts.

Использование стратегии Уолта Диснея в междисциплинарном обучении навыкам критического мышления и коммуникации на английском языке в вузе

Methodology of interdisciplinary learning and teaching in higher education is a topical issue yet underinvestigated. Theoretical and empirical studies shed light mainly on conceptual questions of interdisciplinary education and describe general methods and techniques. This paper aims to represent experiential methodology of using Walt Disney strategy adapted for an interdisciplinary learning goal in the English language and communication course at bachelor level in business school. The methodology focuses on the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills integrated with language and communication skills. This paper contributes to research on interdisciplinary methodology and teaching a foreign language based on Walt Disney strategy which has not been interpreted for this purpose in the professional literature before.

Approaches for Implementing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Activities among Middle School Students in Thailand

<p>STEM education is a pedagogical philosophy which aims to draw the interrelationship between science, technology, engineering and mathematics to solve complex problems in real life situations. In order to use STEM education to foster students’ learning, the researchers designed STEM activities for middle school students related to the concept of force and motion in three different approaches: a linear model, a jigsaw learning and a stand-alone engineering design activity. To compare the effectiveness of the three approaches, the researchers analysed students’ reasoning and problem-solving scores gained before and after doing the activities. The result showed students participating in the linear model and in the jigsaw learning significantly outperformed those in the stand-alone engineering design activity. In addition, when comparing conceptual development between those attending the linear model and jigsaw learning, the result showed that the former significantly outperformed the latter. It is therefore suggested that to maximise the effectiveness of STEM activities in promoting conceptual understanding as well as reasoning and problem-solving skills, teachers should adopt the linear model. However, when instructional time is limited, the jigsaw learning can be considered as an alternative approach. The stand-alone engineering design activity although can promote students’ enthusiasm to learn, it may not sufficiently lead to the development of reasoning and problem-solving skills as expected.</p>

Effects of affordances in the home environment on children's personal-social, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Among the various factors forming the environment, most developmentalists are in agreement that the home is the primary agent for change in child growth and development. The present study investigated the effect of affordances in the home on personal-social, problem-solving, and communication skills of children between 18 and 42 months of age. This investigation extends work focusing on "motor" affordances as an environmental feature. Using cross-sectional design, 251 families (124 boys and 127 girls) were evaluated using the Persian translation of Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development and the Ages and Stages Inventories to determine the three skill competencies. Results showed that the level of home affordances significantly impacted all three skill areas. And the total variance of predictive values in the final model had a moderate and significant ratio. Other factors such as attendance and non-attendance of children in kindergarten, family income, and education of parents were also contributing factors. In general, these findings indicate that the home environment plays an important role in the development of personal-social, problem-solving, and communication skills.

A3 Thinking for Weight Loss

This technical note describes the problem-solving process known as A3 Thinking through the lens of an individual's weight-loss efforts. The story is easy to understand and shows how the A3 process can be integrated into one's personal life. The note details the A3 process steps of current condition, target condition, root-cause analysis, countermeasures, implementation, and standardize and sustain. It allows the student to see an easily identifiable and approachable application of the technique. Excerpt UVA-OM-1696 Aug. 7, 2020 A3 Thinking for Weight Loss A3 Thinking Process-improvement activities may take many forms. A widespread technique is A3 thinking, so called because the processes are reported in a structured method using a single sheet of A3 paper, which measures 11by 17 inches. Toyota developed the format, which serves as “standard work” for reporting improvement activities' results. The beauty of the report, particularly when compared to a multiple-slide PowerPoint deck, is its structure and ease of understanding. The process steps are clearly delineated, and the reader knows exactly where to look for significant items. One of the most important uses of A3 reports is to assist associates' development of problem-solving skills. A3 thinking may be used for many activities, including problem solving, proposal writing, and status reporting. Problem-solving A3 reports usually consist of the following six elements: 1. Problem definition . . .