Abstract:
An intervention program on the teaching of problem-solving skills, consisting of the think-aloud and general problem-solving strategies, was introduced as part of a chemistry inservice course to a group of Singapore teachers. Feedback from the teacher-participants on the program and its usefulness to learning problem-solving skills was favourable.
In an attempt to investigate the effect of this program on students' problem-solving skills, case studies were undertaken a year later. This paper reports the findings of four case studies on the implementation of the intervention program to chemistry students and evaluation of the students' problem-solving performance and behaviour before and after the intervention. Four teachers from two secondary schools (ages of students were 14-15) and two junior colleges (ages of students were 16-17) were involved in the case studies. The methods of evaluation of the students' problem-solving performance and behaviour varied among the four teachers. One case emphasised the quantitative perspective whereas the other three cases the qualitative perspective. The implications of the case studies for the teaching and learning of problem-solving will be discussed.
In an attempt to investigate the effect of this program on students' problem-solving skills, case studies were undertaken a year later. This paper reports the findings of four case studies on the implementation of the intervention program to chemistry students and evaluation of the students' problem-solving performance and behaviour before and after the intervention. Four teachers from two secondary schools (ages of students were 14-15) and two junior colleges (ages of students were 16-17) were involved in the case studies. The methods of evaluation of the students' problem-solving performance and behaviour varied among the four teachers. One case emphasised the quantitative perspective whereas the other three cases the qualitative perspective. The implications of the case studies for the teaching and learning of problem-solving will be discussed.