Problem-solving Phase Research Articles

Problem-solving or Explicit Instruction: Which Should Go First When Element Interactivity Is High?

The concept of productive failure posits that a problem-solving phase prior to explicit instruction is more effective than explicit instruction followed by problem-solving. This prediction was tested with Year 5 primary school students learning about light energy efficiency. Two, fully randomised, controlled experiments were conducted. In the first experiment (N = 64), explicit instruction followed by problem-solving was found to be superior to the reverse order for performance on problems similar to those used during instruction, with no difference on transfer problems. In the second experiment, where element interactivity was increased (N = 71), explicit instruction followed by problem-solving was found to be superior to the reverse order for performance on both similar and transfer problems. The contradictory predictions and results of a productive failure approach and cognitive load theory are discussed using the concept of element interactivity. Specifically, for learning where element interactivity is high, explicit instruction should precede problem-solving.

IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM PEMBERDAYAAN PEREMPUAN KORBAN KEKERASAN DALAM RUMAH TANGGA DI KOTA BOGOR

The aims of the research are to describe the implementation of the program of empowering domestic violence victim women in Bogor City, to identify the supporting and inhibiting factors in implementing the program of empowering domestic violence victim women in Bogor City, and to recommend the solutions for solving the problems faced in implementing the program of empowering domestic violence victim women in Bogor City. This research uses qualitative method of research that produces descriptive data in the form of written words or oral from the people and behavior that can be observed. The results of this study indicate that the program for improving the quality of life and empowerment of women victims of domestic violence at Integrated Service Center of Women and Children Empowerment in Bogor City that is: awareness stage, problem analysis phase, phase priority problem determination, phase of finding problem solving, stage of implementing real action and evaluation phase. The problems faced by the victims who are less cooperative, limitations of the councellor in terms of quantity and time provided and facilities and infrastructure are still inadequate.Keywords: Domestic Violence, Women Empowering.

Probing boundary conditions of Productive Failure and analyzing the role of young students\u2019 collaboration

Productive Failure (PF) facilitates students’ conceptual knowledge by delaying instruction until after problem solving. While PF is well investigated in middle and high school students, little is known about its effectiveness in younger students. Studies in younger samples, which implemented delayed instruction designs similar to those used in PF studies, showed mixed results. However, these studies did not implement two core design components of PF: (1) contrasting and comparing student-generated solutions and the canonical solution during the instructional phase (contrasting activity), and (2) students’ collaboration in small groups during the initial problem-solving phase. Both components can be expected to contribute to the effectiveness of PF. In a quasi-experimental study with 228 fifth graders, we implemented the first component (contrasting activity) with all students to establish whether under this condition, problem solving prior to instruction would be more effective for younger students’ conceptual knowledge acquisition than direct instruction (i.e., problem solving after instruction). Further, we experimentally tested the effect of the second component (collaborative vs. individual problem solving) on students’ conceptual knowledge and the number of solution ideas generated during initial problem solving. We found no empirical support for either of our hypotheses. To explore the extent to which students’ collaboration actually achieved its potential and relates to students’ conceptual knowledge and solution ideas in PF, we conducted analyses of collaborative processes. Our study adds to the mixed results regarding the superiority of problem solving prior to instruction for young students, thus opening the discussion about age-related prerequisites as boundary conditions for PF.

Bluffed by the dealer: Distinguishing false pleas from false confessions.

The United States convicts over one million people of felonies each year without affording the resources of a trial. Instead, these convictions are attained in plea bargains. The current research investigated potential differences between pleas and confessions to determine whether new experimental research on plea-bargaining is warranted, or whether the research on false confessions can be extended to pleas as well. Given the exploratory nature of this work, multiple theoretically-relevant variables were measured so that multiple potential differences between pleas and confessions could be explored. The study employed a 2 (innocent or guilty) x 2 (plea or confession) x 2 (evidence-bluff or no-bluff) between-participants design. Participants were recruited for a study described as examining problem solving. Once at the lab, all participants were paired with a confederate posing as another participant. The participant and confederate were asked to complete problems both independently (individual) and together (team). Guilty participants were asked to provide help on one of the individual problems by the confederate. Innocent participants were never asked for help. All participants were later accused of cheating on an individual problem. Participants in confession conditions were then asked to sign a statement admitting guilt. Participants in plea conditions were asked to sign a statement agreeing to work 20 hours in the research lab in exchange for dropping the accusation. Participants in evidence-bluff conditions were told that a video camera recorded the problemsolving phase of the study and could reveal whether cheating actually occurred. The theoretically-relevant individual difference variables did not consistently differentiate pleas from confessions. A hypothesized interaction between the evidence-bluff and plea-confession conditions on acceptance outcomes did not materialize either. Nevertheless, some evidence emerged indicating that pleas and confessions might involve different processes. Specifically,

BioSTEPS: Biochemistry Problem Solving and Its Role in Undergraduate Success and Persistence

Several concepts are critical to undergraduates' development of expertise in biochemistry, including (1) the physical basis of noncovalent interactions, (2) thermodynamics of macromolecular structure, and (3) biochemical pathway dynamics and regulation. Students who integrate knowledge about these concepts should be able to solve authentic biochemistry problems, such as predicting the impact of amino acid substitutions on protein folding or perturbations in a metabolic pathway on flux. The objective of this study is to investigate the following research questions related to these three biochemistry concepts: What are the difficulties encountered by beginning and advanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) undergraduates when solving biochemistry problems? To what extent do undergraduates' biochemistry problem‐solving skills predict their success in science and intentions to pursue a science career?To address these questions, we are conducting a longitudinal study of 700 STEM students who enrolled in introductory biology at a research‐intensive institution. Students completed the BioSTEPS problem‐solving assessment and the SAVI survey, which measures self‐efficacy, motivation, values, and interest in STEM careers. For both instruments, validity and reliability data were collected from biochemistry experts and students. A subset of participants (n=92) participated in think‐aloud interviews to obtain more detailed information about their problem‐solving approaches. As students progress, they will complete isomorphic versions of BioSTEPS and repeat the SAVI.The longitudinal study is still in progress. The data collected to date reveal several important findings. First, students fail to see that amino acid categorization provides the key to solving structure‐function problems, lack causal mechanistic reasoning about noncovalent interactions, and solve problems incorrectly because of their inability to maintain knowledge of their early problem‐solving steps during later phases of problem solving. Second, students do not accurately interpret visual representations of feedback inhibition in metabolic pathways and lack causal mechanistic reasoning about the reversibility of chemical reactions and the impact of one step in a pathway on flux through the remainder of the pathway. Third, SAVI data suggest that introductory biology participants show high science self‐efficacy and motivation, high interest in healthcare careers, and low interest in careers in education or non‐STEM. As the longitudinal study continues, we will determine the extent to which problem‐solving ability in introductory biology predicts overall success and persistence in STEM. We also will be able to determine the role of alternative predictors, like science self‐efficacy. We will apply our findings to the design of instructional materials in the hopes of increasing student learning of biochemistry and, perhaps, success and persistence in STEM.Support or Funding InformationThis material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant DRL 1350345. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

The Efficacy and Development of Students' Problem-Solving Strategies During Compulsory Schooling: Logfile Analyses.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of exploration strategies students used in the first phase of problem solving. The sample for the study was drawn from 3rd- to 12th-grade students (aged 9–18) in Hungarian schools (n = 4,371). Problems designed in the MicroDYN approach with different levels of complexity were administered to the students via the eDia online platform. Logfile analyses were performed to ascertain the impact of strategy use on the efficacy of problem solving. Students' exploration behavior was coded and clustered through Latent Class Analyses. Several theoretically effective strategies were identified, including the vary-one-thing-at-a-time (VOTAT) strategy and its sub-strategies. The results of the analyses indicate that the use of a theoretically effective strategy, which extract all information required to solve the problem, did not always lead to high performance. Conscious VOTAT strategy users proved to be the best problem solvers followed by non-conscious VOTAT strategy users and non-VOTAT strategy users. In the primary school sub-sample, six qualitatively different strategy class profiles were distinguished. The results shed new light on and provide a new interpretation of previous analyses of the processes involved in complex problem solving. They also highlight the importance of explicit enhancement of problem-solving skills and problem-solving strategies as a tool for knowledge acquisition in new contexts during and beyond school lessons.

PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN PEMECAHAN MASALAH LUAS BANGUN DATAR GABUNGAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE PROBLEM SOLVING DISERTAI DISKUSI SISWA KELAS KELAS VI SDN 29 AIR DINGIN

This research was conducted based on the result of reflection on the low ability of problem solving of SDN 29Air Dingin students on the broadly built joint vase meteri. In revealing the problem the researchers reflect on thelearning process that has been implemented, the effort has been made and the cause why the effort has not metthe results that have been implemented and analysis of previous learning documents that have beenimplemented. Solving the problems encountered using problem solving learning method with four phases ofproblem solving, that is understanding the problem, planning the settlement, solving the problem and rechecking all the steps that have been done. With the aim of describing the improvement of problem solving skillsof students in the material widescreen combined with the problem solving method along with discussion. Thetype of research conducted is classroom action research conducted in two cycles. The first cycle is held 2 timesthe second cycle is held 2 times in class VI of SDN 29 Air Dingin with the number of students 20 people. Theresults of research conducted two cycles, data analysis techniques used is descriptive analysis techniques. Theresult of research stated that students' ability to increase in cycle I the number of students who reach the criteriamastery is 15 students (75.00%). On the second cycle increased by the number of 18 students (90.00%).

Transdisciplinary Approaches and Methods in the Context of Food and Nutrition Security.

Since the World Food Summit of 1996, the world has strived to achieve sustainable food production and improved nutrition for all. However, the complexity of food and nutrition security, compounded by a growing population, depleting natural resources, changing consumption patterns, and a multitude of environmental shocks to the ecosystem, make it a "wicked problem." Wicked problems transcend the resources of any single discipline and are the focus of contemporary transdisciplinary work. Transdisciplinary research approaches allow us to gain a better understanding of complex contexts, actions, and decisions that determine socioecological systems, and to develop organizational, social, and technological innovations that fit a given situation. Using the case of urban agriculture, which holds both potential and challenges for healthy nutrition and food systems, the key features of transdisciplinary research approaches are identified. As transdisciplinary research stems from a perceived real-life problem, a differentiated understanding and handling of knowledge diversity is needed. Furthermore, there is the need to build and maintain a research team and depending on the number of actors and the diversity of interests involved, the research has to be conceived as a group working process over a period of time requiring group management and process design skills. Though there is no single recipe for a transdisciplinary research process, we present a framework for such a process with iterative loops and multiple interactions among the various spheres of actors through the 4 phases of problem framing, problem analyses, problem solving, and stimulating change. Transdisciplinary research approaches have many challenges and are demanding in the integration of the research environment and processes. The interaction between stakeholders and the joint learning and reflection processes necessitate mutual understanding. However, the management of these interactions is as vital as pure scientific analysis for tackling real-world challenges.

Critical Thinking Skills Of Junior High School Female Students With High Mathematical Skills In Solving Contextual And Formal Mathematical Problems

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills of the 21st century in addition to other learning skills such as creative thinking, communication skills and collaborative skills. This is what makes researchers feel the need to conduct research on critical thinking skills in junior high school students. The purpose of this study is to describe the critical thinking skills of junior high school female students with high mathematical skills in solving contextual and formal mathematical problems. To achieve this is used qualitative research. The subject of the study was a female student of eight grade junior high school. The students’ critical thinking skills are derived from in-depth problem-based interviews using interview guidelines. Interviews conducted in this study are problem-based interviews, which are done by the subject given a written assignment and given time to complete. The results show that critical thinking skills of female high school students with high math skills are as follows: In solving the problem at the stage of understanding the problem used interpretation skills with sub-indicators: categorization, decode, and clarify meaning. At the planning stage of the problem-solving strategy is used analytical skills with sub-indicators: idea checking, argument identification and argument analysis and evaluation skills with sub indicators: assessing the argument. In the implementation phase of problem solving, inference skills are used with subindicators: drawing conclusions, and problem solving and explanatory skills with sub-indicators: problem presentation, justification procedures, and argument articulation. At the re-checking stage all steps have been employed self-regulatory skills with sub-indicators: self-correction and selfstudy.

The relationship between working memory and insight depends on moderators: Reply to Chuderski and Jastrzêbski (2017).

Chuderski and Jastrzêbski (2017) found a positive relationship between working memory capacity and insight problem solving, and concluded that "people with less effective cognition" are therefore "less creative" (p. 2003). This interpretation discounts substantial evidence that devoting less executive control facilitates insight. We develop an initial framework for understanding these contradictory findings. We describe (a) how both working memory-demanding processes and less-demanding associative processes impact insight and (b) how individual, situational, and task-specific factors interact to influence whether greater working memory is a help or a hindrance. We propose that insight will be supported if the level of executive control used matches the level of control optimal for different phases of insight problem solving. We use this framework to explain why Chuderski and Jastrzębski's (2017) findings may have differed from DeCaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016), and offer direction for a more unified account of insight problem solving. (PsycINFO Database Record

Um editor inteligente para auxiliar estudantes na tradução de problemas algébricos

One of the most important skills to be developed in algebra learning is word problem solving. The word problem presents a situation or a story, where students need to understand the elements that make up the situation to generate a mathematical model to represent it, i.e. one or more equations. In this paper, we propose an editor to help students in the translation phase of problem solving, from the identification of the parts of the problem to the definition of relations and equations. The editor also provides feedback to the students about each step provided by them, indicating whether it is correct or incorrect. The editor follows the cognitive load theory, based on the following effects e.g. the splitattention effect and the worked-example effect. An evaluation of the editor was carried out with two seventh grade classes, in a total of 59 students, that showed the editor helped in the learning process and that the students found the editor easy and fun to use.

The Ventromedial Frontal Lobe Contributes to Forming Effective Solutions to Real-world Problems.

Although the ventromedial frontal lobe (VMF) has been implicated in several complex cognitive tasks such as decision-making and problem solving, the processes for which this region is critical remain unclear. Laboratory studies have largely focused on how the VMF contributes to decision-making when outcomes or options are provided, but in the real world generating appropriate options is likely a crucial and rate-limiting initial step. Here, we determined how VMF damage affected the option generation phase of naturalistic problem solving. A group of patients with VMF damage and two controls groups-age-matched healthy participants and patients with frontal damage sparing VMF-were asked to generate as many options as possible to five scenarios depicting open-ended, real-world problems (e.g., having lunch at a restaurant and forgetting your wallet at home). Both the number of options and the effectiveness of each option generated were examined. Damage to VMF led to a significant reduction in both the number of options produced across all problem-solving scenarios and the ability to generate effective options, most notably for scenarios that were social in nature. We discuss these findings in terms of the mechanisms by which the VMF may contribute to option generation, focusing on proposals suggesting this region is important for integrating subjective value and retrieving schematic representations.

A new method for extracting knowledge from patents to inspire designers during the problem-solving phase

ABSTRACTNowadays, patents are more than an industrial property protection, they constitute a considerable source of information. Several approaches deal with the extraction of pertinent information from patents, some of them translate that information into useful knowledge for problem-solving purposes. However, very few methods use a physical approach and a consistent analysis of the main function in the problem definition phase. This paper proposes a new method to inspire designers with ideas and analogous solutions. The objective is to contribute to solve complex technical problems by exploiting knowledge found in patent documents. The method is divided into three sections: problem definition, research and analysis, and innovation. The first two sections use iteratively a knowledge base formed by pertinent keywords related to the problem context, physical keywords from functional decomposition and physical analysis, and technological keywords recovered through patent analysis. In the third section, interesting patents are classified in a structured discovery matrix from the physical phenomena involved which are crossed in accordance with the related techniques found. The method is supported by a physical effects database of energy conversion and by evolution trends of technical systems. A deep offshore biphasic separator illustrates the method.

Scaffolding the development of problem-solving skills in chemistry: guiding novice students out of dead ends and false starts

To scaffold the development of problem-solving skills in chemistry, chemistry educators are exploring a variety of instructional techniques. In this study, we have designed, implemented, and evaluated a problem-solving workflow – “Goldilocks Help”. This workflow builds on work done in the field of problem solving in chemistry and provides specific scaffolding for students who experience procedural difficulties during problem solving, such as dead ends (not being able to troubleshoot) and false starts (not knowing how to initiate the problem-solving process). The Goldilocks Help workflow has been designed to scaffold a systematic problem-solving process with a designation of explicit phases of problem solving, to introduce students to the types of questions/prompts that should guide them through the process, to encourage explicit reasoning necessary for successful conceptual problem solving, and to promote the development of metacognitive self-regulation skills. The tool has been implemented and evaluated over a two-year period and modified based on student and instructor feedback. The evaluation demonstrated a shift in students’ beliefs in their capacities to use the strategies required to achieve successful problem solving and showed their capacity to employ such strategies.

The effects of cognition, meta-cognition, and motivation on the ill-structured problem solving phase

The effects of cognition, meta-cognition, and motivation on the ill-structured problem solving phase

Minimal invasive endoscopic neurosurgery

Introduction and Objective: If microscope heralded a new era in delicate and precise neurosurgical procedures, endoscope introduced an element of minimal invasiveness and supplemented microscope where they could not reach. We introduced and have been improving this art in brain and spine surgery and here present our experiences.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied patients who underwent endoscopic neurosurgery since July 2014 till January 2016 for brain and spine diseases. Endpoints for the audit were feasibility, reliability, cost effectiveness, extra time taken and morbidity.Results: We used endoscope in 42 cases. Ventriculoscopy was done for endoscopic third ventriculostomy, septoplasty, cyst aspiration and excision and biopsy. Nasal endoscopy was used to excise pituitary tumor and repair skull base CSF leaks. Spinal endoscopy was performed to remove herniated discs and canal stenosis. Endoscope helped in microscopic excision of acoustic schwannoma as well as craniopharyngioma. We did not have any mortality however CSF leaks were seen which was successfully managed. Since endoscopic procedures involve minimal incision and retraction, patients could be discharged early and mobilised. We discuss our learning phase and limitations of the endoscope with videos and case scenarios.Conclusion: A continuous phase of learning and problem solving is required to master the art of minimal invasive neurosurgery. Use of endoscope not only supplemented microscope but in cases of ventricular surgery is beyond comparison. It has minimised morbidity as well as hospital stay and is cosmetically acceptable to patients.

Towards a Theory of When and How Problem Solving Followed by Instruction Supports Learning

Recently, there has been a growing interest in learning approaches that combine two phases: an initial problem-solving phase followed by an instruction phase (PS-I). Two often cited examples of instructional approaches following the PS-I scheme include Productive Failure and Invention. Despite the growing interest in PS-I approaches, to the best of our knowledge, there has not yet been a comprehensive attempt to summarize the features that define PS-I and to explain the patterns of results. Therefore, the first goal of this paper is to map the landscape of different PS-I implementations, to identify commonalities and differences in designs, and to associate the identified design features with patterns in the learning outcomes. The review shows that PS-I fosters learning only if specific design features (namely contrasting cases or building instruction on student solutions) are implemented. The second goal is to identify a set of interconnected cognitive mechanisms that may account for these outcomes. Empirical evidence from PS-I literature is associated with these mechanisms and supports an initial theory of PS-I. Finally, positive and negative effects of PS-I are explained using the suggested mechanisms.

The Coffee-Milk Mixture Problem Revisited

Recently, I had occasion to re-read George Pólya's (1957) classic work on problem solving in mathematics, How to Solve It. Early in the book, Pólya describes the different phases of problem solving, including the fourth and final phase— “looking back.” Describing that phase, he writes:

Mining learner–system interaction data: implications for modeling learner behaviors and improving overlay models

A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that the adaptive capabilities of computer-based learning environments can be improved through the use of educational data mining techniques. Log-file trace data provides a wealth of information about learner behaviors that can be captured, monitored, and mined for the purposes of discovering new knowledge and detecting patterns of interest. This study aims to leverage these analytical techniques to mine learner behaviors in relation to both diagnostic reasoning processes and outcomes in BioWorld, a computer-based learning environment that support learners to practice solving medical problems and receive formative feedback. In doing so, hidden Markov models are used to model behavioral indicators of proficiency during problem solving, while an ensemble of text classification algorithms are applied to written case summaries that learners' write as an outcome of solving a case in BioWorld. The application of these algorithms characterize learner behaviors at different phases of problem solving which provides corroborating evidence in support of where revisions can be made to provide design guidelines of the system. We con- clude by discussing the instructional design and pedagogical implications for the

The involvement of working memory and inhibition functions in the different phases of insight problem solving.

In this article, the involvement of working memory capacity and inhibition functions in different phases of insight problem solving is investigated, by employing a method of separating the different phases of insight problem solving directly, on the basis of the subjects' oral reports. Two experiments are described. In Experiment 1, 87 subjects were administered a series of working memory span tasks and inhibition tasks, as well as a verbal insight problem. In Experiment 2, 119 subjects were administered the same working memory span tasks and inhibition tasks as in the first experiment, as well as a spatial insight problem. Several conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, the insight problem-solving process can be divided into several relatively independent phases, including an initial searching phase and a restructuring phase. Second, executive functions, as measured by working memory capacity, influence mainly the initial searching phase, rather than the restructuring phase. Third, inhibition functions play important but complex roles in restructuring, and sometimes could influence restructuring in contradictory ways simultaneously. The implications and value of this study are discussed further.