Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School1 PROBLEM SOLVING

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School2 WHAT IS PROBLEM SOLVING ? Problem solving is necessary whenever a person has a goal and there is some obstacle to achieving it. The process of problem solving can provide a better understanding of the situation in which the problem occurred.

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School3 STRUCTURED AND UNSTRUCTURED PROBLEMS u Unstructured problems are problems that have unclear constraints and require unidentified resources; sometimes the goal is not even clear. u Structured problems have clear goals and specify resources available to accomplish the goals. Additionally, structured problems usually have one “right” answer.

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School4 BATHTUB PROBLEM You are a part of a group on the side of a river, and need to desperately get to the other side. The river is infested with piranhas, crocodiles, high mercury levels and radioactive waste. As luck would have it, you happen to have the following pieces of equipment with you: 1 bathtub, 2 lengths of wood (3 metres long), 2 lengths of rope 4 buckets, 1 bathroom scales, 2 measuring cylinders, 1 tape measure 1m long, 2 rulers, 1 Styrofoam box In your group, your challenge is to design a craft to transport the members of your group from one side of the river to the other.

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School5 PROBLEM SOLVING AND REAL LIFE That many real-life situations have the defining characteristics of unstructured academic problems.

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School6 POYLA’S MODEL FOR PROBLEM SOLVING STUDENT THINKING PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM DESIGNING THE SOLUTION PROBLEM TASK IN CONTEXT CHECKING THE SOLUTION WORKING THE SOLUTION

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School7 A MODEL FOR UNSTRUCTURED PROBLEM SOLVING  Place the task in context and identify the goal you are trying to accomplish.  Identify any limits, constraints, questions or issues which will affect the attainment of the goal.  Formulate a range of possible strategies which will enable you to reach your goal.  Select and try out the alternative that appears to be the best.  Reflect on the effectiveness of the alternative that you have tried. If necessary, modify the chosen strategy or try an alternate strategy.

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School8 KEY POINTS RELATED TO PROBLEM SOLVING 1. The first of the process - identifying the goal - may sometimes be provided for students. However, students also need to practice identifying the goal. 2. It is important that students take time to focus on analysing whatever is in the way of achieving the goal before generating a solution. (Pages )

Phillip Moulds - Brisbane Grammar School9 KEY POINTS TO PROBLEM SOLVING (cont’d) 3. Problem solving makes use of other Dimension 4 processes. 4. It is important for students to understand that the problem solving process is a way of finding the best solution, not simply any solution.