Abstract:
Key Competencies are a new educational initiative to be introduced into Australian schools. One of the Key Competencies is Solving Problems.
It is important to consider the question: "If you know about problem solving, what do you know?"
Knowledge of problem solving could involve knowledge of process, control, beliefs, context and transfer. It may be that the knowledge of teachers and students differs in ways that have implications for teaching and learning.
To find out more of what children and teachers know about problem solving, a study using two groups of year five students was conducted. One group was an average class group and the other was a group of students judged to be academically gifted. Six teachers gave their views of problem solving and the differences between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers.
The paper explores the students' views of: knowledge of problem solving; views of the problem solving process; views of performance on a problem solving task and rating of self as a problem solver in six curriculum areas. The students were observed as they worked on an invention problem solving task. Verbal protocols were taken and analysed. Each student was scored on their problem solving behaviour. Teachers and students rated each student's ability to be a good problem solver in the six curriculum areas. These ratings were compared.
A problem solving framework for charting problem solving behaviour was formulated. The Key Competencies outline of Solving Problems is evaluated in relation to the results of the studies, and the implications of introducing the Key Competencies into Australian schools are discussed.
It is important to consider the question: "If you know about problem solving, what do you know?"
Knowledge of problem solving could involve knowledge of process, control, beliefs, context and transfer. It may be that the knowledge of teachers and students differs in ways that have implications for teaching and learning.
To find out more of what children and teachers know about problem solving, a study using two groups of year five students was conducted. One group was an average class group and the other was a group of students judged to be academically gifted. Six teachers gave their views of problem solving and the differences between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers.
The paper explores the students' views of: knowledge of problem solving; views of the problem solving process; views of performance on a problem solving task and rating of self as a problem solver in six curriculum areas. The students were observed as they worked on an invention problem solving task. Verbal protocols were taken and analysed. Each student was scored on their problem solving behaviour. Teachers and students rated each student's ability to be a good problem solver in the six curriculum areas. These ratings were compared.
A problem solving framework for charting problem solving behaviour was formulated. The Key Competencies outline of Solving Problems is evaluated in relation to the results of the studies, and the implications of introducing the Key Competencies into Australian schools are discussed.