Problem-Based & Problem- Solving!

                                             

Through this week’s readings I learned quite a bit about Problem-Based Learning as well as the Problem-Solving Process.  The most important take-away for me in learning about this is that it really helps the students to be the ones to develop an answer and reach their own conclusion.  These techniques truly promote student learning.

Problem Based Learning is defined as a teaching strategy that includes: problem solving, inquiry learning, project-based teaching, and case studies.

Some of the steps are:

• Students are presented with an ill-structured problem and work in groups to arrive at some resolution
•  The teacher facilitates learning by selecting problems for learning and by organizing student groups that work toward problem solutions

The Problem Solving Process revolves around thinking strategy and it entails:

1. Recognizing and defining the problem
2. Clarifying the problem
3.  Identifying possible solutions
4. Testing a solution or plan
5. Evaluating the results

These concepts of teaching around “problems” were around for many decades, even in the late 1900s the IDEAL model from Bransford was the following:

1. Identify the problem
2. Define the problem through thinking about it and sorting out the relevant information
3. Explore solutions through looking at alternatives, brainstorming, and checking out different points of view
4.  Act on the strategies
5. Look back and evaluate the effects of your activity

Overall it was great to learn about more teaching styles to add a little bit more flare into my future classroom!