Problem-solving Strategies Research Articles

Enacted institutions, participatory sense-making and social norms

This paper argues that institutions are higher-level autonomous systems enacted by patterns of participatory sense-making. Therefore, unlike in the standard equilibrium theory, institutions are not themselves thought of as behavioural patterns. Instead, they are problem domains that these patterns have brought forth. Moreover, these are not merely any patterns, but only those devoted to maintaining a specific strategy of problem solving, called the strategy of ‘letting be’. The latter refers to, following Hanne de Jaegher, a balance between underdetermination and overdetermination of individual behaviour by a collective. Such an understanding of institutions becomes an option once a hybrid ‘equilibrium + rules’ theory of institutions, such as the one proposed by Frank Hindriks, is supplemented with insights from enactivism. In this light, drawing a connection between these two areas is the additional, meta-theoretical goal of this paper. This connection is beneficial, I argue, in particular since it allows for a satisfactory, in-depth account of the normative character of institutions as well as their local character.

EFL reading strategies used by high school students with different English proficiency

This study examines EFL students' reading strategy use and explores the differences between the factors affecting the use of the reading strategies by high and low proficiency EFL learners. The participants consisted of students from a high school in Taiwan. Their reading strategy usage and the influencing factors were assessed using the Survey of Reading Strategy (SORS), think-aloud protocols, and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal no significant disparities in problem-solving strategies and supporting reading strategies between high and low proficiency learners. However, no table differences were observed in the employment of global reading strategies. In addition, learners' vocabulary size and syntactic knowledge emerged as influential factors in the utilization of reading strategies. The results also indicate that high proficiency learners employ top-down reading strategies, while low proficiency learners rely on bottom-up reading strategies to approach their reading tasks. Detailed results of the reading strategies used by the two groups of students and factors affecting the strategy results are shown and discussed, followed by pedagogical implications. At the end, suggestions for the future research will be presented.

EVOLUTION OF PRE-SERVICE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ SPATIAL VISUALISATION SKILLS DURING A COGNITIVE LOAD THEORY-BASED EDUCATION

This study explores how pre-service mathematics teachers’ spatial visualisation skills evolved during a Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) based education. The study used the qualitative theory-testing case study method, which guided the identification of participants, the design of technology-supported education, and the data collection and analysis process. The four participants meeting specific criteria were selected as the study sample. A CLT-based education equipped with technology was provided to help participants overcome difficulties in spatial visualisation problems, improve their existing schemas, and build higher-order schemas. Various teaching approaches (e.g., worked examples) were applied to optimise participants’ learning in CLT-based education. The study data (e.g., transcripts of interviews) were analysed using the pattern-matching technique, in which the observed patterns were compared with the derived hypotheses from the theoretic models regarding the problem-solving process and novice-expert schemas. The study achieved remarkable results: In CLT-based education, where teaching approaches have an important role, the improvement in their spatial visualisation skills happened as the participants overcame their challenges in problem-solving steps throughout their cyclic problem-solving processes and gained more knowledge and skills. The participants’ acquisition of expertise in spatial visualisation skills went through various developmental stages. They strengthened their initial spatial problem-solving schemas by completing the deficiencies in their prior knowledge. They gained practicality in same-category tasks and constructed higher-order problem-solving schemas when dealing with high-category tasks by activating their assimilation and adaptation processes. Keywords: Cognitive Load Theory, the development of spatial visualisation skills, theory-testing method, acquiring an expert spatial problem-solving schema

A STUDY ON ETHICAL PRACTICES OF PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS IN THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT

The bank is now a larger and representative institution for the protection of funds and financial of the society. A banker performs many more task than mere regular and conventional banking. As such the role and status of the banker in the modern society has changed significantly. When the banker has acquired a new status and role in the society it should perform the duty in a more diligent and appropriate manner. The performance of the duty has a definite relationship with the kind of ethical practices, values, and system The present study was undertaken the ethical practices of public sector banks in Thiruvananthapuram district. The study mainly focuses on the importance of ethical practices and value building exercise in organizations. The proper functioning of an organization requires various rules and regulations, principles and policies. Due to different type and nature of organizations, the policy formulation and problem solving strategy differs from one organization to other. However, in every work place, the organization adopts a set of rules and policies which are essential for its growth and development. Among various factors, the implementation and adhering to ethical practice and value building is the main foundation for the regulation of organization. Yet, to examine factors as to understand the implication of ethics and value practice in an organization are complex in nature.

ANALISIS KESULITAN SISWA KELAS VIII DALAM MENYELESAIKAN SOAL SISTEM PERSAMAAN LINEAR DUA VARIABEL

This study examines the challenges faced by eighth-grade students at State Junior High School 1 Lahusa in solving systems of linear equations with two variables. This study aims to elucidate the challenges faced by students in solving systems of linear equations with two variables. This study is qualitative and employs a descriptive methodology. The participants in this study were 24 eighth-grade students from SMP Negeri 1 Lahusa. Data analysis process include data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Interviews and tests are data collection procedures that are used. The research findings indicate that 25% of students struggle with idea generation, 50% have difficulty understanding the topic, and 25% find it challenging to do calculations. The challenges arise from students' lack of accurate understanding of problem-solving strategies and skills. Conclusively, 8th-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Lahusa have the greatest challenge in understanding issues. This study suggests that teachers' instructional design should aim to provide a question-and-answer forum to address students' challenges.

The effect of problem-solving strategy on learning some basic handball skills

هدف البحث الحالي إلى معرفة تأثير إستراتيجية حل المشكلات في تعلم بعض المهارات الأساسية بكرة اليد لطلاب الصف الثاني متوسط مدرسة حسان بن ثابت للبنين وتكمن مشكلة البحث في إن كرة اليد من الألعاب الجماعية التي تمتاز بمهاراتها المتعددة ووجدت الباحثة إن هناك تفاوت في مستوى تعلم بعض المهارات الأساسية بكرة اليد، فضلا عن إن المهارات تقدم بالأسلوب التقليدي المتبع من قبل المدرس من دون مراعاة الفروق الفردية بين المتعلمين . تحيقا لهدف البحث استخدمت الباحثة المنهج التجريبي لملائمته مشكلة البحث وطرق البحث على عينة مكونة من (40)طالب موزعين على مجموعتين المجموعة التجريبية بلغت (20)طالب وتعملت بإستراتيجية حل المشكلات أما المجموعة الضابطة تكونت من(20)طالب تعملت بالطريقة التقليدية وأخضعت المجموعتين لاختبارات مهارية تم تطبيقها بعد التأكد من الأسس العلمية لتطبيقها من صدق وثبات وموضوعية وتم تطبيق إستراتيجية حل المشكلات وأثبتت النتائج تفوق المجموعة التجريبية التي تعلمت باستخدام إستراتيجية حل المشكلات في تعلم بعض المهارات الأساسية بكرة اليد على المجموعة الضابطة التي تعلمت بالطريقة التقليدية وفي ضوء النتائج التي توصلت لها الباحثة أوصت بمجموعة من التوصيات من أهمها ضرورة استخدام المنهج التعليمي باستخدام إستراتيجية حل المشكلات في تعلم بعض المهارات الأساسية في العاب رياضية أخرى.

Improving Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Using Guided Inquiry with Problem-Solving Process

High-level thinking skills known as critical thinking are deemed essential for students in the contemporary era to equip them for the challenges ahead. However, current research suggests that students’ proficiency in critical thinking remains relatively insufficient. This research endeavors to explore how the application of guided inquiry combined with problem-solving techniques influences the critical thinking abilities of 11th-grade students. Carried out in a public high school situated in Jakarta, Indonesia, this quantitative study involved seventy-two students chosen as participants. Employing a quasi-experimental approach, two intact classes were enlisted and randomly assigned as either the experimental group (n=36) or the control group (n=36). Data were collected through an essay test assessing critical thinking skills and were subsequently analyzed using independent and paired sample t-tests. Results revealed a positive impact of guided inquiry supplemented with problem-solving techniques on students’ critical thinking capabilities. Consequently, it can be deduced that this instructional method effectively enhances students’ critical thinking skills. The findings recommend educators adopt guided inquiry coupled with problem-solving strategies to cultivate students’ critical thinking abilities to a satisfactory level.

Learning on Physics Concept Mastering and Critical Thinking Ability in High School Students

This study aims to determine the differences in concept mastery and critical thinking skills of students who study with computer animation-assisted problem-solving strategies and conventional learning. This research is quasi-research with a posttestonly design. Data were collected by using 20 questions for the concept mastery test and 5 questions for critical thinking skills after being given treatment in 3 different class groups. The first group is students who study computer animation-assisted problem-solving strategies, the second group is students who learn problem-solving strategies, and the third group is students who learn conventionally. Before the treatment and data collection, the instruments used had gone through expert tests and trials. The processed data were analyzed using the multivariate of Anova and then further tested with the Tukey test. The results of this study indicate that problem-solving strategies assisted by computer animation is better than conventional learning and problem-solving strategies to increase students’ mastery of physics concepts and students’ critical thinking skills. Keywords: physics concept mastering, critical thinking

Cognitive Flexibility: Exploring Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Solving Mathematical Problems

Cognitive flexibility is an individual’s ability to think, and critical thinking skills in the 21st century are needed by students. This study aims to obtain a substantive theory (conjecture) that is associated with students’ critical thinking skills in solving mathematical problems. This type of research is qualitative with Grounded Theory (GT) systematic design procedures. Because the design of this research is GT, therefore, the data analysis was carried out in three stages, namely: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding with the help of NVivo 12 plus software. The participants involved were 30 students. The research guideline was in the form of a critical thinking ability test and semi-structured interview. In-depth interviews were conducted based on the results of the ability to think critically until the data was saturated. Data saturation occurred in the 5th interview. To test the reliability of critical thinking skills, categories and subcategories were carried out by two coders with a Cohen kappa value of 0.65, so that the coding was made reliable. The results obtained were hypothetical: if participants can think critically, then participants can solve problems, can provide arguments, can interpret algebraic derivative application functions, and can develop problem-solving strategies in critical thinking. Keywords: critical thinking skills, cognitive flexibility, solving mathematical problems

Metacognitive Reading Strategies Employed by Grade Nine Male and Female Students: A Study in Addis Ababa Secondary Schools

This study examined the level and preference of metacognitive reading strategies used by Grade 9 students at Ula-dula General Secondary School in Ethiopia. 130 students (59 males and 71 females) participated in the study and filled out the questionnaire. Six of them took part in the interviews. The data was collected using the Metacognitive Awareness Reading Strategy Inventory (MARSI) and a semi-structured interview. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 24) was used to analyze the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. The results indicated that students used the metacognitive reading strategies moderately, with an average mean score of 2.8. However, individual students' use of the strategies showed that 40% of the students used the strategies at a low level, 26.2% at a high level, and 33.8% at a medium level. The problem-solving strategies were used most frequently, followed by global and support strategies in second and third place, respectively. Problem-solving and global strategies were utilized moderately, while support strategies were employed at a lower level. The results of an independent sample t-test revealed no significant correlation between the gender of the students and their usage of the strategies. In summary, while the average result showed that students, as a whole, used the strategies moderately, the majority of individual students were found to use them at a low level. The qualitative data provided further evidence to support the quantitative findings. The result suggests that the students' low level of reading proficiency might have been due to a lack of awareness and inappropriate utilization of reading strategies.

Effective methods of using board games in teaching English

As we all know, one of the main goals of language teaching is to equip our students with the ability to communicate in the target language. Games are fun activities that promote interaction, thinking, learning, and problem solving strategies. Often, games have an aspect that permits the players to produce information in a short time period. Some games require the players to engage in a physical activity and/or complete a mental challenge.

An adaptation of the KidCOPE: the KidCOPE-parent (KidCOPE-P) – a parent-report measure of child coping strategies

ABSTRACT Objective Understanding how children cope is an important factor in investigating the impact of adversity on child development. With children increasingly experiencing adverse situations – such as the COVID-19 pandemic – having methods of assessing coping strategies is an essential step in supporting self-regulation development. Parent report is a common method of measuring child outcomes, as parents observe children across a range of settings. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the KidCOPE-Parent form – an adaptation of the original KidCOPE self-report. Methods A sample of 253 children, aged 6–7 years old, across 19 government and catholic schools in Melbourne, Victoria. Results Findings indicate that a two-factor model best fits the data, with the KidCOPE-P demonstrating moderately acceptable reliability and validity. There were some differences in mean scores reported between males and females for items relating to problem-solving, social support, and resignation coping strategies. Conclusion Overall, the KidCOPE-P is moderately suitable for assessing children’s coping strategies, as observed by a parent. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and continue to explore the KidCOPE-P’s reliability as a parent-report measure of child coping strategies.

The impact of emotional intelligence on coping strategies for psychological trauma

The aim is to determine the impact of emotional intelligence on coping strategies for psychological trauma. Methods: The research was conducted using survey and testing based on diagnostic methods: Primary Care PTSD Screen, WCQ, EQ-test. Statistical methods were used: ANOVA, descriptive statistics, regression analysis. Two hundred seventy internally displaced persons (IDPs) aged 23 to 48 participated in the study. The study found that subjects with PTSD signs have low emotional intelligence (M=32.31±14.88) and confrontation (M=12.68±4.08), distancing (M=12.74±4.62), avoidance (M=13.85±4.97) coping strategies. Regression analysis established that a low level of emotional intelligence promotes confrontation (β=-1.926±0.296) and distancing (β=-1.198±0.386) coping, and a high level of emotional intelligence develops a problem-solving strategy (β=1.277±0.298). The results make it possible to expand the range of providing psychological assistance in overcoming psychological trauma through the formation of emotional intelligence. This will ensure the assimilation of constructive coping as elements of conscious overcoming of life's difficulties. Increasing the level of emotional intelligence and adaptive behavior strategies will help reduce feelings of stress due to trauma. The obtained results open opportunities to study the impact of emotional intelligence on individuals who experienced traumatic events. Studying external and internal factors contributes to emotional intelligence development. Identifying individual and socio-cultural aspects of coping strategies enhances psychological support methods. Understanding emotional intelligence's influence helps design programs to develop it and overcome psychological trauma, including telepsychology.

KEMAMPUAN NUMERASI LEVEL 3; SURVEI TERHADAP PESERTA DIDIK SEKOLAH DASAR DI KOTA KUPANG

Numeracy ability is one of the abilities that students need to have to be able to overcome problems related to mathematical logic. The results of the PISA survey stated that Indonesia is classified as a country with the numeracy ability of students that has not been maximized. Meanwhile, to be more specific, the numeracy ability of students in areas spread throughout Indonesia is not clearly known. This research method is quantitative research, with a survey type. The subjects in this study were 364 students from elementary schools spread across Kupang City. Data collection was carried out using test techniques with a total of 15 numeracy test questions. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics so that the average and distribution of the frequency of numeracy skills of students in elementary schools in Kupang City was known based on the level of their levels. The results showed that as many as 157 students or 45.35% had numeracy skills at level 3, namely being able to choose and apply simple problem-solving strategies; 143 respondents or 41.33% have numeracy skills at level 2, namely being able to use formulas, carry out procedures or agreements in solving problems; and the remaining 46 respondents or 13.29% have numeracy skills in Level 1 is being able to identify information and complete routine procedures according to clear instructions for the situation

Case study Based on Ogane's Problem-solving Process

In the 1980s, there were problems in the teaching of problem-solving in mathematics in the former Soviet Union, such as formulaic solutions and a lack of emphasis on teaching mathematical thinking. Therefore, Oganesian believes that in the traditional education system and in a large number of mathematical teaching practices, the role of mathematical exercises in developing students' mathematical level is limited. Mathematical exercises are difficult to test students' other aspects of mathematical development and ideological education factors. Introducing new teaching models is an urgent need for teaching mathematical problem-solving. Based on this, Oganesian proposed four steps for solving problems in his book "Teaching Methods for Primary and Secondary School Mathematics": understanding the problem conditions-developing a solution plan - implementing the solution plan - researching the obtained solutions. The article takes the "theorem for determining the perpendicularity of a straight line to a plane" in mathematics as an example, and analyzes its application based on the process of solving problems using the Oganesian method. By introducing mathematical problems into the Oganesian phase problem-solving process, gradually solving problems, delving into the vertical relationship between lines and planes, and analyzing their significance and role in practical applications. Assist students in cultivating thinking methods and problem-solving strategies for mathematical problem-solving systems, guide them to solve mathematical problems more deeply and accurately, enhance the problem-solving ability of mathematical learners, and optimize their thinking logic.

Engineering students’ thoughts on teamwork and approaches to solving a problem with an underperforming member

Engineering programs have to develop students’ teamwork skills. However, the onus on content specialists to teach teamwork skills may be challenging partly because of students’ negative attitudes towards and experiences with teamwork. This study investigated 295 engineering students’ thoughts on teamwork and the strategies they used to solve problems with underperforming team members. Data were collected using a survey and a discourse completion task. The results revealed that among the key reasons why the students liked such activities was the exchange of information and experience, increased quantity and quality of work, and interpersonal communication. However, they indicated lack of harmony, social loafing, lack of attention paid to tasks, and individual approaches to learning as reasons for skepticism about teamwork. As to problem-solving strategies, emphatic inquiry and judgmental questioning were most common. Based on these results, we suggest that engineering faculty collaborate with communication instructors in planning and executing soft-skills training for students. Engineering faculty should also be provided with technical support for the incorporation of teamwork activities in virtual environments.

Development of a Community-Based Communication Intervention among Latin Caregivers of Patients Coping with Cancer.

Background: Cancer affects the emotional well-being of patients and caregivers, highlighting the need for effective communication strategies. This study explores a community-based communication intervention for Latino caregiver-patient dyads coping with cancer. The acceptability of the intervention, along with its associated facilitators and barriers, are crucial considerations. Methods: Three focus group interviews involved healthcare providers, community partners, patients, and caregivers to discuss the communication needs of this population and the components of a communication intervention while identifying facilitators and barriers to the intervention. Qualitative thematic content analysis was conducted using Nvivo v12, ensuring reliability through independent analysis and consensus building. Results: Participants (89% female, average age of 53) included patients (30%), caregivers (30%), community partners (25%), and healthcare providers (15%), and they discussed the overall acceptability of adapting a communication intervention, where they emphasized benefits for caregivers and patients, primarily through support groups. Communication strategies accepted by participants include psychological support, cancer education, assertive communication skills, and methods for improved interactions with healthcare providers and extended family. Conclusions: Participants' responses align with the current literature, emphasizing problem-solving, mutual support, and communication strategies and underscoring the role of community partners. The study underlines the necessity for culturally tailored communication interventions for Latino families facing cancer.

Metacognitive Reading Awareness Among Freshmen EFL Students

Purpose. This study investigated the levels of three different strategies of metacognitive awareness: global reading strategy, problem-solving strategy, and support reading strategy among university students in a Business English class during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Methods. The methodology is based on a survey, which was conducted among 192 freshman university students in their specialized courses of Business English as a foreign language. The research instrument was a metacognitive reading strategies awareness (MARSI) questionnaire.
 Results. The findings reveal that the students used problem-solving strategies the most, followed by global and support reading strategies the least. The results also indicate a difference between male and female students at individual levels of reading strategies.
 Conclusions. The study proposes a set of recommendations with an alliance of COVID-19 learning environment based on the results such as taking notes while reading and highlighting the most important information with an emphasis on details or showing the importance of previewing the text, asking questions/making predictions about the text, and most importantly paying attention to self-regulation practices in a new school environment.

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.

The Effects of Technology-Integrated Project-Based Learning on Students' Acquisition of Programming Abilities in Computer Science Courses

For the best approaches to teach students programming abilities, researchers have held several talks and generated a huge number of recommendations. These recommendations have received a lot of attention because the majority of students that study programming tend to gain little information and fail to create problem-solving strategies using the programming principles they have learned. Pre-test and post-test are used to determine the efficacy of project- based learning (PBL) interventions. The purpose of this study is to look into how project-based learning in computer science classes affects students' acquisition of programming abilities