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We are constantly being told that our students cannot "think" and that they are unable to solve problems. Others tell us that we need to teach "skills and process" rather than "content", but it is certainly not clear how this should be done (1). Some propose bubble balloon and string concept-mapping as a solution (including ways of assessing and grading the artistic efforts of the pupils!). Yet others propose the epistemological Vee heuristic device of Gowin ("guided by a dittoed work sheet") as a panacea (2).
The reality is simple: you cannot be successful at solving problems if you have not practiced solving problems! George Bodner puts it thus: "Problem solving is what you do when you don't know what to do, otherwise it is not a problem" (3).
Literature Cited
- Wellington, J., Ed. Skills and Processes in Science Education; Routledge: London, 1989; pp 145 - 146.
- Novak, J.D.; Gowin, D.B. Learning How to Learn; Cambridge: New York, 1984; p 36 and p 58 especially.
- Bodner, G.M. J. Chem. Educ. 1986, 63, 873 - 877.
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