Problem solving

Draft

Introduction

“Problem solving is generally regarded as the most important cognitive activity in everyday and professional contexts. Most people are required to and rewarded for solving problems. However, learning to solve problems is too seldom required informal educational settings, in part, because our understanding of its processes is limited.” (Jonassen, 2000).

Jonassen also states that problem solving is not “sufficiently acknowledged or articulated in the instructional design literature” (p.63). But he also mentioned that problem-solving is at the center of practice in contemporary learning theory: “Contemporary conceptions of student-centered learning environments, such as open-ended learning environments (Hannafin, Hall, Land, & Hill, 1994; Land & Hannafin, 1996), goal-based scenarios (Schank, Fano, Bell, & Jona, 1993/1994), and even problem-based learning (Barrows, 1985; Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980) focus on problem-solving outcomes. They recommend instructional strategies, such as authentic cases, simulations, modeling, coaching, and scaffolding, to support their implicit problem-solving outcomes, but they inadequately analyze or explicate the nature of the problems to be solved” (Jonassen, 2000a).