Problem solving (Education)

Five Ways in Which Language Teachers Can Develop Problem-Solving Skills for International Students

by George Schaaff

An Investigation of Interpersonal Problem Solving Approaches With Respect To Attachment Styles

by Halil Eksi

Emel ARSLAN Coşkun ARSLAN Ramazan ARI
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice - 12(1) • Winter • 15-23

The purpose of this study was to investigate interpersonal problem solving approaches with respect to attachmentmore The purpose of this study was to investigate interpersonal problem solving approaches with respect to attachment
styles. The participants were 554 (279 female and 275 male) university students. Pearson product-moment
correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were used.The results of the study showed that the
attachment styles of the students significantly predicted subdimentsions of interpersonal problem solving.
There was a positive relationship between secure attachment style and constructive problem solving, insistentpersevering
approach while there was a negative and significant relationship between secure attachment style
and approaching problems in a negative way, lack of self confidence, unwillingness to take responsibility. There
was a positive relationship among dismissive attachment style scores constructive problem solving score. The
relationship among preoccuped attachment style and approaching problems in a negative way, constructive
problem solving, lack of self confidence, and unwillingness to take responsibility was positive and significant.
There was a positive relationship among Fearful attachment style and approaching problems in a negative
way, constructive problem solving, lack of self confidence, unwillingness to take responsibility, and ınsistentpersevering
approach.

The Relationship Between Learning Styles And Problem Solving Skills Among College Students

by Halil Eksi

Ahmet ŞİRİN, Ayfle GÜZEL
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice
6 (1) • January 2006 • 255-264

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between learning styles and
problem solving skills of... more The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between learning styles and
problem solving skills of students of Atatürk Faculty of Education. This research
was conducted on 330 senior students during the semesters of 2002-2003 academic
year. To collect the data, the Learning Style Inventory (LSI; Kolb, 1984) and the
Problem Solving Inventory (PSI; Heppner & Peterson, 1978) were used. The findings
indicate that learning styles differed with respect to the students’ subject matters
in high school and the types of university entrance exam scores. Students who
graduated from the programs of Science and Turkish-Mathematics were assimilated
converging learning style more than students who graduated from social sciences
programs. Students who graduated from the programs of social sciences were assimilated
accommodating learning styles more than the students of the other programs.
Students who entered to universities based on their ability examination, social science,
or foreign language scores preferred accommodating style; students who entered
to university based on science scores preferred converging learning style. It was
found that there was no relationship between students’ learning style types and their
problem-solving skills. On the other hand, it was found that problem-solving skills
had a positive relationship with reflective-observation learning style and a negative
relationship with abstract conceptualization learning style.

An Investigation of Anger and Anger Expression in Terms of Coping with Stress and Interpersonal Problem-Solving

by Halil Eksi

Coşkun ARSLAN
Educational Sciences: Th eory & Practice
10 (1) • Winter 2010 • 25-43

Th e purpose of this study was to investigate the anger and anger expression styles with
respect to coping with... more Th e purpose of this study was to investigate the anger and anger expression styles with
respect to coping with stress and interpersonal problem-solving. Th e participants were
468 (258 female and 210 male, between 17-30 years old) university students. Pearson
product-moment correlation coeff icients and multiple hierarchical regression analysis
were used. As a results of the study, it was found that there was a negative relationship
between trait anger and problem focused coping (p < .05), a negative relationship between
anger in with problem-focused coping, and seeking for social support (p < .01), a negative
relationship between anger-out with avoiding (p < .01) and problem-focused coping
(p < .05) and a positive relationship between anger control with problem-focused coping
and avoidance (p < .01). However there was a positive relationship among approaching
problems in a negative way, lack of self-confidence, unwillingness to take responsibility
and trait anger, anger in, anger out (p < .01) while a negative relationship between
anger control (p < .01). A negative relationship among constructive problem-solving
and trait anger (p < .05), anger-in (p<.01), and a positive relationship between constructive
problem-solving and anger control (p < .01) were found. And, there was a negative relationship
between insisting-preserving approach and anger-in (p < .05), while there was
a positive relationship between insistent preserving approach and anger-out, anger control
(p < .01). Besides, it was found that coping with stress and interpersonal problem-solving
significantly explain the trait anger and the anger expressing styles.

How Does Visual Attention Differ Between Experts and Novices on Physics Problems?

by Lester Loschky

Research in many disciplines has used eye-tracking technology to investigate the differences in the visual attention... more Research in many disciplines has used eye-tracking technology to investigate the differences in the visual attention of experts and novices. For example, it has been shown that experts in art and chess spend more time than novices looking at relevant information. Thus, it may be helpful to give novices more direct insight into the way experts allocate their visual attention, for example using attentional cueing techniques. However, not much is known about how experts allocate their attention on physics problems. More specifically, we look at physics problems where the critical information needed to answer the problem is contained in a diagram. This study uses eye movements to investigate how the allocation of visual attention differs between experts and novices on these types of physics problems. We find that in several problems tested, those who answered a question correctly spend more time looking at thematically relevant areas while those who answer incorrectly spend more time looking at perceptually salient areas of the diagram.

The role of multistage tasks in developing creative activities among mathematics teachers

by Bożena Maj-Tatsis

published in Didactica Mathematicae - Journal of the Polish Mathematical Society

THE EFFECT OF STUDENTS'ROLES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SHARED MEANINGS DURING PROBLEM SOLVING

by Konstantinos Tatsis

Published in 'Social Psychology of Education', 2006.

According to role theory each participant in a peer interaction performs a specific role in order to maintain his/her... more According to role theory each participant in a peer interaction performs a specific role in order to maintain his/her face. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the roles performed during collaborative problem solving affect the establishment of shared mathematical knowledge. The participants of our study were 40 student teachers who worked in dyads to solve three mathematical problems. The categorization of the roles performed and the analysis of their effect in the establishment of shared knowledge led us to the conclusion that certain role combinations enhance while others hinder the establishment of shared mathematical knowledge.

lesson HEP Tateo 1 dec

by Luca Tateo

Robots and Problem Solving

by Scott Turner

Problem Solving and Creativity for Undergraduate Engineers: findings of an action research project involving robots

by Scott Turner

Co-authored with J. P. Adams*1, S. Kaczmarczyk*, P. Picton* and P. Demian†

Many researchers have written about the importance and complexities of developing problem solving skills and... more Many researchers have written about the importance and complexities of developing problem solving skills and encouraging creative thinking in engineering students. Research continues to suggest deficiencies in developing or assessing process skills; with the attention of engineering educators being on outcomes or products of problem solving scenarios.
This paper considers highlights of this previous work, and how this might inform action research to develop a module to improve and encourage process skills in engineering undergraduates. Findings from the first cycle of action research are presented. Lego Mindstorm robots have been used to provide suitable practical activities, and to stimulate student motivation.

Student Task Modeling In Design and Evaluation of Open Problem-Solving Environments

by Nikolaos Tselios

Problem Solving and Situated Cognition

by David Kirsh

Philip Robbins & M. Aydede (Eds.) (pp. 264-306) The Cambridge Handbook of Situated Cognition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

In the course of daily life we solve problems often enough that there is a special term to characterize the activity... more In the course of daily life we solve problems often enough that there is a special term to characterize the activity and the right to expect a scientific theory to explain its dynamics. The classical view in psychology is that to solve a problem a subject must frame it by creating an internal representation of the problem‘s structure, usually called a problem space. This space is an internally generable representation that is mathematically identical to a graph structure with nodes and links. The nodes can be annotated with useful information, and the whole representation can be distributed over internal and external structures such as symbolic notations on paper or diagrams. If the representation is distributed across internal and external structures the subject must be able to keep track of activity in the distributed structure. Problem solving proceeds as the subject works from an initial state in this mentally supported space, actively construction possible solution paths, evaluating them and heuristically choosing the best. Control of this exploratory process is not well understood, as it is not always systematic, but various heuristic search algorithms have been proposed and some experimental support has been provided for them.

Talking Over the Computer: Pedagogical Scenarios to Blend Computer and Face to Face Interaction

by Luca Tateo

Community Service & Scholarship: Prospects & Challenges for Lebanese Engineering Institutions

by Georges NAHAS

Jadayel, O. & Nahas, G. N. (September 6 – 9, 2009). Community Service and Scholarship: Prospects and challenges for Lebanese Engineering Institutions. In 38th IGIP Symposium – Q2 of E2, Quality and Quantity of Engineering Education. Graz. Austria.

This paper is concerned with the utilisation of community based service learning programmes as means for advancing... more This paper is concerned with the utilisation of community based service learning programmes as means for advancing scholarship in all its forms. It examines how, in the absence of other alternative modalities, such student centred programmes may be exploited to stimulate academic research and development activities particularly where funding opportunities are scarce. Supportive examples are drawn from the experience of the University of Balamand in Lebanon. Two case studies are presented and are used to highlight the methodologies used to direct student learning efforts within these programmes not only to fulfil the requirements of the community partner, but also to realise original academic output. Also in this paper, is an analysis of the challenges and difficulties that have to be considered when using such programmes.

PBL and Concept Acquisition

by Georges NAHAS

Nahas, G. N. (June 30 - July 5, 2008). PBL & Concept Acquisition. In Research Symposium on PBL 2008 & SEFI 36th Annual Conference, UNESCO CHAIR Problem Based Learning. Aalborg University. Denmark.

The objective of this presentation is to study to what extend a PBL learning process helps in concepts acquisition... more The objective of this presentation is to study to what extend a PBL learning process helps in concepts acquisition within the framework of an approach based on the principles of Cognitive Psychology, Constructivism and high mental skills.

Any learning approach may turn out to become a technical tool if not rooted in a solid ground of a broad methodological vision of Education. PBL learning process is not an exception.

To what extend a PBL based strategy will help knowledge building?

What are the pre and co requisites for a successful PBL learning process from a cognitive point of view?

Is there any relation between the development aspect at the learners’ level and the PBL strategy implementation?

Finally, this presentation will come with a set of criteria to access the quality of learning on PBL strategies.

‘Elven Elder LVL59 Looking For Party/RB. Please PM me’: Immersion, Collaborative Tasks and Problem Solving in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

by Iro Voulgari

Voulgari, I., & Komis, V. (2010). 'Elven Elder LVL59 LFP/RB. Please PM me': immersion, collaborative tasks and problem-solving in massively multiplayer online games. Learning, Media and Technology, 35(2), 171-202. doi: 10.1080/17439884.2010.494429.

Although there is strong evidence that massively multiplayer online games constitute environments of social... more Although there is strong evidence that massively multiplayer online games constitute environments of social interactions and effective learning, we currently lack the tools for investigating the effectiveness of the social networks emerging as well as the cognitive aspects and knowledge acquisition such environments involve. Within this context we present a conceptual framework for the investigation of the collaborative problem solving processes emerging in such environments and we apply it in the investigation of a number of massively multiplayer online games through interviews and virtual ethnography. Our findings suggest the balanced convergence of multiple factors, such as the mechanics of the game, the design of the tasks, the collaboration and competition affordances and the content of the game, for the constitution of an effective environment for collaborative learning.