Guiding Students in Problem Solving

 Students attending STEM lessons often have problem and weakness in solving problems relating to science, technology, engineering and math. They need to learn how to think about solving problems in a general perspective. Students are usually not familiar with implicit skills and ways of thinking in solving these problems. This is one thing that most teachers are not aware of. Lets look at a few ways in teaching problem solving skills to students.

1. Model hidden thinking in problem solving. Guide students about every aspect of what they are doing providing reasons for every steps. Include moments of vulnerability and accept the fact that they don't know what to do. Discuss the students' options and decision process. Use methods to check their work in order to correct their errors. This internal dialogue is essential in problem solving. 

2. Facilitate student talk during problem solving. Never solve the problems for the students even if they ask you in any situation either in class, working in groups or individually. Use the Socratic method in getting them involved. Asking questions that will stimulate critical thinking and getting ideas. Questions such as these: 

  • Clarifying concepts.
  • Probing assumptions.
  • Probing rationale, reasons and evidence.
  • Questioning viewpoints and perspectives.
  • Probing implications and consequences.
  • Questioning the question.
Model question that students can use in self -talk to guide them in the problem solving process.  This process will lead to advance problem solving skills. Question such as "Why do we do that?" will provide reasoning and value of the actions in each step of problem solving process.

3. Include discussion for planning for each problem. Students often do not know how to plan a problem. They usually do not know where to begin in solving a problem thus leading to frustration and giving up. Guide students to identify and write data with units for  problem, identify questions to be used, identify and write what they are trying to solve, draw a relevant vector diagram and brainstorm possible ways in solving the problem.

4. Emphasize the process in solving a problem, not the final answer. Giving students guiding questions to facilitate the process of solving a problem is the best way in making them solve the problem themselves. Get students to give various method in solving a problem. Analyse the advantage of each method. Encourage students to check and confirm their work instead of looking at a simple result of the problem. This will encourage the students to look at details of the steps taken in solving a problem. Grade the steps taken as well rather then just the final answer.

5. Teach explicitly problem solving. Encourage students to create their own problem solving strategy.  Collect responses from students and create a class protocol. Use the two-column approach where the students show their work in the left column and in the right they explain and justify what they did and why. This will encourage students think about their actions in solving a problem. This will improve the connection between conceptual ideas and problem-solving.

There are many other ways in encouraging students to be more explicit in their problem solving process.

Reference: Guiding Students to be Independent Problem-Solvers in STEM Classroom, by Assistant Professor Stephanie Toro.Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia  Feb 12 2021

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