Problem-Solving Approach
To develop problem-solving skills, learners practice the following steps (Hungerford et al., 1992):
More recently (Jensen & Schnack, 1997; Jensen, 2004), the participation of learners in the implementation of the solutions has also been included as a core step in the process.
- Identify an environmental issue
- Investigate this issue
- Diagnose the problem
- Search for solutions
- Evaluate and choose the optimal solutions
To give meaning to the actions undertaken, learners are encouraged to develop a vision of what they want the future to look like (remember the futures thinking competency?). This reminds us of why we are solving the “problems” in the first place.
Examples
1. The problem-solving approach to education is evident in the Nord Anglia Education (international organization of 46 schools) curriculum, developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Read the following news story for more details.2. Check out how several schools in the United States are engaging students in solving real-world problems: