As a teacher, I feel that verbally initiating a public problem solving activity is extremely important in student achievement. I am trying to accomplish community building, structured group work and motivation for learning. If students are given a inquiry activity- I feel that allowing them to discover the necessary objectives for learning this "question" will allow for higher-level thinking. However, when a subject is verbally given, students are "forced" to communicate with others around them- and solve the problem as a team.
In using public problem solving I am attempting to create a collective community of learners. As a teacher, I pose a question or problem (i.e. What factors affect the rate of photosynthesis?). The class then volunteers possible solutions or answers. Within small lab groups, students create procedures to test their hypotheses or possible solutions and conduct their experimentation. In this process students are learning to plan together, implement solutions together, negotiate and learn as a member of a group.
I feel the same way, Brian. It really allows students to work together to achieve a common goal. :) Your comment really helped me understand the importance of PGW and purpose. Rock on!
I use public problem solving in my Parenting classes. We look at stories, articles,etc. about parenting. I will read and then bring up a question I have from what is reported. Then asking students what ideas that brings to their mind or unanswered questions. They get to see that what we have read gives us alot of information or very little. I will show them that I often discard a story that has information or details that are missing.
As the teacher using public problem solving, I'm trying to model metacognative thought to the learner. I help the learners make the connection between the how to the when and where to use a certain skill. I do this through think alouds using my thoughts, I statements, and expert thinking. I do this normally with bell work, introductions and summaries.
I agree. I've used this along with a think-aloud to work through problems I'm having in my own playing. Teaching kids how to practice efficiently, I work though my own challenges transparently so they can see how I manage the frustration of tackling a new and difficult musical passage. The plan is for them to take these concepts to their own group (sectional) practices as well as their individual work.
Yeah this business of communicating ones thinking is where it is at for group problem solving. In my class if a student isn't required to communicate and justify their ideas then it doesn't force them to be sure of themselves. It allows them to be lazy thinkers. I rely on this group problem solving heavily.
I like your observation that students are prone to become lazy thinkers if they're not put in a position to justify their contributions and conclusions. That's human nature. In using the public problem solving strategy the students are nudged out of their comfort zone. Eventually, working in a public problem solving environment becomes their new comfort zone.
The purpose of public problem solving is to use metacognition to demonstrate for students how to think through the problem. Perhaps identify steps, processing, etc. of how to think through it. I have found this to be helpful when modeling for students how to organize a 5 paragraph essay. I find the support for a possible thesis statement first and then, write a definte thesis statement.
I too concur with you all. I, like Joan, will use public problem solving as a way to model my thinking as I work through a problem. Public problem solving allows me to break down what might seem to be difficult problems to understand into workable chunks that the kids can follow. I can also give them a glimpse at the thinking of an 'expert' so that they can use that model to justify their own thinking and problem solving methods. I have also found that when students are given a chance to walk the rest of the class through their own thinking on a problem that other students can sometimes connect more to the thinking processes of their peers than to me.
Using problem solving I am showing the students the path to find out the answer to a problem, for instance how to conjugate a verb. I expect students to be able to face and solve on their own similar problems.
I use public problem solving in math a lot of the time when demonstating how a problem is worked through or processed. What I can use advice on though is that I have a tendency to automatically slip into thinking and talking about the process or steps more than my thoughts. Is that ok or not what I want to be doing?
I think your post really captures both ends of why public problem solving is so powerful for our kids. Learners are allowed to see "expert thinking" and are also given practice letting others into their head to show their reasoning, logic, and justification for how to solve tasks. In my classes often the public problem includes a court case. It is important for students to see the thinking behind verdicts the court gives. Using those examples it helps kids who might otherwise fall into the "lazy thinking" trap a blueprint to follow. It is more important for the kids to learn WHY the court rules as it does... and it is likewise important for them to practice justifying/explaining their own thinking to an outside audience.
If you asked me to name 5 "things" that made a difference at Washington when you were there that helped kids learn most, I would name this strategy as a "top three."... There is something very powerful in having students take this "next step" in their learning. It is particularly powerful in that the strategy helps other students (as well) in their learning. If you haven't already, consider beginning this strategy in your class today!
As a teacher, I feel that verbally initiating a public problem solving activity is extremely important in student achievement. I am trying to accomplish community building, structured group work and motivation for learning. If students are given a inquiry activity- I feel that allowing them to discover the necessary objectives for learning this "question" will allow for higher-level thinking. However, when a subject is verbally given, students are "forced" to communicate with others around them- and solve the problem as a team.
ReplyDeleteIn using public problem solving I am attempting to create a collective community of learners. As a teacher, I pose a question or problem (i.e. What factors affect the rate of photosynthesis?). The class then volunteers possible solutions or answers. Within small lab groups, students create procedures to test their hypotheses or possible solutions and conduct their experimentation. In this process students are learning to plan together, implement solutions together, negotiate and learn as a member of a group.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way, Brian. It really allows students to work together to achieve a common goal. :) Your comment really helped me understand the importance of PGW and purpose. Rock on!
ReplyDeleteI use public problem solving in my Parenting classes. We look at stories, articles,etc. about parenting. I will read and then bring up a question I have from what is reported. Then asking students what ideas that brings to their mind or unanswered questions. They get to see that what we have read gives us alot of information or very little. I will show them that I often discard a story that has information or details that are missing.
ReplyDeleteAs the teacher using public problem solving, I'm trying to model metacognative thought to the learner. I help the learners make the connection between the how to the when and where to use a certain skill. I do this through think alouds using my thoughts, I statements, and expert thinking. I do this normally with bell work, introductions and summaries.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I've used this along with a think-aloud to work through problems I'm having in my own playing. Teaching kids how to practice efficiently, I work though my own challenges transparently so they can see how I manage the frustration of tackling a new and difficult musical passage. The plan is for them to take these concepts to their own group (sectional) practices as well as their individual work.
ReplyDeleteBrian and Tracy,
ReplyDeleteYeah this business of communicating ones thinking is where it is at for group problem solving. In my class if a student isn't required to communicate and justify their ideas then it doesn't force them to be sure of themselves. It allows them to be lazy thinkers. I rely on this group problem solving heavily.
I agree. Using public problem solving allows students to see how you can use multiple strategies to be able to solve problems.
ReplyDeleteJustin,
ReplyDeleteI like your observation that students are prone to become lazy thinkers if they're not put in a position to justify their contributions and conclusions. That's human nature. In using the public problem solving strategy the students are nudged out of their comfort zone. Eventually, working in a public problem solving environment becomes their new comfort zone.
The purpose of public problem solving is to use metacognition to demonstrate for students how to think through the problem. Perhaps identify steps, processing, etc. of how to think through it. I have found this to be helpful when modeling for students how to organize a 5 paragraph essay. I find the support for a possible thesis statement first and then, write a definte thesis statement.
ReplyDeleteI too concur with you all. I, like Joan, will use public problem solving as a way to model my thinking as I work through a problem. Public problem solving allows me to break down what might seem to be difficult problems to understand into workable chunks that the kids can follow. I can also give them a glimpse at the thinking of an 'expert' so that they can use that model to justify their own thinking and problem solving methods. I have also found that when students are given a chance to walk the rest of the class through their own thinking on a problem that other students can sometimes connect more to the thinking processes of their peers than to me.
ReplyDeleteUsing problem solving I am showing the students the path to find out the answer to a problem, for instance how to conjugate a verb.
ReplyDeleteI expect students to be able to face and solve on their own similar problems.
I use public problem solving in math a lot of the time when demonstating how a problem is worked through or processed. What I can use advice on though is that I have a tendency to automatically slip into thinking and talking about the process or steps more than my thoughts. Is that ok or not what I want to be doing?
ReplyDeleteJason,
ReplyDeleteI think your post really captures both ends of why public problem solving is so powerful for our kids. Learners are allowed to see "expert thinking" and are also given practice letting others into their head to show their reasoning, logic, and justification for how to solve tasks. In my classes often the public problem includes a court case. It is important for students to see the thinking behind verdicts the court gives. Using those examples it helps kids who might otherwise fall into the "lazy thinking" trap a blueprint to follow. It is more important for the kids to learn WHY the court rules as it does... and it is likewise important for them to practice justifying/explaining their own thinking to an outside audience.
Jesus: It helps them to problem solve and use those same strategies and rules when conjugating other verbs.
ReplyDeleteIf you asked me to name 5 "things" that made a difference at Washington when you were there that helped kids learn most, I would name this strategy as a "top three."... There is something very powerful in having students take this "next step" in their learning. It is particularly powerful in that the strategy helps other students (as well) in their learning. If you haven't already, consider beginning this strategy in your class today!
ReplyDelete