Ill-structured Problems Research Articles

Shifting perspectives: the potential of rich, ill-structured problems in legal education

ABSTRACT Messy, real-world problems that haven’t yet been framed into a single, neat narrative contain a richness that makes them a powerful tool in legal education. This paper explores the practices of three law teachers who use ill-structured problems to help law students develop the capacity for problem setting, enabling them to structure and restructure problems from different doctrinal, conceptual and theoretical perspectives. In each course, the confrontation of legal rules or reasoning with the concrete realities of a specific situation serves as a catalyst for insight, teaching students the value of seeing and staying with complexity to gain deep understanding and potentially generate new ideas.

AI-assisted learning for systems thinking in resolving ill-structured problems among healthcare students.

AI-assisted learning for systems thinking in resolving ill-structured problems among healthcare students.

Exploring undergraduate engineers’ accommodation of engineering problem typology to support their initial framing and scoping of open-ended problems

ABSTRACT This study explores students’ initial engagement with ill-structured problems before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology as a framework for problem engagement and reflection. Using problem discussions, debrief interviews, and qualitative analysis of written artifacts, we considered observed changes to students’ initial problem framing and scoping discussions before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology. Two student pairs were examined as a comparative analysis of possible extremes on a continuum of adoption. One student pair demonstrated transformational adoption, leveraging problem typology as a guide for problem framing and scoping, and as a shared metacognitive framework. The other pair demonstrated transactional adoption that had limited impact on their thinking, and no apparent impact on the nature and trajectory of their problem framing and scoping. Through exploration of these cases, we find support for the use of problem typology as a frame for facilitating ill-structured problem engagement among undergraduate engineers. We also find evidence related to challenges that must be overcome in disrupting students’ established approaches to learning. We argue that this work can serve as a starting point for developing scaffolds that support problem design and facilitation, metacognitive development, and disrupting undergraduates’ conditioned approaches to problem engagement.

Exploration Mathematical Aesthetics through Logical and Critical Thinking Based on High Mathematical Ability

This study aims to explore the logical and critical thinking process of junior high school students in solving ill-structured problems based on mathematics ability. The research subject consisted of one student with high mathematics ability. The supporting instruments for data collection were: 1) Test of Mathematical Ability (TKM) consisting of 10 items in the form of descriptions to select subjects with high mathematical ability, 2) Ill-structured Problem Task (TMI), 3) Interviewing the subject based on the task (TMI). The data analysed in this study are interview transcript data, document data and field notes. This study used three stages in data analysis, namely data condensation, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. To validate the findings, the author applied method triangulation until consistent data was obtained, i.e. the data was structured and the content was relatively the same. Furthermore, consistent data in this study is categorised as research data. The results showed that the logical and critical thinking process of high mathematics ability students in solving ill-structured problems consisted of: (1) problem representation; (2) Generating Solution; (3) Justification; and (4) Monitoring and Evaluation. Based on the results of research related to the exploration of mathematical aesthetics through logical and critical thinking, it is recommended as material for further research development in terms of other aspects

예비 초등교사들의 비구조화된 수학 문제 만들기 활동 분석

Objectives The purposes of this study were to analyze degree of structure and complexity of ill-structured mathematical problems made by prospective elementary teachers. Methods In order to do this, 109 prospective elementary teachers participated in ill-structured mathematical problem posing activities, as a result 24 group work papers were collected. The data was analyzed using framework which determines ill-structured problems and problem complexity. Results The results of this study showed that the degree of structure of the problems posed by prospective teachers varied. The prospective teachers posed problems with relatively high ill-structuredness in terms of authenticity, but with low ill-structuredness in terms of complexity and openness. The prospective teachers posed problems that were low of linguistic complexity but high of mathematical complexity. when prospective teachers asked students to solve problems they posed, most of them expected that difficulties would arise during the phase of carrying out the plan. Conclusions The results indicate that prospective elementary teachers need to develop their competence of posing ill-structured mathematical problems, in particular, there is a need to explore the meaning of openness of ill-structured problems. It also suggests that there is also a need to provide prospective teachers opportunities to anticipate and discuss students’ difficulties in ill-structured problem solving.

A design science approach to manage spare parts distribution: combining design logic and Goldratt’s thinking processes

PurposeDesign Science (DS) is a relatively new paradigm for addressing complex real-world problems through the design and evaluation of artifacts. Its constituent methodologies are currently being discussed and established in numerous related research fields, such as information systems and management (Hevner et al., 2004). However, a DS methodology that describes the “how to” is largely lacking, not only in the field of OM but in general. The Theory of Constraints (TOC) and its underlying thinking processes (TP) have produced several novel artifacts for addressing ill-structured real-world operations problems (Dettmer, 1997; Goldratt, 1994), but they have not been analyzed from a DS research standpoint. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate how TOC’s thinking process methodology can be used for conducting exploratory DS research in Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM).Design/methodology/approachA case study of spare parts replenishment illustrates the use of TOC’s thinking processes in DS to structure an initially unstructured problem context and to facilitate the design of a novel solution.FindingsTOC’s thinking processes are an effective methodology for problem-solving DS research, enabling the development of novel solutions in initially unstructured and wicked problem situations. Combined with structured CIMO design logic TOC’s thinking process offers a systematic method for exploring wicked problems, designing novel solutions, and demonstrating theoretical contributions.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication for research is that TOC’s thinking process methodology can provide important elements of the lacking “how to” methodology for DS research, not only for the field of OM but in general for the field of management.Practical implicationsThe practical outcome of the research is a novel design for dynamic buffer-based replenishment that extends beyond organizational boundaries.Originality/valueThis work shows how the thinking processes can be used in DS research to develop rigorous design propositions for ill-structured problems.

Adopting Model United Nations (MUN) in Discussion Method in Learning Environmental Pollution: D-MUN Method

In the classroom, the discussion method has objectives to train the students with several skills, such as assertiveness when arguing with opposing ideas, the ability to brainstorm, groupthink, and improved communication with their peers. However, implementing the discussion method requires more preparation to run well. Improper organization of class discussion leads to no clear point or lesson learned that is explicitly stated after class discussion. Students’ participation becomes difficult to monitor whether all students contribute during the class discussion. They only talk when being pointed out by the teacher, and they will not speak if they do not have something to say. Science teachers’ experiences in conducting discussion methods were gathered before the study. Using the results from the preliminary survey, a conceptual framework of the discussion method by adapting Model United Nations (MUN), thus the so-called D-MUN METHOD, in learning about environmental pollution was developed. By adapting the structure of the discussion used in MUN to the classroom while learning science topics, the discussion in class becomes more engaging and increases students’ active participation and clarity of key concepts. The issues that become the topic of discussion should be relevant to the science content and include ill-structured problems. Therefore, the D-MUN METHOD will encourage students to present their solutions, which depends on their point of view (assigned as a specific country/region representative), and, in the end, come together to produce the best resolution. Keywords: Model United Nations (MUN), discussion method, environmental pollution, D-MUN method

Enhancing teacher AI literacy and integration through different types of cases in teacher professional development

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching practices is increasingly vital for preparing students for a technology-centric future. This study examined the influence of a case-based AI professional development (PD) program on AI integration strategies and AI literacy among seven middle school science teachers. Employing three distinct case problems, from well-structured to ill-structured, the AI PD program aimed to stimulate teachers’ reflection on AI literacy development and encourage the construction of problem-solving and AI integration strategies within various pedagogical contexts. Analysis of video-recorded case discussions revealed that teachers primarily drew on personal experiences for collaborative problem-solving across the three cases. However, the complexity of the case problems influenced their approach to knowledge co-construction, and dealing with ill-structured problems promoted the application of new knowledge. Through analyzing the survey data, we found a marked increase in teachers’ AI literacy, particularly in the domain of knowing and understanding AI, suggesting a pivotal role for direct instruction that supports AI literacy growth. However, their application of this AI knowledge was limited during the case discussions, while other domains of teacher AI literacy were more frequently employed. The findings highlight the importance of combining direct instruction with case-based discussions in AI-related PD programs to bolster teacher AI literacy effectively. The research has implications for using a case-based learning approach during short-term PD initiatives and advocates the ongoing need for comprehensive AI literacy development to facilitate teachers’ AI integration in subject-specific teaching.

Using Text Mining to Elucidate Mental Models of Problem Spaces for Ill-Structured Problems

Using Text Mining to Elucidate Mental Models of Problem Spaces for Ill-Structured Problems

A feasibility study for a unified, multimodal analysis of online information foraging in health-related topics.

Digital health literacy (DHL) is the ability to find, understand, and appraise online health-related information, as well as apply it to health behavior. It has become a core competence for navigating online information and health service environments. DHL involves solving ill-structured problems, where the problem and its solution are not clearcut and may have no single answer, such as in the process of sensemaking. We employ and expand on information foraging theory to address how experts and novices in information retrieval perform a search task. Our overarching aim is to pinpoint best practices and pitfalls in understanding and appraising health-related information online to develop a digital intervention to increase DHL and critical thinking. In this feasibility study, we recruited a total of twenty participants for our expert and novice subsamples. We collected sociodemographic data with a self-developed survey, video data through an observation protocol of a 10-minute search task, as well as audio-video data via a retrospective think-aloud. The three, multimodal data streams were transcribed and aligned. Codes were developed inductively in several iterations, then applied deductively to the entire dataset. Tabularized, coded and segmented qualitative data were used to create various quantitative models, which demonstrate viability for the qualitative and statistical comparison of our two subsamples. Data were visualized with Epistemic Network Analysis to analyze code co-occurrences in the three aligned data streams, and with Qualitative/Unified Exploration of State Transitions to examine the order in which participants in our two subsamples encountered online content. This paper describes our methods and planned analyses elaborated with mock figures. Quantifying qualitative data, aligning data streams, and representing all information in a tabularized dataset allows us to group data according to various participant attributes and employ data visualization techniques to pinpoint patterns therein.

Supporting Agency over Framing Authentic Design Problems

While project-based learning purportedly values student agency, supporting and managing this remains challenging. We conducted a design-based research study to understand how problem authenticity, and task and participant structures can contribute to students’ framing agency, in which students make decisions that are consequential to their learning through ill-structured problem framing. We compared three semesters of an undergraduate engineering design project (cohort 1 n=70; cohort 2 n=70; cohort 3 n=66). Discourse analysis of team talk highlights how task and participant structures supported students in the first and third cohorts to display framing agency. In contrast, cohort 2 displayed high agency over task completion, which they had framed as well-structured. We discuss implications for designing ill-structured learning in terms of participant and task structure and problem authenticity.

Optimizing Task Scheduling and Resource Allocation in Computing Environments using Metaheuristic Methods

Optimizing system performance in dynamic and heterogeneous environments and the efficient management of computational tasks are crucial. This paper therefore looks at task scheduling and resource allocation algorithms in some depth. The work evaluates five algorithms: Genetic Algorithms (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Firefly Algorithm (FA) and Simulated Annealing (SA) across various workloads achieved by varying the task-to-node ratio. The paper identifies Finish Time and Deadline as two key performance metrics for gauging the efficacy of an algorithm, and a comprehensive investigation of the behaviors of these algorithms across different workloads was carried out. Results from the experiments reveal unique patterns in algorithmic behaviors by workload. In the 15-task and 5-node scenario, the GA and PSO algorithms outclass all others, completing 100 percent of tasks before deadlines, Task 5 was a bane to the ACO algorithm. The study proposes a more extensive system that promotes an adaptive algorithmic approach based on workload characteristics. Numerically, the GA and PSO algorithms triumphed completing 100 percent of tasks before their deadlines in the face of 10 tasks and 5 nodes, while the ACO algorithm stumbled on certain tasks. As it is stated in the study, The above-mentioned system offers an integrated approach to ill-structured problem of task scheduling and resource allocation. It offers an intelligent and aggressive scheduling scheme that runs asynchronously when a higher number of tasks is submitted for the completion in addition to those dynamically aborts whenever system load and utilization cascade excessively. The proposed design seems like full-fledged solution over project scheduling or resource allocation issues. It highlights a detailed method of the choice of algorithms based on semantic features, aiming at flexibility. Effects of producing quantifiable statistical results from the experiments on performance empirically demonstrate each algorithm performed under various settings.

Students’ Engagement in a Mathematical Investigation through Online Problem-Based Learning

The core components of mathematical activity are involved in mathematical investigation: problem formulation, processing of conditions for which there is no clear solution, formulation and justification of conjectures, and generalization. However, introducing mathematical investigation to students is a challenging activity. A crucial aspect of the student’s learning and understanding of the process is the kind and degree of their engagement in the learning activity. This phenomenological study sought to describe how pre-service teachers engaged in an online problem-based learning (PBL) while doing a mathematical investigation (MI). The researcher explored the cognitive, behavioral, and affective components of the 35 pre-service mathematics education students who had their first-hand experience of MI through online PBL. The students were given two contextualized, ill-structured problems, worked in groups, and proposed solutions to the problem. Data from the teachers’ observation notes, students’ learning logs, and the transcripts of the focus group discussions were gathered. Qualitative data analysis suggests that students were involved in peer-to-peer learning that included task-related conflicts, pattern recognition, self-regulation, critical analysis, participation in the learning activity, attention to the tasks, and interaction with the learning community which led to their enjoyment and motivation in conducting MI. The extent of their engagement during the presentation and analysis of the problem, planning and developing a solution, presenting and assessing solution, and summary and debriefing were further analyzed. The findings revealed that while students were initially puzzled at the start of their investigation, they shared, welcomed new information, analyzed it, and valued different approaches to a challenging mathematical problem as they progress with their inquiry. The results also revealed respondents' perspectives on how to manage online PBL. These findings can help teachers design collaborative online activities.

Unstructuring for insight: the legal profession in an age of AI and social change

ABSTRACT While the capacity to solve ill-structured, messy problems has always been essential for lawyers, its importance and centrality are growing. On one hand, technology and alternative legal service providers are encroaching on much of the other work that was once considered to be at the core of legal professional practice. At the same time, ill-structured problems are proliferating as a result of the novel legal questions posed by new technologies and a renewed sense of urgency to address the access to justice gap as well as broader systemic inequality. To prepare law students for this kind of professional practice, law schools should teach students how to engage in a process I call “unstructuring” in which they seek a richer understanding of the details and context of an apparently well-defined problem in order to discover ways to see it in a new light.

Museum Games and Personal Epistemology: A Study on Students’ Critical Thinking with a Mixed Reality Game

This study examines how 12-15-year-old students use information while playing Geome, a mixed reality game intended for museum school visits. Geome presents environmental issues, prompting students and asking them to discern and dismiss misinformation and rumors. The study aims to analyze the students' playful learning experience and their perspective on the game. It focuses on the students' critical thinking, interactions and beliefs about knowledge and knowing, referred to as personal epistemology. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research was conducted across three classes in a museum. A combination of audio, video, and in-game interactions was collected from specific moments during gameplay and analyzed according to epistemological dimensions (Certainty, Simplicity, Source, Justification). Video analysis suggests that when faced with ill-structured problems within a playful scenario, some students are spurred to actively process information and develop critical thinking skills. Meanwhile others remain entrenched in their initial conceptions about the nature of knowledge and the act of knowing. The study discusses how the game's characteristics shape students' personal epistemology. Overall, this research demonstrates that games in museum contexts have the potential to promote active learning and critical thinking in some students, when confronted with complex or ill-structured problems.

Enhancing collaborative learning in health management education: an investigation of Padlet-mediated interventions and the influence of flexible thinking

This study had three primary goals. First, it aimed to craft an intervention program centered around collaborative learning enabled by Padlet. Second, it aimed to gauge the perceptions of health management students regarding this intervention and how it affected their collaborative learning experiences. Additionally, the third objective of the study aimed to investigate how students’ flexible thinking within the learning process might shape their perceptions of the advantages derived from this instructional activity within the domain of online collaborative learning. Data for the analysis were gathered from 100 Israeli undergraduate students by two measurements: Flexible thinking in learning and Student perceptions of collaborative learning via Padlet. The intervention program included several stages. First, the students discussed the pedagogic objective of using Padlet. In the second stage, the students were presented with ill-structured problems related to the course content. Each group had to choose one problem and analyze it from three perspectives discussed in the course—healthcare provider, patient, and organization. Next, the students presented and explained their solutions employing the shared knowledge base. The final work was presented in different formats using various technologies. The PLS-SEM analysis has corroborated our hypothesis that students’ flexible thinking might positively contribute to their perception of Padlet utilization. According to the empirical model, in general, students who perceived themselves as more flexible were found more receptive to utilizing the proposed technological tool (Padlet) and hence tended to appreciate its function as a collaborative learning platform enabler. This study mainly underscores the important role flexible thinking plays in motivating managers and medical professionals to embrace innovative technologies or methods for teamwork, that could enable them to weigh arguments, seek alternative solutions to authentic problems, and adjust their approaches effectively and collaboratively as new challenges emerge.

Right BA 10 lesions impair performance on real-world planning but are not sensitive to problem novelty or tower tasks

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with many cognitive functions, including planning. In the neuropsychology literature planning is reduced to “look ahead” ability and most extensively studied with the “tower” tasks. The most influential theoretical explanation is that planning is required in the absence of a routine solution and PFC patients have difficulty coping with novelty. There is an alternate view of planning that emphasizes the distinction between real world tasks and laboratory tower tasks. This account focuses on the structure of problem spaces and why patients with lesions to right PFC have difficulty navigating ill-structured problem spaces.To further explore these issues we administered two real world travel planning tasks to 56 Vietnam War veterans with penetrating brain lesions and 14 matched normal controls. One planning task involved familiar knowledge while the other involved knowledge unfamiliar to our participants. Participants also completed the D-KEFS tower task. A subset of 18 patients—with lesions to right anterior prefrontal cortex (BA 10)—were impaired in the travel planning task compared to normal controls. The task familiarity/novelty dimension affected performance across participant groups (familiar-task scores were higher than unfamiliar-task scores), but it did not differentially affect any group. An examination of cognitive strategies utilized by participants revealed that the impaired patient group had difficulty maintaining a sufficient level of abstraction and engaged the task at a much more concrete level than other participants. Interestingly, patients impaired in the real-world planning tasks were not impaired in the tower tasks. We conclude that patients with lesions to right BA 10 have difficulty in real-world planning tasks that can be attributed to difficulties in engaging problems at the appropriate level of abstraction.

Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process for Solving Social Wicked Problems

It is my pleasure to be guest editor for the special topics section of the International Symposium of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (ISAHP2022). Peer-reviewed papers from this symposium will be published in IJAHP in the special topics section of this issue and following issues as they become accepted for publication. In listening to the speakers at the 2022 International Symposium of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, it became clear how many of society’s problems are “wicked” and in need of a rigorous process whereby they can be disaggregated and discussed without involving stakeholders’ emotions. Many of the social challenges that the world faces today are “wicked problems” as defined by Camillus (2016). The term "wicked problem" was coined by Rittel and Webber (1973). It refers to complex and ill-structured problems that are difficult to define, have multiple interrelated causes and effects, and often lack a clear solution. Understanding wicked problems is crucial, as they often involve issues related to sustainability, environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, and conflict resolution. Wicked problems are characterized by several key attributes that make them particularly challenging to solve.

Towards a design science research (DSR) methodology for operational excellence (OPEX) initiatives

PurposeDesign science research (DSR) is a structured approach for solving complex ill-structured problems in organizations through the development of an artefact followed by its validation. This paper aims to evaluate existing DSR methodology and propose specific accents to promote DSR for environmental, social and governance (ESG)-oriented operational excellence (OPEX) initiatives within organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis commentary paper is based on an abductive reasoning approach to evaluate and understand DSR and assess its effectiveness for developing solutions to typical ESG-oriented OPEX-based problems within organizations.FindingsExisting literature on DSR is reviewed, after which it is evaluated on its ability to contribute to the implementation of sustainable solutions for ESG-oriented OPEX-based problems. Based on the review, specific DSR methodological accents are proposed for the development of ESG-oriented OPEX-based solutions in organizations.Research limitations/implicationsThis conceptual paper contributes to the conceptual understanding of the applicability, limitations and contextual preconditions for applying DSR. This paper proposes an explicit and, in some ways, alternative view on DSR research for OPEX researchers to apply and further the body of knowledge on matters of sustainability (ESG) in operations management.Practical implicationsCurrently, there is limited understanding and application of the DSR methodology for OPEX-based problem-solving initiatives, as appears in the scant literature on DSR applied for the implementation of OPEX based initiatives for ESG purposes. This paper aims to challenge and provide accents for DSR applied to OPEX-related problems by means of a DSR framework and thereby promotes intervention-based studies among researchers.Originality/valueThe proposed step-by-step methodology contains novel elements and is expected to be of help for OPEX-oriented academicians and practitioners in implementing DSR methodology for practical related problems which need research interventions from academics from Higher Education Institutions.

Comparing Students' Problem-Solving Processes on Probability Tasks: Well-Structured and Ill-Structured Tasks

This study aims to describe the differences in the problem-solving abilities of well-structured problems and ill-structured problems models related to the concept of opportunity for Grade VIII junior high school students. Two students with the same mathematical abilities were selected to be subjects according to our research objectives. The results show that the two samples find it more difficult to solve well-structured problems than ill-structured problems. When at the stage of understanding the problem students need to read the questions repeatedly and when asked to retell the students can't do it well. In the questions of the type of well-structured problems subject 1 can only mention what is asked, but it is not appropriate to state the conditions needed to solve the problem and in subject 2 it is found otherwise, while in ill-structured problems it is not appropriate to write down what is known but write down what is asked with precise and knowing the requirements to solve the problem. Subject 1 uses logical and logical reasoning strategies. Then, subject 2 uses a trial and error strategy with logical reasoning. The two subjects carried out problem solving according to plan, carried out the re-checking stage, and were able to find solutions to problems that did not require calculations in them but could not find solutions to problems that contained calculations and had to be solved by utilizing the probability theorem. These results can be used as an evaluation in the learning process or a reference for further research.